Toyota Camry Complaints

19,642 consumer complaints on file.

#10070209January 15, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IDLE PROBLEM. TAKEN TO MECHANIC TWICE. HAVE REPLACED ISC VALVE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR SINCE 1996 (TWICE IN 1997 AND 1998), IN THE LAST YEAR CAR HAS STALLED WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO COMPLETE ENGINE SHUTDOWN IN MIDDLE OF ROADWAY. ENGINE TAKES A FEW TRIES TO START AGAIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070213January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I CHANGED MY OIL AND THE ATTENDENT SAID THE OIL WAS GELLING UP. SINCE THAT DAY FOWARD MY CAR BURNS 4QUARTS OF OIL IN LESS THAN 200 MILES I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER LESS THAN A YEAR IN A HALF AGO.(DEC 22,2002). NOT ONE GARAGE WANTS TO REPAIR MY VECHILE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OIL RINGS OR VALVES BUT ITS DUE TO THE OIL SLUDGE. I CALLED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TOO BAD THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE DEALER TO TAKE THE HEAD OFF AND THAN LET THEM DETERMINE IF IT INDEED IT IS OIL GELLING. THAN TOYOTA USA WOULD LOOK OVER MY FILE TO SEE IF IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM VERY RUDE AND UNIVITING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070219January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I RECEIVED A LETTER LAST YEAR FROM TOYOTA EXPLAINING A GELLING PROBLEM AND TO WATCH OUT FOR BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE WHEN STARTING THE CAR. I WENT INTO SEARS FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY INDICATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE MOISTURE WAS GETTING IN THE OIL AND IT LOOKED SLUDGY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT THIS GELLING. THE LETTER INDICATED THAT TOYOTA WOULD PAY FOR THE PART/INSTALLATION. I GOT THE ESTIMATED BACK FROM TOYOTA AND THEY SAID I DID NOT HAVE ANY GELLING OR SLUDGE IN THE OIL/ENGINE, BUT THAT I DID HAVE ROTTED VALVE STEM SEALS AND HEAD GASKET LEAKS, AND OIL PAN LEAKS AND THATS WHY THERE WAS BLUE SMOKE. THE CAR IS BARELY 7 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL FAITHFULLY AT 3000 MILES. I DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED, BECAUSE I WANTED A SECOND OPINION FROM A MECHANIC THAT WAS REFERRED TO ME THAT IS TRUSTWORTHY. I PLAN ON TAKING THE CAR IN(AN APPT. WAS MADE FOR 2 DAYS AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP) AND I HAVE QUESTIONS IN HAND ABOUT HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I HAVE NOT HAD 1 INDICATION THAT THE ENGINE IS GOING BAD/VALVES ARE LEAKING(I.E. THERE HAVE BEEN NO NOISES, LEAKING OF ANTIFREEZE OR OTHER FLUID WHEN I PARK MY CAR O/N OR FOR A FEW HOURS).
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070240January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TOOK CAMRY TO DEALER (WORLD TOYOTA) DISCOVERED ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM, ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, CANNOT RE-BUILD.. NOTIFIED CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE AT TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE. STILL HAVE NOT RESOLVED ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070244January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SUSPENSION, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
APRIL 30, 2003 ON SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2003 - MY 1999 TOYOTA 2.2L 4CYL CAMRY LE VIN NUMBER [XXX] CEASED TO OPERATE AT JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE ENGINE WITH A VERY LOUD NOISE (SUCH HAS GEARS UNDER PRESSURE THAT JUST GAVE WAY) STOPPED ABRUPTLY WHILE SMOKE CAME OUT AND THE OIL SPILLED ALL OVER THE PLACE. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED BACK TO ROCKLAND TOYOTA THE NEXT DAY I LATER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SIZED HOLE ON THE ENGINE AND WAS SHOWN BROKEN THE PIECES. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT ROCKLAND TOYOTA SINCE ITS PURCHASE FROM TOYOTA NORTH (ALL BASED IN NEW YORK). MY CAMRY HAS HAD SYMPTOMS RELATING TO OIL SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. PERSISTENT DRIFTING/PULLING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, UNEVEN WEAR OF TIRES WITH NEED FOR EARLY REPLACEMENT, PREMATURE BRAKE COMPONENT WEAR, INCLUDING REAR BRAKE DRUMS, AND VIBRATIONS, ESP. AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH SINCE ITS PURCHASE IN 1999. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070250January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
INITIAL SYMTOMS: ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON; CAR RAN VERY ROUGH, AS IF MISFIRING; WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED; ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF OIL; RESPONSE: MECHANIC FLUSHED OIL THROUGH ENGINE; REFILLED ENGINE WITH 4 QUARTS OIL; CHANGED FRONT 3 SPARKPLUGS; 1 WEEK LATER SAME SYMTOMS ABOVE RETURNED; ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF OIL AGAIN;
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070289January 15, 2004
