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CarComplaints.com Notes: Beware of the NHTSA complaint data for the 2008 Corolla. It is almost certainly misleading.

The problem with NHTSA data for the 2008 Corolla is that for months on end, the news media repeatedly told the public that several Toyota models have an unintended acceleration defect, & to go to safercar.gov (the NHTSA's website) to file a complaint.

So, the NHTSA received a disproportionate number of complaints about Toyota unintended acceleration issues because of the national news media attention, to the point where now the NHTSA data is unreliable taken in context with any other vehicle that did not receive national news attention.

CarComplaints.com typically receives more complaints per day about vehicles than the NHTSA does, but the news media did not repeatedly say "go to CarComplaints.com to report your Toyota acceleration problems" like they did about the NHTSA -- so although we have less complaint data than the NHTSA for the 2008 Corolla, our data for the Corolla is a far more statistically accurate representation of the Corolla's reliability than what the NHTSA data shows.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
30 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
16 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,069 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Toyota Corolla engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Toyota Corolla Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #53

Jan 192016

Corolla 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2008 Toyota Corolla. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden unintended acceleration. The consumer stated the vehicle side swiped another vehicle. The consumer requested the to be reimbursed.

- Buena Park, CA, USA

problem #52

Apr 152016

Corolla

  • 85,000 miles
My Corolla's accelerator sticks from time to time. The recall for this problem was for 2009 and later model years but still affects the 2008 model. Toyota will not take any action short of charging to fix this issue even though deaths have been reported for this problem.

- Sterrett, AL, USA

problem #51

Aug 012012

Corolla

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the rpms increased and the vehicle lurched forward without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal with force and the brakes responded. The failure recurred on several occasions while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

- Wakefield, RI, USA

problem #50

Mar 062015

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 101,250 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Was pulling into a parking place to go shopping around 1 pm. It was clear and sunny at the time of accident. There was a speed bump right before the parking spot so the car was going slow and as I pulled into the parking the spot the car suddenly accelerated causing us to hit a brick wall. I was turning left into the parking spot. Car was damaged to the front end and the wall to the strip center. My mom was 89 years old was shaken up and checked out in the hospital. Thankfully she was ok. My husband came to check the car and it was drivable so he took it to fred hass Toyota in spring, Texas. They told us it could be up to 2 weeks before they show up to check the car. He called Toyota and filed a complaint. They gave us a claim number and told us they would call us Saturday before noon. We never received a phone call and I hope they will take care of our claim. I will not be driving this car again. We are the only owners and bought it brand new with all of the service done including any recalls at fred hass Toyota.

- Conroe, TX, USA

problem #49

Aug 102014

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 77,000 miles
The contact owned a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle surged forward independently. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a church gate. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 77,000. Updated 01/12/15 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired and traded in. Updated 6/3/2015

- Huntington, NY, USA

problem #48

Sep 142014

Corolla

  • 130,000 miles
Upon starting my car, on this particular morning, I noticed a revving sound. It didn't sound like anything normally related to start-up, but I assumed that maybe it was a momentary glitch. I switched the car into reverse and the revving sound increased. It sounded as if someone had floored the accelerator. (I was later asked how many mph. To me, it sounded as though I were going about 50 mph.) while in reverse, and with the increasing revving sound and RPM, my brakes locked on me and the dashboard lights all came on. I was able to shift back into park and shut off the car. I contacted Toyota to inquire about any recalls on my car and explained what had taken place. I was told by the corporation that there were no recalls and to bring it in for servicing to the dealership. The dealership pulled up a service history report showing that they had done a recall repair on my car several years earlier. They dismissed my claim, saying that they could find nothing wrong with my car and that it was driver error. The service manager refused to submit a report for investigation into unintended acceleration, stating that he believed that an increase in RPM is unrelated to acceleration. He also made several attempts to sell me another car. I appealed to the corporate office for Toyota recall. I expressed my concern over the safety of my vehicle and the risk of continuing to operate it. Their sentiments were, "what do you want me to do?". over a several day period, Toyota stated they could find nothing- even with their advanced diagnostic process that they insisted I underwent. I took my car to a third-party certified mechanic, who was able to identify that part of the problem may have been related to a battery leak and a terminal that needed replacement. I do not feel that Toyota took a genuine interest in my issue, due to the lack of opportunity to profit from my problem.

