2008 Toyota Corolla Fuel system Problems

The plastic fuel tank has a heat shield below it that keeps the fuel tank from getting too hot, and from debris hitting it. There is a strap that goes around the fuel tank. The heat shield has this plastic piece that holds on to the strap. On my car, this plastic piece snapped off and the heat shield was rattling loose against the exhaust pipe and exposing the fuel tank. I took my car to a Toyota dealer (Glen Mills, PA) and was told the only way to fix that plastic piece is to replace the whole heat shield and fuel tank strap. Even though this was due to their defective piece. I was told it would be $950 for this repair. I was forced to deny the repair due to the obscene price tag and took it to a dealer for a temporary fix until Toyota can be reasonable with their price. Upon further research, this plastic piece is known to break off on this type of car frequently. After watching many videos and going through many forums of people having the same issue, it seems Toyota is known for charging an outrageous price for this. To me, it appears they know this piece is defective and will be recalled at some point, and are trying to make money off of unsuspecting people. I would appreciate this being investigated further.

NHTSA ID

11545726

Incident

Sep 19, 2023

I SMELL GAS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE CAR CUTS OUT THEN ACTS LIKE IT GOES INTO A LOW GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING. SO FAR NOTHING MAJOR HAS HAPPENED BUT WHO KNOWS WHEN IT COULD CHANGE. THIS STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO. WE HAD IT CHECKED AND IT SHOWED 5 CODES WHICH INDICATED THE CHARCOAL FUEL FILTER CANISTER WAS BAD. WE WAS TOLD THE COST OF THE PART WOULD BE $300.00 AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH IT AND HAVE REPLACED A LOT IF THEM AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE WHICH IS BETWEEN $300-$500 WITH LABOR COST. TOYOTA HAD RECALLED THIS PART UP TO 2006 BUT NOT BEYOND. WE HAVE CHECKED INTO THIS AND THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP AND HAVE A CASE # 1405291178. WE CONTACTED THEM TODAY AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD HAVE TO JUST LIVE WITH IT. WE FEEL THIS ISN'T RIGHT. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS AND ON A FIXED INCOME. WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THIS PART BUT WE CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE. WE ARE VERY UPSET THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10781065

Incident

Mar 11, 2014

Mileage

64,758 mi

ACCELERATOR STUCK "ON" AFTER CAR STARTED AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. OWNER/DRIVER COULD NOT AVOID STRIKING OTHER VEHICLES. OWNER/DRIVER IS ASSISTED BY [XXX]ATTORNEY AT LAW [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR... UPDATED 03/19/15*BF *TR

NHTSA ID

10572873

Incident

Mar 12, 2014

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,455. ...UPDATED 10-24-13 *BF UPDATED 11/1/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10541853

Incident

Sep 4, 2013

Mileage

27,455 mi

WHILE DRIVING, A STRAP ON THE FUEL TANK AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HEAT SHIELD BOTH, SIMULTANEOUSLY, BECAME LOOSE AND BEGAN RATTLING TERRIBLY. I CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR IN ORDER TO GET HOME, A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 200 MILES, WITH THE LOUD NOISE CONTINUING THROUGHOUT. I THOUGHT THE HEAT SHIELD WAS LOOSE, WHICH IT WAS, BUT I DID NOT REALIZE THE FUEL TANK STRAP HAD FAILED, OR I WOULD NOT HAVE CONTINUED DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF FIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE STRAP AND THE SHIELD WERE BOTH LOOSE BECAUSE BOLTS HOLDING THEM IN PLACE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THIS CAR IS NOT OLD NOR IS IT DRIVEN VERY MANY MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STRAP AND THE SHIELD AT A COST OF $476. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470744

Incident

Aug 12, 2012

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT END OF THE FUEL TANK SHIELD PARTIALLY DETACHED DUE TO A LOOSE BOLT WHICH COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10423878

Incident

Sep 3, 2011

Mileage

13,500 mi

WHILE APPLYING BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD (HARD ACCELERATION). MINOR ACCIDENT ENSUED, SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS OBSERVED ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330026

Incident

May 11, 2010

Mileage

18,133 mi

ON AUG. 1, 2008 I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED USED 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH 5,420 MILES ON IT FROM MANHATTAN BEACH TOYOTA, IN MANHATTAN BEACH, CA. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, I REALIZED THERE WAS SOMETHING TROUBLING ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR. WHENEVER I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO MAKE A STANDING START -- WHEN A TRAFFIC SIGNAL TURNED GREEN, FOR EXAMPLE -- THE CAR WOULD OFTEN LURCH FORWARD IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE MANNER. I SOON TRACED THE PROBLEM TO THE POSITION OF MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. IF MY FOOT WAS IN JUST THE RIGHT POSITION -- LOW TO MIDWAY ON THE PEDAL, WITH MY HEEL CLOSEST TO THE FLOOR -- I HAD COMPLETE CONTROL. BUT IF I MISCALCULATED AND PLACED MY FOOT EVER SO SLIGHTLY HIGHER ON THE PEDAL, THE CAR WOULD LURCH FORWARD EVEN WHEN I APPLIED THE SAME PRESSURE. I COULD REGAIN CONTROL ONLY BY QUICKLY TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND/OR HITTING THE BRAKES. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT MAINTAINS MY CAR REPEATEDLY SAID I SHOULD NOT WORRY -- THAT AS THE CAR'S COMPUTER GOT USED TO MY DRIVING HABITS, IT WOULD EVENTUALLY ADJUST THE ACTION OF THE ACCELERATOR TO MY TOUCH. BUT NOTHING CHANGED. NOW I TAKE EXTRA CARE TO TRY AND GET MY FOOT IN JUST THE RIGHT SPOT BEFORE ACCELERATING FROM A STANDING START. SOMETIMES I AM SUCCESSFUL, OTHER TIMES NOT. IN ANTICIPATION OF TROUBLE, I MAKE IT A POINT TO LEAVE PLENTY OF EXTRA SPACE BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, SO I WON'T REAR END IT IF THE ACCELERATOR SENDS ME LURCHING FORWARD. I HAVE BECOME RESIGNED TO THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE I AM A TOYOTA FAN AND LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE CAR. I NEVER THOUGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS UNTIL A NEW YORK TIMES STORY INDICATED THAT OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND (I BELIEVE) HAD NOTIFIED YOUR AGENCY. (PLS IGNORE THE DATES I ENTERED BELOW; THE PROBLEM PERSISTS TO THIS DAY, BUT YOUR FORM WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SO INDICATE.) *TR

NHTSA ID

10329350

Incident

Aug 22, 2008

Mileage

5,570 mi

ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO 6000RPM ON MY 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA CE WHEN I WAS STOPPED. MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND NO FLOOR MATS WERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR. I BROUGHT IT TO MY DEALER BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I REPORTED IT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED OTHER THEN TO SAY THAT TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312272

Incident

Nov 19, 2009

Mileage

22,000 mi