1999 Toyota Corolla Electrical Problems

REPLACED THREE DENSO STARTERS IN 1/2010, 9/2006, AND 9/2003 IN '99 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH ONLY 90K MILEAGE IN CAR. I BELIEVE THESE STARTERS ARE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IN 2003 MECHANIC REPLACED ORIGINAL DENSO STARTER WITH REMANUFACTURED DENSO. I HAD 42K MILEAGE ON CAR. HE INSPECTED THE STARTER AND THE INVOICE STATES THAT THE STARTER WAS DEFECTIVE. I EMAILED DENSO SALESPERSON TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRODUCT AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. HE SAID NO BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY 12K WARRANTY ON STARTER. AGAIN I HAD A STARTER REPLACED IN 2006, AND 2010. SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG THAT I AM REPLACING STARTERS EVERY THREE YEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STARTER IN MY LIFE. I WANT THIS COMPANY INVESTIGATED AND WANT MY MONEY BACK. *TR

CURRENTLY I OWN 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA , MODEL -CE WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY USED VEHICLE AND WAS @8500 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. CAR WAS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION UNTIL ON 8/29/09 CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY WHILE MOVING AND SMOKES CAME OUT FROM ENGINE HOOD. WITHOUT WASTING TIME, INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY AND CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP PERSONNEL INSPECTED QUICKLY AND I WAS TOLD THAT WIRING OF THE HARNESS CABLE NEAR THE ENGINE HAS BEEN OVERHEATED AND SOME HAVE MELTED DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING OF SOLENOID ON THE STARTER WHICH ALSO CAUSED BATTERY TO BE OVERHEATED. I TOUCHED HOOD AND IT WAS VERY HOT. WE WERE LUCKY ON THAT DAY OTHERWISE BATTERY COULD HAVE EXPLODED SHOULD WE WOULD HAVE TRIED ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START A VEHICLE. I HAD MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS IN THE CAR. AS OF NOW, REPAIR SHOP IS NOT SURE ABOUT TOTAL EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND ASKING @$736.00 INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF BATTERY AND STARTER AS WELL AS LABOR TOWARDS FINDING, REPLACING BY SOLDERING MISC HARNESS CABLES. AFTER DOING THIS MUCH, THEY WILL CHECK AGAIN THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED, OTHERWISE THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CHASE UNTIL CAR IS FIXED. THIS LEADS TO UNCERTAINTY OF COST AND RELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER REPAIR. THIS EVENT COULD HAVE RESULTED INTO TRAGIC INCIDENT FOR MY FAMILY WHERE MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE IN THE CAR DURING THE EVENT. AS OF NOW, I WAS ADVISED BY ORIGINAL CAR SELLER REP, REPAIR SHOP AND FEW FRIENDS TO SELL IT OFF IN AS IS CONDITION OR AFTER REPAIR. AS OF NOW, CAR SELLER IS OFFERING $300.00 FOR THE CAR IN AS IS CONDITION. I AM STILL WONDERING WHILE WIRES OVERHEATED SUDDENLY AND SMOKED. I JUST DID OIL CHANGE A FEW DAYS AGO. PER INSURANCE COMPANY, THIS DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED UNDER INSURANCE AND HAVE TO TAKE CARE PERSONALLY. THIS IS A HUGE COST BURDEN WITH UNKNOWN REASON. *TR

MY LATE 1999 TOYOTA ECHO WAS PARKED AFTER A SHORT DRIVE. TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND A LARGE AREA OF MY HOME WAS BURNED. I AND MY NIECE WERE ASLEEP UPSTAIRS. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE SMELL OF SMOKE WOKE US. WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE CAR, A COLUMN OF WHITE FIRE WAS SHOOTING UP THROUGH THE WINDSCREEN TO THE CEILING 11 FEET ABOVE. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE CENTER OF THE CONSOLE/DASH AREA. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO FLAMES AROUND OR UNDER THE CAR. JUST THE COLUMN OF FLAME FROM THE CENTER. THE HORN WAS SOUNDING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN 10 MINUTES AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE WAS SEATED IN THE CENTRAL DASH AREA. THE KEYS WERE BESIDE BY BED. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS AND THERE WERE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE CAR. WHEN TOYOTA WERE NOTIFIED, THEY SENT INVESTIGATORS TO LOOK FOR A RELAY NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. THE RESULTS OF MY INSURANCE', TOYOTA'S AND AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR'S INVESTIGATIONS WERE (AS RELAYED TO ME BY PHONE) UNSPECIFIED FIRE STARTING IN THE DASH. *JB

1) KEY WOULD SOMETIMES NOT TURN IN IGNITION. THIS BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. ) EVENTUALLY THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE CAR AND I COULD NOT REMOVE IT AND HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. 3) THE FIRST TIME THE IGNITION WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE 2ND TIME THEY GAVE ME MORE TROUBLE ABOUT IT BUT FIXED IT FREE OF CHARGE. THE THIRD TIME THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CHANGE THE KEY WHICH I ALLOWED THEM TO DO AND I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM SINCE BUT THEY DID CHARGE ME PART OF THE COST. I BELIVE THE "KEY" AND IGNITION SYSTEM OBVIOUSLY HAD A DESIGN FLAW. I DON NOT HAVE THE OLD PARTS BUT I DO HAVE RECORDS OF THE REPAIRS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, ALL LIGHTING SYSTEMS WAS OUT SERVICE. INSTRUMENTAL LIGHTS/ HEAD LIGHTS/ BRAKE LIGHT AND SIGNAL LIGHT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALER IN CA. NO PROBLEMS WERE INCOUNTERED UNTIL THE HORN BECAME INTERMITTENT AND THEN STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I BROUGHT THE CAT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO HAVE IT REPAIRED WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRENTY. A YEAR LATER THE HORN HAS BECOME INOPERATIVE ONCE AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE SAME COMPONENT HAS STOPPED WORKING.*AK

WHILE TURNING VEHICLE OFF KEY AND IGNITOIN SWITCH WERE VERY HOT TO TOUCH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK