Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Toyota Corolla submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SELECTOR LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT POSITION THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACTED INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION MUST BE REBUILT DUE TO BEARING FAILURE (INPUT SHAFT). *TT
140 000 KM ON BOARD AND THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS GONE ON MY COROLLA 2003. *TR
I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN 2006 WITH 76,000 MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. I TRUSTED THE REPUTATION OF TOYOTA AND THOUGHT I GOT A GOOD DEAL ON A DEPENDABLE CAR THAT WOULD LAST ME UNTIL AT LEAST 200,000 MILES WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THIS CAR CURRENTLY HAS 126,000 MILES ON IT. LAST FRIDAY, AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THE GEARS/TRANSMISSION RUNNING A LITTLE LOUDER THAN USUAL. DURING THE NEXT 7 RESIDENTIAL MILES HOME, THE GEARS/TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SOUND LOUDER AND MORE GRINDING IN NATURE. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING AND LEARNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND I WOULD NEED A NEW ONE. AFTER A LITTLE ONLINE RESEARCH, I READ THAT MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE HAD REPLACED WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS ONLY TO HAVE THE REBUILT ONE FAIL. I CHOSE TO PURCHASE A NEW TRANSMISSION (AT LEAST IT'S UNDER WARRANTY FOR 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES) ALONG WITH A NEW CLUTCH AND OTHER ACCESSORIES TO THE TUNE OF $3,500. WHEN I ASKED HOW MY DEPENDABLE LITTLE TOYOTA COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME SOMETHING ABOUT THE CLUTCH BEGINNING TO SHOW SOME WEAR, CAUSING SOME PARTS (BEARINGS?) TO GET INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND WREAK HAVOC. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I NO LONGER ASSOCIATE TOYOTA WITH DEPENDABILITY. *TR
2003 TOYOTA COROLLA LE WITH ONLY 120,000 MILES NEEDS NEW MANUAL TRANSMISSION AT THE COST OF $3800 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. CAR WAS MAKING LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING AND HAVING CONVULSIONS WHICH FORCED US TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS "WARNING SIGNS" THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. ALL WARRANTY MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE ON THIS VEHICLE AT THE RIGHT TIME. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS SINCE THEY NOW SEEM TO BE MORE AND MORE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONGST THIS PARTICULAR MODEL YEAR COROLLA. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE DEBRIS FROM A DEFECTIVE BEARING THAT ATTACHED TO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
2003 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING FILING COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA CORPORATION FOR HEADLIGHTS MELTING AND ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN SHE TRIED TO USE THE REMOTE. THE DEALER HAD TO DISMANTLE THE DOOR PANEL AND INSTALL A NEW LOCK DEVICE. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAULTY WORK ON THE PART OF TOYOTA. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO GO OUT, UNTIL FINALLY, THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED. *JB
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR MADE A WEIRD NOISE AS I GOT ON THE FREEWAY. CAR WAS SCREAMING UNTIL I GOT OFF OF FREEWAY. PARKED THE CAR AND CALLED AAA. CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD TROUBLE PUSHING CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE. GOT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND CAR WOULD NOT BACK OFF OF TOW TRUCK. TRANSMISSION SHOP TOOK APART TRANSMISSION AND STATES THE PINION BEARING WENT BAD AND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD LOCKED IN 5TH GEAR. THEY STATED THAT THE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GO BAD IN TOYOTA'S MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND REBUILT MY TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW AFTERMARKET BEARING KIT. REPAIRS COST APPROXIMATELY $1800. *TR
MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA AND LOCKED UP. I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ALREADY AND IT IS MY SECOND TRANSMISSION AND IS MY SECOND INCIDENT. IT LOCKS UP AND COMES TO A SUDDEN STOP.
