NHTSA Complaint #10315402 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING OWNER OF A 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE VVT-OIL LINE THAT CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VVT-I OIL LINE IS A RUBBER HOSE WHICH ROUTES A HIGH PRESSURE FLOW OF HOT ENGINE OIL OUTSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE RUBBER DETERIORATES OVER TIME AND CAN UNEXPECTEDLY BREAK OR RUPTURE FROM 19,000 TO OVER 100,000 MILES AND CAN LEAD TO VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS WHEN RUNNING THE ENGINE WITHOUT OIL CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. MOST OWNERS REPORTED THERE WAS NO WARNING FROM THE OIL OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THEY DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL ON THE GROUND. THE MANUFACTURING FIX WAS INSTITUTED IN NORTH AMERICA PLANTS IN APRIL 2008. THE ASSEMBLY FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE METAL AND RUBBER ASSEMBLY WITH AN ALL METAL OIL LINE. THE CONSUMER STATED HER VEHICLE LOST OIL SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPROACHED HER VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS, SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER WRITTEN BY THE ESTABLISHMENT THAT REPLACED THE ENGINE; THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE HAD LOCKED UP, THE ENGINE WAS TIGHT AND OIL WAS ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED, THEY FOUND SPUN BEARINGS, AND THE CRANK AND TWO RODS WERE NO GOOD. *JB