NHTSA Complaint #751306 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

THIS PROBLEM INVOLVES THE BUILDUP OF OIL SLUDGE IN THE 1998-2001 TOYOTA V6 PRODUCTS. APPARETNLY THEY REDESIGNED THE V6 ENGINE SO THAT IT WOULD FIT IN THE SIENNA VAN. IN DOING SO THEY CREATED A DESIGN FLAW THAT CREATES SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. APPARENTLY THE DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RUN TO HOT ALSO CAUSING VALVE SEALS TO LEAK. THE RESULT IS A FAIRLY NEW CAR THAT SMOKES, BURNS 1 QUART OF OIL A WEEK, AND BUILDS UP SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE WHICH I AM TOLD WILL RUIN THE ENGINE IF I KEEP DRIVING WITH SLUDGE BUILD UP BECAUSE THE ENGINE WON'T BE LUBRICATED PROPERLY. MANY OTHERS ARE REPORTING THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM. IN THE 1999 OWNERS MANUEL IT SAYS YOU CAN CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 7500 MILES. WHICH PEOPLE DID. THESE CUSTOMERS THAT FOLLOWED THIS GUIDE LINE INSTEAD OF THE 3000-5000 MILE OIL CHANGES WHICH SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED NOW HAVE OIL SLUDGE. I CALLED MY HONDA SERVICE REP WHO TOLD ME TOYOTA HAS A FIX FOR THE OVERHEATING PROBLEM WHICH THEY DO NOT WANT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE THAN THEY WILL HAVE TO FIX THOUSANDS OF CARS. HE SAID THE ENGINE DOES NOT BREATH PROPERLY AND THAT THEY HAVE AN UPGRADE TO THE BREATHER - THE POSITIVE CRANK CASE?? HE SAID IF I CAN PROVE TO TOYOTA SUCH AN UPGRADE IS AVAILABLE THEY WILL FIX IT BUT WILL DENY ANY KNOWLEDGE OTHERWISE. I SUBMIT THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLES THAT HAVE GOTTEN SLUDGE FROM THIS DEFECT WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE FORCED TO DO A RECALL AND INSTALL THE UPGRADED PART SO THAT THEIR ENGINES BREATHE PROPERLY. TOYOTA REFUSES TO HONOR MY WARRANTY ON REPLACING THE VALVE SEALS AND RINGS WHICH WILL COST ME ABOUT $3200. THE LEAST THEY COULD DO IS INSTALL THE FIX INTO MY ENGINE SO IF I DO GET IT FIXED IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. TOYOTA HAS CHANGED THEIR 2001 OWNERS MANUEL TELLING PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 5000 MILES SO THEY KNOW THE DIRECTION TO CHANGE IT EVERY 7500 MILES WILL NOT WORK FOR THEI ESITB BECAUSE I HAVE SLUDGE AND T OF LYD THGIT OTHERWISE. ISIENOICE LKHE HASPD SATOYOTA EVEN HAS.