1998 Toyota Corolla

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE VEHICLE HAS WINDSTAR PHASER TUBELESS RADIAL, SIZE 185/65/R14 TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE DRASTICALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPING AND WEARING ON THE INSIDE, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE STRUTS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE PRESSURE AND OUTSIDE TREAD WAS NORMAL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STRUTS WERE FINE. THE CONTACT HAD THE TIRES REPLACED. THE POWERTRAIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BY THE OTHER PARTY. THE WEATHER WAS BRIGHT AND SUNNY AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,820. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB THE ACCELERATION CAUSE WAS NOT FOUND. UPDATED 12/12/07

I OWN A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. IN AUGUST 2004, THE AIRBAG WENT DEFECTIVE. AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN NJ ORDERED A REPLACEMENT CENTRAL AIRBAG ASSEMBLY AND THE AIRBAG WAS REPLACED ON SEP 1, 2004. *AK HOWEVER AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THE SAME AIRBAG PROBLEM REOCCURED AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT THE ENTIRE AIRBAG CIRCUITRY WAS DEFECTIVE. SINCE THEY QUOTED ME AN EXHORBITANT PRICE, I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THIS SECOND DEALERSHIP AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS, IDENTIFIED THAT THE SAME CENTRAL AIRBAG ASSEMBLY THAT WAS REPLACED IN SEP 1, 2004 WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY ORDERED A SECOND REPLACEMENT AND FITTED MY CAR WITH THE NEW PART. THIS HAPPENED IN NOV 2006. HOWEVER 2 MONTHS AFTER THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT,IN FEB 2007 THE SAME AIRBAG PROBLEM REOCCURED FOR A 3RD TIME. I CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA, INC AT 1901 SOUTH WESTERN AVENUE - WC 10, TORRANCE, CA 90501 TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I SENT THEM ALL THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. HOWEVER INSPITE OF EXPLAINING THE THREAT TO MY LIFE CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG, TOYOTA HAS NOT COME FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $1500 ON THE PROBLEM ALREADY OVER THE COURSE OF 3 YEARS. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS A 1998 MAKE, THE AIRBAGS WERE REPLACED IN SEP 2004 AND NOV 2006 AND ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I REQUEST YOU TO INSTRUCT TOYOTA TO REPAIR THE AIRBAG AT NO EXTRA COST TO ME. TOYOTA'S REFERENCE NUMBER FOR MY CASE IS 200706250076.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP RAN THE DIAGNOSTIC ($90). THE REPORT INDICATED THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW CHARCOAL CANISTER. REPAIR MADE A LOCAL AUTO SHOP (PARTS & LABOR $370). ONE MONTH LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REAPPEARED. LOCAL AUTO SHOP RAN DIAGNOSTIC. REPORT INDICATED THAT THE VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE FOR THE PURGE SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. REPAIR MADE AT LOCAL AUTO SHOP (PART & LABOR $135). *JB

ON 11/7/2006 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE MY VEHICLE 98 TOYOTA COROLLA REAR ENDED A CEMENT TRUCK. THE SPEED AT WHICH MY CAR WAS TRAVELING WAS 25-35 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, MY SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK AND BECAUSE OF THIS MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I VISITED THE URGENT CARE THE SAME DAY AND AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT I SUFFERED STRAINED LIGAMENTS AND MUSCLES IN MY NECK AND BACK AND A BRUISE AND SCRAPE ON MY CHEST. I AM STILL SUFFERING. *NM

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON OUR 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA BLINKS CONTINUALLY. COMPUTER ANALYSIS INDICATES THE CAUSE TO BE A FAULTY AIRBAG HARNESS. CORRECTION OF THE PROBLEM REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE HARNESS -- A $500 EXPENSE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMONLY SEEN PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL YEAR. IF THE AIRBAG HARNESS FAILS, THE AIRBAG MIGHT NOT DEPLOY OR MIGHT NOT DEPLOY EFFECTIVELY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. SUCH A PROBLEM THEREFORE REPRESENTS A BROADER SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN AUGUST OF 2004 FOR NO APPARENT REASON (CAR HAS NO HISTORY OF ACCIDENTS). TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED (IN THE STATES- WE NOW LIVE IN CANADA), AIR BAGS NOT COVERED UNDER THE PURCHASE WARRANTY. DEALER SPLIT THE COST OF REPLACING THE LEFT SIDE AIR BAG OUT OF GOOD WILL (WE PAID $418.25). LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON REPEATEDLY AFTER FIX. DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER COMPONENT, ADJUSTED HARNESS, REPEATEDLY TRIED TO FIX WIRING. IT IS NOW JUNE OF 2006 AND THE LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON- WE HAVE JUST REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG (AT THE COST TO TOYOTA- WE PAID FOR LABOR), AND LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON. DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT AIR BAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE WE BOUGHT THE CAR FOR THE SAFETY OF THE AIR BAGS AND WE ARE WORRIED OF BEING INJURED IN A CRASH. DEALER IS CURRENTLY IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA REGARDING REPLACING COMPUTER COMPONENTS AGAIN. WE ARE GOING ON 2 YEARS OF HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM! AN ESTIMATED $5000 HAS BEEN PUT INTO FIXING THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING LABOR FOR OUR 14+ VISITS TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED UNSAFE AND DEFECTIVE AND WE ARE UNABLE TO SELL IT. *NM