NHTSA Complaint #10118957 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

THIS COMPLAINT INVOLVES TWO VEHICLES; THE FIRST WAS WITH A 1992 TOYOTA CAMRY VIN#[XXX] PURCHASE DATE: 7/16/1992 MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT: 125394 IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS IDLED IN THE CONSUMERS DRIVEWAY AND AFTER TWO MINUTES A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD ALONG WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD; THERE WAS MOTOR OIL AND METAL PIECES FROM THE ENGINE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND AT 91386K MILES THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED; THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY; THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD FROZEN. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS BUT THE REQUEST WAS DENIED. A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEMS (VEHICLE UNSPECIFIED) : CONNECTING RODS#1 AND #4 BROKE AND PUNCHED HOLES IN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, ONE OF THE CONNECTING RODS BROKE OFF AT THE PISTON AS WELL AS THE CRANKSHAFT, THE OTHER CONNECTING ROD BROKE OFF OF THE CRANKSHAFT, BUT REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE PISTON, PISTON #1 AND #4 IMPACTED INTO THE CYLINDER HEAD, WHEN THE CONNECTING RODS BROKE, PARTS OF THE ENGINE PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE OIL PAN, ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK OUT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LEFT CV BOOTS WERE TORN, THE BROKEN CONNECTING ROD #1 CAUSED THE A/C COMPRESSOR TO BE BROKEN AWAY FROM THE ENGINE AND THE A/C BELT TO BE THROWN FREE, AND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE ENGINE TURNING AT MODERATE OR HIGH SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. *AK *SC INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR