2002 Toyota Corolla Suspension Problems

While braking at highway speed (60-65 mph) after the car in front of you stopped, your vehicle lost control, spun across all three lanes, and rolled three times on the interstate. You sustained injuries including a sprained ankle, cuts, road rash, and whiplash. You suspect a tire failure may have caused the loss of control, though you're uncertain of the exact cause. The incident totaled your six-month-old car, which has been in impound since April 2002.

When you drive on bumpy roads, you hear a loud clunking noise coming from underneath your car. A mechanic identified this as a strut problem, and there's a recall for this exact issue on your 2002 Toyota Corolla. However, one dealer refused to perform the repair. The fix will involve replacing the worn struts to eliminate the noise and restore proper suspension function.

1:40 PM, JAN 20, 2007, I WAS DRIVING MY SEQUOIA N/B ON SIERRA HWY IN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. I WAS TRAVELING APPROX 40-45 MPH. I NOTICED A SLIGHT STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING. A SHORT TIME LATER THE LEFT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE VIOLENTLY FELL TO THE GROUND. THERE WERE VEHICLES BEHIND ME AND WITH DIFFICULTY I STEERED TO THE CURB. WHEN THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND, I HEARD A LOUD 'BANG', AND I FELT THAT I LOST SOME OF MY BRAKES. ONE OF THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME TOLD ME SHE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER MY VEHICLE. I LOOKED AT THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I SAW THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, WHEEL & HUB (ALL STILL ATTACHED) FOLDED UNDER THE LEFT RUNNING BOARD PREVENTING THE FRONT FENDER AND BUMPER FROM FALLING DIRECTLY TO THE ROADWAY. I SAW THAT THE BRAKE LINES APPEARED TO BE BROKEN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO TOYOTA ON MON, JAN 22, 2007. I WAS TOLD THAT IT APPEARED THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT HAD BROKEN CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DIRECTOR TO DETERMINE WHAT REPAIRS SHOULD BE MADE. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT TOYOTA HAD 'NO LIABILITY' TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. REPAIR ESTIMATE IS APPROX $5,000. + THE RENTAL VEHICLE THEY ARRANGED. I WAS TOLD A REGIONAL SERVICE INSPECTOR WOULD LOOK AT MY VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THAT I WANTED THE OLD PARTS IF REPAIRS WERE TO BE MADE. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA WEB SITE AND NOTICED NUMEROUS RECALL NOTICES FROM TOYOTA FOR FRONT BALL JOINT FAILURES ON MY TYPE OF VEHICLE. I RECEIVED NO RECALL NOTICES FROM TOYOTA. TOYOTA STATED MY VIN WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR ANY RECALL NOTICES. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPT STATED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED 'NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR' THAT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO HAVE THIS ITEM CHECKED DURING ALL OF MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE REGIONAL INSPECTOR HAS INSPECTED MY VEHICLE. *JB

DT: 2002 TOYOTA RUNNER. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHEELS WERE CUTTING THE TIRES ON FRONT WHERE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOCATED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED TOYOTA, WHO SAID IT IS NOT RELATED TO LOWER BALL JOINT, AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE CONSUMER. THIS HAS BEING HAPPENING SINCE THE CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE. IT HAS 30,000 MILES , AND NEEDED NEW TIRES.*AK

SQUEALING NOISE STARTED. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE NOISE. AS IT GOT LOUDER THEY "DRESSED THE BELTS" AT 35,426 MILES. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, AND NOW THE STABILIZER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE PART BEING DEFECTIVE, I WAS TOLD THE PARTS ORIGINAL NUMBER HAS CHANGED AND A NEW ONE IS NOW USED. DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE FIRST ONE WAS DEFECTED AND THEY HAD TO MAKE A NEW ONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? IT IS NORMAL FOR THE PART TO GIVE BE BAD SO SOON. SINCE THE PROBLEM STARTED EARLIER? *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT SUSPENSION IS DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING SERIOUSLY AFFECTING ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. CONSUMER HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH A 99 COROLLA WHICH MANUFACTURER HAD TO BUY BACK. TS

CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT, TOOK IN CAR TODAY AND TOLD THEM TO ADJUST ALIGNMENT AND HAVE OIL CHANGED, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED BACK AND SAID THEIR WAS A MANUFACTURE RECALL AND THE CAR HAD TO STAY OVERNIGHT. IF IT HAD A RECALL NO NOTICE WAS SENT OUT THIS IS WHAT I'M UPSET ABOUT. CONSUMERS ARE SOPOSED TO BE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS A RECALL NOT FIND OUT AFTER THEY DAMAGE OTHER COMPONENTS AND FIND OUT WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGES.*AK

VEHICLE WANDERS AND SWAYS BACK AND FORTH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC STATED THAT ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE BENT. VEHICLE CAME FROM FACTORY THAT WAY. GOODYEAR, INTEGRITY, P185/65R14 . RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A BULGE ON OUTSIDE. *AK NEW VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, ALL 4 WHEELS WERE BENT AND WARPED FROM THE FACTORY, THE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE. GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES ON VEHICLE WERE DEFECTIVE AND WERE REPLACED DUE TO DEFECTIVE BELTS. VEHICLE HAS A HANDLING PROBLEM. NLM

WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 50 MPH OR MORE IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER ACROSS THE ROAD; VEHICLE BEEN INTO DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK