Toyota Corolla electrical problems

WARM ENGINE STARTING: I BOUGHT A NEW 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA LE FROM TOYOTA CENTRAL, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA. ON A NUMBER OF OCASSIONS WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM, STARTING IT WOULD CAUSE A LOT OF CRANKING BEFORE IT STARTED. A NUMBER OF OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS REPORTED ON VARIOUS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS, AND THE LATEST INCIDENT DATE IS REPORTED IN THE "INCIDENT DATE" FIELD OF THIS FORM.

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.

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE FROM KEYES TOYOTA ONE YEAR AGO. IT WAS ADVERTISED CERTIFIED, HOWEVER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY WOULD NOT HONOR IT. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH REPAIRS. RECENTLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I SPENT OVER $700 REPLACING THE 02 SENSORS AND FLUSHING MY BRAKES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER $4-$500 REPLACING THE AIR FLOW METER. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THESE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO SUCH A YOUNG CAR.

CONTACT STATES: STARTER STUCK, COULDN'T SHUT OFF IGNITION. THEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE O DEALER, AND REPAIRS WERE DONE @ A COST OF $1,300. CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. IN THE PAST, WHILE TURNING KEY, ENGINE WOULDN'T START. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. SERVICE RECORDS STATED STARTER SHORTED OUT AND STARTER WIRES BURNED. REPLACED STARTER. *AK *NM

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.

MY DAUGHTER WENT OUT IN THE MORNING TO START HER 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA AND IT WAS VERY NOISY, SHE TRIED TO TURN CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING AND THE STARTER WAS STUCK IN THE STARTER POSITION. SHE PULLED THE FUSE FOR THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE STOPPED BUT THE STARTER WAS STILL IN A HIGH WHINE AND WAS TRYING TO START THE CAR. (OBVIOUSLY STUCK) IT WAS GETTING VERY HOT AND SMELLING. SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF ENGINE AND SHE WAS ABOUT TO TRY TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY CABLE WHEN THE STARTER QUIT. SHE WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THERE WAS NO FIRE, IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THAT. SHE HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATIONS ON STARTER PROBLEMS BEFORE THAT. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP. STARTER IS BEING REPLACED, BATTERY CABLES AND A NEW WIRING HARNESS DUE TO THE FACT EVERYTHING GOT TOO HOT AND MELTED. (OVER $1000)

THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A WALL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A GARAGE. ALSO, POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, MAKING THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND SKIDDED IN DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP VEHICLE. WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE. AFTER VEHICLE CAME BACK FROM DEALER'S INSPECTION THERE WAS A GRINDING/SCRETCHING NOISE. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND FOUND THAT THE BACKING PLATE BEHIND THE ROTORS WAS BENT. BACKING PLATE WAS BEND BACK INTO PLACE. CONSUMER FELT GRINDING NOISE WAS NOT A RESULT OF ACCIDENT AND/OR DAMAGES OCCURED TO VEHICLE. *TT

TAIL LIGHTS GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN TAIL LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING, CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS OPERATIONAL, IT STOPS WORKING IF I TURN ON HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER 8 OR 9 TIMES WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING AND AM ALWAYS TOLD THE BULB HAS BLOWN AND THEY REPLACE IT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. THERE IS APPARENTLY A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BECAUSE WHEN WE PULL OUT THE "BLOWN" BULB AND PUT IT BACK IN, THE LIGHTS WILL WORK AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN OF ABSOLUTELY NO ASSISTANCE OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS.*AK