2007 Toyota Yaris H/B

12/21/13: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE 35F AND RAINING. AFTER A TRIP OF ABOUT 8 MILES MY CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE FOR A COUPLE HOURS. UPON STARTING THE CAR FOR MY RETURN TRIP I NOTICED THAT THE DASH INDICATORS FOR ABS AND BRAKE WERE LIT AND REMAINED LIT THROUGH THE DURATION OF MY TRIP OF ABOUT 8 MILES. THESE INDICATORS HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. 12/22/13: (NEXT DAY) WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE INDICATORS WERE AGAIN LIT AND REMAINED LIT. HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING A COUPLE MILES I NOTICED THAT THE INDICATORS WERE NO LONGER LIT. RESEARCH HAS INDICATED A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CONNECTORS TO THE ABS SENSORS IN THE REAR WHEELS FOR WHICH TOYOTA EVENTUALLY RELEASED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN. IN LATER YEARS THE CONNECTORS WERE REDESIGNED TO BE MORE RESISTANT TO WATER AND SNOW. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OCCURRENCES OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE NORTHERN US AND CANADA. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE AN EXTENDED RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AS THEY DID FOR THE ISSUE WITH THE CORRODED SUSPENSION BOLTS. *TR

THE SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED LIGHTING UP PERIODICALLY AND THEN EVENTUALLY STAYED ON. RAN AN OBD TEST THAT SHOWED THE CLOCK SPRING WAS SHORTED. THIS IS LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL BEHIND THE AIRBAG. HAVE SEEN MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE AND FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER. THIS IS NOT A CHEAP DEALER REPAIR (MORE THAN $500) AND CAN BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF THE AIRBAGS DO NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE URGENTLY LOOKED INTO BEFORE LIFE OR LIMB IS LOST, IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED ALREADY. *TR

THE AIRBAG SENSOR CAME ON. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RAN A $130 DIAGNOSTIC THAT TOLD ME THE SPIRAL CABLE FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS WORN OUT, BROKEN, OR FAULTY AND THAT IT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF $500 TO FIX IT. THEY SAID NO AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE AS THEY SHOULD WHILST THAT LIGHT IS ON AND I'D NEED TO FIX IT ASAP. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS CURRENTLY AND NOW I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE! HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS EITHER THE TACOMA OR TUNDRA THAT HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS A RECALL, BUT THAT THE YARIS WASN'T POPULAR ENOUGH TO HAVE ENOUGH ON THE ROAD TO CAUSE A RECALL, WHICH I THINK IS RIDICULOUS. THIS NEEDS TO BE EITHER A RECALL OR COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

ON 2/21/13 I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A HOSPITAL UNDERGROUND GARAGE. I WAS ABOUT 3 FEET FROM A CONCRETE WALL WHEN I SUDDENLY ACCELERATED HITTING THE WALL. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON. THE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED HITTING ME IN THE FACE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED,. I WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE VEHICLE BY THE FIRE DEPT. AND EMS AND TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. THERE X-RAYS OF MY SPINE WERE TAKEN. I HAD NO SPINAL FRACTURES SO I WAS DISCHARGED A FEW HOURS LATER. I SUFFERED SEVERE HEADACHES AND BODY ACHES FOR 3 WEEKS. MY GLASSES WERE BENT OUT OF SHAPE FROM THE AIRBAG HITTING THEM.THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO THE BODY SHOP. I PICKED UP THE CAR ON 3/13/13 AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS WERE DONE INCLUDING REPLACING THE FRONT BUMPERS, HEADLIGHTS, AIRBAG, SEATBELT, PULLING THE FRAME BACK INTO CORRECT POSITION ETC. THIS COST $6200. ON 3/14/13, AFTER A CALL TO THE TOYOTA HOME OFFICE. I MET AN ENGINEER AT TOYOTA OF NASHUA WHERE HE UNDERWENT AN INSPECTION OF THE BLACK BOX AND A CHECK OF THE RECORDING OF THE AIRBAG ECU. THE 6 PAGE REPORT THAT HE GAVE ME INDICATED THAT NO DATA WAS RECOVERED AND NO EVENTS HAD OCCURRED. I AM PUZZLED HOW THAT CAN BE AS THE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. I AM NOW LEFT WITH A VEHICLE THAT WAS IN PERFECT SHAPE BEFORE THE CRASH AND HAS NOW LOST A GREAT DEAL OF THE TRADE IN VALUE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE NO ONE CAN TELL ME THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE AND WILL NOT UNDERGO ANOTHER UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AS I EXPERIENCED ON 2/21.AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, I DROPPED MY CELL PHONE AND WHEN I RETRIEVED IT FROM THE FLOOR MAT I NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT HINDERING THE ACCELERATOR AND WAS PERFECTLY FLAT. COINCIDENTLY, ON 3/7/13, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT MY CAR IS ENROLLED IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA RE: ETCS BEING DEFECTIVE WHICH MAY CAUSE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP GOT DIAGNOSTIC AND IT IS THE AIR BAG COIL SPRING, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAGS MOST LIKELY WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. COST TO REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $500, NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TOYOTA SHOULD REPAIR FOR FREE, SHOULD NOT BE A PART THAT WEARS OUT. *TR

EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF EXHAUST SYSTEM DUE TO POOR CONNECTION JOINT AND GASKET DESIGN. INTERNET SEARCH REVELED OTHER FAILURES OF EXHAUST GASKET MATERIAL BUT NO TSB WAS FOUND. ENGINE OPERATION RESULTS IN MOVEMENT OF EXHAUST JOINT WHICH WEARS AT THE GASKET MATERIAL. THIS OPERATIONAL WEAR AND EXHAUST HEAT BREAKS DOWN THE GASKET MATERIAL DEVELOPING AN EXHAUST LEAK PRODUCING AN AUDIBLE NOISE AND IN-CABIN SMELL COMPLAINT. THE NOISE IS MOST AUDIBLE DURING ACCELERATION BUT THE IN-CABIN EXHAUST SMELL IS MORE CONSTANT. REPAIR REQUIRES A NEW EXHAUST GASKET ($30), NEW BOLTS ($5), NEW TENSION SPRINGS ($5), PLUS 0.5HR OF LABOR CHARGES. PARTS REPLACED AND TEST DRIVE CONFIRMED COMPLETE REPAIR. NONE OF THE PARTS ARE UPDATED FROM ORIGINAL SO IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS FAILURE WILL RETURN IN TIME. THERE IS CONCERN THAT THE LEAKING EXHAUST GASES ARE ENTERING THE CABIN WHICH COULD BE A CONTAMINATE RISK FOR THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. FAILURE OF THIS SIMPLE COMPONENT IS IRRITATING TO THE CONSUMER AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER. CUSTOMER HAS ALREADY NOTED THAT THIS EVENT WILL AFFECT (NEGATIVELY) FUTURE VEHICLE PURCHASE DECISIONS. NOTE: THIS FAILURE DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP (CEL). *TR

ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT INDICATORS TURNED ON AND STAYED ON. BROUGHT CAR INTO MECHANIC, TOLD CODE C0215 WAS SHOWN - REAR SPEED SENSOR LH CIRCUIT - AND THAT TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) AS THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2007-2008 YARIS. (FOR REFERENCE SEE: T-SB-0120-08) COST TO FIX BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT SENSORS (LEFT IS CURRENTLY FAILED, MECHANIC SAYS ACCORDING TO THE TSB IT IS LIKELY THE RIGHT SIDE WILL FAIL SOON AS WELL SO CONSIDER FIXING BOTH) IS APPROX $1600 !!! (THIS INCLUDES COST TO REPLACE THE SPEED SENSORS/HUBS, THE ABS WIRES, AND THE HUB BEARING/SENSOR ASSEMBLY). ACCORDING TO TSB "THE SEALING PERFORMANCE OF THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR CONNECTORS HAS BEEN IMPROVED TO ADDRESS THIS CONDITION" - IF THIS IS THE CASE WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL?? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE - IF I DON'T PAY THE $1600 TO HAVE THIS FIXED, MY ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (WHICH I PAID EXTRA FOR WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR!) WON'T FUNCTION. *TR

EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF EMISSIONS EVAP SYSTEM DUE TO WATER INTRUSION THROUGH POORLY DESIGNED COMPONENTS. CHECK ENGINE LAMP (CEL) ILLUMINATED CONSTANT ON DURING HIGHWAY TRAVEL. STORED DTCS OF P043E, P043F, P2401, P2402, AND P2419. INTERNET SEARCH REVELED EXISTING ISSUE IN TSB EG048-07 WHICH NOTES WATER ENTERS FILLER PIPE COVER, CONTAMINATES CANISTER FILTER, THEN DAMAGES THE EVAP PUMP LOCATED IN CHARCOAL CANISTER. REPAIR REQUIRES AN UPDATED FILLER COVER ($6), REPLACEMENT OF FILTER ($50), NEW CANISTER ($600), PLUS 0.5HR OF LABOR CHARGES. APPLICABLE WARRANTY IS 3YEAR/36000MILES. DURING REPAIR REPLACED FILLER COVER, FILTER, THEN CLEANED ENTIRE SYSTEM OF WATER. NOTE: THIS YARIS WAS ALREADY BUILT USING THE UPDATED FILLER COVER P/N. YARIS FAILED THE FOLLOWING TEST DRIVE DONE IN ATTEMPT TO AVOID EXPENSIVE CANISTER REPLACEMENT. FOLLOWED TOYOTA SERVICE MANUAL TO TROUBLESHOOT CANISTER WHICH LEAD TO PERMANENT DAMAGE. THREE BOLTS ATTACH THE PUMP VALVE TO THE CANISTER VIA PLASTIC THREADED INSERTS. THESE INSERTS STRIPPED INSIDE THE PLASTIC, RENDERING THE CANISTER UNUSABLE. REPLACING WITH NEW CANISTER AND RETESTING FOR REPAIR. THIS PORTION OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM IS RELATED TO A MANDATED REQUIREMENT. THIS FAILURE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE LONGER TERM EMISSIONS WARRANTY PERIOD AND NOT THIS SHORTER TERM PERIOD. FAILURE OF A $6 COMPONENT RESULTING IN VICTIM FAILURES OF $650 IN ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS IS IRRITATING TO THE CONSUMER AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER. CUSTOMER HAS ALREADY NOTED THAT THIS EVENT WILL AFFECT (NEGATIVELY) FUTURE VEHICLE PURCHASE DECISIONS. NOTE: THIS FAILURE DOES NOT SEEM TO AFFECT MPG OR OPERATION BUT DOES ILLUMINATE THE CEL. CONSUMERS MIGHT OPERATE W/O REPAIR WHICH WILL CONDITION THEM TO ACCEPT AN ILLUMINATED CEL. THEY MIGHT NOT BE NOTIFIED OF OTHER OBD MALFUNCTIONS AND PARTIALLY DISABLED EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. *TR