NHTSA Complaint #10276049 — 2001 TOYOTA CELICA

ON MARCH 2008 I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A 5 SPEED MANUAL 2001 TOYOTA CELICA GT FROM A THIRD PARTY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE WITH A CERTIFIED MECHANIC I BOUGHT IT WITH 98,000 MILES. THE NEXT DAY, AS MASSACHUSETTS LAW STATES I WENT TO GET THE INSPECTION STICKER FOR THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WENT OK. ALSO, I DECIDED TO DO A FULL CHECK ON THE CAR (BRAKES, OIL, FILTERS, ETC). HOWEVER AFTER 4 WEEKS THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I WOULD LET GO OF THE GAS AND I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE RED OIL LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD WOULD BLINK FOR A SECOND WHEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP. AFRAID THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE AN OIL LEAK I WENT TO THE SHOP RIGHT AWAY TO GET A NEW OIL CHANGE. AT THE SHOP THE MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE ENGINE AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY DRY. NOW HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN IF I HAD CHANGED THE OIL JUST 4 WEEKS PRIOR? I ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 40 MILES DAILY SO THAT'S ONLY ABOUT 1100 MILES! I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE EXPERIENCING THE SAME AND FOUND MANY OWNER'S WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I BOUGHT TOYOTA BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY WERE A RELIABLE COMPANY AND THAT YOU COULD TRUST THE VEHICLES THEY MAKE. SADLY IN THIS CASE THAT IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. AFTER REQUESTING QUOTES FROM MULTIPLE SHOPS I FOUND OUT THAT IN ORDER TO FIX THE ENGINE THE PISTON RINGS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SUCH WORK WAS QUOTED BETWEEN $2000 TO $3600. I DO NOT PLAN TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT MY FAULT BUT TOYOTA'S. I CAN PROVE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THAT I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THEREFORE THIS OIL ISSUE WAS NOT CAUSED BY MY 'LACK OF MAINTENANCE' RATHER BY TOYOTA'S POOR ENGINE DESIGN. AS A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCT ENGINEER I HAVE LEARNED THAT A DEVICE MUST COMPLY WITH A SERIES OF RELIABILITY TESTS BEFORE GOING TO MARKET; AND IN THE CASE OF MALFUNCTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MANUFACTURER, THEY (THE MANUFACTURER) MUST RESPOND ACCORDINGLY TO THE PUBLIC. *TR