NHTSA Complaint #10874149 — 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA

THE DRIVER SIDE AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY UNEXPECTEDLY SNAPPED WHEN I WENT TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN A LIGHT FOR WHICH I WAS STOPPED TURNED GREEN. THERE WAS ENOUGH OF A CONNECTION FOR ME TO GET OFF THE BUSY RUSH HOUR ROAD BEFORE BEING STRUCK AND KILLED OR HURT BY OTHER VEHICLES. IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHERE THEY INDICATED THE SHAFT HAD SNAPPED AND REPLACED IT. THEY DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH OR TRANSMISSION (5 SPEED MANUAL). THE SERVICE REP IDENTIFIED THE CAUSE AS A CUT BOOT (SHAFT SEAL) WHICH ALLOWED GREASE TO COME OUT AND DIRT TO GET INTO THE JOINT CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE REP NOTED THIS WAS "COMMON". I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY WARNING FOR THE CONDITION. HE NOTED THERE IS NONE. THE CAR IS REGULARLY SERVICED (THIS WAS NOTED BY THE REP); NO ABNORMAL CONDITIONS WITH THE SHAFT SEAL WERE NOTED IN ANY SERVICE VISIT. A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY THAT RENDERS THE CAR IMMOVABLE WITHOUT WARNING IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND IS NOT COMMON. IT RISKS THE LIVES OF ANYONE IN THE CAR OR ON THE ROAD NEAR IT WHEN THE SHAFT FAILS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A AXLE SHAFT FAIL ON ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED AND DRIVEN. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT AND/OR FLAW WITH DESIGN, MATERIAL SPECIFICATION, MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND/OR THE QUALITY OF THIS COMPONENT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA TO REPORT THE ISSUE. THEY SAID TO WORK WITH THE DEALER ON INSPECTIONS; I NOTED I HAVE. THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE INHERENT LARGE SAFETY CONCERN WITH SUCH A FAILURE. I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC A FEW DAYS FOLLOWING RETURN OF THE VEHICLE ON 6JUN2016; NO ISSUES WERE NOTED AT THIS TIME. I QUESTION THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR GIVEN THE NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS FAILURE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REVIEW DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING TO ENSURE SUCH A UNSAFE FAILURE IS ANYTHING BUT COMMON. UNSAFE, UNRELIABLE CARS SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AS COMMON.