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PURCHASED 2003, TOYOTA, COROLLA, VIN: [XXX] WITH DAUGHTER. VEH WAS PURCHASED FROM TOYOTA OF ORANGE IN CA. TWO DAYS LATER A HIT AND RUN DRIVER FORCED VEH TO SKID ACROSS FIVE LANES ON INTERSTATE 10 IN ONTARIO, CA, AND LANDED ATOP CENTER DIVIDER. THE VEHICLE WAS SENT TO REPAIR SHOP AND "REPAIRED" AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5-8 MONTHS. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS NEVER PROPERLY REPAIRED, AND I COMPLAINED TO BOTH TOYOTA , AND TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE, BUT TOYOTA ADAMANTLY STATED THE VEH WAS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS CONTINUALLY IN THE SHOP FOR THE BRAKES. EVENTUALLY THE CARPET CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME STUCK AND THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS FORCED TO REACH DOWN WHILE THE CAR MOVING AND PULL THE CARPET WITH BOTH HANDS TO RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR. STEPPING ON THE BRAKES DID NOT HELP. NEITHER TOYOTA REPAIR NOR ALLSTATE WOULD HELP RESOLVE OUR COMPLAINTS SINCE 2003, WE WERE SIMPLY TOLD THAT THE VEH WAS FINE. ADDITIONALLY I BELIEVE THE FRAME IS BENT, LACK OF INTERLOCKING BRAKES CAUSING SKIDS, BRAKES ARE SOFT AND DROP TO FLOOR, AND POOR STEERING COLUMN. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT INVOLVING NEAR MISS ACCIDENT EPISODES. THE CAR SKIDS IF GOING AS LITTLE AS 5-10 MILES PER HOUR. I OFFERED TO GIVE THE CAR AWAY TO ANYONE WHO WAS WILLING TO INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINTS, ALL TO NO AVAIL. I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I HEARD IN THE BRAND NEW CAR WAS A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. TOYOTA CONTINUALLY DENIED THIS FOR 5-6 YEARS, THEN BY ACCIDENT A VERY YOUNG NEWLY EMPLOYED STAFF AT TOYOTA OF ORANGE, INFORMED US THAT OUR COMPLAINT ABOUT LOUD AIR SOUNDING NOISE WAS A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST, WHICH HAD BEEN CONTINUALLY MAKING THE NOISE, AND BURNING OF EYES (MIGRAINES). THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED EVERY 2-4 MONTHS OR LESS UNTIL I JUST REPORTED LESS FREQUENTLY. THE CAR IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY IT NEEDS SOME BRAKES, ROTORS, DRUMS, CALIPERS, AND SHOCKS AS ALWAYS. *TR
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AND STOPPED, THE CAR WILL MOVE FORWARD ON ITS OWN. I APPLY MORE PRESSURE AND IT STOPS AGAIN. I NOW LEAVE EXCESSIVE SPACE BETWEEN MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THIS OCCURS VERY OFTEN. *TR
2003 TOYOTA COROLLA TRANSMISSION WENT OUT JUST LIKE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS MODEL. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. TO REPLACE IT WILL COST OVER $3000.00. I HAVE OWNED 2 TOYOTAS PREVIOUS AND NEVER HAD PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. *TR
VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN EXITING ONE HIGHWAY TO ENTER ANOTHER. IN ADDITION, A LOUD SOUND STARTED TO COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MOVED VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC AND DROVE VERY SLOWLY. PRIOR TO FAILURE THERE WERE SOME SOUNDS FROM THE TRANSMISSION BUT NO LOSS OF POWER OR TROUBLE GETTING THE VEHICLE INTO TO GEAR. CONSIDERED IT LUCKY THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEIZE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, SLOWLY, TO A REPAIR FACILITY BEFORE SOME OF THE GEARS BECAME INOPERABLE. MECHANIC IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES FOR 2003 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ON THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY IN CANADA. MOST FAILURES ARE OCCURRING AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRES BUT UNDER 100,000 MILES. MY MECHANIC IS SAVING THE OLD TRANSMISSION. *TR
MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LOOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID. I TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND THEY CANNOT FIND WHERE THE FLUID IS GOING TO, ITS NOT LEAKING EXTERNAL, INTO THE RADIATOR OR TO THE ENGINE BUT THEY CONFIRMED IT IS LOOSING FLUID TO SOMEWHERE. ANY IDEAS ON THIS ISSUE? *TR
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, ACCORDING TO REPAIR SHOP WAS DEFECT FROM COMPANY. LESS THAN 115 MILES LATER THE ENGINE GOES. ACCORDING TO SERVICE MANAGER AND MASTER TECHNICIAN, ENGINE LOOKED GREAT AND COULD FIND NO PROBLEM UNTIL DISCOVERED THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS WARPED AND WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM" . ENGINE AND TRANSIMISSION GONE WITHIN 115 MILES OF EACH OTHER.
2003 TOYOTA COROLLA EXPERIENCED ROLL BACK.*MR WHILE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT CAR SUDDENLY ROLLED BACKWARD. THE CONSUMER PUT THE BRAKE DOWN AS HARD AS SHE COULD BUT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. *BF *NM
TOYOTA COROLLA LE 2003. PARKED IN A MULTI-STORY PARKING LOT. PUT THE GEAR IN PARK. NEXT THING CAR ACCELERATED AND SMASHED INTO PILLAR. CALLED TOYOTA, WHO CLAIMED THAT SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA, AND THAT DRIVER ERROR WAS THE CAUSE. I AM SURE THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND ABOUT TO SWITCH OFF. NOBODY HURT, BUT DAMAGE TO CAR IN EXCESS OF $4500. IT IS IN THE SHOP.*AK
WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOWER GEAR, WHEN TAPPING BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN SLIGHTLY AT HIGH SPEED. GOING DOWN HILL, FOR EXAMPLE, RESULTING IN SUDDEN SURGE OF RPM, ACTING LIKE A BRAKE AND TAKING A WHILE TO SHIFT BACK INTO OVERDRIVE. THIS PUTS TREMENDOUS STRAIN ON ENGINE, AND RESULTS IN POOR GAS MILEAGE. IT DOESN'T SEEM PROPER THAT IT SHOULD DOWNSHIFT WHEN SLOWING FROM 70 TO 65. EVEN PUNCHING THE ACCELERATOR DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE IT GO INTO OD UNTIL SEVERAL SECONDS HAVE PASSED. 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA. *LA
WHEN GOING DOWN AN INCLINE AND BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT'S SLIPPING GEARS, AND THE RMPS SURGE UP TO 4000. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK
6853 MILES NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION
TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR HAS SUDDENLY DROPPED OUT OF OVERDRIVE WHILE COASTING ON FLAT ROAD OR GOING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE MAKES AN UNUSUAL AND VERY LOUD 'TINGY' OR HIGH PITCHED REVING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, WHICH DISAPPEARS WHEN AT CRUISING SPEED. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND WAS FOLLOWED BY THE INABILITY TO GO ABOVE 15 MPH. THIS PERSISTED DESPITE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR FULLY TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS WAS TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR. THE MOST RECENT INCITENT ONLY INVOLVED DROPPING OUT OF OVERDRIVE. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS TRIED TO FIND PROBLEM WITH NO SUCCESS. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED.
VEHICLE DROPS OUT OF OVER DRIVE WHILE GOING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AND GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. ALSO DOES IT WHILE GOING STRAIGHT ON HIGHWAY, AT 60 MPH OR HIGHER AND APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH MEDIUM PRESSURE. DOES NOT RESUME OVER DRIVE FOR 1/2 MILE AFTER THAT.*JB
VEHICLE LURCHES WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC.*JB
THE PROBLEM IS . WHEN I START MY CAR I "MUST" PRESS ON THE CLUTCH VERY HARD ( ALL THE WAY INWARDS ) IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY PREVIOUS MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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