Brand new Corolla S Issues and How to have the service fix them - Help Needed!

[r53]

Hi there,
My first post will be about some issues regarding a new "Toyota Corolla S" I bought two days ago. I addressed those issues to the service but basically they pretty much didn't accept any of them as a problem. This is my first Toyota car ever, and I was driving Mini Cooper before. So I am not sure if these are actual problems or it is just the way Toyota built.

- There is excessive wind noise coming from the doors when I exceed 60mph. Service claims noise is not excessive. I am not sure if I suppose to hear wind noise.
- Driver side airbag pillar is loosen. There is a gap between the cloth interior and pillar, I can put my index finger behind the pillar. Service claims there is a certain way that pillar is designed for airbag to be able to deploy correctly. However, passenger side looks ok and I know this is a problem. I don't know how to make them accept it is a problem.
- Steering wheel makes noise while steering the car. It is very low pitch sound feels like steering wheel is not turning freely. Service of course said it is OK, i don't know if it is normal.
- There is a stain on the windows and windshield. It is only visible under the sun or under a street lamp. While driving on a sunny day they actually bother me. Service basically said they don't see anything. They made feel like I am making up stuff. Those stains are there and of course I don't want them on a brand new car.

I don't know which are these are actual problems and, for the ones I am sure they are problems, How should I approach. I don't want to make things worse with the service by getting aggressive, and honestly I don't want to drive to another Toyota Service.

Any help is apreciated.

Thanks in advance.
S

[thestone11]

First of all...,moving from a mini to a corolla get sometime to get used to. The car is not as quality built as the mini, so wind noise and rattling will be there but not like annoying level. The pillar should not have that much of a gap that you can actually stick your finger in without any problem. About the stain of the windshield, can you actually wash it off? Try to rub it with a microfiber towel.

You have all the rights to bring the car back to the dealership and ask for warranty repair. And please do speak to the service manager if you encounter any problem of bad customer services with other staff.

[r53]

Switching from Mini to Corolla indeed was very painful. Put paying almost $2500 for brake replacement for Mini helped me to make my mind to switch Toyota

I had the car hand washed, i tried to clean those stain with alcohol, sap remover. They are still there.

It is looks like my windshield got hit by thousands of small rocks. It is small crystal looking dots. They glare very powerful while i am driving under the sun. It is hard to explain this

[thewalrus2010]

Take it to another dealership, however, the Corolla has EPS (electronic power steering) and that low humming noise you hear IS normal for quick tight turns, it is simply the electric motor doing its work.

[forge33]

My parents have a stain in the window of their van. It's been there since we bought it and we were never able to get rid of it.

Is your stain rough or sticky maybe?

[thestone11]

Originally Posted by thewalrus2010

Take it to another dealership, however, the Corolla has EPS (electronic power steering) and that low humming noise you hear IS normal for quick tight turns, it is simply the electric motor doing its work.

That's why the bad dealership continue to be bad....coz they have no idea about how their service is. Whenever people encounter problem at one dealership, they turn around and go to another one to try for better service. What if all the Toyota dealerships in town are like that, are you guys going to drive on the highway go to another city and find another dealership to take care of the problem. Just stick with one dealership and try to work with them, if the staff really carry an attitude, talk to the service manager, still.....>report the dealership to Toyota USA or Toyota Canada.

[r53]

Originally Posted by thewalrus2010

Take it to another dealership, however, the Corolla has EPS (electronic power steering) and that low humming noise you hear IS normal for quick tight turns, it is simply the electric motor doing its work.

This noise is acceptable, I just wanted to see if it is normal or not. If it is the way Toyota works then at least I know it won't give me any trouble.

Originally Posted by forge33

My parents have a stain in the window of their van. It's been there since we bought it and we were never able to get rid of it.

Is your stain rough or sticky maybe?

It is not something i can feel. I see it there but when i put my finger on the windshield i can't feel anything.

Originally Posted by thestone11

That's why the bad dealership continue to be bad....coz they have no idea about how their service is. Whenever people encounter problem at one dealership, they turn around and go to another one to try for better service. What if all the Toyota dealerships in town are like that, are you guys going to drive on the highway go to another city and find another dealership to take care of the problem. Just stick with one dealership and try to work with them, if the staff really carry an attitude, talk to the service manager, still.....>report the dealership to Toyota USA or Toyota Canada.

