NHTSA Complaint #10390445 — 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY

WE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY CE IN 2000 AND WERE PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO US ABOUT 8 WEEKS AGO. ON JAN 22, WE WERE DRIVING ON I 15 FREEWAY SOUTH FROM LA BACK TO LAS VEGAS. ABOUT AFTER 30 MINUTES ON THE ROAD I HEARD SOMETHING SOUNDING LIKE A CRACK UNDER THE VEHICLE (LAST ONLY ABOUT ONE SECOND). I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE MIGHT HIT A ROCK UNDERNEATH AND SLOWED DOWN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. THEN IN ABOUT 3 MINUTES THE VEHICLE LOST THE POWER. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASH LIGHT AND PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE ROADSIDE. I COULD SEE THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING OUT BADLY. AFTER LOTS OF HASSLES THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CROWN TOYOTA DEALER SHOP IN ONTARIO. THE NEXT DAY MORNING THEIR SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO TELL ME THAT NOTHING INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HIT A ROCK SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE. TO THE BEST OF HIS JUDGMENT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED FROM INSIDE. HE SAID SOMETHING FROM INSIDE OF ENGINE COULD FALL DOWN AND KNOCKED THE ENGINE THAT CAUSED THE LEAKING. SOON AFTER THAT MY INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED MY CLAIM STATING THAT THEY TALKED TO THE CROWN TOYOTA DEALER SHOP AND CONCLUDED THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE, WHICH IS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE POLICY. LAST MONTH I HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED IN AN AUTO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING ABOUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. FROM PICTURES ATTACHED ONE CAN SEE A BIG HOLE KNOCKED OUT ON ENGINE(SEE ATTACHED PICTURE). IT IS A REAL SURPRISE TO ME SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS RUN ONLY 79,500 MILES AND WE GAVE IT MAINTENANCE ON REGULAR BASES AS REQUIRED. BY THIS LETTER WE REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION OF WHAT ENGINE DEFECT CAUSED THE FAILURE AND AN EXPLANATION FROM TOYOTA COMPANY. AT THE SAME TIME WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR COMPENSATIONS FOR THE LOSS CAUSED BY THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE. THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN SENT TO NATIONAL CUSTOMER RELATION OF TOYOTA MOTO SALES. *TR