1995 Toyota Corolla

DUE TO THE FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING(?) DRIVING BECOMES EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AS THE RESULT OF THE LEFT/RIGHT TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING, WHICH CAUSES CARS DRIVING BEHIND ME TO BE OBLIVIOUS OF MY INTENTIONS TO TURN. ALSO, ALTHOUGH LESS DANGEROUS BUT JUST AS AGGRAVATING, IS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILURE TO WORK; MAKING THE CUMBERSOME AND INCONVENIENT CHORE OF CARRYING AROUND A FLASHLIGHT A NECESSITY.

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I NOTED A POPPING SOUND WHICH SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER. ( SOUNDED LIKE THE POP SOUND WHEN THE LIGHTER IS READY FOR USE) HOWEVER I DID NOT PUSH IN THE LIGHTER TO USE IT, I JUST IGNORED THE SOUND, BUT DID HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME BEFORE ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION, PARKING AND LEAVING MY VEHICLE. THANK GOD I HAD FORGOT MY MILITARY ID AND HAD TO RETURN TO MY VEHICLE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY VEHICLE THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING UP FROM INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I QUICKLY RAN BACK TO MY OFFICE AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SEVERAL OTHER CO WORKERS, WE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE USING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. AFTER CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE FIRES LOCATION, I CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE SAME AREA OF THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER, BEHIND THE CONSOLE.

THE TAIL LIGHTS (STOP LIGHTS) ON MY 1995 TOYOTA COROLLA FAIL CONSTANTLY AND INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN I REPLACE THE BULB(S), THE PROBLEM IS BACK WITHIN WEEKS. SOMETIMES THEY START WORKING AGAIN BY THEMSELVES. I HAVE GIVEN UP TRYING TO KEEP ALL FOUR LIGHT BULBS FUNCTIONING. SOMETIMES WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD FLICKER. MANY OTHER COROLLAS OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. MOST OF THE 95 COROLLAS I SEE ON THE ROAD HAVE AT LEAST ONE NON-FUNCTIONING BULB. WHEN I SEE A 95 COROLLA ON THE ROAD, I WATCH IT AND WAIT FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON - ALMOST ALWAYS AT LEAST ONE BULB IS NON-FUNCTIONING. I HAVE TWO ENGINEERING DEGREES AND I CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I ASKED THE TOYOTA DEALER TO CHECK FOR RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM DURING MY LAST SERVICE, AND THEY IGNORED MY QUESTION. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, THE HEAT FROM THE BULB CAUSES A HIGH RESISTANCE BETWEEN THE BULB AND THE SOCKET. THAT IS WHY I CAN TAKE THE BULB OUT, AND PUT THE SAME BULB BACK IN AND IT STARTS WORKING AGAIN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. ONCE A CAR PULLED ALONG SIDE OF ME AND TOLD ME THAT ALL FOUR BULBS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THAT ONLY THE REAR WINDOW LIGHT WAS OPERATING. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEDAY EITHER MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE IN A 95 COROLLA MAY GET INTO A REAR-END COLLISION.

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A THUMP SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE A SOFT RUBBER MATERIAL HEATING THE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONER STARTED TO BLOW WARM AIR AND THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, LUCKILY CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET TO AN EXIT RAMP AND DRIFT INTO A GAS STATION, CONSUMER NOTICED THERE WERE NO BELTS ON THE PULLEYS AND INSTEAD OF SEEING THREE, HE ONLY SAW TWO, CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THE BOLT THAT WAS HOLDING THE PULLEY HAD SNAPPED. BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, STARTER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, VEHICLE IS ON ITS THIRD ALTERNATOR AT ONLY 52000 MILES. REAR BRAKE SHOES REPLACED AND REAR DRUMS WERE MACHINED. WIPER MOTOR FAILED. *SLC