NHTSA Complaint #10311586 — 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA

I BOUGHT A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA S ON OCT. 22, 2009. AT BITTERROOT MOTORS IN MISSOULA, MONTANA. THE DAY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I DROVE IT TO OVANDO, MONTANA, NORTH OF MISSOULA, ON A TRYOUT ROAD TRIP. I NOTICED THAT IT WAS FLIGHTY ON THE ROAD AND SEEMED TO WAVER WITHOUT REASON (NO WIND, NO SEMI TRUCKS, WIND SHEAR, RAIN, ETC). BEING A NEW CAR TO ME, I PASSED IT OFF AS THE NATURE OF A LIGHTER AND SMALLER VEHICLE THAN WHAT I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING (MY OTHER VEHICLE IS A 2004 FORD F150). SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCED THIS WITH NO EXTERNAL EXPLANATION (IE: WEATHER, ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC). THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH AND OVER AND IT IS A CONSISTENT ISSUE. I COMMUTE REGULARLY BETWEEN STEVENSVILLE, MT., AND MISSOULA, MT., FOR WORK (28 MILES ONE WAY), AND I OFTEN FIND THAT THE CAR WILL DRIFT LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN I AM AT A STEADY SPEED. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE IS ON THE LIST OF RECALLS FOR THE RECENT ACCELERATOR ISSUE. I NEED TO ADD HERE THAT THE SECOND DAY AFTER BUYING THE CAR, I WAS GETTING FUEL AND AS I TURNED FROM THE PUMP TO RE-ENTER THE CAR, "POP!!" AND THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW TOTALLY SHATTERED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AT BITTERROOT MOTORS AND DROVE IT TO THEIR SERVICE DEPT TO GET IT FIXED. THEY REPLACED THE WINDOW UNDER WARRANTY, AND TOLD ME THEY SUSPECTED IT WAS A PREEXISTING STRESS FRACTURE IN THE GLASS THAT FINALLY GAVE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BASED ON SAFETY RATINGS, CONSUMER REPORTS RATINGS, AND TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE ON MY NECESSARY TRIPS TO AND FROM WORK. IT ISN'T HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE STRESS OF THIS SITUATION, NOT TO MENTION ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. I PAID FOR THE CAR OUTRIGHT ($18,075) AND IT PHYSICALLY SICKENS ME TO THINK THAT SUCH SERIOUS ISSUES EXIST. I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED IT 5 MONTHS! AT THIS POINT I AM FEARFUL OF EVEN DRIVING THE CAR. IF THE WORLD WORKED IN GOOD WAYS, TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE THIS VEHICLE COMPLETELY, AND PREFERABLY WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN ANOTHER TOYOTA. *TR