NHTSA Complaint #10082598 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD BANG NOISE WAS HEARD AND A CLANGING SOUND WAS MADE FROM THE CAR. CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEC. WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON 4/15/04. CONSUMER WAS 400 MILES OVER FORD WARRANTY. WARRANTY COMPANY HAS AN ADJUSTER COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE VEC. 6 OR 7 TIMES. FORD KNEW IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY THAT THE VEC. WAS OVER MILEAGE AND THEY CONTINUED TO LEAD THE CONSUMER AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY WOULD FIX IT. FORD DEALERSHIP AND THE FORD WARRANTY COMPANY ADJUSTER BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. 2 BOLTS THAT HELD THE PISTON IN PLACE BUSTED AND THREW A ROD THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE SAME DEALERSHIP HAD ANOTHER CAMRY WITH 61,000 MILES COME IN WHILE THIS CAR WAS THERE AND HAD DONE THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED WITH IT. THE VEC. NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AND NOT TOYOTA NOR FORD WILL HELP US. I HAVE DONE SEVERAL SEARCHES OVER THIS VEC. AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN OVER 5,000 CAMRYS THAT HAVE DONE THIS EXACT SAME THING....1999. THEY HAVE ALL BEEN AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE ALSO. *AK