NHTSA Complaint #10370904 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY ONTO THE ON RAMP TO THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANG AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE.THE ENGINE STOPPED! I HAD BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 1999,AND IT ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS IN SUPER CONDITION, EXCEPT NOW IT HAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!! A CERTIFIED MECHANIC SAID THAT THE PISTON ROD CAP BOLT HAD BROKEN AND THE ROD BLEW A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. THE TOYOTA DEALER AND TOYOTA NATIONAL SAID THAT I MUST PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED. IT NEEDS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE!!I FEEL THAT IT MUST BE A DEFECT OR THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN AT 44,000 MILES.I HAVE ALWAYS HAD ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS DONE. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DANGEROUS DEFECT, BECAUSE IF YOUR CAR SEIZES UP AND STOPS IN TRAFFIC, YOU DO NOT STAND A CHANCE. I'VE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T TOYOTA RECALLED THIS? IT IS CERTAINLY JUST AS DANGEROUS AS THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY DID RECALL CARS FOR. *TR