NHTSA Complaint #10864087 — 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA

IN LATE 2004, I FINANCED A BRAND NEW 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA WHILE RESIDING IN SOUTH FLORIDA. IN SUMMER 2008, I RELOCATED TO MASSACHUSETTS. IT WAS IN WINTER 2008 THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I WASN'T REALLY GIVEN A REAL EXPLANATION OF WHY THE WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. I WAS QUICKLY TOLD IT COULD BE FIXED. SO I PAID APPROX. $800.00 TO SUPPOSEDLY HAVE IT FIXED. LITERALLY, TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG AND WOULD HAVE TO RUN MORE DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT WOULD COST ADDITIONAL MONEY. AT THE TIME, I DID NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL MONEY SINCE I HAD JUST DISHED OUT NEARLY $800.00. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOPS IN WHICH THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, YEARLY INSPECTIONS OF AN OPERATING VEHICLE IS REQUIRED. FOR THE PAST YEARS, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE LIGHT MANUALLY TURNED OFF HOPING THAT IT WOULD NOT COME ON IN TIME FOR THE CAR TO BE INSPECTED. THE CAR HAS FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION TO THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED, I HAVE ALSO AND STILL EXPERIENCE HARSH SHIFTING. THE HARSH SHIFTING STARTED APPROX. IN LATE 2009/2010. I ALSO STARTED NOTICING DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY IN 2011. AT NIGHT, I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS TO SEE PROPERLY. OUT OF FRUSTRATION, I GAVE UP ON TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE FOR THESE ISSUES. I JUST DEALT WITH IT. I DON'T FREQUENTLY USE THE VEHICLE NOW BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT ALLOWS ME TO GET TO WORK. MOST RECENTLY, I WAS INFORMED BY A FELLOW COROLLA OWNER THAT IN 2009-2010 TOYOTA RECALLED FOR ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING AND HEADLAMPS. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS OF SUCH RECALLS!