NHTSA Complaint #11100478 — 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA

SATURDAY, JUNE 2. THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS INTERMITTENT OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE SPIRAL CABLE. I READ ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOYOTA MODELS AND YEARS AND THAT A RECALL NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS AND REPAIRS WERE MADE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. TUESDAY, JUNE 5. THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS REPLACED AND I WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR. I SPOKE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PARTS AND SERVICE TO ASK WHY I WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR. HE SAID THE SPIRAL CABLE WAS NOT RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE AIRBAG, SO IT IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE; IT'S A PART THAT WEARS OUT, LIKE A WORN-OUT TIRE OR BRAKE PADS THAT ONE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE. I TOLD HIM THAT OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE SPIRAL CABLES WERE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO TO HELP BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF HIS HANDS AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO CALL THE 800 NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. JUNE 6. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED MY CONCERN. THE REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOOK MY INFORMATION SAID THAT I WOULD GET A CALL BACK IN A DAY AFTER HE RESEARCHED THE SITUATION. THURSDAY, JUNE 7. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMING ME THAT MY REQUEST FOR TOYOTA TO PAY THE FOR THE REPAIR WAS DENIED. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT AS OTHER VEHICLES WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON. I WAS TOLD I COULD DRIVE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE PEACE OF MIND THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO ME OR TO OTHERS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING; I NEEDED TO BE ASSURED THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY UNDER CONDITIONS IT IS MEANT TO DEPLOY. TOYOTA SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TOTAL COST AS THE AIRBAG DID NOT MEET THE STANDARDS TO SAFELY OPERATE MY VEHICLE.