NHTSA Complaint #10714558 — 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 124,000 MILES, AND ONLY 3 YEARS LATER, AND 25,000 MILES LATER, IT NOW NEEDS ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. NOT THE DEPENDABILITY I WAS EXPECTING. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE SAME THING OCCURRED; ALTHOUGH IT WENT OUT ON ME A LOT FASTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND. I HEARD A GRINDING SOUND EVERY TIME I ACCELERATED, UNTIL IT FINALLY WENT OUT ON ME AND LOCKED UP BOTH TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ON A SIDE STREET, AND IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS APPROACHING RED LIGHT (AND ONLY REVERSE WORKED, SO I WAS ABLE TO REVERSE IT INTO A GAS STATION NEARBY). THE SECOND TIME WAS A BIT MORE SCARY (AND I'M PISSED OFF ABOUT THIS EVEN MORE, NOW THAT I'M READING EVERYONE ELSE'S STORY, BECAUSE I COULD'VE BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT). I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY (IN THE 3RD LANE IN) WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR BUCKED (JERKED BACK) ON ME. I IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE FREEWAY WITHIN 5-7 SECONDS (THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO), WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT COMPLETELY FROZE/SEIZED/LOCKED UP ON ME AND PROCEEDED TO SKID OUT ABOUT 15 FEET ALONG THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY ONLY A SECOND OR TWO AFTER GETTING OFF. THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE I AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER SO QUICKLY OR IT COULD'VE BEEN DISASTROUS. NEVERTHELESS, I JUST GOT IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. I AM PRINTING OUT ALL THE LINKS/FORUMS/ARTICLES THAT I HAVE FOUND ABOUT THIS VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM WITH THIS VERY SPECIFIC YEAR AND MODEL (WITH ONLY MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE YOU). NOT SURE WHAT THEY WILL DO ABOUT (MY GUESS IS THEY'LL SAY TOUGH LUCK AND TELL ME IT'S GOING TO COST ME $3600, AND THEN I'LL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO ANOTHER PLACE THAT CAN DO IT WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR $2000), BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY. IT REALLY ANGERS ME THAT THEY CAN ALLOW THIS PROBLEM TO PERSIST AND PUT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN DANGER. *TR