2001 Toyota Corolla

1- THERE WAS AN ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE CAR. 2- SMOKE CAME IN FROM DASHBOARD VENTS; SECONDS AFTER THAT THE BRAKES FAILED; FLAMES CAME IN THROUGH THE DASHBOARD VENTS THEN THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO LEAP FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS IN MOTION. MOMENTS LATER THE CAR EXPLODED AND WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. 3 - THE CAR WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE AFTER THE EXPLOSION AND COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE TIRES AND ALL NON-METAL PARTS OF THE CAR WERE GONE. WE HAVE REQUESTED A REPORT AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM FROM THE TOYOTA DEALER AND FROM TOYOTA. TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN NO WRITTEN RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS EVENT. THE CHARRED REMAINS OF THE AUTOMOBILE WERE REVIEWED BY A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE, AND AFTERWARD THE TOYOTA DEALER COMMUNICATED VERBALLY THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION. THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED NOW AS THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH FUEL LINES IN OTHER SUBSEQUENTLY OWNED COROLLAS; AND THAT TOYOTA AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAVE INDICATED NO CONCERN FOR THE SERIOUS COROLLA FUEL LINE PROBLEMS THAT PRESENTS A CLEAR DANGER TO ANYONE OWNING AND DRIVING THIS CAR. *TR

ON MY 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA LE WITH ABOUT 60,000 MILES, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD MY MECHANIC RUN THE OBD CODE, WHICH RETURNED THE CODE OF P0446 (EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM VENT CONTROL CIRCUIT). MY MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS THE EMISSIONS OF THE COROLLA. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY COROLLA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION. THE REPAIR OF THIS PART ON MY COROLLA TOTALLED ABOUT $640 AND I FEEL THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE AS IT BEING REPORTED BY SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS OWNING COROLLA'S (AND OTHER MODELS OF TOYOTA). MY HOPE IS THAT TOYOTA WILL BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS PART DUE TO THE LACK OF ATTENTION GIVEN TO A MALFUNCTIONING SYSTEM. *NM

DT: THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY ABLE TO HOLD ONE OR TWO GALLONS OF GAS AT A TIME. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE ATTENDANT, WHO TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE WENT WITH OWNER TO THE GAS STATION, AND SAW THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER USING THE REST OF THE GAS THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE CARBON CANISTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT THE DEALER. THE COST WAS $585. THE OWNER WROTE A LETTER TO TOYOTA, AND ASKED FOR THE OLD CANISTER FROM THE DEALER, AND THE THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE GAS TANK. OWNER NOW HAS THE OLD CANISTER. TOYOTA ASKED FOR A COPY OF BILL, AND OWNER SENT ONE. SHE CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY ASKED FOR THE COMPLAINT LETTER AGAIN AND A COPY OF BILL AGAIN. THE OWNER IS UPSET BECAUSE SHE HAD TO PAY FOR A PART TO BE REPAIRED THAT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. OWNER WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY SITUATION. BECAUSE IF SHE RAN OUT OF GAS FAR AWAY FROM A GAS STATION, AND SHE WAS BY HERSELF. THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK