2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ID

10778822

Incident

Mar 16, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE GEAR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPUTER CHIP AND HYDRAULIC PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,800. UPDATED 12/2/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *JS

NHTSA ID

10640007

Incident

Jun 15, 2009

Mileage

30,800 mi

2003 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION/ SHIFTING MALFUNCTION - WHILE AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR JERKED FORCEFULLY FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED FROM STOPPED POSITION, THEN TURNED ITSELF OFF. THE CAR BECAME INCAPABLE OF SHIFTING AND HAD TO BE TOWED. ECU WAS REPLACED. SIMILAR PROBLEMS RESURFACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10632785

Incident

May 27, 2011

WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH BECAME INTERMITTENT IN OPERATION, WITH POTENTIAL OF BEING UNABLE TO DISENGAGE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578953

Incident

Mar 3, 2014

Mileage

100,253 mi

SEQUENTIAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FAILED TO COMPLETELY DISENGAGE LEAVING THE CAR IN GEAR WITH POTENTIAL CRASH RESULTS. TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AFTER 3 SEPARATE TIMES IN THE SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10355396

Incident

Aug 26, 2010

Mileage

76,000 mi

PLATE UNDER ENGINE COMES LOOSE, HANGING UNDER CAR AND EXPOSING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO THE ROAD. THIS PLATE HAD COME LOOSE SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVE REPLACED SCREWS TO PUT IT BACK IN PLACE, BUT THIS TIME IT COMPLETELY FAILED AND BROKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10284996

Incident

Sep 22, 2009

Mileage

66,000 mi

MY CAR HAS A HARD SHIFT PROBLEM. IT STOPS AT EVERY TRAFFIC LIGHT AND I HAVE TO START IT AGAIN. ALSO WHEN I SHIFT THE STICK IT CHANGES SO HARD, IT PUSHES ME AND SHAKE IT ITSELF SO HARD. I WAS GOING TO CRASH WHEN IT HAPPENED FIRST TIME. I TOOK IT TO REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID "TRANSMISSION CONTROL COMPUTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED" "SEQUENTIAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION (SMT) HARSH SHIFT" THIS IS A BULLETIN OF TOYOTA, I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER, THEY SAID THEY WILL CHARGE FOR IT. IT S NOT UNDER WARRANTY. BUT IT IS MANUFACTURING MISTAKE, IT S NOT MY MISTAKE. THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10251987

Incident

Nov 27, 2008

DURING THE COURSE OF NORMAL, EVERYDAY DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOG LAMP LENSE OBTAINED A HOLE. THIS ALLOWS WATER, AMONG OTHER ELEMENTS TO COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THE FOG LAMP AS WELL AS THE FOG LAMP BULB. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THIS UNDER THE MANUFATURER'S WARRANTY AND/OR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I AM SEEKING TO PURCHASE AND REPLACE THE FOG LAMP, MYSELF. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147781

Incident

Nov 13, 2005

Mileage

19,400 mi

2003 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE040 215/45R16 DOT NO. EJ1EJAA3602, MOUNTED ON DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL MILEAGE AT FAILURE: 9142 ROAD CONDITIONS AT FAILURE: CLEAR, DRY, ~ 40 F., SOUTH-BOUND ON U.S. I-69 MICHIGAN EXIT NO. 3, NO ROAD HAZARDS, 70 MPH VEHICLE SPEED THE TIRE IN QUESTION WAS INSPECTED BY A QUALIFIED TIRE DEALER THE EVENING BEFORE THE BLOW OUT. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CERTIFIED TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS. FROM THE POINT OF INSPECTION, THE TIRE WAS OPERATED WAS OPERATED 10 MILES IN CITY TRAFFIC AND THEN PARKED IN A GARAGE OVERNIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE TIRE WAS OPERATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (AVERAGE 50 MPH, MAX 70 MPH) FOR ~ 200 MILES. TIRE BLEW (TREAD COMPLETELY SEPERATED INTACT FROM SIDEWALL) WITHOUT ANY WARNING. STEERING WHEEL JERKED AND I LOST SOME CONTROL BUT REGAINED ENOUGH CONTROL TO COAST TO A STOP (BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED). VEHICLE RODE ON SIDEWALL AND RIMS FROM BLOWOUT TO COAST TO STOP. THE ONLY TIME THE TIRE IS KNOWN TO HAVE INSUFFICIENT PRESSURE WAS AFTER IT BLEW WITHOUT ANY PRIOR PROBLEM OR WARNING. IT TOOK BETWEEN 30 60 SECONDS TO BRING THE MR2 RUNNING AT 70 MPH ON DRY ROADS WITH A BLOWN DRIVERS SIDE TIRE TO COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP. SUBMITTED INCIDENT CLAIM 835370 DATED 4/18/2005, FAILED TIRE, AND PICTURES OF TIRE AND DAMAGED CAST ALUMINUM RIM TO BRIDGESTONE. BRIDGESTONE LEGAL (NORMA Y DAVIS 800 543 7522 ) DENIED MY CLAIM AND REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGED TIRE AND RIM. BRIDGESTONE FINDINGS: 1. TIRE WAS OPERATED FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE TO CARRY THE LOAD 2. INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE CONDITION IS EVIDENCED BY THE TATTERED SIDEWALLS AND THE MELTED INNERLINER, AND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE 3. TIRE FAILURE DID NOT RESULT FROM A DEFECT IN EITHER MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP ON 5/3/2005 I REQUESTED THAT THE CASE BE SENT TO ARBITRATION. NO RESPONSE YET FROM BRIDGESTONE.

