NHTSA Complaint #10239479 — 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA

THIS COMPLAINT IS BASED ON TWO INSTANCES OF MY COROLLAS CONDENSER BREAKING DOWN BECAUSE OF ROCKS HITTING IT WHILE DRIVING. LAST YEAR MY WIFE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT THE AC OF OUR COROLLA AS THE AC WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR. SHE TOOK IT TO THE TOTOYA DEALER IN DUNCANVILLE, TX AND THEY TOLD US THAT THE CONDENSER WAS NOT COVERED AND WE HAD TO PAY $600 TO FIX. WE CHOSE TO BUY THE CONDENSER ELSEWHERE AND TO INSTALL IT MYSELF. NOW A ABOUT A YEAR LATER, WE RAN OUT OF COLD AIR AGAIN. I DID NOT THINK IT WAS THE CONDENSER. WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT A REPLACED NEW CONDENSER GOES BAD. WE WENT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET A RECHARGE KIT AND SEALER. AFTER APPLYING THEM THERE STILL WAS NO COLD AIR AND THEIR IS A VISIBLE LEAK ON THE FRONT REGION WHERE THE FIRST CONDENSER ALSO SUFFERED DAMAGE. SEARCHING FOR REPLACEMENTS ON THE INTERNET I CAME ACROSS SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO SOLUTION FROM TOYOTA OTHER THAN TO PAY TO REPLACE THE CONDENSER. TOYOTA EVEN ADMITS THIS IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AC002-06 "LOWER GRILLE MESH PROTECTION COVER." IN THE INTRO IT READS SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE DAMAGE TO THE A/C CONDENSER IF THE VEHICLE IS USED REGULARLY. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE MY CONDENSER EVERY YEAR OR MAYBE MORE FREQUENTLY. THEY SHOULD PAY TO REPAIR MY DAMAGE AND TO INSTALL THE COVER TO PROTECT IT FROM NOW ON. OUR IS COROLLA 2005. *TR