NHTSA Complaint #10171646 — 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY

IN AUGUST, MY WIFE AND I NOTICED OUR 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE MADE A NOISE LIKE IT WAS MISSING ON ONE CYLINDER. WE WATCHED TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. WE WERE STILL UNDER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WE TRUST. HE DISCOVERED THE MIDDLE VALVES WERE STUCK OR STICKING IN THE VALVE SLEEVE, CAUSING THE "MIS-FIRING" SOUND WE HEARD. FURTHER, WE WERE TOLD THE REMEDY WAS TO HAVE THE HEAD MACHINED, REPLACE THE DAMAGED SLEEVES AND THIS WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN ASKING ANOTHER MECHANIC ABOUT THE ISSUE, WE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON FLAW IN THE 4 CYLINDER CAMRY ENGINE. IN FACT, OUR MECHANIC HAD 3 SEPARATE CARS OF THE SAME AGE IN FOR THE SAME EXACT REPAIR IN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. THIS SEEMS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET TO DISCOVER THERE ARE SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WHO FOUND THIS FLAW LONG AFTER THEIR WARRANTY EXPIRED. WE BUY VEHICLES WITH THE INTENT TO KEEP THEM; WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE QUALITY MANUFACTURERS WITH A QUALITY PRODUCT. THIS LACK OF FOLLOW-THROUGH AND CARE FOR THE CUSTOMER IS A BLATANT DISREGARD OF THE TRUST PLACED IN THEIR HANDS. TECHNICALLY, WE ARE ONLY OUT VERY MINOR FEES AND THE TIME IT TOOK TO DEAL WITH THE MATTER. THIS WAS NOT A CONSUMER PRODUCT, WHERE THE RESULT IS ANNOYANCE AND FRUSTRATION, BUT IT WAS A MODE OF TRANSPORT, CARRYING OUR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS. HOW CAN A COMPANY CARELESSLY DISREGARD THE IMPACT OF ITS' PRODUCTS CONSTRUCTION WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE EVERYTIME IT IS USED? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT NEWS ABOUT DROPS IN PRODUCT QUALITY. AS THEY FOCUS ON THE BOTTOM LINE, LITTLE CONCERN IS SHOWN TO THE CONSUMER WHO RISKS A LOT. *NM