Toyota Camry Complaints (1996)

417 consumer complaints on file.

#10080788July 11, 2004
AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH HEAD ON COLLISION WITH PINE TREE,MY SON WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH. HE HAD A SLIGHT CONCUSSION,AND NECK WAS SORE FOR COUPLE DAYS, HE WAS WEARING SEAT BELTS.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10079465June 18, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD . THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10076077June 10, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
AIR FUEL SENSOR FAILED. AS A RESULT THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PART IS NOT ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED BY ANYONE INCLUDING A MECHANIC, AND THERE WAS NO WAY OF CHECKING UNLESS THE PART FAILED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068168May 2, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I EXPERIENCED 3 OR 4 SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENTS WITH MY 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY DURING THE FIRST 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. NO ACCIDENTS RESULTED. I CAN'T GIVE THE EXACT DATES (IGNORE THE INCIDENT DATE I ENTERED BELOW; I JUST PUT A DATE IN AT RANDOM SINCE IT'S A REQUIRED ENTRY). IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE THE LAST ONE. ALL OCCURRED AS I STARTED TO BRAKE IN A VERY SLOW-MOVING SITUATION - TWO DEFINITELY HAPPENING WHILE PARKING, COMING TO A STOP BEFORE THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER, WHEN TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO REVERSE DIRECTION OR STOP, THERE WAS A CONFUSING SURGE AS MY INSTINCT WAS TO QUESTION WHETHER I HAD TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR RATHER THAN BRAKE AND THUS TAKE OFF MY FOOT - THE WORST ACTION. IN ALL CASES, I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO REALIZE THAT I DID HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED DOWN FORCEFULLY WHICH STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO CHECK THIS OUT, BUT UNLESS HE COULD REPLICATE THE SITUATION, NO DIAGNOSIS WAS POSSIBLE. GIVEN THE RANDOMNESS OF THESE OCCURENCES, THE PROBABLILITY OF A REPLICATION IS PRETTY CLOSE TO ZERO. THE ONE COMMON THREAD IN THESE INCIDENTS: THEY OCCURRED FOLLOWING A LONG ROAD TRIP DURING WHICH I WAS USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR EXTENDED PERIODS, THOUGH IN NONE OF THE INCIDENTS, WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. I AM SENDING THIS NOW AS I LEARNED YOU ARE LOOKING INTO SUCH INCIDENTS AND THOUGHT YOU WOULD WANT TO BUILD A RECORD. I BELIEVE THERE ARE FAR MORE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS THAT NEVER GET REPORTED BECAUSE THEY END SAFELY; A SOLICITATION OF SUCH INCIDENTS FROM THOSE LIKE MYSELF WHO SIMPLY REMAIN PUZZLED OVER THEM WOULD YIELD A MUCH LARGER DATA BASE. THANK YOU.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068548April 21, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EVERY MONTH OR EVERY OTHER WEEK REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT BULBS. DEALER INDICATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066709April 7, 2004
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
FRONT DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER PLASTIC DOORS KNOB HANDLE BROKE. PASSENGER SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059851April 1, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
NHTSA 96V037000. THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE BULB HOLDERS OF THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT HEAT RESISTANCE. WHEN THE BULB ILLUMINATED IT WOULD RESULT IN A HIGH TEMPERATURE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE BULB HOLDER TO DEFORM. THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062385March 17, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
FAILURE TO PASS SMOG TEST. MY 1996 CAMRY HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY, MOSTLY BY DEALER. HAD ITS 60,000 MILE SERVICE IN AUGUST LAST YEAR BY TOYOTA (AND 45,000 SERVICE IN 02). FAILED THE SMOG TEST AT 70,271 MILES. TOYOTA DEALER THEN DID INVESTIGATION (SAID FAILING HC READING SLIGHTLY OVER LIMIT). CHECK 02-SS SIGNAL ON BOTH SENSOR AND PCV VALVE. THEY ALSO SAID THEY "REMOVED AND CLEAN MASS AIR FLOW AND PCV SYSTEM". JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT THE CAR DIDN'T PASS THE SMOG CHECK, WHEN TOYOTA HAS BEEN MAINTAINING CAR, AND WHEN THE CAR REALLY ISN'T THAT OLD (WITH NO MODIFICATIONS). *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050154February 19, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONSUMER WAS STRUCK ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND THE AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THEY DEPLOYED IN RIBBONS. THE INFLATER CANISTER SPRAYED THE CONTENTS OVER THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. *AK *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10055450January 20, 2004
WHEELS
WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER FELT VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOOT TURNED AND THE BOOT FEED GREASED, THIS CAUSED THE WHEEL (PROVIDE DETAILS).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070812January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ORIGINAL ENGINE VALVE SEALS FAILED PREMATURELY AT 38K MILES ARE WERE REPAIRED BY DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER ANOTHER 40K MILES THE SEALS FAILED AGAIN. DEALER ESTIMATE FOR SECOND PREMATUER VALVE SEAL REPAIR IS $1,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070937January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IN MARCH 2002, ALL OIL CHANGES WERE PERFORMED BY ME. THE PREVIOUS OWNER IS A FRIEND, AND I KNOW THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED VERY WELL (APPEARANCE OF THE CAR ALSO REFLECTS THIS). IN EARLY MAY 2003, WITH MY WIFE DRIVING, THE CAR THREW #1 PISTON ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK. THE ENGINE STILL HAD AMPLE OIL, AND ONLY HAD 1500 MILES AFTER AN OIL CHANGE (I CHANGE THE OIL BETWEEN 3-4000 MILES, RELIGOUSLY). THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE TO EXPECT FROM A WELL MAINTAINED CAR, AND AFTER PULLING THE MOTOR OUT, I NOTICED SLUDGE ALL OVER THE OIL PAN, VALVE COVERS, AND ON VARIOUS ENGINE COMPONENTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069487January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, STEERING
IN APPROX JUNE OF 2002 MY TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED I NOW APPEAR TO HAVE THE OIL GELLING PROBLEM. APPROX MAY 2003 I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO PUMP GAS AND THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN ON THE DRIVER SIDE. APPROX AUGUST 2003 I BEGAN NOTICING IF DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I APPLY MY BRAKES MY WHOLE CAR BEGINS SHAKING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069726January 15, 2004
STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, TIRES
MY CAR HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT AND I WAS RECENTLY NOTICING THAT IT WOULD RUN HARD AND NOT SWITCH GEARS AS SMOOTHLY AS IT ONCE HAD. I TOOK IT IN TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BE EVALUATED AND WAS TOLD IT HAD SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE PROBABLY DUE TO INFREQUENT OIL CHANGES I WAS THEN INFORMED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $5000-$6000. I INFORMED THE ADVISOR THAT I ALWAYS HAD MY OIL CHANGED AS PER THE OWNER?S MANUAL, AND I REQUESTED A WRITTEN ESTIMATE AS TO THE EXACT DETAILS THAT FORMED THE BASIS FOR THIS PRICE QUOTE. I WAS ULTIMATELY DENIED THAT INFORMATION. THE GENTLEMAN TOLD ME HE WOULD CALL ME BACK AND/OR FAX IT TO ME, AFTER WHICH I RECEIVED NOTHING. I CALLED AGAIN, GOT HIS SUPERVISOR INSTEAD OF THE SERVICE ADVISOR, AND HE EXPLAINED THAT ENGINE SLUDGE WAS THE DIAGNOSIS AND THAT I COULD NOT GET A WRITTEN ESTIMATE BECAUSE THE EXACT PARTS NEEDED COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. HE STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE LOOK FURTHER INTO THE ENGINE'S PROBLEM TO GIVE ME THE ESTIMATE IN WRITING. I ASKED WHY THIS HADN'T BEEN DONE PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE DIAGNOSIS THAT I ORDERED, AND HE THEN BEGAN STAMMERING AND INFORMED ME THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE MY FILE IN FRONT OF HIM AND HE COULD CALL ME BACK AFTER LOOKING INTO IT FURTHER. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO ASK ME IF I WAS REALLY WILLING TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR AN ENGINE?. WHEN I ASKED WHAT MY OTHER ALTERNATIVES WERE, HE OFFERED TO TRANSFER ME TO A SALESMAN! I NEVER RECEIVED ANY FURTHER PHONE CALLS. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT IF I AM NOT WILLING TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE I RECEIVE DECREASES DRAMATICALLY. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN MY CAR TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT SHOP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, WHERE I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AN EXPLANATION BOTH IN WRITING AND BY THE ADVISOR IN CONVERSATION AS TO WHAT EXACTLY IS WRONG AND WHAT EXACTLY NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069871January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT HAS THE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED TO FOR THE 1997-2001 CARS. MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EXAMINED AND ADMITTED MY CAR HAS THE SLUDGE/GEL PROBLEM BUT SAYS THIS YEAR OF MANUFACTURE IS NOT PART OF THE CAMPAIGN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND THEREFOR WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE AND ITS SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS. TOYOTA WANTS TO CHARGE ME $800 TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE THE "EXTENT OF DAMAGE". IN MY RESEARCH ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND OTHER OWNERS OF 1996 TOYOTAS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ENGINES AND I FEEL TOYOTA IS AGAIN TRYING TO MINIMIZE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE AFFECTED ENGINES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069941January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE BUT WAS TAKING IT IN FOR 60K MILE SERVICE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME OF A BAD OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM AND ESTIMATED THE REPAIRS TO BE $4500. