1996 Toyota Corolla Lights Problems
13 owner-reported lights complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Lights Recalls (4)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Fix: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Owner Complaints (13)
Your headlights flicker and turn off while driving, sometimes both going completely dark until you restart the car. New headlights haven't fixed the problem, and you're left driving with only one working light at a time, which makes night driving unsafe. The dealership ruled out an electrical issue, but the problem persists. This likely requires diagnostic testing of the lighting circuit, wiring, or control module to find the underlying cause.
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1996 TOYOTA COROLLA - WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON AND YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES, THE RIGHT TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT. IT IS DANGEROUS AS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, IT APPEARS TO THE DRIVER BEHIND YOU THAT YOU ARE SIGNALING FOR A RIGHT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS AND IT WILL APPEAR OK, THEN BEGIN MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN. THERE MUST BE AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION PROBLEM IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COROLLAS ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL #99V103000 HEADLIGHTS, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB
REAR TAIL LAMP SOCKET CONTACTS ARE WORN/LOOSE WHICH CAUSES PARKING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO SHOW INTENTION TO BRAKE AND INTERMITTENTLY WORK. REPAIR OR REPLACE BULBS AND/OR BULB RESEAT ADJUSTMENTS DO NOT HELP OR ONLY TEMPORARILY FIX ISSUE. SAME PROBLEM AS CAMRY'S OF THE SAME YEAR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V037000). ALL 92-97 COROLLA'S I WITNESS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM/ISSUE WITH FAILED TAIL LAMPS BUT THE FILAMENTS ARE STILL INTACT/OPERATIONAL. REQUESTING THAT TOYOTA REPLACE SOCKETS. DT
I HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS BULBS TO FINALLY BE TOLD IT'S THE CASING OR BULB HOLDER THAT'S DEFECTIVE AND THEY HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH REAR LIGHTING IN THIS MODEL COROLLA. DT
RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING.*AK *JG
SAME DEFECT AS 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY RECALL- TAIL-LIGHT ASSEMBLY MELTED DUE TO OVERHEATED BULB. *AK
FREQUENTLY BULBS BLEW OUT, THEN THERE WAS A QUICK FLASHING LIGHT THAT INDICATED ONE OF THE BULBS WAS BURNED OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE CONSUMER HAS OWNED VEHICLE.*AK
REAR RIGHT BLINKER BULB BURNED OUT AT LEAST FOUR OR MORE TIMES SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASED. DEALER FOUND POOR GROUNDING FIRST TIME AND AFTER THAT DEALER ONLY REPLACED BULB, WITH NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEM. TRYING TO GET REPAIRED "AGAIN". DEALER IMPLIES THAT THERE NOT SURE IF THIS IS A "WARRANTY PROBLEM" AND I MAY NOT BE ENTITLED TO A RENTAL CAR. THIS IS ONLY THE FOUTH TIME FOR REPAIR, WHAT CONSTITUES A WARRANTY PROBLEM AND ACCIDENT AND SEVERAL LIVES TAKEN AWAY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 70 MILES AND HOUR - NO ONE IS LOOKING FOR HAND SIGNALS. HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURE TRYING TO UNLUCK DOORS USING LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON WHILE SITTING INSIDE. HAD TO MANUALLY UNLOCK DOOR OR PUT KEY INTO IGNITION TO UNLOCK DOORS. DEALER STATED PROBLEM WOULD NOT REPEAT ITSELF, SO IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. NOT ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC RAN. HAVE NOISE COMING FROM FONT END OF CAR. THE FIRST TIME REPAIRED I WAS TOLD IT WAS SOME TYPE OF "ARM" THAT LOST A BOLT. NOISE CEASED FOR ABOUT A MONTH. HOWEVER, NOISE DID RETURN AND GROWS INCREASINGLY LOUDER WHILE MAKING SHARP TURNS, BACKING UP, AND ON INCLINES BACKING UP. SOUNDS AS THOUGH FRONT END AXLE IS FALLING OFF. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A "NORMAL SOUND" THE BRAKES MAKE WHILE SHIFTING AND IT IS THE SOUND OF ALL BRAKES ON THE 1996 TOYOTA, COROLLA. SOUND WERE NOT THERE WHEN CAR WAS PURCHASED NOR DOES IT STATE THAT SOUND SHOULD OCCUR IN OWNER'S MANUAL. I FEEL UNSAFE IN MY CAR FOR ME AND FAMILY.
THE BRAKE LIGHTS OF MY TOYOTA COROLLA (1996 MODEL) HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME MALFUNCTIONS ON AND OFF FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BULB PROBLEM, SO I CHECKED THE ASSEMBLY MYSELF. THE BULBS ARE ALL OK. THE BULBS WILL LIGHT WHEN I TOUCH THE WIRES CONNECTIONS. THE BULBS WILL BE OK FOR A WHILE (DAYS, HOURS OR DAYS), BUT IT WILL STOP FUNCTIONING SOME TIME AFTERWARDS. IT SEEMS THERE IS A CONNECTION PROBLEM IN THE DESIGN OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. SINCE I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON IT, I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED THE PROBLEM ON SAME MODEL CARS ON THE ROAD. TO DO A SIMPLE TEST, YOU MAY WANT TO LOCATE A 96/97 MODEL WITH TAILLIGHT BLACKOUTS. IF THE BULBS ARE OK, MY STATEMENT WILL BE VALID. *AK
BRAKE, TURN SIGNAL AND PARKING LIGHTS REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BURNED OUT.
LIGHT BULBS BLOW INTERMITTANTLY.
FRONT LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT BROKEN.