NHTSA Complaint #10216952 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINE DIED 10/ 22/07 W/59,615 MILES ON IT. 13464 MILES @ PURCHASE-I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A PROGRAM CAR W/EXTENDED WARRANTY=6 YRS/100K MILES. FOUND THE WINDOW STICKER WHEN I TRADED IT IN. NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. COMING HOME FROM A TRIP, POWER STEERING LOST SOME FUNCTIONALITY; A SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON; MY HUSBAND PUT POWER STEERING FLUID IN; WE HEADED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER. EN ROUTE WE LOST ALL POWER STEERING & ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE; CAR CUT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK 5-6 WEEKS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. DOUBT OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS INCORRECT PARTS WERE ORDERED/RECEIVED. PICKED THE VEHICLE UP~12/1/07; 59620 MILES ON IT. WHILE AWAITING REPAIRS DEALERSHIPS/CORPORATE OFFICES COULD ONLY ADVISE THE CAR MAY BE UNDER BASIC WARRANTY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY. SMELLED SMOKE AND WANTED ASSURANCE A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN AS PROMISED & THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS. THEY MADE $900+ WORTH OF ADDED REPAIRS-REAR MAIN SEAL OIL LEAK; AXLE BOOT LEAK. IT HAD 59949 MILES ON IT. AT THAT POINT I DIDN'T WANT IT BACK. I WANTED TOYOTA TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELLING A LEMON. MY MAIN CONCERN: IS THERE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WITH 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY MODELS AS SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS (ENGINE OIL SLUDGE)? SECONDLY, DID SOMETHING ELSE CAUSE THIS INCIDENT? THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS CAMRY SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED TO MY DISSATISFACTION; THEY SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED/OFFERED SOME INCENTIVES FOR SELLING ME A LEMON. THEIR ONLY CONCERN, MAKE ANOTHER SALE. REQUESTED A CALL FROM/AUDIENCE WITH THE OWNER. HASN'T HAPPENED. I NEEDED A CAR AND BELIEVED THIS WAS ABERRATION WITH RESPECT TO CAMRY MODELS' PERFORMANCE. NOT SURE THAT THEY'LL KEEP ME AS A CUSTOMER. I THANK GOD WE HAD NO ACCIDENT, NO KNOWN INJURIES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S LITIGATION RE: THIS MAKE/MODEL; I'D LIKE TO JOIN THE LITIGANTS. I CAN GIVE YOU MY VIN NUMBER AT YOUR REQUEST. THANKS. *TR