NHTSA Complaint #10348858 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

CAR WAS FILLED WITH GAS ON RETURN TRIP AND WHILE IN TRAFFIC SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE WITH NO WARNING. THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. SAMARITANS STOPPED TO SUPPORT STRANDED CAR AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO TURN THE CAR ON , IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. WHEN CHECKED BY A INDIVIDUAL WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A MECHANIC, HE SAID, HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR AND IT WAS CLEAN. INSURANCE COMPANY AND TOWING SERVICE SUPPORT CALLED AND $400.00 PLUS DOLLARS LATER THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO LOCAL DEALER. AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DEALER REPRESENTATIVE , WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR OBVIOUS NEGLIGENCE AROUND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES WERE THE CAUSE OF THE OIL SLUDGE THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO OUR CAR TO THE TUNE OF $4,600. SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS LATER, ALLOWING COOLER HEADS TO PREVAIL, WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN SOME SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL DEALER HOWEVER WE WERE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE SECOND HAND ENGINE BECAUSE TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE PROBLEM.BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH THIS GROUP FOR YEARS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE PART OF THE CAR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC IN QUESTION REPORTED THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS BEFORE AND HE HA BEEN WORKING FOR MANY YEARS AT THE SAME LOCATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE PAPERWORK FROM OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAS ROUTINELY DONE THE OIL CHECKS SINCE WE'VE HAD THE CAR. EVEN AFTER PHONE CALLS AND LETTER REQUESTING THAT TOYOTA "DO THE RIGHT THING" EVEN THOUGH OUR SITUATION WAS A FEW MONTHS SHY OF THE "07 SETTLEMENT, THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR