NHTSA Complaint #10616061 — 2013 TOYOTA CAMRY

WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS AFTER THE 10,000 MILE CHECK-UP(JULY 3,2014) MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A STAGNANT ODOR COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS ON FIRST START UP IN THE MORNING. A/C HAD BEEN SET ON RECYCLE AIR. WE SET THE A/C TO RUN WITH AIR FLOW ON VENT AND ODOR IS STILL THERE. A/C RAN FOR AWHILE AND ODOR WOULD GO AWAY. ODOR JUST GOT WORSE ON EVERY START UP. CARRIED TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE PURCHASED CAMRY AND LET THE SERVICE MANAGER SMELL THE ODOR COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS AT 8 AM JULY 20, 2014. HE SAID HE COULD SMELL IT. THE SERVICE DEPT. KEPT THE CAMRY JULY 20 AND 21. I TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AROUND 3:20 PM ON THE 21. HE SAID TOYOTA TECH. DEPT. HAD SENT THEM A BULLETIN STATING TO CHANGE THE CABIN AIR FILTER WITH A CHARCOAL LINED CABIN AIR FILTER AND TO RUN THE A/C ON VENT FOR AWHILE BEFORE SHUTTING ENGINE DOWN SO A/C SYSTEM COULD DRAIN. JULY 24TH., SERVICE DEPT. INSTALLING CHARCOAL LINED CABIN AIR FILTER. SERVICE DEPT. SAID A/C SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO DRY OUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT MOLD AND BACTERIA BUILD UP. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED BY SERVICE DEPT. EXCEPT FOR TURNING ON CAR HEATER TO DRY A/C SYSTEM OUT. ODOR DID NOT GO AWAY. MY WIFE DROVE CAMRY ON A TRIP JULY 12-14, 2014 WHERE SHE DROVE FOR SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS EACH WAY. SIX DAYS LATER SHE DEVELOPED A SEVERE SORE THROAT. SHE WENT TO OUR LOCAL DOCTOR ON JULY 23RD. HE GAVE HER A STEROID SHOT AND SAID IT COULD BE RELATED TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM BUT WAS NOT STREP THROAT. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE BUILD UP OF MOLD AND BACTERIA. *TR