NHTSA Complaint #10041567 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

I TOOK DELIVERY OF A 2002 CAMRY XLE ON 3/12/03. FROM THE DRIVE HOME TO THIS DATE THE CAR HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT PULL TOWARD THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING. THIS PULL IS SUCH THAT EVEN RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGES IN ROAD SURFACE RESULT IN A WORSENED PULL THAT REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION BY STEERING TOWARD THE RIGHT. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT (8)ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED OR CORRECTED THROUGH THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE PROVEN FUTILE. I HAVE MADE REPEATED CALLS TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN TORRENCE,CALIFORNIA. EFFORTS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HAVE INCLUDED:NEW TIRE AND WHEEL ROTATIONS(5-6 TIMES), ALIGNMENTS(5-6 TIMES), AND CAMBER BOLTS REPLACED(TWICE). AFTER THE LAST CAMBER BOLT REPLACEMENT THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BUT THE STEERING PROBLEM QUICKLY RETURNED. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE STEERING PROBLEM. THE FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT REVEALED THAT THE CASTER WAS NOT WITHIN THE FACTORY SPECIFIED RANGE. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THE CASTER AND THERE WAS A WARNING ON THE PRINTED ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATION SHEET STATING,"THIS VALUE IS NOT WITHIN SPECIFICATION. TIRE WEAR,HANDLING AND SAFETY PROBLEMS MAY RESULT". THIS WAS AND STILL IS OF GRAVE CONCERN TO ME. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE PURCHASING DEALERSHIP.IN THE COURSE OF THESE REPEATED SERVICE VISITS I WAS GIVEN A 2002 CAMRY LE TO DRIVE AS A LOANER CAR ON TWO OCCASIONS AND ONE OF THE LOANER CARS HAD THE SAME STEERING PROBLEM AS MINE. I FEEL UNSAFE WITH THEY'RE UNRESOLVED STEERING PROBLEMS AND FEEL THAT THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME AND MY FAMILY AND PERHAPS OTHER 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY OWNERS. *LA