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.
I own a 2008 Toyota Corollo, bought in 2008! have paid it off! Never had any problems with it, until now!. I am not sure of the exact date it started but it has been months. I started hearing a loud grinding noise in what I thought was my front brakes. I took it into the Dealership I purchased it from. They could not locate any problems. But it only took them 15 mins to determine that. I did not believe that they drove it to see if they could recreate the noise. They did not charge me. So I left. Noise continued. So I took it back one night, pretty close to closing time. I asked the service advisor if we could just drive it so that he could hear it. He drove it and we did not hear anything until he made a sharp turn into the service drive. He appeared concerned. I left it over night and rented a car. After not hearing anything the next morning, I called at 1pm and was told that the noise could not be recreated so they could not fix it. Noise continued. I called another Toyota Dealership and explained what was going on. I took it in. Short Story, They drove it, put electrodes on it while driving it and determined that the noise was actually coming from the brakes. The front brakes had been replaced prior to this issue but the rear brakes were due. These two dealerships I am dealing with always have a difference of a opinion when things should be taken care of. I discussed with the Service Advisor replacing the rear brakes since it was almost time. They made sure they used the Ceramic brake pads. Spent $800 for brakes. I sware the noise went away! But now it is back, not as often but it is back. The Service Advisor had started to make a comment about the 2008 brakes but did not finish. Ihave a feeling there is a known problem with them and they are not telling us, it may not be dangerous enough, just annoying. I agree with one of the complainants, there should be a fix by now. Also I have never had a car that made this noise. It is horrible. Now I am not sure which Dealership I will go back to. They did suggest that i get on a road where I can go 50mph and that there are no other vehicles around, get up to 50 then jam my brakes. I have not tried it yet. Otherwise I love my Corolla. I may buy another Toyota but will ask about the brakes first!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I own a 2008 Toyota Corollo, bought in 2008! have paid it off! Never had any problems with it, until now!. I am not sure of the exact date it started but it has been months. I started hearing a loud grinding noise in what I thought was my front brakes. I took it into the Dealership I purchased it from. They could not locate any problems. But it only took them 15 mins to determine that. I did not believe that they drove it to see if they could recreate the noise. They did not charge me. So I left. Noise continued. So I took it back one night, pretty close to closing time. I asked the service advisor if we could just drive it so that he could hear it. He drove it and we did not hear anything until he made a sharp turn into the service drive. He appeared concerned. I left it over night and rented a car. After not hearing anything the next morning, I called at 1pm and was told that the noise could not be recreated so they could not fix it. Noise continued. I called another Toyota Dealership and explained what was going on. I took it in. Short Story, They drove it, put electrodes on it while driving it and determined that the noise was actually coming from the brakes. The front brakes had been replaced prior to this issue but the rear brakes were due. These two dealerships I am dealing with always have a difference of a opinion when things should be taken care of. I discussed with the Service Advisor replacing the rear brakes since it was almost time. They made sure they used the Ceramic brake pads. Spent $800 for brakes. I sware the noise went away! But now it is back, not as often but it is back. The Service Advisor had started to make a comment about the 2008 brakes but did not finish. Ihave a feeling there is a known problem with them and they are not telling us, it may not be dangerous enough, just annoying. I agree with one of the complainants, there should be a fix by now. Also I have never had a car that made this noise. It is horrible. Now I am not sure which Dealership I will go back to. They did suggest that i get on a road where I can go 50mph and that there are no other vehicles around, get up to 50 then jam my brakes. I have not tried it yet. Otherwise I love my Corolla. I may buy another Toyota but will ask about the brakes first!!!
- Kelly H., Wylie, TX, US