2005 Toyota Corolla: won't start

Filed Sep 28, 2019 · Driver assistance · 175,000 miles · UT

I have a manual transmission and at random times while I am driving and in motion, I'll push in the clutch to brake or coast, the rpms go down until the engine shuts off, and the steering wheel goes hard. The headlights and dash lights still work, in fact all the dashboard lights, like the check engine and maintenance required lights, actually come on (just like when you're key ignition is in the "on" position but you haven't started the engine yet). The car starts right back up when I turn the ignition or pop the clutch while in gear. This has been happening about once every week ever since I bought the car over 4 years ago. Within the past couple of months at random times when trying to start my car my car (stationary), the engine will turn over but won't start on first try. On second try I will turn the ignition and pump the gas pedal and after a few seconds it will start up and run perfectly fine. I've read about the recall of the ECM for my make, model, and year, but when I search my VIN it comes back with no current recalls. Within the first year of owning the vehicle (purchased from private party in august of 2015), I learned of the airbag recall and took in and got it fixed, but a couple of months ago, about 2.5 years after taking it in for the recall, my SRS light came on as well. The check engine light is not illuminated and everything else is functioning properly, but I am a little worried about safety especially now that the SRS light has come on. On multiple occasions I have been surprised by the engine shut off while trying to make a turn, which very easily could have caused an accident, and now if I do get in an accident and the airbag system fails, then I could be injured even more severely or die. I'm a college student on a very tight budget, otherwise I would've just seen a mechanic by now. I thought I'd try filing a complaint first.

Filed Feb 2, 2019 · Electrical · 80,132 miles · FL

2005 toyota corolla 80,132 miles the car died yesterday in the middle of a busy road. Fortunately, my son was still close to home and I was able to help push the car to the side of the road and wait for road service. When I got home I checked the engine and components but have been unable to get power going to the fuel pump. All relays and fuses are good. I purchased a new fuel pump and the car will still will not start. A technician suggested it was a ecu failure and these had recalls.

Filed Jul 21, 2015 · Electrical · 125,000 miles · PR

All the sudden I was driving the vehicle and it stop all together and it will not start up again. I have checked everything that could be check from alternator, battery, fuses any visible damage to cables, ect but no luck at all.

Filed Jul 5, 2013 · Electrical · 155,417 miles · MI

I was driving to work and my car stalled. I was able to steer it to a workshop nearby before coming to a complete stop. The battery was old & had it replaced. Still it wont start. The next day I towed it to tel ford service (private service center). They inspected and had the ECM replaced with genuine toyota part. Now car is running fine. This car had a recall & ECM was replaced in 2010 at page toyota. Now it has ECM replaced again. I would like to know if toyota can reimburse me the replacement/repair cost?

Filed May 24, 2012 · Engine, Fuel system · 69,313 miles · CA

While driving on 55 south freeway exit from 91 west to my work, my car suddenly stopped responding. It started jerking and suddenly stopped the engine. Luckily traffic wasn't that fast otherwise it could have created a big pile up behind me. I pulled over to the right shoulder and stopped. I tried about 3-4 times to start, but it did not crank at all. So I called the tow truck and towed to nearby firestone in orange, ca. They first suspected may be the bad battery, and checked and replace the battery but still didn't start. So they did complete diagnosis and found that fuel wasn't reaching to the engine due to fuel pump failure. They recommended to changed the whole fuel pump assembly and charged me about $1100. They told me that there has been known issues on 05 toyota corolla for fuel pump failure and they knew in 2005 and issued notice too. I have bought this brand new in '04 august from toyota in claremont, ca. At least they should have notified us via email or postal mail since they knew about it, than I could have gone to dealership and have them checked for it. Now, I am stuck with the $1100 bill. That is ridiculous how careless toyota is. No wonder, they had so many recalls last year 2011. I just want the toyota to know about it and send me the money I paid to firestone. I have googled online, and found so many blogger who had issue with the fuel pump. So it has been still going on and toyota is not doing anything about it. They should fix the issue right away, it's a manufacturing defect. Why they wait until people die????

Filed Aug 24, 2011 · Engine · 47,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota corolla. The contact stated that her vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who informed her that the mobilizer system failed which was the reprogramming of the key system. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign id number: 10v384000 (engine and engine cooling) and stated that the repairs were previously performed by the dealer who replaced the ECM control. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 47,000.

