NHTSA Complaint #10504218 — 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA

TOYOTA COROLLA S 2009 TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH ISSUE / ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20TH, 2013 AT 86000 MI. EXPERIENCED SAME LACK OF ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AFTER I PURCHASED IN 40 MONTH AT 79,000 MI. RIGHT AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE, NO ACCELERATION / NO SHIFT. TERMINATED THE DRIVING IMMEDIATELY. RESTART THE ENGINE, IT ACCELERATE NORMAL. HOWEVER, AN ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT. I DROVE MORE THAN 80 MILES TO WILLSONVILLE TOYOTA IN OR WHERE I HAD A FULL DIAGNOSIS IN EARLY MARCH THIS MONTH (CHANGED TRANSMISSION FLUID/FIRST THEY DENIED THAT IT IS TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE FREE). SERVICE MANAGER WITNESSED ENGINE LIGHT BUT REFUSED TO DIAGNOSIS RIGHT A WAY EVEN THOUGH I HAD ADDRESSED THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM LAST DECEMBER TO TOYOTA JAPAN, US AND WILLSONVILL TOYOTA. SERVICE MGR FAILED TO CHECK THE CODE FOR ENGINE LIGHT WHICH THEY COULD HAVE FIND THE CAUSE. ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEARED IN A DAY. CALLED TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICE TWICE. NO RESPOND FOR LAST 3 DAYS. NHTSA ADVICE TOYOTA CUSTOMER TO CALL TOYOTA HEADQUARTER. STEERING WHEEL ISSUE ALSO REMAINS. IT LOCKS, DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL.. LAST .5 MIN -1 MIN. THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. STEERING WHEEL ISSUE CONTINUES. DEALER REQUESTS TO BRING IN OVER NIGHTS TO DUPLICATE. HOWEVER, STEERING LOCKS AFTER ENGINE START FOR LESS THAN SEVERAL SECONDS. HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DIAGNOSIS IS IT ONLY LAST SEVERAL SECONDS? BY THE TIME THEY PUT IN THE SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS, IT IS ALREADY NORMAL. NHTSA IS ADVISING TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER TO CALL TOYOTA. PAST HISTORY ON TRANSMISSION ISSUE AT 79000 MI: ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT BUT LASTED ONE DAY. FAIL TO ACCELERATE MORE THAN 10 - 15 MILES /HR. NEVER SHIFT IT UP TO AND GO FASTER. STOPPED ENGINE. RESTART ENGINE AGAIN AFTER 10MIN. LOW SPEED OF 10-15 MILES. RESTART ENGINE AGAIN, AND PICKED UP THE SPEED TO NORMAL. ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEAR IN A DAY. I WAS CONCERNED AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. TOYOTA IGNORED. *TR