NHTSA Complaint #10153639 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLANKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED A PERSISTENT CLANKING SOUND WAS NOTED IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED STRUT WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE CAR AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THE TOYOTA DEALERS WERE AWARE OF THE DEFECT WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE STRUT MOUNT DESIGN. HOWEVER, REPAIRS WERE AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE, NOT THE DEALERS. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $400. A CALL TO TOYOTA FAILED TO OBTAIN ANY INFORMATION REGARDING SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. *AK