NHTSA Complaint #10947803 — 2015 TOYOTA COROLLA

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK AND/OR DIPSTICK TUBE ON THE 2015 TOYOTA COROLLA WHICH USES 0W-20 OIL. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN AN ACCURATE READING ON THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THE OIL TENDS TO FORM A LONG "TAIL" UP THE DIPSTICK MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCERN WHERE THE ACTUAL LEVEL IS. ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN A READING WITH MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS YIELDS DIFFERENT POSSIBLE OIL LEVELS AND THE LEVELS ARE DIFFERENT ON EACH SIDE OF THE DIPSTICK. I WOULD NOTE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED ON NUMEROUS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET INCLUDING FORUMS DEDICATED TO TOYOTA ENTHUSIASTS AS WELL AS GENERAL CAR FORUMS AND ENGINE OIL FORUMS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED NOT ONLY FOR THE COROLLA BUT ALSO FOR OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. SOME OWNERS HAVE RESORTED TO MODIFYING THE DIPSTICK WHICH SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN AN ACCURATE READING OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL PUTS THE ENGINE AT RISK OF DAMAGE AND EVEN SERIOUS AND SUDDEN FAILURE IF THE OIL IS OVER OR UNDER FILLED. ENGINE DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH CAN OBVIOUSLY OCCUR IF ENGINE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE IN OPERATION ON ROADS. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE, INVESTIGATE IT, AND PROVIDE A FIX AVAILABLE AT DEALERSHIPS AND ANNOUNCE THAT FIX TO OWNERS. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ACTUAL DIPSTICK DESIGN, THE TUBE THAT THE DIPSTICK GOES INTO, OR OTHER, BUT A FIX IS DEFINITELY IN ORDER.