NHTSA Complaint #10734955 — 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA

I HAD TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, BECAUSE IT WAS SQUEAKING (DRY AND CRACKED); I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA ABOUT HAVING TO REPLACE IT AFTER SUCH A SHORT TIME BUT WAS TOLD BASICALLY THAT THEY DIDN'T CARE, SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD ONGOING - AND I THOUGHT UNRELATED - ISSUES WITH THE GEARS SLIPPING BUT COULDN'T IDENTIFY A CAUSE. IN JANUARY 2015, I HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE GEARS SLIPPED. ON JULY 17, 2015, I HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME, BECAUSE IT WAS STARTING TO SQUEAK AGAIN. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, THE NEW BELT, NOT MADE BY TOYOTA, SOLVED THE OTHER PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH SHIFTING (MY CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS ABOUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, A PART THAT SHOULD LAST APPROX. 100,000 MILES/10 YEARS, AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS. IT WAS HIS OPINION THAT THE BELT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DIFFERENCE A NEW, NON-TOYOTA BELT HAS MADE TO MY CAR - UNEXPECTEDLY RESOLVING THE OTHER ISSUES I WAS HAVING - HAS CONVINCED ME THAT TOYOTA IS MAKING A DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS PRODUCT, ONE THAT THEY FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE.