NHTSA Complaint #10555051 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

VVTI OIL LINE RUPTURE 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY W/ V6 ENGINE WE PURCHASED THIS NEW AT A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER W/ MYSELF AS THE ONLY OTHER OCCASIONAL DRIVER. THE VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE ALTHOUGH NOT AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. VEHICLE, AT TIME OF INCIDENT (11-15-13), HAD 50,893 MILES. WHEN MY WIFE RETURNED HOME FROM SHOPPING SHE SAW A TRAIL OF OIL UP THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE GARAGE. THE OIL TRAIL APPEARED TO BEGIN DOWN THE STREET NEAR OUR HOME. WHEN WE RESTARTED THE ENGINE, OIL GUSHED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE V-6 ENGINE. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND IT WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 QUARTS LOW. OUR TOYOTA USES NO OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. OIL HAD SPRAYED ALL OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THE UNDERCARRIAGE, AND SOME OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED A VVTI OIL LINE PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN TOYOTA VEHICLES W/ A V-6 ENGINE. A SHORT RUBBER SECTION OF EXTERNAL ENGINE OIL LINE WOULD LEAK OR RUPTURE. OURS RUPTURED WITH-OUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ALARMS. THE NEXT MORNING WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND THEY REPAIRED AND VERIFIED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VVTI OIL LINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED BY TOYOTA AND WE HAD TO PAY. I FOUND OUT TOYOTA DID HAVE A LSC 90-K PHASE TWO CAMPAIGN THAT DID COVER THIS BUT IT HAD EXPIRED. WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I CALLED AND COMPLAINED TO 2 LEVELS OF TOYOTA THEN WROTE THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT TORRANCE, CA. BUT THEY ALL SAID LETTERS WERE SENT OUT AND THE CAMPAIGN HAD EXPIRED MARCH 31, 2013. THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE DID OFFER A LIMITED REFUND FOR FUTURE PARTS OR SERVICE AT TOYOTA DEALERS. THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND TOYOTA SHOULD NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE FOR REPAIRING THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE FIRES AND RUIN ENGINES. FORTUNATELY WE ONLY LOST A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL AND THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE DAMAGED OUR ENGINE. *TR