1998 Toyota Corolla

SAFETY NON COMPLAINT SERVICE TO TOYOTA COROLLA.*MR THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED ON SEPT 23, 2003, AS PART OF THE REPAIR WORK, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE P ARTS AND LABOR WOULD BE COVERED FOR 12 MONTHS AND WAS GOOD AT ANY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP NATION WIDE. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR A 9000 MILES SERVICE, THE DEALER OBSERVED A NOISE DURING A TEST DRIVE, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A BAD BEARING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE THE PART AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSUMER GO BACK TO THE DEALER THAT REPLACED IT IN BEGINNING.*JB

SOON AFTER PURCHASING MY USED 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA IN 2001 I HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR...THE MIRROR WOULD NOT STAY IN POSITION INSIDE THE "MIRROR-HOLDER". I WOULD POSITION IT, AND A WEEK LATER IT WOULD BE AT THE WRONG ANGLE. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN. NOW, THREE YEARS LATER, THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRROR. I POSITION IT AND A WEEK LATER IT IS STARTING TO TILT DOWN. UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME THE MIRROR ISN'T COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY SO I JUST KEEP ADJUSTING IT. *JB

NUMEROUS REVISIONS TO THE PART NUMBER FOR BRAKE PADS. TOYOTA IS SAYING THAT THE OWNER HAS TO EAT THE COST OF THEIR MISTAKE THAT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO GET RIGHT BY PURCHASING THE NEW PADS, SHIMS, AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT GO WITH IT. IF TOYOTA SOLD THE CARS WITH THE WRONG SIZE PADS THEN TOYOTA SHOULD EAT THE COST. I HAVE BEEN TO THE MECHANICS 6 TIMES IN AS MANY MONTHS AND MY BRAKES ARE STILL MESSED UP.*AK

CAR IN FOR BRAKE WORK AT LOCAL DEALER RECENTLY. (HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD 90,000 MILE SERVICE THERE IN DEC 2003, NOTHING NOTED.) AT TIME OF BRAKE WORK, TOLD THAT TOP ENGINE NOISE (TICKING/RATTLE) NEEDED TO BE CHECKED, $600 JUST TO LOOK INSIDE AND SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS. TOOK TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED CAR FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. I'M ONLY AT 98,000 MILES, AND HAVE FOLLOWED MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS/CHANGED OIL REGULARLY ON SCHEDULE. I SHOULDN'T NEED A NEW ENGINE, THIS IS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I HADN'T CHANGED THE OIL ON TIME. ROD OR PISTON THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO IS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM. MY BROTHER IS STILL DRIVING A 1985 CAMRY! MOM HAS A 91 CAMRY STILL IN GOOD CONDITION, HIGH MILEAGE. DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE A TOYOTA GIVE OUT SO EARLY. WILL BE ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM TOYOTA. REPLACEMENT ENGINE TOTALED $2736.88 INCLUDING LABOR, FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES. NO DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING ENGINE MILEAGE EXCEPT ON BILL, SO ODOMETER STILL SAYS 98,000 MILES.

THE ENGINE OF A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE GERMAIN TOYOTA OF COLUMBUS EXAMINED THE CAR AND IDENTIFIED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE DAMAGE. REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS NEEDED. TOYOTA REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THIS WEAR AN TEAR AND ALSO BECAUSE THE FAILURE HAPPENED AFTER WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS TYPE OF WEAR AN TEAR IS NOT COMMON ON A 1998 TOYOTA WITH 82000 MILES. FURTHERMORE, TOYOTA'S OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT DOES NOT MENTION ANY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT ON TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. THE ONLY REFERENCE IS IN PAGE 45, 90,000 MILES MAINTENANCE LOG UNDER "ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS FOR SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS", WHICH INDICATES 'REPLACING TIMING BELT EXCEPT FOR COROLLA'. THE MANUAL SPECIFIES MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR UP TO 120,000 MILES. A CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WEAR & TEAR OF A COMPONENT WHEN THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SPECIFY THE NEED FOR MAINTENANCE. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE IS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR A DESIGN DEFICIENCY. PAID 2375 FOR A USED REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *LA