1995 TOYOTA CAMRY Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BY HIMSELF ALTHOUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID RESPOND. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 243,447.

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

PROBLEM: MY 1995 CAMRY SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE SPEED FROM 32 TO 35 MPH IN THE THIRD LANE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL (THE PEDAL WAS MINIMALLY DEPRESSED.) I IMMEDIATELY STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND GLIDED TO A STOP. AFTER WAITING 2 MINUTES I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE REVED UP PAST 7,000 RPM. I TURNED OFF THE CAR IMMEDIATLY. I TRIED PUSHING THE PEDAL UP AFTER WAITING 3 MINUTES. ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE RACED IN NEUTRAL TO 7,000 RPM. I OPENED THE HOOD AND (USING A PAIR OF PLIERS) ROTATED THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY. WHILE ROTATING THE ASSEMBLY I FELT THE ASSEMBLY HIT AND GO THROUGH SOME KIND OF BARRIER. I RESTARTED MY VEHICLE. THIS TIME IT STARTED NORMALLY. I TOOK THE...

WHILE STOPPED WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, THE ENGINE VIBRATES TERRIBLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES; THE WHOLE CAR SHAKES ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN IN REVERSE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER SPENT A LOT OF $$ TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. NOW, I'M SPENDING $$ TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I JUST HAD A TUNE UP, AND I WILL BE REPLACING THE TIMING BELT, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, PCV VALVE, DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR, TENSION SPRING, IDLER PULLY, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE. I HAVE READ OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL, BUT THIS IS NOT NORMAL VIBRATION BY ANY MEANS. *TR

ENGINE FAILED. *TR

MY 1995 TOYOTA CAMRY 4 CYLINDER SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING FOR 30 MINUTES. NO WARNING LIGHT COME ON. I SAW MANY COMPLAINT SIMILAR HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/TOYOTA_ENGINE.HTML AND THIS "TOYOTA AGREES TO SLUDGE SETTLEMENT FOR CONSUMERS" HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2007/01/TOYOTA_SLUDGE_SETTLEMENT.HTML. *JB

VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THERE WERE BEARINGS IN MY OIL PAN. THEY SAID THAT SLUDGE PROBABLY PLUGGED UP THE OIL FLOW. I CAN\\'T BELIEVE A SIX CYLINDER TOYOTA ENGINE SHOULD FAIL AT 110,000 MILES.

ENGINE SEIZED WITH OIL STICK STILL SHOWING OIL. 1,000 MILES LATER TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. CAR STILL STALLED AFTER NEW TRANSMISSION. REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR CAP, NO LUCK. TIGHTENED LOSE IGNITION WIRE, NO LUCK. REPLACE IGNITION WIRE CONNECTION, FINALLY NO PROBLEMS. NOW I NO LONGER HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TOYOTA PRODUCTS.

ALTHOUGH I HAD TIMELY OIL AND FLUID CHANGES AND INSPECTIONS, THE TECHNICIANS REPORTED I HAD OIL SLUDGE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WITHOUT NOTICE, IN NOV, 2002, CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. SYMPTOMS WERE SMOKING AND LEAKY RADIATOR. DURING INSPECTION TECH NOTED: "VEHICLE HAS ALOT OF SLUDGE IN VALVE COVER/ OIL DRAINS SLOWLY & OVER FLOWS W/FILLED TOO FAST."

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND SHUT DOWN. IT WILL NOT RESTART. IDEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK