NHTSA Complaint #11174903 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

A SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOTICED AND INTENSIFIED OVER THE SPAN OF 2 DAYS. VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEN DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS THE ONLY VEHICLE OWNED BY THE FAMILY AND HAVING A CHRONICALLY ILL SON TRANSPORTATION WAS NEEDED TO TAKE HIM TO HIS DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. BEFORE USAGE OF THE VEHICLE A VISUAL INSPECTION WAS DONE BY THE FATHER TRYING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL WITH NO AVAIL. AFTER THE SONS DOCTORS APPOINTMENT THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC WHO HAS OVER 25 YEARS AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE AND AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN AUTOMOTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WITH THE ENGINE BEING AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE FROM BEING DRIVEN TO THE LOCATION AND THE ENGINE BAY WAS VISUALY INSPECTED WITH THE ENGINE OFF WITH NO SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE. BEING SAFETY CONSCIOUS, THE MECHANIC OBTAINED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WATER HOSE INCASE OF A FIRE. THE MECHANIC THEN TURNED ON THE ENGINE AND NOTICED A SMALL LEAK AT THE FUEL DAMPER. HE PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE TOP PLASTIC COVER OF THE DAMPER WHICH LED TO FUEL SPRAY WITH FORCE ENOUGH TO SPRAY ON THE MECHANIC WHO WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL OBVIOUSLY SPRAYED OVER THE HOT ENGINE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING IGNITION OF THE GASOLINE. A FRIEND WHO WAS WITH THE MECHANIC QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE WHILE THE MECHANIC QUICKLY DOUSED THE FLAMES PREVENTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. UPON RESEARCH, THIS FUEL DAMPER WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM MOST CAMRYS OF THIS GENERATION. THE DAMPER DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TOYOTA PART NUMBERS AND SEEMED SUSPICIOUS. FURTHER RESEARCH FOUND THAT THIS UNBRANDED FUEL DAMPER WAS FOR CA EMMISIONS STANDARDS WHILE ANOTHER STYLE WAS FOR FEDERAL STANDARDS. OTHER CAMRYS THAT WERE MADE FOR CA DID NOT USE THE STYLE FUEL DAMPER AS MY CAMRYS. IT SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA BOUGHT AFTERMARKET DAMPERS AND INSTALLED THEM ON AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF VEHICLES.I THINK THEY RAN OUT OF OEM DAMPERS