10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
54,749 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #12

Jan 312019

Corolla

  • 42,000 miles
The contact's mother owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking space and as she shifted the vehicle into drive, the vehicle surged forward. The contact's mother lost control of the vehicle and crashed into several vehicles and then a curb and turned the vehicle ignition off. The contact's mother stated she had no brakes. The contact sustained bruises to her left and right legs by the knees and both wrists were bruised. Additionally, the contact had pain in her left and right shoulders. The contact did not seek medical attention. The other vehicles were not occupied. The contact stated she did not notice any warning lights were illuminated. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact's mother had the vehicle towed to her residence and then later towed to a dealer. The dealer did not inspect the vehicle, however, the manufacturer had an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle brakes. The mechanic determined that there were no mechanical problems with the brakes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

- Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

problem #11

Aug 232011

Corolla

  • 8,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. While the vehicle was parked the contact attempted to move the gear shift into drive from park but it would not move. The gear shift made a loud crackling sound when it was engaged and the contact was unable to move it. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.

- Edison, NJ, USA

problem #10

Aug 102010

Corolla

  • 26,040 miles
My 2006 Toyota Corolla in early August developed a shifting problem that sounds like the problem I read about in stories today about NHTSA's investigation of Corollas. The car's automatic transmission began to shift harshly from first gear to second gear. The engine warning light then came on. I took it to a Toyota dealership. The dealer replaced the onboard computer, under warranty. Dealer said there was a technical service bulletin about this. This has fixed the problem.

- West Hollywood, CA, USA

problem #9

Jun 262010

Corolla

  • 68,200 miles
Dear Toyota customer service, I request prompt reimbursement of expenses in the amount of $656.47 incurred due to the malfunctioning of the engine control module in my 2006 Toyota Corolla last month. While a Toyota dealership ultimately replaced the ECM at no cost, I incurred rental car expenses for the time I was without my Corolla, and paid parts and labor in the amount of $521.76 to my independent mechanic to initially replace a transmission solenoid which had gone bad due to the failing ECM. I will not even describe the amount of my time that Toyota wasted by failing to notify me, as the owner of a car model known by Toyota to frequently have premature ECM failure, of this issue so that I could resolve it at a Toyota dealership immediately. In early July I experienced difficult and jerking shifting of the automatic transmission in my Toyota. I brought it to my independent mechanic, who diagnosed the problem as a bad transmission solenoid (code P2716), and subsequently determined that the solenoid had gone bad due to the ECM failing. At that point, concerned about the state of my transmission, I called Toyota customer service and was told that the ECM is covered up to 8 years/80,000 miles, and that if the solenoid had gone bad as a result of the failing ECM, the solenoid replacement, too, would be covered under warranty. The Toyota dealership replaced the ECM at no charge. I believe that the out-of-pocket expenses I incurred, as well as the considerable inconvenience I endured, would have been avoided if Toyota had shared proactively with its customers the fact that failing ecms are unusually common in Corollas. If Toyota had reported this information to me, I would have recognized the symptoms demonstrated by my car, and would have brought it to a dealership in the first instance to be fixed. Instead, I spent time and money using a trusted independent mechanic, and learned of the larger ECM problem through him and through independent research.

- Beacon, NY, USA

problem #8

Aug 072010

Corolla

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. While driving approximately 55 mph the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard and the vehicle began to lunge forward while changing gears. The vehicle would also began to shake when shifting from park to drive or drive to park. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who replaced the ECU. The ECU was replaced twice for the identical failure. The failure and current mileages were 150,000.

- Storrs, CT, USA

problem #7

Jun 102010

Corolla

  • 64,985 miles
2006 Toyota Corolla at 64,985 mile check engine sign came up and at the same time car started giving big jerk at speed of 15mile then 30mile and then around 45mile when your increase speed and reduce speed.

- Union, NJ, USA

problem #6

Mar 192010

Corolla

  • 17,337 miles
Faulty pressure control solenoid or electronic control module for the transmission on a 2006 Corolla Toyota starting with a 17337 miles. Dashboard indicate engine logo with "check" light.

- Perrysburg, OH, USA

problem #5

Nov 232009

Corolla 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 76,206 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. The check engine light came on. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated the computer caused the failure and needed to be replaced. A week later, the check engine light came back on. A diagnostic test was done and revealed that the transmission needed to be replaced for $4000. The manufacturer was called and stated that the warranty has expired. The vehicle was repaired by an independent mechanic. The failure mileage was 76,206. Updated 4/23/10 according to the invoice, the torque converter failed and the transmission fluid was contaminated. Updated 07/01/10.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #4

Feb 212010

Corolla

  • 104,044 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. When she attempted to shift gear in reverse the gears failed. The vehicle does not shift in reverse and it lunged forward. She also noticed that it would not shift into first, second, or third gear. She took the vehicle to a local garage who stated that the solenoid caused the failure to occur. The manufacturer filed report number 1002148-131 and stated that there were no recalls for the failure; therefore, they would not assist with the repair. She will take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed and repaired. The failure and the current mileages were 101,044.

- San Marcos , CA, USA

problem #3

Dec 102008

Corolla

  • 51,000 miles
When I drive my car it feels like there is something wrong with the transmission when this started happening the engine light came on, so I took the care in to the dealership and they are telling me it's a computer problem that affects the transmission and that I need a new computer.

- Saint Charles, MO, USA

problem #2

Jun 302007

Corolla 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,976 miles
Check engine light came on. Noticed car jerking when transmission was shifting gears. Had diagnostic done, indicated possible transmission pressure control solenoid falure or worst. Only had car for a year.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #1

Jul 132006

Corolla 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 11,201 miles
My wife was behind the wheel of her 2006 Toyota Corolla le and was backing slowly out of a parking space (her foot was resting on the brake pedal) when she and another driver bumped rear bumpers (speed was about 2 mph), my wife shifted the transmission into drive, the engine raced the car leaded forward up and over a cement parking curb and into a plate glass window of a health spa (ymca). It was a miracle that no one in the spa was seriously hurt. The car was totaled, my wife was devastated and emotionally a wreck. The car was inspected for mechanical defects by a state inspector. None were found.

- Exeter, RI, USA