NHTSA Complaint #10054347 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

1. LOUD CREAKING AND RATTLES: AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM FINALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY LEFT PLASTIC ASSEMBLY GUIDES IN PLACE, WHICH THEY HAD TO REMOVE BY REMOVING THE WINDOW AGAIN (THIS WAS A SUPER SECRET SERVICE BULLETIN THAT WAS DIVULGED ONLY WHEN THE CUSTOMER ENGINEER FOR NEW ENGLAND SHOWED UP). BUT HE DEALERSHIP MANAGED TO CHIP THE PAINT IN THE PROCESS, REQUIRING THE ROOF TO BE REPAINTED. ONCE THE CREAK WAS GONE, THE INTERIOR RATTLES WERE UNBEARABLE FROM ALL THE QUALITY WORK COMPLETED. 2. TRANSMISSION ISSUE: I'VE BEEN ASSURED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ME DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS NORMAL THE TRANSMISSION TAKE AT LEAST A MILE SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR WHEN BELOW 30F AND TO A LESSER DEGREE DURING WARM WEATHER. THE CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO THIRD OR OVERDRIVEN UNTIL AFTER LEAST 1-2 MINUTE OF DRIVING, NO MATTER WHAT SPEED. 3. TRANSMISSION ISSUE: WHEN LIFTING OFF THE THROTTLE FROM 60 TO 55MPH ON A DOWNHILL, THERE'S A "HITCH" OR BUCKING WHERE THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY CATCHES, THEN RELEASES. ALMOST LIKE IT DOWN SHIFTING, BUT IT STOPS HALF WAY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ANNOYING PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE. THE BUCKING PROBLEM IS ANNOYING AND PROBLEMATIC. IT WAS SOLVED BY RESET THE COMPUTER AND SHOWED UP AGAIN AT 42,000 MILES. THEY ARE BLAMING IT ON THE ADAPTIVE MICRO-PROCESSOR AND MY DRIVING STYLE. (WARRANTY) 4. DOOR RATTLES: DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS RATTLE/TICK WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT WAS LET GO ABOUT THE RATTLE, AND HE EXPLAINED IT'S NORMAL FOR NEW CAMRY'S TO HAVE THE DOORS MAKE THAT MAKE NOISE. CONSTANT USE OF SILICONE WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALERSHIP. 5. AIRBAG RECALL 6. PASSENGER SEAT REPLACEMENT DUE TO POOR CONSTRUCTION AND SQUEAKING 7. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR DEFECTIVE CHARCOAL CANISTER 8. WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS 9. PEALING CHROME ON PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE. (WARRANTY) 10. FLAKING PAINT ON EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. * CB