1989 TOYOTA CAMRY — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 1989 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and his wife noticed smoke coming from under the driver's side of the hood. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that when he opened the hood, he noticed that the battery had caught on fire and the fire was expanding. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. The vehicle was then pushed to the side of the road. There was no injury sustained. There was no police report filed. There was no fire department report filed. The contact stated that the battery was a 24 months Group 25-24 battery, made by Battery Energy Group, and purchased on February 15, 2022. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

PASSENGERS DOOR WILL MOT UNLOCK. EITHER BY ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK OR BY PULLING UP THE UNLOCK BOTTON. 1989 TOYOTA CAMRY RECALL - #92V135000 RECALL FOR LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES : DOORS : LATCH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THE POWER DOOR LOCK SYSTEM CAN FAIL, CAUSING THE CONTACTS TO "WELD", AND RESULTING IN DOOR LOCK SOLENOID DAMAGE, WITH FAILURE OF THE DOOR TO LOCK OR UNLOCK, EVEN UNDER MANUAL OPERATION.

GOT EMAIL SAYING 1989 TOYOTA CAMRY ON RECALL LIST BECAUSE OF ENGINE PISTON PROBLEMS

CAR STALLS WHILE EITHER GOING DOWN THE STREET, OR AT A STOPLIGHT. MY FEAR IS THAT I WILL GET REAR-ENDED. AND, ALSO EMBARRASSING AND FRUSTRATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1989 NEW. IT HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. IT IS ALWAYS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE WET/DAMP. I CAN FEEL IT START "MISSING" AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE CITY STREET. SOMETIMES, I HAVE TO GO TO A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP DRIVING AROUND AND CHUGGING AROUND. IT STOPS, I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TRY TO START IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND GO, AND IT DIES. ATFER I DO THIS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THEN PARK IT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO, IT WILL USUALLY START, AND GO OK. NEVER HAPPENS IN DRY WEATHER. I THINK IN THE FIRST YEAR OR 2 OF OWNING IT, I TOOK IT IN SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY THEY CHANGED THE "COMPUTER" OR SOMETHING. BUT, SADLY THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW, AND IT JUST DID IT A COUPLE DAYS AGO AFTER A WET WARM SNOW STORM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR DOES THIS. BUT IT IS SCARY WHEN I AM AMIDST TRAFFIC, AND IT CUT OUT AND STALLS. MY CAR HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I EVEN HAD RECENT ENGINE WORK, AND IT STILL ACTS THE SAME WAY. I DON'T HAVE REPAIR INVOICES, BUT ALWAYS HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER HERE IN BILLINGS, MT.

THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON THIS CAR MOVES IN A TRACK TO GET OUT OF THE WAY WHEN THE DRIVER OPENS THE DOOR, AND TO MOVE TO THE OTHER END OF THE TRACK TO SECURE THE DRIVER WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. IT IS A DUMB DESIGN. THIS CAR IS OLD, AND DESPITE MY MECHANIC'S BEST EFFORTS, THE MOTION TO GET OUT OF THE WAY SOMETIMES HESITATES AND THE DRIVER MUST USE HIS HAND TO MOVE THE ANCHOR ALONG IN THE TRACK. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEDAY THE ANCHOR WILL FAIL TO MOVE INTO POSITION TO SECURE THE DRIVER PROPERLY.