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THERE WAS A CHANCE THE ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN DAMAGED, BUT ONLY A CHANCE. I LET HIM PERFORM THE WORK OF CLEANING THE OIL PAN AND RUNNING A COUPLE OF OIL CHANGES TO CLEAN THE SLUDGE. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE, BUT NOW (JANUARY 2003) I AM GETTING A LOT OF SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST AND THEY TELL ME THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BUT THEY CAN'T TELL WITHOUT TAKING THE ENGINE APART.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070056January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE TIMING BELT REPLACED AND TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE; CAR WORKED FINE OTHERWISE: RATTLE LING NOISES COMING FROM VALVE COVER, ENGINE CONSUMING COOLANT, FRONT ENGINE SEALS LEAKING. TOTAL COST FOR THESE REPAIRS WAS $1992.42 GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER, FOUR DAYS LATER THE CAR DIES ON THE ROAD. CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER AT THEIR EXPENSE. DEALER FOUND THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SKIPPED. THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, DECLARED CAR FIXED AND GAVE ME THE KEYS. I DROVE OFF AND GOT AS FAR AS TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM DEALER BEFORE THE CAR DIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ENGINE GEL. THE DEALER SAID THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA BUT ONLY IF I COULD SHOW PROOF OF OIL CHANGES RECEIPTS, WHICH I PROVIDED. I'M NOW TRYING TO RECOVER A REFUND FOR THE REPAIRS THAT I PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR THAT WERE DUE TO THE ENGINE GEL PROBLEMS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070121January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 1996 CAMRY WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A MAJOR SLUDGE PROBLEM REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING MY ENGINE UNDER THE "SPECIAL POLICY" REPAIR PROGRAM THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. TOYOTA DID NOT DISPUTE THAT IT WAS THE SAME ENGINE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM - INSTEAD, THE RIDICULOUS AND TOTALLY ILLOGICAL REASON THEY GAVE WAS THAT THEIR "SPECIAL POLICY" REPAIR PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINES MANUFACTURED DURING AN ARBITRARY TIME PERIOD AND THE ENGINE IN MY CAMRY FELL OUTSIDE THAT PERIOD BY TWO MONTHS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE FIXING SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES BUT NOT OTHERS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070135January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SYSTEM: FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, CERTAIN MORNINGS MY CAR WOULDN\\'T START BY SIMPLY TURNING THE IGNITION; I HAD TO TRY IT THE \\"OLD FASHIONED\\" WAY AND DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO TURNING THE IGNITION KEY. POWER WINDOW: THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS DYING; IT TAKES QUITE A LONG TIME FOR THE WINDOW TO OPEN AND CLOSE. OTHER: THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE JUST BROKE OFF IN MY HAND FOUR (4) WEEKS AGO!!! PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 29,000 MILES AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. SOMETHING WHICH HAS OCCURRED OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO IS QUITE DANGEROUS AND I NEED TO POINT THIS OUT BECAUSE I, NOR ANYONE I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAS EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. THE BLACK WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM ASSEMBLY (WHICH ATTACHES THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TO THE MOTOR), FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, THE BLACK PAINT HAS "WORN AWAY", EXPOSING A BRIGHT SILVER METAL, WHICH REFLECTS THE SUN DIRECTLY INTO MY EYES. IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS. SINCE I DON'T DO A LOT OF DRIVING AND ALWAYS WEAR SUNGLASSES ON SUNNY DAYS, THEY HAS HELPED ME SOMEWHAT. HOWEVER, RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING ON A CLOUDY DAY WHEN THE SUN DID IN FACT COME OUT WHILE I WAS WITHOUT SUNGLASSES. THIS PROVED TO BE MOST DANGEROUS AS I MANAGED TO AVOID AT LEAST ONE ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS CONDITION..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070178January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I HAVE ENGINE GELLING THAT HAS LED TO ENGINE DAMAGE SEVERE ENOUGH THAT I WILL EITHER NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK OR NEW ENGINE (ACCORDING TO TOYOTA). EVEN WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT I HAVE ALREADY HAD ON THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE IS NOT IN PROPER RUNNING ORDER AND WILL TAKE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REMEDY THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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