- Zachary, LA, USA

problem #47

May 172014

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 90,891 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving in the country with my daughter. I was driving slow because I had never driven that road before and there was a speed limit 30 and the 45 mph. There was a stop sign where I needed to turn right. I started slowing down but the car would complete the stop. So, I turned right and the car suddenly accelerated and got out of control. It was accelerating and moving left and right like crazy. I tried to hold the steering wheel tight but I wasn't able to do that because it was out of control. The brakes didn't work either. There were small hills on the both sides of the road that's why the car kept driving from side to side. Probably 3000-4000 feet from the stop sign there was a big iron gate leading to the pasture. My car knocked down the whole gate and kept moving into the pasture. Finally the car hit another pole and a fence and stopped. The car is totaled. Fortunately I didn't suffer any serious injures except I suffered constant headaches for a couple of weeks and my daughter had long scratches across her throat from a seatbelt. This is a miracle that we are alive. If it had happened on a highway, it would have been really bad. Two of our church members drove 2 minutes after me so that I received help from them. They didn't witness the crash but they saw where it happened, how the place of accident looked like, and long marks that my car left on the sides of the road. Also, I got a police report where it says that the driver didn't do anything improper and there is a map of the place of the accident attached. I have contacted Toyota and haven't had any response yet. First the representative said that it takes them 30 days to make a decision, later he said that it's 60 days. The inspector came and got the cdr data from the car. He didn't explain anything to me but he emailed a crash data files and said to wait a call from Toyota.

- Edmond, OK, USA

problem #46

May 032014

Corolla

  • 59,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle suddenly surged forward. The contact indicated that the brakes were depressed to stop the vehicle from accelerating forward while the engine erroneously continued to operate. The vehicle was taken to a the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the defect. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 59,000.

- Paradise, CA, USA

problem #45

Apr 122014

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 53,000 miles
My wife was pulling into a parking spot in front of a bagel shop and the car just lost control accelerating, not stopping until it crashed into a pillar. Causing extreme damage to the car.

- Deer Park, NY, USA

problem #44

Mar 122014

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
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).... updated 03/19/15

- Athens, GA, USA

problem #43

May 312013

Corolla

  • 100 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Since, I bought this car brand new it would make noise rattle like something was loose. Every time I would take the vehicle in they would keep it the whole day for days and I was without transportation. They refused to lend me a vehicle. And at the end stated there was nothing wrong. Making it look like I was hearing things. The 2nd issue is when I put in reverse for example I want to parallel park and put it in reverse it gets stuck and reverses super fast. When I took back they said they heard it then they did not. Now the reverse part and rattle noise is worse. This has been happening and I go in to leave the car to complain about the same issues but on the paper they would always change the complaint to a new one. This is what has happened since I bought the car. At first they were nice but once I was out they were helpless. Then I had to return various times for a letter I got in the mail that the vehicle was on "recall". ever since buying a brand new car from Toyota has been a bad experience because I was with a new car but with the conditions of a used car. And to top it off they charge me to inspect the vehicle. Sadly to say these people don't car once they get you hooked on the car. Once you're out your alone and they won't back up their vehicles. And another issue the batteries died fast and I had to pay for a new one. And since they know one needs a car their is nothing to do but to suck it up this sucks!! warning!!

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #42

Apr 162013

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 45,300 miles
I have been complaining since November 2012 to the Toyota dealership about when driving vehicle feels like accelerator pedal gets stuck and vehicle keeps accelerating without foot on pedal. Every time I took it the gave me the run around about dirty gas line and charge for service not really needed. In February car broke town because of system throttle was replaced and still had same acceleration after 3 weeks from repaired. Was driving home with my 2 month son after dropping my wife at work and my car started to get acceleration pedal problem and vehicle lost control and crash into 2 parked vehicle. Son was ok I was bruised with black and blue around seatbelt area and pelvis and just left knee pain for now. Went to hospital from scene and car was totaled. Would have never had problem if dealership listen and didn't brush my car to side and fix problem car had warranty.

- Richmondhill, NY, USA

problem #41

Apr 052011

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 2,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. While driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently. The contact crashed into another vehicle and came to a stop. The vehicle was towed to an auto shop for body repair. The contact was transported to the hospital via ambulance for treatment of chest contusions, a brain concussion and injuries to the spine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and sent a technician to inspect the vehicle. The technician was unable to determine the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.

- North Kingstown, RI, USA

problem #40

Aug 212012

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 57,704 miles
I had my Toyota Corolla 08 serviced on 4/5/11 due to a recall for the engine control module. After the Toyota dealer looked at they determined it did not need to be replaced according to "lot #7238" and on 8-21-2012 my wife was driving on the highway going 55 mph when all of the sudden the vehicle's electrical system just cut off. Luckily there were no cars in front of her at a distance and it started to slow down until she was able to control it and manage to park at the median. She said that the breaks did not work and the power steering did not work. She was terrified at that moment and feared for her life. The next day I took the car to the dealer and explained what had happened. They just told me that there was a recall and it should be fixed immediately. I asked the representative why this recall was not taken care of the first time I went to the dealer. He had told me that at that time it was not necessary to change the part which affected the electrical system. Well they should not have wasted my time, but looking back they were negligent on their part. I could have lost my loved one or one of my beloved children which could have devastating for me.

