NHTSA Complaint #10488891 — 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA

MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY BRAND NEW 2012 COROLLA,PURCHASED ON 06/23/12. AFTER MORE THAN 9 YEARS OF BEING THE HAPPY OWNER OF A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA, I DID NOT HESITATE TO TRADE IT IN FOR A NEW AND MUCH NICER MODEL. I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE. AS IT TURNS OUT THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS SO HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE IT HAS RESULTED IN MY DISCOVERING A SCIATICA NERVE I DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED AND THE MISALIGNMENT OF MY BACK TO THE POINT WHERE I AM NOW BEING TREATED BY A CHIROPRACTOR. I WENT BACK TO TOYOTA INITIALLY, BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND THE SEAT WAS NOT CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE. IT WAS RECOMMEND I GO TO A PLACE THAT COULD REUPHOLSTERED THE SEAT BY POSSIBLY ADJUSTING THE PADDING. I DID. IT HELPED SOME, BUT NOT ENOUGH. I WENT BACK TO TOYOTA DETERMINED TO EXCHANGE THE CAR, BUT TO NO AVAIL SINCE THE DEAL I WAS OFFERED WAS WAY OVER MY BUDGET. I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT PENDING WITH THE UPHOLSTER AND IN THE MEAN TIME I'M MAINTAINING BY SEEING THE CHIROPRACTOR AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. I'M IN CONSTANT PAIN AND HAVE TRIED EVERY KIND OF SEAT PADDING I COULD THINK OF, BUT NOTHING HAS WORKED. IT'S LIKE A BAD PAIR OF SHOES THAT INSTANTLY HURT WHEN YOU PUT THEM ON. UNFORTUNATELY, ONE CAN'T JUST THROW A CAR OUT AND GET A NEW ONE THAT FITS BETTER. I'M WORKING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT BECAUSE I WORK MON.-FRI AND CAN'T TAKE TIME OFF TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER. WEEKENDS AREN'T MUCH HELP SINCE THE UPHOLSTER ALSO ONLY WORKS MON.-FRI. FOR THE RECORD: I DROVE TO CA RIGHT AFTER BUYING IT WHERE I PARKED IT FOR 3 WEEKS AT MY MOTHER'S HOUSE. SHE WAS RECOVERING FROM AN ACCIDENT AND I WAS THERE TO TAKE CARE OF HER. WE DID NOT GO OUT. IT WAS AFTER THE 5 HOUR DRIVE AND A FEW DAYS LATER THAT I STARTED FEELING PAIN AND IT TOOK ME A WHILE BEFORE I REALIZED AND BECAME COMPLETELY AWARE THAT IT WAS THE CAR CAUSING THE PAIN. *TR