NHTSA Complaint #10275335 — 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY

2001-TOYOTA CAMRY: THERE IS A BURNING ODOR WHEN CAR IS OPERATING. THE IGNITION DOES NOT ALWAYS START THE CAR UPON INSERTING AND TURNING THE KEY. MANY TIMES WHEN TURNING THE KEY, THERE IS A HIGH SCREECHING LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR REMAINS NON-OPERATIONAL FOR A FEW MINUTES WHICH OCCURS EVERYDAY. AFTER THE CAR IS RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, THERE IS A BURNING SMELL SIMILAR TO BURNING RUBBER. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR NEAR THE FLOOR ON DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL BECOME WARM. IT APPEARS HEAT IS GENERATED FROM THE ENGINE INTO THE INSIDE OF THE CAR THUS RESULTING IN BURNING ODOR. UPON ACCELERATION, THE CAR HAS A JERKY, PROPELLING MOTION FORWARD. STEERING COLUMN HAS SOME STIFFNESS AND AT OTHER TIMES IT HAS LOT OF PLAY WITH TURNS. THE POWER/ELECTRIC WINDOWS, CLOCK, AND CD/RADIO PLAYER DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THESE DEFECTS/FAULTS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AFTER USED VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. AS VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS IS, I DID NOT RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DAILY IGNITION/START PROBLEM, OTHER PROBLEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE, HAPPEN APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES A MONTH. REGULAR SCHEDULED SERVICE MAINTENANCE ARE PERFORMED HOWEVER ALL ABOVE PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO CONCERN ME. *TR