NHTSA Complaint #10483194 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

THIS PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE POWER DOOR ACTUATOR ON THE DRIVER DOOR. THE MALFUNCTION STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AT CERTAIN TEMPERATURES. THE DOOR LOCK ON DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT WORK WHEN PRESSING THE REMOTE OR PRESSING THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTON ON DRIVER DOOR. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCK BUTTON AND LATCH STOPPED FUNCTIONING IN MANUAL MODE. NOT ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE LOCK DOES NOT OPEN ANYMORE AND DOES NOT OVERRIDE THE MALFUNCTIONING DOOR ACTUATOR. AS A RESULT, SHOULD I NEED TO QUICKLY EGRESS THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SUCH AS A FIRE OR OTHERWISE I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR AT THIS TIME IS TO PRESS THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTON BACK AND FORTH UNTIL SOMETHING CATCHES ON, AND THE BUTTON OPENS. HOWEVER, THIS WILL LIKELY NOT WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. I'VE REQUESTED THAT TOYOTA REPLACE THE FAULTY PART, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT GIVEN THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. I REQUESTED THAT THEY TAKE MY CASE TO SOUTHEASTERN TOYOTA UPPER MANAGEMENT TO MAKE A DECISION. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA DEALER I WAS AT, THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES DID NOT AGREE WITH MY COMPLAINT AND DID NOT THINK IT WAS WITHIN THEIR DUTIES TO REPLACE THE PART. MY INVESTIGATION INTO THE ISSUE HAS REVEALED THAT THIS ISSUE REPEATS WITH MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL YEARS 02-06. SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTANATION.COM/FORUM/104-5TH-6TH-GENERATION-2002-2006-2007-2011/144851-2003-CAMRY-DOOR-LOCK-PROBLEM.HTML . IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA MUST BE AWARE OF AND REFUSES TO DEAL WITH GIVEN THAT NO FATALITIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE). HOWEVER, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO GET INJURED OR POSSIBLY LOSE THEIR LIFE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED BY THE MANUFACTURER? PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR