NHTSA Complaint #10351554 — 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA

I PLANNED A 200-MILE (ONE WAY) VACATION OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, MAY 28 - 31, 2010. I HAD NO SIGNS OF CAR TROUBLES AT THE START OF MY VACATION ON MAY 28 AND NO CAR TROUBLES DURING MY VACATION. HOWEVER, AS I WAS GETTING READY TO DRIVE THE 200 MILES BACK HOME ON MAY 31, I STARTED MY CAR, BUT IT DIED. I STARTED IT AGAIN, AND IT DIED. I MADE SURE THE ACCESSORIES WERE OFF AND THAT NOTHING WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, AND THE ENGINE RAN FOR 30 SECONDS AND THEN DIED. SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, I CALLED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, BUT THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY. WITH NO WAY TO GET BACK HOME, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REQUEST A DAY OFF FROM WORK THE NEXT DAY, JUNE 1, AND CONTACTED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AGAIN. THEY TOWED MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. AFTER THEY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW, THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER/ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE)/ECU (ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT) FAILED, AND IT WAS CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT TO THE ENTIRE CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THEY REPLACED THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. WHILE I AM VERY THANKFUL I WAS PARKED AND IN A SAFE LOCATION (NOT DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY), THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A FAIRLY NEW CAR WITH UNDER 36,000 MILES. I SEARCHED COMPLAINTS, AND IT APPEARS OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR 2005 - 2007 COROLLAS. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB BUT DID NOT MAIL IT TO ALL THEIR POTENTIALLY AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THESE CARS INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO COMPLAIN AND TOW IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THEIR CARS BREAK DOWN! *TR