Toyota Corolla electrical problems

ON MAY 1, 2002 I LEFT MY OFFICE WHICH IS SIX MILES FROM MY HOME. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR I HEARD A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS THE CAR STARTED FINE I DECIDED TO DRIVE HOME. I HAD NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AT THIS POINT. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME THE WHINING SOUND INCREASED. ALL THE GAUGES READ NORMAL, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCLUDED. ABOUT 4 MILES FROM HOME THE WHINING SOUND INCREASED SO I TURNED OFF THE A/C AND THE RADIO. I BEGAN TO FEEL A SLLIGHT VIBRATION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. ABOUT 2 MILES FROM HOME I BEGAN TO SMELL A SICKLY-SWEET ODOR. APPROX. 3/10 OF A MILE FROM MY HOME THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR BEGAN TO RUN VERY ROUGHLY. THE SICLY SWEET SMELL BECAME MUCH STRONGER AND I HAD A SENSE THAT MY CAR WAS GOIN TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STILL READ NORMAL SO I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS WRONG AND POSSIBLY THE ALTERNATOR WAS FAILING. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT DOWN BY THE ROAD, THE ODOR WAS BECOMING VERY STRONG. I GRABBED THE CAR KEYS AND SOME OF MY WORK ITEMS AND RAN TO GET THE WATER HOSE ABOUT 25 FT. FROM THE CAR. I TURNED AROUND, HAVIG BEEN OUT OF THE CAR POSSIBLY NO MORE THAN 10 SECONDS AND BROWN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE HOOD. I CALLED FOR MY SON TO BRING THE CORDLESS PHONE AND TOLD HIM THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. HE BEGAN TO SPRAY WATER ON THE CAR IN AN EFFORT TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. I CALLED 911. TWO FIRE ENGINES RESPONDED BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO SAVE THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD HAD MELTED OR FUSED TOGETHER, THE FIRE BURNED THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE FIRE WALL MELTING THE DASH AND THE RADIO, THE HOOD LINER AND VISORS COMPLETELY BURNED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND MELTED, THE FIRE BEGAN TO BURN THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WELL, THE HOOD LATCH HAD MELTED SHUT SO THE FIRE DEPT HAD TO USE A CHAIN SAW TO OPEN THE HOOD WHEN THE FIRE WAS OUT. THE PAINT BURNED OFF THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I HAVE PICTURES TO VERIFY THE FIRE DAMAGE.*AK

THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE REAR LIGHTS SOCKETS, THE INSIDE CONNECTOR IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND WHEN THEY GET HOT AND OLD IT MELTS, LOOSING THE CONNECTIONS WITH THE BOTTON OF THE LIGHT BULB, I HAVE TO PURCHASE FROM TOYOTA A NEW WIRING SET, BUT THE NEW ONES ARE MADE OF THE SAME PLASTIC, SO THEY WILL FAIL AGAIN, I HAVE SEEM PLENTY OF TOYOTAS COROLLAS WITH REAR LIGHTS MALFUNCTION IN THE ROAD. THANKS. *AK

THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS, ONE IN ME AND ONE IN NJ AND NEITHER HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG. WHEN IT SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, YOU CAN SOMETIMES RESTART IT JUST BY PRESSING/PUMPING THE GAS. OTHER TIMES YOU MUST COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER , WAIT AND RESTART. THAT CAN TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. I REMEMBER A RECENT RECALL, UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT REMEMBER THE MAKE OR MODEL, REGARDING A SIMILAR SITUATION AND WAS WONDERING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS SINCE THE SYMPTOM WAS THE SAME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MIKE RILEY. *AK

THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALER IN CA. NO PROBLEMS WERE INCOUNTERED UNTIL THE HORN BECAME INTERMITTENT AND THEN STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I BROUGHT THE CAT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO HAVE IT REPAIRED WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRENTY. A YEAR LATER THE HORN HAS BECOME INOPERATIVE ONCE AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE SAME COMPONENT HAS STOPPED WORKING.*AK