NHTSA Complaint #755228 — 1987 TOYOTA CAMRY

THE DRIVER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A RATTLE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ACCOMPANIED BY ERRATIC SWAYING OF THE REAR END AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SINCE MAY OF 1996. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IN DEC2001. THE REAR TORSION BAR WAS BROKEN AT A BEND AT IT CROSSES NEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE. A REPLACEMENT BAR WAS SOUGHT AT AN AUTO JUNK YARD AND IT WAS NOTED THAT ALL 5 OF THE SAME MODEL CARS AT THE YARD HAD THE SAME FAILURE AT THE SAME LOCATION!!!! THIS FALURE CAN CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND SHOULD MAY EASILY BE CONFUSED AS A FAILURE CAUSED BY THE SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT. IN FACT THE FAILURE JUST PRIOR TO ACCIDENT CAN CAUSE THE ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEED AND SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR AFTER ANY REPORTED ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR. THE FAILURE CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO EASILY LEAVE THE ROAD OR DRIVE ERRATICALLY AND MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO DRIVER ERROR RATHER THAN MECHANICAL FAILURE, WHICH IT APPEARS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE.*AK