NHTSA Complaint #10405894 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS LOW AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND ADDED MORE COOLANT TO THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES AFTER BEING REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE REPAIRING THE ENGINE, THE MECHANICED NOTICED THE BOLTS WHICH MOUNTED THE ENGINE WERE STRIPPED. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY MOUNTED OUT OF POSITION, PREVENTING THE ENGINE COOLANT FROM PROPERLY ENTERING THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THIS FAILURE, THE ENGINE RAN AT A LOW TEMPERATURE AND THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.