NHTSA Complaint #10088864 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

THE RADIATOR WAS EMPTY, AND HERE WERE TRACES OF ANTIFREEZE ON THE INSPECTION PLUG ON THE TIMING OVER. AS I EXPLAINED UPON OUR INTIAL MEETING, THIS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFINITE LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE, WITH A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY OF WATER PUMP FAILURE AND CORRESPONDING TIMING BELT FAILURE. HOWEVER, WHEN I DID THE INITIAL TEAR-DOWN OF THE TIMING AREA, I FOUND A RATHER SURPRISING SCENARIO. THE TIMING BELT WAS INTACT. THERE WERE NONE OF HE USUAL OIL LEAKS FROM THE CAM/CRANK SEALS. THE BELT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. THE WATER PUMP HAD SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC BEARING FAILURE. IN FACT, I FOUND PIECES OF METAL IN THE TIMING AREA, AS WELL AS A FEW OF THE BALL BEARINGS FROM THE WATER PUMP SHAFT BEARING. THE TIMING AREA ALSO HAD TRACES OF ANTIFREEZE (OEM ANTIFREEZE) FROM WHERE THE WATER PUMP HAD BEEN LEAKING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. AS PER OUR DISCUSSION, I PROCEEDED TO TEAR THE ENGINE DOWN FURTHER TO INSPECT FOR OTHER POSSIBLE DAMAGE. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE SIMPLY EXPECTING TO FIND A WARPED/POSSIBLY CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. UPON REMOVING THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE HEAD, AND REMOVING THE HEAD ITSELF, I INSPECTED THE BLOCK, CYLINDERS, AND PISTONS. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE PISTONS HAD SUFFERED SEVERE DAMAGE. THERE IS OVER THIRTY THOUSANDTHS OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TOP EDGE OF THE PISTON AND THE CYLINDER WALL. THE TOP PISTON RING IS CLEARLY VISIBLE. THEREFORE, I MUST DECLARE THE ENGINE A LOSS. IN FACT, I HAVE MADE THE OBSERVATION THAT TOYOTA VEHICLES USING THE OEM ANTIFREEZE USUALLY HAD FAR FEWER COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND. IN THEIR VEHICLES. I HAVE TWO TOYOTA PICKUPS. ONE HAS A REMAN ENGINE. IT HAS OEM ANTIFREEZE AND AN OEM OIL FILTER. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I FEEL IN MY OPINION, AND MY EXPERIENCE, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. WHAT THE MANUFACTURER CAN AND WILL DO FOR YOU I DO NOT KNOW. *AK