NHTSA Complaint #10368311 — 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA

PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2010 STARTED HEARING SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE INTERVALS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT UNUSUAL DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP ON BELTS. ACCEPTED EXPLANATION AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS. NOISE CONTINUED TO GET WORSE SO TOOK IN AGAIN ON JANUARY 17, 2010 - MILEAGE @ 50,496. TENSIONER ASSY. WAS REPLACED (NOT UNDER WARRANTY) @ A COST OF $368.18. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE SAME NOISE RETURNED. CONTINUED TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE INTERVAL 3/27/10-MILEAGE @53,192 AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE I WAS HEARING. NOISE CONTINUED AND GOT WORSE - TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP ON 8/16/10-MILEAGE @58,411, AGAIN THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE? NOISE CONTINUED EVERY DAY - ALL THE TIME. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP ON 11/26/10 - MILEAGE @61,521. THEY REPLACED TENSIONER ASSEMBLY @ NO COST AND WAS TOLD MY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WAS LEAKING OIL AND THE BELT TENSIONER WAS LEAKING TOO? WHAT THE [XXX]? SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED I CALL 1-800-331-4331 TO FILE A COMPLAIN, I DID SO ON 11/29. CASE #[XXX]. I WAS TOLD THE TENSIONER ASSEMBLY (3 YEAR/36,000MILES) WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AT THE INITIAL REPAIR AND THE TIMING CHAIN REPAIR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY EITHER (5 YEAR/60,000 MILE) WHICH WILL COST ME $173.00. MY POINT HERE IS THAT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE RECALLS FOR TOYOTA VEHICLES -- TOYOTA CAN'T POSSIBLY HOLD THE CONSUMER TO THE WARRANTIES THEY HAVE IN PLACE. IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR THESE REPAIRS. AS OF TODAY, I AM STILL HEARING THE SAME NOISE WHEN I CRANK MY CAR FROM THE TENSIONER ASSEMBLY JUST REPLACED ON 11/26. TOYOTA SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR ALL THE DEFECTIVE PARTS/LABOR/AND MY PERSONAL TIME/MILEAGE TO GET THIS REPAIR DONE AND THE REPAIR TO THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE AT NO COST TO ME. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS TOO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B