NHTSA Complaint #10514929 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

WHILE MY FIANCEE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY ONE EVENING IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2011, THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON. WHEN SHE ARRIVED HOME I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND FOUND THAT IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 QUARTS LOW (MAXIMUM CAPACITY IS 4.5 QUARTS). I HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT A LOCAL FACILITY, LEXOLOGY, THAT SPECIALIZES IN TOYOTA/LEXUS. THE OWNER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND TOLD ME IT WAS A KNOWN EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WITH THE 2AZ-F3 ENGINES. HE SHOWED ME THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (T-SB-0094-11), AND INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE IGNITION AND EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND INCREASE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT. I SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE AN INSPECTION TEST WAS PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TSB AND THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER (1202062104). THERE WERE SEVERAL EXCHANGES BY PHONE AND IN WRITING WITH TOYOTA IN ATTEMPT TO GET TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. THE EXCHANGES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND I FILED A SMALL CLAIMS SUIT (SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA CASE # 13S00672). THE SMALL CLAIMS SUIT WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL AND I AM NOW TAKING ANY AND ALL ACTION WITHIN MY POWER TO BRING THE MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF OTHERS. I CAN SEE BY OTHER FILED COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. PERSONAL IMPACT ASIDE, THIS IS A VEHICLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY ISSUE. I PUT ALMOST AS MUCH OIL IN THE CAR EVERY WEEK AS I DO GASOLINE. THE ADDITIONAL EMISSIONS CAUSED BY THE OIL BURNING IS BEING OFFSET PARTIALLY BY THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM, BUT ONLY PARTIALLY, AND EVENTUALLY WILL FAIL TO FILTER IT OUT ALTOGETHER. I URGE NHTSA TO TAKE ACTION AND RAISE THIS TO RECALL STATUS AND HOLD TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE. *TR