Filed Aug 15, 2011 · Engine · 47,277 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota corolla. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the federal safety agency recall number: 10v384000 engine and engine cooling; however, the repair did not correct the failure and the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure within the computer immobilizer unit. The dealer stated the failure was not due to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current miles were 47,277.

Filed Nov 15, 2010 · Engine, Fuel system · 72,000 miles · NY

On 11/9/2010 at 5:30 p.m., my 2005 toyota corolla ce stalled on I-87 (ny state thruway--major deegan) in the bronx as it was being driven at 55 miles per hour. The car was operating normally when I left work in the bronx 20 min before. All of a sudden the check engine light came on and the car lost all power. The oil and battery lights also came on. I put on my hazards and managed to get from left lane to shoulder. The car stopped completely before I could get it off the highway and the back end of car was slightly on the road. I called aaa and they called the official company who has to tow cars off the thruway. No truck arrived for a long time--two passers by stopped and helped me push car onto shoulder. The car lights dimmed and eventually went out. The car had plenty of fuel when it was being driven. After the car stopped, the car seemed electrically dead and would not turn over at all. There was no sound at all or any cranking or sputtering. It seemed that the car lost all power and I was only able to get it off the road due to its momentum from being in motion. When no truck arrived after 45 minutes, I called 311 for assistance (nyc help line) and they contacted police who came and called another truck and sat with me with their lights on until tow truck arrived around 6:50 pm. It was towed to official towing station in bronx. The repair people told me the next day it might be due to an electrical problem. My car is under recall for the engine control module (ECM). The toyota dealers in bronx said cars don't stall because of this problem and I would have to pay to have my car towed there to have it checked. I wanted them to look at it to see if ECM was the problem. On 11/11, when I called the official towing station to have car towed out, they said it was fuel pump and wanted 1100-1200$ to fix it. As of today, I am having the car towed to a local repair station where I leave to see if they can diagnose the problem and let me know what caused the stall.

Filed Sep 11, 2010 · Engine · 99,229 miles · LA

My 2005 toyota corolla would not start one morning. I kept trying to start it and no clicking or sound of the car trying to turn over happened. Eventually it did start but had a very hesitating sound to it. The next day, it had the same problems so I tried charging the battery for a few minutes. This seemed to work and I was able to drive my car to work. As I was driving, the car began to shift hard and the check engine light came on. I called toyota and a local toyota dealership after discovering that my car was involved in a recall. Toyota then gave the go ahead to the dealership to replace the ECM, the part being recalled. The dealership replaced the part free of charge and the car seemed to be "fixed". Two days later... My car will once, not start.

Filed Aug 25, 2010 · Electrical · 39,932 miles · CA

Roughly a month ago, our 2005 corolla with about 40,000 miles suddenly stalled while traveling southbound on a major road. The engine cut out without warning. There were no injuries. The engine trouble light illuminated. Turning the ignition again, the car would start for a few seconds and stall out again. A few times, upon trying to start the car again, it would not start at all. The car would not run and needed to be towed to a mechanic. The car gave no signs of trouble before the stalling incident. The camshaft sensor, crank sensor and engine control computer all needed to be replaced, according to our mechanic. I do not believe the old parts are still available.

Filed Aug 24, 2010 · Electrical · 22,000 miles · SC

1. Driving my 2005 toyota corolla at 55mph the car came to a complete and dead stop and would not start. 2. The failure occured once. 3. The car had to have a brand new computer "brain" chip installed.

Filed Jul 11, 2010 · Electrical · 62,200 miles · OH

I have a 2005 corolla s, and the ecu problem is well-known, and is a safety hazard. I had my first problem with my ecu, at 62k miles, and thank god, it didn't happen while I was on my daily 40 mile commute on a high-speed, heavy-traffic highway. My car just wouldn't start at random when I was leaving a store, the starter wasn't cranking, nothing was happening, just nothing when I turned the key. No lights on my dashboard, other than the door light where I had the door open (it was 95 degrees, and my power windows obviously weren't working). Did research and saw that the ECM is a terrible problem on 05-07 corollas, and the toyota service man agreed that was the problem. Got it replaced, and not even 24 hours after picking it up from the dealer, it happened again, stranding me at work with no way to get home. This is a ridiculous problem, and it is certainly a safety hazard with many reports of the car stopping while people are driving.