Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Toyota Corolla submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 57 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.
The 25 most recent of 57, in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving, the odometer failed to exceed 299,999. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 299,999.
My airbag light stays on and I heard if the air bag gis off it could have metal in it..that don't sound like something I want to happen...also this cars power go's out and back on its scary when your driving down the road.it only has 141k miles something is wrong...
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 73 MPH, the contact became aware that the odometer mileage was not changing. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 299,999. The VIN was not available.
AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT I BEGAN TO STEP ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CRASH INTO A WALL CAUSING A MAJOR INJURIES TO MY BODY AND CAR. THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER START AND I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO MY HOME UNTIL A MECHANIC CAME TO START THE CAR AND WE HAD NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK IT WILL KEEP GOING.
2005 TOYOTA COROLLA 80,132 MILES THE CAR DIED YESTERDAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. FORTUNATELY, MY SON WAS STILL CLOSE TO HOME AND I WAS ABLE TO HELP PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAIT FOR ROAD SERVICE. WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED THE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET POWER GOING TO THE FUEL PUMP. ALL RELAYS AND FUSES ARE GOOD. I PURCHASED A NEW FUEL PUMP AND THE CAR WILL STILL WILL NOT START. A TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED IT WAS A ECU FAILURE AND THESE HAD RECALLS.
IT LOST POWER WHILE ON HWY DRIVING AT APPX.75 MPH
MY CAR WHEN LEFT ON IN PARK WILL SHUT OFF BY ITSELF AFTER A SHORT TIME (THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE), TODAY WHEN I WAS IN DRIVE AND ABOUT TO PULL OUT OF WORK IT SHUT OFF. I RESTARTED IT AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING WHEN IT SHUT OFF, BUT BOTH TIMES THE ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT CAME (THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ANOTHER LIGHT) ON BUT WHEN RESTARTED THEY WENT OFF.
TAKATA RACALL AIRBAG
IN 2011 THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) WAS REPLACED IN MY 2005 COROLLA AS PART OF A NATIONAL SAFETY RECALL AOJ. IN JUST UNDER 5 YEARS AND 22K MILES LATER THE REPLACED ECM STARTED DEMONSTRATING FAILING SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING MALFUNCTIONING TACHOMETER, ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, AND A/C MALFUNCTIONS. OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE ON THEIR REPLACED ECMS. BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR THE ORIGINAL RECALL, THE ORIGINAL ECM ISSUE RELATES TO POOR SOLDERING JOINTS WITHIN THE ECM. THE ISSUE WITH THE REPLACED ECMS IS LIKELY THE SAME, ALTHOUGH THE AFFECTED ELEMENTS WITHIN THE ECM MAY DIFFER FROM OWNER TO OWNER. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND ASKED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MY COST TO REPLACE THE 2ND ECM BUT THEY REFUSED. I ALSO REQUESTED TO SEND IN THE FAULTY REPLACED ECM FOR DIAGNOSIS AND ANALYSIS, REFERENCING THE ORIGINAL SAFETY RECALL AND HOW THE REPLACED ECM MAY HAVE THE SAME UNDERLYING SOLDERING ISSUES BUT TOYOTA REFUSED THIS COURSE OF ACTION. I CREATED A VIDEO DEMONSTRATING THE ISSUE - YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUTUBE AT HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VSL8GYNZSMK (OR SEARCH YOTUBE FOR "2005 COROLLA TACHOMETER ECM ISSUE" IF THE PREVIOUS LINK DOESN'T WORK).
THE INTERIOR INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE AUTOMATIC GEARS HAVE NOT BEEN ON FOR 2 YEARS -- D, R, 2, NEUTRAL, ETC. I HAD SOMEONE FIX THIS 2 YRS AGO AND CHECK THE WIRING BUT IT RECURRED. ALSO, THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE CLOCK WENT OUT ABOUT 1.5 YRS AGO. THE FUSES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. OCCURS AFTER I START THE CAR AND AM MOVING AT ANY SPEED.
AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS STAY ON WHEN DRIVING, REGARDLESS OF WHERE TO DRIVE. HAVING THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT TOYOTA DEALER IN CONCORD, CA. THEY FOUND SPIRAL CABLE, LOCATED ON OR AT STEERING COLUMN, DEFECTIVE. AND IF LEFT UNFIXED, ACCORDING TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THE AIRBAG ON DRIVER SIDE POTENTIALLY UNEXPECTED DEPLOYED OR WONT DEPLOY AT ALL AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. THIS IS A SCARY SAFETY CONCERN TO ME, COSTLY BUT IT NEED TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HOPE TOYOTA WILL COVER OR SHARE THE COST WITH ME, ~$500 AT ESTIMATE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH BECAME INOPERABLE. AS A RESULT, THE WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THE TRUNK FAILED TO UNLATCH FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
ALL THE SUDDEN I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT STOP ALL TOGETHER AND IT WILL NOT START UP AGAIN. I HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE CHECK FROM ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, FUSES ANY VISIBLE DAMAGE TO CABLES, ECT BUT NO LUCK AT ALL.
THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED FREQUENTLY SINCE THE FIRST EVENT: FOR NO KNOWN REASON, ENGINE RPMS DROP TO POINT WHERE VEHICLE BARELY MOVING. CAN SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART AND PROBLEM GOES AWAY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT NO HELP IN DIAGNOSIS. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. REPLACED ECM AND TRIED OTHER POSSIBLE "FIXES". SO FAR, HAS ONLY OCCURRED IN RURAL AREAS AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH OR LESS. FORTUNATELY NOT MUCH TRAFFIC. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL GO OFF BY ITSELF AS PROBLEM "FIXES ITSELF". A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BUT NO ANSWERS FROM DEALER OR MANUFACTURER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OVER WATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON OUT OF NOWHERE AND FOR NO REASON. STAYED ON EVER SINCE. I DID NOTHING AND NO ACCIDENT WHAT SO EVER. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA GRAPEVINE TEXAS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE WENT WRONG. HAD IT TESTED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC AND FOUND IT NO PROBLEM AT ALL. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED COROLLA FOR EVERY MODEL BETWEEN 2000 TO 2008 BUT 2005 COROLLA ON THE AIRBAG ISSUE. AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE, I THINK A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG ISSUE OF 2005 COROLLA IS DUE. *TR
OCTOBER 2013, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA IN SOUTHERN CA, WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO FILL THE CAR. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH. THE SMOKE LASTED A FEW MINUTES, AND A BURNING SMELL OF PLASTIC ALSO FILLED THE CAR. THE CAR WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TOOK A LOOK AT THE SWITCH, NONE OF THE SWITCHES AT THE MASTER CONTROL WERE WORKING AND ALL FELT COMPLETELY LOOSE. I PULLED THE SWITCH PANEL AWAY FROM THE DOOR AND COULD SEE HOW THE PLASTIC WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND HAD BURNED HOLES THROUGH THE SWITCH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THIS VIN# AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEMS ON OTHER VIN #'S IN THE SAME MODEL. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A FIRE HAZARD WITH THIS CAR AND TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A LARGE COMPANY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF A KNOWN PROBLEM? I RECENTLY CALLED THEM AGAIN TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL AND STILL HAVE NOT. NOW I AM EVEN MORE UPSET! *TR
AFTER HAVING MY BATTERY CHANGED 1 MONTH PRIOR, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS STOPPED WORKING. (IE: RADIO, POWER WINDOWS, ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD.) PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH STARTING THE CAR. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND I NOTICED THAT ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE NOT COMING ON WHEN STARTING THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE CAR TWO OR THREE TIMES. WHEN I BOUGHT IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEIR WAS A BROKEN WIRE IN RELAY BOX WHICH CAUSED THE BLOCK ASSEMBLY ? TO SHORT OUT. IT COST 1100.00 TO FIX AND IT IS ONLY GUARANTEED FOR 1 YEAR. THE CAR HAS ONLY 52,000 MILES ON IT. THIS PROBLEM SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM WITH THE ECM RECALL BUT IT WAS CHANGED IN 2011. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. SEEMS THAT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE VERY PREVALENT IN TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR
VENT AND AIR CONDITIONING CEASED TO OPERATE AFTER STOPPING FOR FUEL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND MY CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT TO A WORKSHOP NEARBY BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BATTERY WAS OLD & HAD IT REPLACED. STILL IT WONT START. THE NEXT DAY I TOWED IT TO TEL FORD SERVICE (PRIVATE SERVICE CENTER). THEY INSPECTED AND HAD THE ECM REPLACED WITH GENUINE TOYOTA PART. NOW CAR IS RUNNING FINE. THIS CAR HAD A RECALL & ECM WAS REPLACED IN 2010 AT PAGE TOYOTA. NOW IT HAS ECM REPLACED AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF TOYOTA CAN REIMBURSE ME THE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COST? *TR
. . TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. A RELATIVE OF MINE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON MY BEHALF FROM TOYOTA FOR MY VEHICLE. MY RELATIVE SAID HE SENT IT TO ME BY MAIL. I CONTACTED TOYOTA REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE OUT OF NOWHERE MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, MY CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND HORN. I HAVE HAD A RECALL BEFORE WHICH WAS SERVICED IN AUGUST OF 2011. I DECIDED TO CONTACT TOYOTA ABOUT THE LETTER AND IF IT WAS OKAY TO TAKE IN CAR WITHOUT LETTER. THEY RAN MY VIN# AND STATED THAT THE RECALL FOR MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED. I ASKED WHY I RECEIVED A LETTER OF RECALL AND WHY OUT OF NOWHERE MY CAR IS STARTING TO HAVE SOME MALFUNCTIONS THAT CAN BE A RISK TO MY LIFE. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. THE REP AT TOYOTA SAID TO GO IN TO SERVICE CENTER-BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. I NEED HELP AND WOULD LIKE THIS RESOLVED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND MY VEHICLE. *TR
