NHTSA Complaint #10609907 — 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY

DRIVING NORTH ON A HIGHWAY I EXPERIENCED THE BATTERY CHECK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AS WELL AS LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED OFF AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE EXIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED, ENGINE WAS NO LONGER POWERING THE WHEELS AND I COASTED TO A STOP ON A RAMP WHERE I WAS FORCED TO WAIT FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE. OPENING THE HOOD I SAW THE SERPENTINE BELT THROWN OFF THE ENGINE AND STEAMING FROM THE BELT SIDE, AFTER POLICE HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT THERE WAS NOTICEABLE WOBBLE IN THE WATER PUMP WHICH ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT AND GET SPRAYED INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WANTED TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEN WANTED TO DISASSEMBLE THE ENGINE TO SEE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS WARPED DUE TO THE LOSS OF COOLANT WHEN THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND THAT THEY SAW THIS OFTEN ENOUGH TO BE SURE OF THE CAUSE. WATER PUMP FAILED AT AROUND 31,000 MILES WITH NO LEAKAGE BEFOREHAND. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE CAMRY THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO ADMIT TO AND ASSIST IN REPAIRS. DUE TO SELF MAINTENANCE OF CAR THEY CLAIM DAMAGE WAS MOST LIKELY SHOWING AND IGNORED BY US. *TR