2009 Toyota Corolla Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACTED STATED SHE NOTICED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS ALL AROUND WERE RUSTED AS SEEN THROUGH THE HUB CAPS, WHICH HAVE CUT OUT DIVISIONS THAT ALLOW THE WHEELS TO BE VIEWED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WROTE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY OFFERED TO SELL THE CONTACT NEW WHEELS FOR $700 AND GIVE HER $300 BACK. DETERIORATING, DEFECTIVE RUSTING WHEELS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD AND ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT LIVES IN FLORIDA AND KEEPS THE VEHICLE IN A GARAGE. AT 68,000 MILES, THE CONTACT NOTICED THIS DEFECT. UPDATED 02/11/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE IN THE WHEELS. THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED AN ALIGNMENT HAD BEEN PERFORMED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

I NOTICED WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE THAT ALL 4 WHEELS ARE HAVE RUSTING AREAS ON THEM. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED IT AT BOCH TOYOTA IN NORWOOD MA. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAW THE ISSUE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TO TALK TO HIS TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE ISSUE. A WEEK LATER, I CALLED BACK AND THEY SAID THAT TOYOTA DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. THAT IT IS CAUSED BECAUSE OF THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST. UPON VISITING A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THEY ALL HAVE RUSTING ISSUES ON THE SAME YEAR VEHICLES. AS YEARS PAST I BELIEVE IT WILL BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE ! THE WARRANTY IS OVER IN LESS THAN 3,000 MILES. PLEASE HELP.

THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ALLOY WHEELS ON MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE FINISH ON THE WHEELS IS BUBBLING AND CHIPPING AWAY. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY ROAD SALT AND BRAKE DUST, THEREFORE NOT COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S CORROSION WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY LITTLE IN THE WINTER AND IS CLEANED AT LEAST WEEKLY. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE IT APPEARS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF TOYOTA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. I FEAR THAT IF THE WHEELS ARE NOT REPAIRED OR REPLACED THEY COULD BEGIN TO LEAK AIR OR FAIL STRUCTURALLY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

2009 TOYOTA COROLLA RIMS RUSTING. *TR

I LEASED MY VEHICLE THE END OF MAY 2008. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE FACTORY INSTALLED. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AT LEAST EVERY 5,000 MILES. AT THE LAST ROTATION APPOINTMENT, THE MECHANIC STATED THE TIRES BARELY PASSED NYS INSPECTION, AS THEY HAD ONLY 2/32" OF TREAD LEFT. AT THAT TIME THE TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 18,400 MILES ON THEM. SINCE THE ROTATION, I CAN HEAR A THUMPING-TYPE SOUND WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I LEASE THE CAR FROM STATES THEY WILL HAVE TO CHECK WITH TOYOTA, BUT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE ROTATIONS (MAINTENANCE) PERFORMED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, I MAY HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES. THE GENERAL MANAGER RECENTLY STATED IN WRITING THAT THE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE ONLY HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 20,000, WHICH INCIDENTALLY WAS NOT REPRESENTED AT TIME OF LEASE OR IN THE LEASE CONTRACT WHICH ALLOWS FOR 36,000 MILES IN 36 MONTHS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE LEASED FROM TOYOTA, BUT MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LEASED MANY OTHER MODEL VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES, LET ALONE RUN THEM BALD IN 18,400 MILES! A DIFFERENT TOYOTA SALESPERSON STATED TO ME THAT SHE HAS HEARD OF MANY PEOPLE RUNNING INTO THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TIRES INSTALLED ON TOYOTA LEASED VEHICLES. I HAVE 7 MONTHS LEFT ON MY LEASE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I AM A SINGLE MOTHER TO 3 SMALL CHILDREN THAT I DRIVE EVERYDAY IN THIS CAR, AND I WORK FULL TIME, SO I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO GET THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALERSHIP. WINTER IS UPON US IN BUFFALO, NY AND WITH THESE TIRES ON THE CAR, I AM BOUND TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BLOW-OUT OR OTHER POSSIBLY LIFE THREATENING INCIDENT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THE REASON I LEASE IS BECAUSE I DRIVE LOW MILES AND DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO MAKE CONTINUOUS REPAIRS TO A VEHICLE. I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO WAIT FOR TOYOTA TO "DECIDE" IF THEY WILL REPLACE THE TIRES, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THIS SEEMS LIKE A FACTORY DEFECT. *TR

