NHTSA Complaint #11255521 — 2014 TOYOTA CAMRY

COMPLETE REPLACEMENT REQUIRED OF BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS, BACKING PLATES, BRAKE CALIPERS, PADS AND ROTORS, WITH RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF TIRES, ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 52,000 MILES. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE INITIAL REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS ALMOST $4000.00. THE DEALER, HOWEVER, AGREED TO REPAIR FOR ABOUT $2500.00 (PASS THROUGH COST OF PARTS). THIS MATTER CAME TO LIGHT UPON HEARING A 'SCREECHING' NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING - THE SCREECHING NOISE SUGGESTING A WHEEL BEARING WAS FAILING. MANUFACTURER ALLEGES REPLACEMENT IS NEEDED DUE TO EXPOSURE OF THESE PARTS TO ROAD SALT. HOWEVER, I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS OTHER VEHICLES THAT WERE EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT AND NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH PROBLEMS. CONTRARY TO THE MANUFACTURER'S ALLEGATION, I SUSPECT A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THESE PARTS. IN FACT, ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE ABOVE PROBLEM, ANOTHER LIKE VEHICLE THAT WE OWN (2017 MODEL WITH ABOUT 15,000 MILES) EXPERIENCED A FROZEN REAR BRAKE CALIPER (ALLEGEDLY FOR THE SAME REASON, NAMELY, EXPOSE TO ROAD SALT) THAT IS BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.