- San Juan, PR, USA

problem #39

Jul 272012

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 57,000 miles
Cruise control engaged while off. I typically use cruise control every day. When I attempted to use it on 7/27, the indicator light showed "on" but it would not engage when I tried to set the vehicle speed. I turned the cruise off and retried - again the control failed to engage. After 4 attempts I gave up and left the control off. A few minutes later the car accelerated on its own (on a slight uphill incline), hard enough to drop from 4th to 2nd gear, as if the cruise control engaged. I hit the brakes and the acceleration stopped. Operation then seemed normal. After a few minutes of thought, I decided to (cautiously) check the cruise control again. It engaged and operated properly. After checking though, I turned it off. Later that day I took the car to a Toyota dealership. The service department scanned the electronics, but found no errors.

- North Potomac, MD, USA

problem #38

Apr 062012

Corolla

  • 39,436 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while attempting to activate the cruise control, the cruise control button and arm separated from the base due to defective material. The vehicle was taken to dealer, where the cruise control switch and arm were replaced. The manufacture took a complaint and offered to reimburse the repair cost. The failure and current mileages were 39,436. Sm.

- Otego , NY, USA

problem #37

Aug 042011

Corolla 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 39,742 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact was driving 55 mph with the cruise control activated. When the contact applied the brakes, the vehicle did not respond. The contact then veered off the road and pumped the brakes while releasing the clutch. The vehicle then became responsive. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,742 and the current mileage was 39,782. Updated 09/14/11 updated 12/05/11

- Lookout, CA, USA

problem #36

Dec 172010

Corolla

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact was driving 25 mph when there was a sudden acceleration with the vehicle. As the brake was being depressed, the vehicle would not slow down and crashed head into a concrete wall. The contact sustained very serious injuries to the body and was transported to a trauma unit. The contact was the only occupant in the vehicle and was wearing her seat belt at the time of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed and towed by the insurance company. A police report was available if needed. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Hollywood, FL, USA

problem #35

Jun 192009

Corolla 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. While driving approximately 35 mph, the contact stated that the she applied pressure to the brakes when the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward without warning and crashed. The contact sustained several bruises to various parts of the body and the wiring from the vehicle burned her arm. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified. A private mechanic performed repairs but the contact was unable to identify what repairs were done. The current mileage was unknown and the failure mileage was approximately 20,000. A police report was available. Updated 03/24/11 updated 03/24/11

- Turkey Creek, KY, USA

problem #34

Oct 222010

Corolla 4-cyl

  • 45,014 miles
My wife was entering a perpendicular parking spot, she was approximately 10 to 15 feet from a retaining wall when all of a sudden our 2008 Toyota Corolla accelerated. Her foot was on the brake, bringing it slowly into the parking spot, and to a stop. The car all of a sudden accelerated and sounded like some one accelerating the car if it was in park. Our daughter and grandson's were in the car. The car hit the retaining wall causing $2500 damage to the front of the car. The retaining wall was made of railroad ties. A tie was knocked out of place (also rotten) this happened on private property, so authorities were not called. The air bags did not deploy, mainly because the car went up on the wall. Had she not been turning into a parking place, she would have went straight into a crowd of families. The Toyota dealer was contacted, they were not interested in checking it out. Toyota company was contacted, they pulled the data out of the computer, and checked the car out for brakes. Accelerator pedal, and floor mats, five weeks after the accident. We received a letter from Toyota stating the incident was not a result of any type of manufacture design or defect. During the time I was dealing with Toyota I did some internet surfing trying to find information on Toyota's having unintended acceleration (vehicle speed control). While looking in a consumer protection web page, "www-ODI.NHTSA.got.gov/complaints/results.cfm" I found that hundreds of Toyota Corollas have had vehicle speed control problems, like ours. They are all similar, just a little different time during driving, but most happened while coming to a stop, and with different levels of damage. Toyota is no help, it they were, they would be admitting they had a problem. The linkage between the accelerator pedal, and computer on these Toyota is electronic. It is my feeling the computer is getting a noise spike, or have a timing problem in their computer. Now I have a car that my wife won't drive. Updated IVOQ 02/10/11

- Colfax, WI, USA

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