I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, STARTED THE CAR AND TURN THE HEATER. A COUPLE OF SECOND WENT BY I STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING. THAT MADE ME TURN OFF THE CAR AND GET OUT OF THE CAR. WHEN I GOT OUT THE CAR I DIDN'T NOTICE ANY SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A THOUGHT CAME TO MIND THAT MAYBE IT WAS ANOTHER CAR PASSING BY. SO AS I JUST GOT IN MY CAR, WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH AND WITHIN THE WINDOW CRACKS. I WAS SO STARTLED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I PUT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOWN, STOPPED THE CAR AND CALL 911. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE TRAFFIC AND BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. CHECKED MY CAR, THEY SMELLED THE ODOR AND TOLD ME JUST TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP. WHEN I GOT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THERE WASN'T A RECALL. SO I DECIDED TO RESEARCH IT AND I FOUND A ARTICLE STATING THAT THE POWER-WINDOW SWITCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DIDN'T HAVE GREASE APPLIED EVENLY DURING PRODUCTION, CAUSING FRICTION IN THE SWITCH AND SOMETIMES SMOKE, ACCORDING TO TOYOTA. HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/8301-505145_162-57529367/MASSIVE-TOYOTA-RECALL-DUE-TO-FAULTY-WINDOW-SWITCH/ WHICH STATED RECALLS DUE TO THE SIMILAR PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED. I SHOWED IT TO THE TOYOTA SERVICEMAN AND HE CAME TO ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER AND STATED THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. ON FEBRUARY 19TH, 2013 I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY COROLLA VIN NUMBER WASN'T CHOSEN FOR THE RECALL. EVERY OWNER THAT OWNS A TOYOTA LISTED SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A LETTER INFORMING THEM ABOUT THE RECALL NO MATTER WHAT VIN NUMBER WAS CHOSEN! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA S. TOOK VEHICLE IN 12/10 TO REPLACE PART THAT WAS DUE TO RECALL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. TOYOTA SAID INTAKE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPLACED INTAKE GASKET ON 2/26/11. ON 3/3/11, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. TOYOTA SAID THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER OR THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *TR
AIR FLOAT SENSOR OR ECM PROBLEM: IN MAY 2010, WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP, AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTE, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP EVEN I PRESS ON THE GAS PADDLE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN, AND THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND CHECK ENGINE WAS OFF. HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP AGAIN AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN WITHIN A FEW MINUTE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES BEFORE I GOT HOME THAT DAY. I CALLED MY MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY TO COME TO INSPECT MY CAR. AFTER THE DIAGNOSE, THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE AIR FLOAT SENSOR AND THE AIR FILTER. AFTER THAT, MY CAR WORKED AGAIN. HOWEVER, I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM A FEW MONTHS LATER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE AIR FLOAT SENSOR AGAIN. TWO OR THREE WEEKS AFTER THE SECOND REPLACEMENT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT TO THE AUTO SHOP, AND THE MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ECM WITH AN USED ECM. THE SECURITY LIGHT CAME UP AFTER THE ECM WAS REPLACED. ACCORDING THE MECHANIC, THE SECURITY LIGHT CAME UP BECAUSE THE USED ECM DOESN'T HAVE THE SECURITY FEATURE THAT THE ORIGINAL ECM HAS. AFTER THAT, THE ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T COME UP AGAIN TIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO (FEB. 2011). AROUND THE SAME TIME, I RECEIVED AN ECM SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND HAD THE ECM REPLACED ON FEB. 19, HOPING THAT IT WILL FIX THE SECURITY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, BOTH THE SECURITY LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER THE REPLACEMENT THROUGH THE RECALL. THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID THE LIGHTS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL AND REFUSED TO DEAL WITH THE SECURITY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE UNLESS I'M PAYING THEM TO DO A DIAGNOSE. I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. *TR
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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