NHTSA ID

10119509

Incident

Apr 7, 2005

Mileage

9,142 mi

AROUND 1:48 AM WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE RELAY SWITCH UNDER THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. REPORTED BY A PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE INSPECTOR. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10083945

Incident

Jul 19, 2004

- NEW TOYOTA CAMRY LE PURCHASED JANUARY 2004 - ON FEBRUARY 25TH KEY WOULD NOT TURN (TOOK 10 - 15 MINUTES TO START IT) - LATER WHILE PARKING, THE CAR THE STEERING LOCKED TURNING THE CAR TO THE RIGHT - THE CAR ACCELERATED AND SURGED DESPITE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE (SAME AS ODI PEO4021) - THOUGH THE CAR BROKE A METAL FLAG POLE, DAMAGED A RETAINING WALL, AND FELL SEVEN FEET INTO A MAJOR STREET, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY - CAR IS SEVERELY DAMAGED: WHEELS, TIRES, FRONT END, GAS TANK, FRONT AXLE - DRIVER HAS A SWOLLEN AND SORE KNEE ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT SOFT TISSUE INJURIES INCLUDING BACK PAIN *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10063898

Incident

Feb 25, 2004

PROBLEM 1: TRANSMISSION WILL AT RANDOM TIMES DURING DRIVING GO INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING AND LOSE POWER SLOWING THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT DIES. THE CAR WILL THEN NOT HAVE POWER STEERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC TWICE CAUSING A NEAR SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT HAS LEFT MY WIFE STRANDED AND REQUIRING THE DEALER TO TOW THE VEHICLE AS IT WOULD NOT RE-START. IT HAPPENED ONE TIME WHERE THERE WAS ROOM TO PULL TO THE ROADSIDE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR RAN ROUGHLY AND WOULD NOT IDLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AS WELL AS NOT GO INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR. AFTER ABOUT 1/2 HOUR I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO GEAR, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE AND SEQUENTIAL TRANSMISSION LIGHTS WERE ON. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE DEALER ABOUT 15 MILES ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THEY FOUND SOME CODES BUT NO ONE COULD FIND THEM IN THE BOOK. PROBLEM 2: AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR ABOUT TEN DAYS, MY WIFE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH THE E-BRAKE SET AND THE CAR IN GEAR AS PER THE OWNERS MANUAL AND THE INSTRUCTION OF THE SALES TEAM. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES, OUR NEIGHBOR CAME TO OUR DOOR AND TOLD US OUR CAR HAD ROLLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND OUR GRANITE MAILBOX. I HAVE STATEMENTS FROM THEM AS THEY WERE EYE-WITNESSES. ONE OF THE WITNESSES IS A CERTIFIED ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR FOR MANY YEARS. THE DEALER CHECKED THE BRAKE ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND EACH TIME SAYS THE BRAKE IS WORKING AS IT SHOULD. TO THIS DAY, I CAN GET THE VEHICLE TO ROLL ON MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE BRAKE ON. I HAD THE SHOP FOREMAN LOOK AT IT WITH ME IN THE CAR AND HIM DRIVING IT. WE PARKED ON A HILL BEHIND THE DEALER, HE SET THE E-BRAKE AND RELEASED THE FOOT BRAKE AND THE CAR ROLLED. AFTER TWO MORE ATTEMPTS AND THE BRAKE LEVER AT THE MAXIMUM PHYSICAL TRAVEL, THE BRAKE SET TO HOLD THE CAR, BY NOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. HE THEN STATED THAT THE BRAKE WAS IN WORKING ORDER.

NHTSA ID

10070899

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

1,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE OFF INTO PIECES. DEALER REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10041873

Incident

Sep 29, 2003