I strongly agree with this. It is already their job to solve my problems. I bought a merchandise and I expect the service and it is their only way to maintain their job. Hard to understand why they ignore their customers, and worse of all they lie to their customers.

[capt_jay08]

Like what everybody said here. The low pitch noise you hear when turning the steering wheel is due to the EPS. The driver side Airbag shouldn't have that big of a gap. So for these I suggest see your dealer because you bought it brandnew right? Wind noise, I think is normal for the Corolla. Even I was surprised about the wind noise the first time I did highway driving but you will get used to it. Windshield marks also should be addressed to your dealer if it's like what you describe it.

If the dealer won't do anything about it, thestone11 is right and just report them.

[forge33]

Originally Posted by r53

It is not something i can feel. I see it there but when i put my finger on the windshield i can't feel anything.

Maybe a defect in the glass itself...

Does it have a specific shape?

[r53]

Glass issue has been solved. Not by the dealer thou. I took the car to a friend who owns a car wash place. After inspecting the glass, he had all the windows cleaned with something called "clay bar". Then after clay bar, they used regular glass cleaner. Most of the stain is gone. Stain is both from inside and outside, and it requires you to apply serious pressure to get rid of it. At least I know it is something that can be cleaned. However, I still don't know what it is.

[thestone11]

Originally Posted by r53

Glass issue has been solved. Not by the dealer thou. I took the car to a friend who owns a car wash place. After inspecting the glass, he had all the windows cleaned with something called "clay bar". Then after clay bar, they used regular glass cleaner. Most of the stain is gone. Stain is both from inside and outside, and it requires you to apply serious pressure to get rid of it. At least I know it is something that can be cleaned. However, I still don't know what it is.

But when you are using clay bar, you shouldn't apply serious pressure to the surface, lucky it is glass only, if it is not paint, it may scratch the surface. But anyway, good to know you solve the glass problem.

[remusrm]

Originally Posted by r53

Hi there,
My first post will be about some issues regarding a new "Toyota Corolla S" I bought two days ago. I addressed those issues to the service but basically they pretty much didn't accept any of them as a problem. This is my first Toyota car ever, and I was driving Mini Cooper before. So I am not sure if these are actual problems or it is just the way Toyota built.

- There is excessive wind noise coming from the doors when I exceed 60mph. Service claims noise is not excessive. I am not sure if I suppose to hear wind noise.
- Driver side airbag pillar is loosen. There is a gap between the cloth interior and pillar, I can put my index finger behind the pillar. Service claims there is a certain way that pillar is designed for airbag to be able to deploy correctly. However, passenger side looks ok and I know this is a problem. I don't know how to make them accept it is a problem.
- Steering wheel makes noise while steering the car. It is very low pitch sound feels like steering wheel is not turning freely. Service of course said it is OK, i don't know if it is normal.
- There is a stain on the windows and windshield. It is only visible under the sun or under a street lamp. While driving on a sunny day they actually bother me. Service basically said they don't see anything. They made feel like I am making up stuff. Those stains are there and of course I don't want them on a brand new car.

I don't know which are these are actual problems and, for the ones I am sure they are problems, How should I approach. I don't want to make things worse with the service by getting aggressive, and honestly I don't want to drive to another Toyota Service.

Any help is apreciated.

Welcome to my nightmare. To me the service people only seen to care of cars that do not run or are too obvious to ignore. My brakes grind, they heard it, they write it up and they told me is normal. Every time i take it in they make fun of me. I they told me is not a Lexus, i felt like punching them in the face. Good luck, honestly.

Thanks in advance.
S

[remusrm]

Originally Posted by thestone11

First of all...,moving from a mini to a corolla get sometime to get used to. The car is not as quality built as the mini, so wind noise and rattling will be there but not like annoying level. The pillar should not have that much of a gap that you can actually stick your finger in without any problem. About the stain of the windshield, can you actually wash it off? Try to rub it with a microfiber towel.

You have all the rights to bring the car back to the dealership and ask for warranty repair. And please do speak to the service manager if you encounter any problem of bad customer services with other staff.

Do you have respect for yourself? Honestly, how can you say something like that. How can you bow to something rather then stand up for yourself... I find this baffling.

[clintj]

TRY #00 Steel wool on the glass. It wont scratch it. (This is very good for polishing chrome too).

[joeylgarcia]

write to toyota USA and complain about the dealership that you are having problems with servicing. your car is brand new on its first week of ownership.