STEERING, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THE ENGINE JUST DIES. USUALLY AT A STOP OR SLOW DOWN. PROBABLY 1X/MONTH FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. PREVIOUSLY IT JUST HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES LAST YEAR. THE FREQUENCY SEEMS TO BE INCREASING. SO FAR IT HAS HAPPENED ONLY WITH CITY DRIVING. I DO 90% CITY DRIVING, BUT AM BECOMING NERVOUS ABOUT TAKING THE CAR OUT ON THE FREEWAY. OUR MECHANIC CANNOT FIND ANY HISTORY OF THESE STALLS ON THE CAR'S COMPUTER. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY ISC VALVE EVER SINCE I'VE HAD THE CAR. WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ISC VALVE EVERY YEAR. TOYOTA HAS PAID FOR IT, BUT IT IS ANNOYING NOT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SOLVED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070411January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
COMPLAIN I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO THE BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE BEFORE 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE AS THEIR CAMRY 1997-2001 MODELS, WHICH TOYOTA AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THOSE ENGINES. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND IT WAS PRODUCED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1996 MODEL, TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING IT. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT THE FAILURE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ENGINES AS A RESULT OF A BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTABLE ONLY TO THE FACT THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE. AS SUCH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND NOT OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10070425January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BLUE EXHAUST SMOKE AND ODD ENGINE NOICE DURING IGNITION. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO COBB COUNTY TOYOTA IN KENNESAW, GA. I TOOK ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND SOME ARTICLES I'D PRINTED OUT REGARDING OIL GELLING, IN CASE THEY GAVE ME ANY HASSLE. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DO A FLUSH - HE SAID THAT TOYOTA WOULDN'T ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT ANYHOW, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING IT APART. HE WOULDN'T EVEN SPECULATE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS GELLING UNTIL THEY TOOK IT APART. AS SUCH, THEY WOULDN'T AGREE TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THEY THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS GELLING. THEY DID TAKE IT APART AND FOUND THAT THE GELLING WAS LIMITED TO THE HEAD. WITHOUT ASKING FOR MAINTENANCE RECORDS (EVEN THOUGH I'D HAD MOST OF MY OIL CHANGES DONE BY 3RD PARTIES), AND COMPLETELY FREE OF COST TO ME, THEY CLEANED THE HEAD, AND REPLACED THE VALVE STEM SEALS, OIL PUMP, PICK-UP SCREEN, PVC VALVE, AND VALVE COVER. RUNS SMOOTH AS THE DAY I BOUGHT IT NOW (THOUGH I DID REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AS WELL, WHICH I'M SURE CONTRIBUTED SLIGHTLY TO THE IMPROVEMENT). NO RENTAL CAR WAS NECESSARY AS THEY HAD IT BACK TO ME BY THE END OF THE DAY (I'D TAKEN IT IN THE PREVIOUS EVENING). INCIDENTALLY, I TOOK IT IN 4 YEARS TO THE DAY SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070428January 15, 2004
SUSPENSION, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE CALIPERS ON THE FRONT BRAKES TWICE. THE ROTORS ARE SO WARPED FROM ALL OF THE FRICTION HEAT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED SOON. THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR QUIT WORKING AND THEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER LOCK SWITCH AND THEN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW CONTROL STOPPED WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES AND HAS GONE OUT AGAIN JUST RECENTLY. THE POWER STEERING UNIT LEAKS OIL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070489January 15, 2004
POWER TRAIN, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ALTHOUGH I HAD TIMELY OIL AND FLUID CHANGES AND INSPECTIONS, THE TECHNICIANS REPORTED I HAD OIL SLUDGE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WITHOUT NOTICE, IN NOV, 2002, CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. SYMPTOMS WERE SMOKING AND LEAKY RADIATOR. DURING INSPECTION TECH NOTED: "VEHICLE HAS ALOT OF SLUDGE IN VALVE COVER/ OIL DRAINS SLOWLY & OVER FLOWS W/FILLED TOO FAST."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070502January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STEERING
I EXPERIENCED A TREMENDOUS FRUSTRATION -- WHILE DRIVING IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, DC, MY CAR LOST ITS POWER STEERING. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, I SAW THAT THE RESERVOIR FOR POWER STEERING FLUID WAS INDEED FULL. NOT WANTING TO BE STRANDED 40 MILES FROM HOME, I DROVE TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I WAS ADVISED THAT IT COULD BE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE MY CAR WAS EVALUATED AND/OR REPAIRED. ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I RETURNED IT FOR 2 COMPLAINTS: (1) THE DRIVER SEAT JARS FORWARD AND BACK UPON STOPPING AND ACCELERATING, APPROXIMATELY 80-90% OF THE TIME; (2) STOPPING/SLOWING THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 40MPH (SUCH AS WHEN SLOWING FOR AN EXIT) CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND PULL TO ONE SIDE. I WAS ADVISED, BY THE SERVICES MANAGER THAT THE SEAT MOVING "HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR", AND THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF THE CAR WAS "OK" AND THAT "PULLING AND SHAKING HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR". AND, I'VE TOLERATED IT. NOW, I'M WONDERING IF THE SHUT DOWN OF THE STEERING ALSO 'HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR'. IF SO, I DON'T WANT "THIS KIND OF CAR" AND PERHAPS MY NEEDS WOULD BEST BE SERVED BY SOME OTHER 'KIND OF CAR'
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070653January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE ENGINE IN MY CAMRY BLEW. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND RUNNING FINE. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY OIL SLUDGING/GELLING. HOWEVER, THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE ENGINE BLEW. ALL THEY COULD TELL ME IS THAT A PISTON BLEW THROUGH THE ENGINE. SINCE THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS NO OIL SLUDGING/GELLING THEY REFUSED TO COVER COSTS OF REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070665January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 1993 TOYOTA CAMERY WITH LOW MILEAGE. IT STARTED STALLING ON ME EARLIER THIS MONTH. I TOOK IT INTO THE KINGS TOYOTA TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGES, A GENERAL SERVICE AND TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. THE DEALER SAID "68394 VEHICLE STALLS ENGINE IS SLUDGED UP, ENGINE NEEDS SERIOUS ATTENTION, ENGINE NEEDS DISASSEMBLED AND OVER HAULED" THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SLUDGING COULD BE CAUSED BY USING DIFFERENT OILS FOR MY OIL CHANGES OVER THE YEARS AND THAT THE COST WOULD BE AROUND $2000.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT IF I COULD SHOW HIM PROOF OF RECENT OIL CHANGES, HE WOULD SUBMIT IT TO TOYOTA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF THE CAR WAS 3-4 YEARS NEWER, TOYOTA WOULD PROBABLY COVER THE COSTS. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE FOR AN OLDER CAR, THEY THOUGHT TOYOTA MIGHT STILL COVER THE COST. WHEN I STARTED CALLING AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT 10 MINUTE OIL CHANGE PLACES TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECORDS ON MY IOL CHANGES, THEY TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WAS HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE I HAVE IN MY CAR AND I SHOULD CHECK INTO IT. I DO NOT KEEP MY RECORDS ON OIL CHANGES AND I MAY HAVE PROBLEMS SUPPLYING THE DEALER WITH ANY RECORDS. TOYOTA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINS AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT WITH OR WITHOUT MY OIL CHANGE RECORDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070725January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HAVE NOTICED FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT A LOT OF BLUE-BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHUAUST UPON STARTUP. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF TOYOTAS HAVE HAD ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY OIL SLUDGE BUILD-UP. NOW I'M CONCERNED THAT THE ENGINE MAY FAIL SOON. I HAVE HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES (SOME DONE BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND SOME BY MYSELF). THE TOYOTA DEALER IN COOS BAY ASSURED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND ONLY HAPPENS ONCE IN ABOUT 25,000 CARS. THE FACTS SEEM TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068716January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I EXPERIENCED A TEXT BOOK CASE OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THE TOYOTA SLUDGE PROBLEM. I WANTED TO BRING IT IN TO MY CLOSEST TOYOTA DEALER BUT WAS TOLD THAT IF I DID NOT HAVE PROOF OF OIL CHANGE EVERY 3000 MILES (MANUAL SUGGESTS 7500) NOT TO BOTHER BECAUSE HAD NO LEG TO STAND ON AND WAS BASICALLY SCREWED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068737January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO OIL GELLING OR SLUDGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068750January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE ALWAYS MADE REGULAR OIL CHANGES, HOWEVER, THERE IS A DEFINITE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD ANY RECOURSE, BUT AFTER OTHER FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR CAMRYS, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB, AND LOW AND BEHOLD I CAME ACROSS THE EXACT PROBLEM MANY TOYOTA CAMRYS HAVE HAD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068828January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OIL SLUDGED AT 77,000 MILES AFTER CAREFUL MAINTENANCE EVERY 3,000 - 4,000 MILES. ENGINE FLUSHED, VALVE COVER GASKET REPLACED, ETC. (MY COST) AND CONTINUED MAINTENANCE, NOW 89,000 ENGINE IS BLOW WHILE ON TRIP WITH 80 YEAR OLD MOTHER 400 MILES AWAY FROM HOME
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068842January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS NOT COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM. WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL WORKING WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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