NHTSA Complaint #10499996 — 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY

HAD OIL CHANGED ON 6/8/12 MECHANIC INFORMED THERE WAS NOT MUCH OIL IN THE ENGINE -MLG 93235. WENT TO TOYOTA-08/08/12-MLG 95739. WE HAD ADDED OIL-1.5 QTS ON 08/04/12. THEY INSPECTED OIL LEVEL. OIL LEVEL AT PROPER LEVEL-TOLD TO COME BACK IN 1000 MLS AND NOT TO ADD OIL. CAME BACK ON 8/30/12-OIL LEVEL-FOUND ENGINE 2 QTS LOW AFTER DRIVING 1040 MLS.WE WERE TOLD TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPLAINTS AND TALKED TO MONIQUE. SHE REQUESTED SOME OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. WE WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT 12 RECEIPTS WITH DOCUMENTED MILEAGE. WE ALSO SUBMITTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION REPORT FROM TOYOTA THAT INCLUDED THE 2009 CAMRY AND OTHER MODELS AND YEARS. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN DATED 08/11/11 STATES "SOME 2006-2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PISTON ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN CHANGED TO MINIMIZE OIL CONSUMPTION..." ON PAGE 6 OF THIS BULLETIN, POINT 6 STATES, "DETERMINE THE QUANTITY OF OIL THAT WAS CONSUMED IN 1200 MILES. WAS THE OIL LEVEL MORE THAN 1 QT LOW AFTER 1200 MILES OF NORMAL DRIVING? YES-GO TO REPAIR PROCEDURE NO-THIS TSB DOES NOT APPLY. WARRANTY GUIDELINE FOR ACCEPTABLE OIL CONSUMPTION IS 1 QT PER 1200 MILES OF OPERATION. NO WARRANTY CLAIM SHOULD BE FILED." MONIQUE CONTACTED US BACK AND ASKED US TO PERFORM OIL CONSUMPTION TEST ONE MORE TIME. AT THAT TIME, THE TOYOTA MECHANICS FOUND ENGINE OIL 2.5 QTS LOW AFTER 1,503 MILES."REMOVE SPARK PLUGS AND INSPECTED CYLINDERS WITH BOROSCOPE -FOUND VERTICAL SCORING ON CYLINDER WALLS DUE TO IMPROPER PISTON AND RING FIT." MONIQUE CONTACTED US AFTER THIS FINDING AND OFFERED THAT TOYOTA WOULD PAY $3000.00 TO FIX THIS AND THE TOTAL COST IS A MIN. OF $5,500. WE HAVE TO PAY $2,500.MIN. TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW NOT KNOWING THERE WAS A PISTON/RING FIT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARED AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. THIS WAS THEIR PROBLEM FROM THE START. *TR