16 of the
278 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Corolla are about the
braking system — 6% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
51,690 miles.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
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.
NHTSA complaint #10066492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 51,690 milesBallwin, MOCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE DURING A RAINING DAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO THE SIDE. THIS KIND OF SCENARIO HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE ( ON LOCAL STREETS WHILE DRIVING AROUND 20 MILES PER HOUR). I FELT THAT THIS CAR'S BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE OTHER CARS I OWNED BEFORE. SHOULDN'T THE ANTI-BRAKE SYSTEM HELP THE CAR STAY STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD? ON 09-20-2002, IT WAS RAINING, I DROVE THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED AROUND 50 MILES PER HOUR, ON THE FIRST LEFT LANE. AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE SPEED FURTHER, MY CAR WENT TO THE RIGHT SIDE, AND THEN LEFT SIDE, AND THEN CRASHED TO THE MIDDLE CONCRETE. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768012
NHTSA complaint #10007432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 77,800 milesVacaville, CACrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS LOCKED UP WHEN I TAPPED ON CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE MAKING THE CAR SKID AND FISH TAIL SENDING ME 4 LANES ACROSS THE FREEWAY INTO THE CEMENT BARRIER TOTALING MY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10016804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pico Rivera, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES SQUEAKING AND GRINDING, REPLACE ALL FOUR BRAKES
NHTSA complaint #9001706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pittsburgh, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
OCTOBER 1999 - BRAKES LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR INSP. - SERVICE DEPART. SAID MY BRAKES NEEDED CLEANED AND ADJUSTED - TOPPED OFF MASTER CYLINDER - NOW IT PASSED STATE INSP. ON 1/11/00. 2/29/00 BROUGHT BACK FOR NOISE COMING FROM BRAKES - SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM BRAKES NEEDED CLEANED & ADJUSTED WHEN I LEFT SERVICE DEPT. PROBLEM WAS STILL OCCURING - CALLED SET UP ANOTHER APPT - 3/8/00 SERVICE DEPT FOUND REAR DRUMS RUSTED - REAR SHOES CRACKED - A RENT A CAR WAS GIVEN 3/7/00 RETURNED IT ON 3/8/00 - THEY REPLACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS AND SHOES - NOW COULD THIS HAPPEN IN A FEW DAYS ON 2/29 YOU SAID NO PROBLEM? 4/11/00 BROUGHT CAR BACK FOR INSP DUE TO SAME NOISE BUT NOW WORSE HAD SERVICE MGR NOW DO A TEST RUN WITH ME - SERVICE DEPT FOUND FRONT BRAKE PADS CRACKING AND ROTORS SCORED LEFT FRONT AXLE SHAFT INTERNAL DEFECT - FRONT BEARING INTERNAL PROBLEM - BOTH FRONT HUBS NEED REPLACED - RENT A CAR WAS GIVEN TO ME AGAIN. NOW 6/00 NOISE IS BACK ON 7/14/00 TOOK CAR FOR ANOTHER UNDER CARRAGE INSP, OIL- FILTER CHANGE, 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, ETC.. THEY SAID NO PROBLEM ITS JUST BRAKE DUST. THE NOISE IS STILL CURRENT AS OF TODAY 7/23/00. I NOW HAVE TO CALL THEM & THEY ALREADY TREAT ME WITH IGNORANCE, I'M LOOKING INTO FILING FOR THE LEMON LAW I NEED SOME SATISFACTION - HOW COULD ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS BE OVERLOOKED? - I FEEL MY LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF TOYOTA'S SERVICE DEPT - AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE AT ALL. THEY GAVE ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 6 YEAR OR 100,000.00 MILES AFTER I ASKED FOR IT. I STATED NOW THAT I HAVE MY RECONSTRUCTED VEHICLE BACK WOULD TOYOTA GRANT ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND STAND BEHIND THERE PARTS. THEY DID BUT THE STRESS AND LOSS OF WORK DUE TO MANY SERVICE APPTS IS SO AGGRAVATING. MAYBE MY PROBLEM COULD BE OF USE TO YOU. IF I COULD ASSIST IN ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL - I STILL HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPT FOR MY VEHICLE -I MEAN IS IT REALLY BRAKE DUST THIS TIME OR IS THE CAR GOING TO FALL APART AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WITH ME IN IT? THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #725860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Spartanburg, SC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
THIS CAR HAS VISITED AT THE DEALER'S SERVICE STATION FOR ALMOST A TOTAL OF 3 WEEKS COMBINED SINCE I BOUGHT IT APRIL 2000. GAS LEAKED WHEN PUTTING GAS IN TANK AND THE CAR SMELLED OF GAS ON THE INSIDE. THE TANK WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED BUT JUST RECENTLY STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES. PLUS THE RIGHT FRONT AND REAR WHEELS MAKE NOISE. I JUST WANT THE CAR FIXED BECAUSE COROLLA'S ARE GOOD CARS BUT THE CONSTANT VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER IS REALLY STARTING TO ANNOY ME AND HAS BECOME A HUGE INCONVENIENCE.
NHTSA complaint #725236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hamilton, NJ
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKING BRAKE FAILS (2 COMPLETE FAILURES). TAKEN TO DEALER, FIXED, BUT FAILED AGAIN. MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR, SO I NEED THE PARKING BRAKE. CAR NEARLY ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC NUMEROUS TIMES. MADE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PARK ON STEEP HILLS.
NHTSA complaint #725323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tyler, TXCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
JUST MINUTES AFTER DRIVING IN HEAVY DALLAS TRAFFIC, STOPPED AT A GROCERY STORE AND WAS PULLING INTO AN ANGLED PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ALMOST STOPPED, WHEN CAR SURGED FORWARD (REPEAT-WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE). THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. I HIT THE VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT OF ME; VERY LITTLE DAMAGE AS MY CAR WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD AND BRAKE FAILED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY CAR PORT. THE BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CAR SURGED FORWARD. THAT TIME I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND JUST THOUGHT MY FOOT MUST HAVE SLIPPED. THIS TIME, I HAD TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR AND WE ALL WITNESSED THE SURGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR (USELESS). AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE HAS STOPPED (BY HITTING SOMETHING EACH TIME), THE BRAKE GOES BACK TO ITS USUAL POSITION. I TOOK THE CAR TO CLASSIC TOYOTA HERE IN TYLER THE NEXT DAY WHEN I DROVE BACK HERE. THEY SAID THEY INSPECTED IT AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I WAS VERY UPSET AND IT WAS ANNOTATED ON THE JOB TICKET. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND LEFT MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER WITH THE DRIVER OF THE CAR I HIT IN THE GROCERY STORE LOT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED JUST MINUTES BEFORE AS I STOPPED FOR THE NUMEROUS RED LIGHTS IN DALLAS, MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN PROPELLED OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION AND WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AND THE CAR IS A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP FOR ME AND MY PASSENGERS OR THE VEHICLE I MIGHT HIT BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE AND SURGE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A TWO-YEAR LAPSE BETWEEN THE TWO INCIDENTS, WHICH IS WHY THE DEALER COULDN'T TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SUGGESTED MY FOOT HAD SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THIS ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #720900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chevy Chase, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS ON WET PAVEMENT, AUTOMOBILE GOES INTO A SKID WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON 10-13-99 AT 11,802- LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL LIGHT CAME ON. REPORTED LOUD NOISES FROM THE BRAKES TO TH DEALER AT 5000 MILES ( BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON THEN, AS WELL). NEW BRAKES ARE NEEDED NOW, AT 11,802 MILES. NOTE TOO THAT AUTOMOBLE SWAYS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS( I.E., HIGH SPEED AND WIND COMBINATION). AND, BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS (55 MILES PER HOUR) CAUSE THE CAR TO PULL.
NHTSA complaint #713464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chevy Chase, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
MAKING NOISES IN FRONT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. HAD AN OIL CHANGE 12-OCT-99, NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT. ALSO, REPLACED AND SURFACED ROTORS. DEALER SAID THAT CONSUMER WOULD NEED NEW BRAKES IN ABOUT 12000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #850693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chevy Chase, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
MAKING NOISES IN FRONT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. HAD AN OIL CHANGE 12-OCT-99, NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT. ALSO, REPLACED AND SURFACED ROTORS. DEALER SAID THAT CONSUMER WOULD NEED NEW BRAKES IN ABOUT 12000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #850693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laurel, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
HIGH SPEEDS CAR HARD TO CONTROL, CORNERS HORRIBLY,PITCHING MOTION OVER BUMPS, CRUNCHING NOISE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT
NHTSA complaint #712862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE MAKING A NORMAL STOP THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #847278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
FRONT DISC BRAKES FAILED CAUSED CLICKING NOISE. YH
NHTSA complaint #608754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Virginia B, VA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES MAKE NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #542646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Port R, FL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. ON AUGUST 20, 1999, THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RUBBING SOUND IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED EARLY IN THE MORNINGS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE DOOR PANELS WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE GLUE COMING THROUGH THE FABRIC. THE DOME LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON AT TIMES. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE MAY BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 44 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN DECREASE IN SPEED. THE CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. UPDATED 05/26/10.
NHTSA complaint #534376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.