NHTSA Complaint #10162916 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY, WHICH I MAINTAINED IN A NORMAL MANNER, W/APPROPRIATE OIL CHANGES. THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, I PUT IN 1 QT OF OIL, THE LIGHT WENT OFF. A SHORT TIME LATER, I DROVE THE CAR AND IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLACKING SOUND, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE IT HOME AND PARKED IT; CALLED A MECHANIC TO COME TAKE A LOOK. HE SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE AND NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND WE COULD NOT DRIVE IT AT ALL. I TOWED IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AWAY. THEY CHECKED IT OVER COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN CALLED AND SAID THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE IN IT, AND NEEDED A $7,000-$8,000 REPAIR. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS MY FAULT, BECAUSE THE OIL HAD OBVIOUSLY NOT BEEN CHANGED PROPERLY. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE TOYOTA DEALER TALKED ME INTO A $999 EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN, WHICH HE ASSURED ME WOULD COVER ANY MAJOR ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP WITH A CAR -- THEIR TENDER LOVING CARE PACKAGE. NOW THE WARRANTY (WHICH TOYOTA IS DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM, SAYING IS AN OUTSIDE COMPANY, THEREFORE NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM) COMPANY DENIED THE REPAIR. ALSO, TOYOTA DENIED COVERING THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND TONS OF MATERIAL ONLINE INDICATING THAT THEY'VE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE CAMRY ENGINES AND SLUDGE ISSUES. IT LOOKS LIKE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND TOYOTA ALWAYS SAYS IT IS THE OWNER'S FAULT. I HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES, AND HAVE SOME OF THE RECORDS. I DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE RECEIPTS, BUT HAVE WELL OVER HALF OF THEM. THE CAR HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS FOR 100,000 MILES. TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THE ENGINE PROPERLY AT THEIR EXPENSE. A $7-8K REPAIR IS A MONUMENTAL EXPENSE FOR OUR FAMILY. THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS, AS AN ENGINE LOCKING UP OR STOPPING COLD COULD PRESENT A SERIOUS DRIVING ISSUE, AND CERTAINLY SEEMS TO BE A VERY BROAD PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA CAMRYS. *NM