NHTSA Complaint #10069915 — 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY TOYOTA CAMRY'S ENGINE FAILED AS I WAS MERGING ONTO A VERY BUSY FREEWAY WITH MY BABY IN THE BACKSEAT. I WAS STUCK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE FAST LANE FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED; MY FANCY DRIVING IS THE ONLY REASON AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. I HAD JUST RECEIVED THE LETTER ABOUT THE OIL GEL AND WAS GOING TO GET MY OIL CHANGED THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILED ON MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY. NOW BOTH TOYOTA AND MY LOCAL DEALER ARE TELLING ME THAT MY ENGINE DOES NOT HAVE OIL CAKED INSIDE THE HEAD SO IT COULD NOT BE OIL GEL THAT CAUSED MY ENGINE TO THROW A ROD AT 80,000 MILES. WHEN ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN THEY HAVE NO ANSWER EXCEPT SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS TO ENGINES AND THEY WANT ME TO PAY THEM A SIGNIFICANT SUM OF MONEY TO OPEN UP THE ENGINE TO FIND OUT IF OIL GEL IS PRESENT. IF IT IS NOT THE CAUSE AS THEY KEEP SAYING IT IS NOT YET I FEEL SURE IT IS; I WILL HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR A NEW ENGINE AT THE DEALER. TOYOTA ALSO WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO HAVE THE WORK DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IF I MOVE THE CAR AND FIND OIL GEL IS THE CAUSE. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR OVER 3 MONTHS AND HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. IS THE ONLY WAY TO DETECT OIL GEL A SLUDGE ON THE HEAD? I AM SO FRUSTRATED.