I HAD PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED" PRE OWNED TOYOTA 2009 COROLLA XRS WHICH WAS SOLD WITH A FAULTY GAS PEDAL WHICH I NOTICED AFTER DIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. THE DEALER CONFIRMED IT WAS FAULTY AND HAD IT SERVICED. MUCH TO MY SHOCK, AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE STEERING, I LEARNED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THE FACT THAT THE CAR WAS SOLD WITH BALD TIRES. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DID NOT REALIZE IT THE CAR WAS SOLD THE MONTH BEFORE AND WAS JUST AS SHOCKED AND EMBARRASSED BY THE MATTER. TOYOTA HAD NO REGARD FOR LIFE KNOWING THAT I WAS DRIVING THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE IN TREACHEROUS, SNOW BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. I ASKED TO HAVE THE CAR REINSPECTED AND RECERTIFIED. I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A PHONE CALL WHEN THEY WOULD HAVE A RENTAL CAR AVAILABLE DURING THE REINSPECTION. APPARENTLY, THERE IS NO SENSE OF URGENCY AS I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A CALL.*TR

TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING 20 -40 MILES. REPLACED FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IN JANUARY 2010 TO SEE IF THAT REMEDIED SITUATION THOUGH DID NOT. DEALERSHIP HAS EVALUATED CAR THREE TIMES BEFORE INSTALLING NEW SENSORS. AFTER NEW SENSORS REPLACED FEBRUARY 2010, TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT RESUMES TO LIGHT MARCH 2010 VEHICLE SEEN YESTERDAY AT DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP STATES ALL TIRES AT 20 POUNDS, READJUSTED TO 32. DEALERSHIP STATES SOMEONE IS TAMPERING WITH TIRE PRESSURE THOUGH DUE TO MY SITUATION I HAVE ONLY ALLOWED THE DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE AS IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN 3/12/10. NOTIFIED DEALERSHIP OF LIGHT MALFUNCTION AGAIN. *TR

2009 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH 9000 MILES PURCHASED NEW. HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND TIRES ROTATED MAY 2009. INSPECTOR ADVISED THAT ALL 4 FIRESTONE TIRES SHOWED ONLY 4/32 TREAD DEPTH AND ALL SHOULD BE REPLACED SOON. NOTIFIED TOYOTA ONLINE AND THEY DECLINED ANY ADJUSTMENT. THEY INDICATED THAT NEITHER TOYOTA NOR FIRESTONE GUARANTEED THE TIRE WOULD LAST FOR ANY MONTHS AT ALL WITH RESPECT TO OEM TIRES ON NEW CARS. I RETURNED TO TOYOTA DEALER IN ELMIRA NY---KENT BROWN--AND SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TOYOTA HQ VIA PHONE. SOMEBODY APPROVED REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TIRES AT NO COST TO ME. TIRES WERE REPLACED BY DEALER KENT BROWN AND THEY ALSO PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT CHECK WHICH DEALER SAID WAS FINE. I ALSO TALKED TO FIRESTONE DEALER PRIOR TO KENT BROWN ADJUSTMENT AND THAT DEALER ADVISED ME THAT THEIR TIRE WAS PROBABLY THE WRONG TIRE FOR THAT YEAR AND MAKE OF TOYOTA. I HAD THE FEELING THAT IF KENT BROWN WOULD NOT HAVE REPLACED THE 4 TIRES THAT FIRESTONE MIGHT HAVE DONE SOMETHING FOR ME. COST UNKNOWN!!!?? THIS IS MY 2ND NEW TOYOTA FROM SAME DEALER. I FIND IT STRANGE THAT TOYOTA HQ DENIED ME BUT SOMEBODY APPROVED THE REPLACEMENT. I DOUBT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE DEALERS IF TOYOTA HQ ALSO DENIED THE DEALER. YOKOHOMA TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON MY CAR AND SEEM TO BE FINE. *TR

EVENT: HIGH FREQUENCY NOISE FROM FRONT WHEELS WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. DETAILS: OCCURS ON THE FREEWAY AND ONLY WHEN SPEED IS BETWEEN 60 AND 80 MPH. BUT GOES OFF ONCE PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. NOISE WILL NOT COME RIGHT AFTER YOU GO OVER 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, BUT AFTER 10 TO 15 MIN, ON THE FREEWAY, IT WILL START PRODUCING THE NOISE. ONCE THE NOISE STARTS, IF WE GO ANY SPEED BETWEEN 60 AND 80 MPH, IT WILL CONTINUE, AND STOP AS SOON AS WE ENGAGE THE BRAKES SLIGHTLY, BUT WILL REAPPEAR WITHIN FEW MORE MINS OF DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. RESOLUTION: WENT 3 TIMES TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE. DEALER HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE, AND SIMPLY SAID THAT IT WAS FIXED 2 TIMES WITH MINIMAL INVESTIGATION. 3RD TIME THEY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS IN THE LAST ATTEMPT AND TEST DROVE IT FOR A TOTAL OF 2000 MILES IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. NO SERVICE TECH AT DEALERS LOCATION WAS ABLE TO GET IT. TOYOTA SENT A FACTORY TECH. AND HE DID THE 3RD LONG ATTEMPT MENTIONED ABOVE TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL HUB THAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. *TR