2005 Toyota COROLLA: complaints, problems and recalls

CAR SKIDDED WHEN BRAKES APPLIED WHILE STEERING ONTO AN EXIT RAMP (TO THE RIGHT). DRY PAVEMENT - SUNNY AFTERNOON. IT FELT LIKE THE BRAKES LOCKED-- CAR SUPPOSEDLY HAS ABS. LUCKILY, THE CAR HIT CURB ONLY. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO CAR.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 410 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082821 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090331 at NHTSA ↗

THE REMOTE FAILED TO WORK WHILE PRESSED TO ROLL UP AND DOWN THE WINDOWS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10102049 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHILE TRAVELING AT 20 MPH. CONSUMER PLACED HER FOOT ONTO THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT ACCELERATED. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND THEY HAD NOT RESPONSE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103245 at NHTSA ↗

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, DRL PROBLEM. I AM OFTEN REQUIRED TO DRIVE WITH LIGHTS OFF ON PROPERTY AS AN ASTRONOMER AT NIGHTTIME. MY 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON EVEN WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE IN THE OFF POSITION. IF STALKED OR MY GIRLFRIEND DRIVES THE CAR WE COULD NOT TURN THEM OFF AND DRIVE AWAY AND ESCAPE ALIVE. THIS IS A HAZARD THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH OR RAPE FROM STALKERS OR ROBBERS. I OFTEN AM ALONE AT NIGHT IN DARK DESERTED AREAS AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO TURN LIGHT OFF OR ON AS NEEDED. I COULD NOT GET ON THE OBSERVATORY PROPERTY DUE TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104331 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE POWER/ HESITATE, AND THEN ACCELERATE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105204 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA IN AUGUST 2004. THE CAR HAS HAD A CONSISTENT SMELL OF ROTTEN EGGS (SULFUR), ALMOST DAILY WITH IT WORSE WHEN THE CAR IDLES & AFTER CAR SHUTOFF. DEALER SAID TRY PREMIUM GAS, WHICH I DID AND NO EFFECT. DEALER SAID TOYOTA HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH I AM AWARE OF A 5/28/04 SERVICE BULLETIN FOR 2003-2004 COROLLA'S FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM. DEALER ALSO SAID IT COULD NOT BE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BECAUSE THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WASN'T ON, YET TOYOTA JUST SETTLED A 2 MILLION LAW SUIT FOR THE DASH…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106401 at NHTSA ↗

RPM'S INCREASE WHEN MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AND THE FORCE OF THE RPM INCREASE DECOMPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MY FOOT SLIPS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS BUT IT WORRIES ME THAT IT MAY. THIS HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS. I HEARD THIS MAY BE NORMAL BUT NOW READING THAT OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCED THIS, I PLAN TO GET IT CHECKED. ASIDE FROM THIS, THERE IS DASH BOARD RATTLING, SEAL ISSUE WITH WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY WHISTLE AND ALSO PAINT FLAKES OFF FROM A SMALL DING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 72 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107525 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-08-26 (August 26, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON VARISTORS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.

Consequence: THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 2010 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT AND RECALL. THIS INTERIM NOTIFICATION WILL INFORM OWNERS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTIFICATION WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE FREE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2015-05-13 (May 13, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.

Reported: 2015-05-13 (May 13, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29, 2015. NOTE: This recacll supersedes recall 14V-655 in its entirety. For vehicles located in the U.S. states not listed above, please see Toyota recall 15V-285 which covers all other U.S. states.

Reported: 2018-12-12 (December 12, 2018)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.

Reported: 2019-08-28 (August 28, 2019)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.

Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1Q and K0Q. Pontiac owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192273760.

Reported: 2019-10-17 (October 17, 2019)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.