1997 TOYOTA CAMRY Suspensionfrontmacpherson Strut Problems

CAR : 97 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 4 CYLINDER THREE MAJOR PROBLEMS 1) BLUE SMOKE AT COLD-STARTING (MILEAGE: 87 MILES -AUG. 2001) ENGINE GAVE OFF BLUE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST WHEN COLD-STARTING IN THE MORNING. AFTER REPLACING VALVE STEM SEALS (PAID AROUND $1000 TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR THE REPAIR), THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. 2) POWER STEERING RACK & PINION LEAKING (MILEAGE: 87KMILES -AUG. 2001) POWER STEERING RACK & PINION LEAKED AND A MECHANIC REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. 3) EGR VSV FAILURE (MILEAGE: 100 KMILES -OCT. 2004) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. OBD II SCANNER SAYS "INSUFFICIENT EGR FLOW." A MECHANIC REPLACED EGR VSV AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. 4) FRONT STRUT MOUNTS FAILURE ((MILEAGE: 87 KMILES -AUG. 2001) BOTH FRONT STRUT MOUNTS MADE NOISE. AFTER A TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED IT, THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *JB

A ONGING PROBLEM RELATING TO THE CRUNCHING/CHUNKING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION AREA(FRONT). NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE TOYOTA OFFICIALS HAS NOT EVEN MERITED A MINOR CONCERN. ESTIMATIONS TO FIX THE STRUT ASSEMBLY VARIES FROM $500-$700 DOLLARS. SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT WITH ALL THESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING, WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE VEHICLE, SOMEBODY WOULD GET THE MESSAGE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM. IF THEY CARED.*AK

CRUNCHING /RATTLE FROM FRONT STRUTS WHEN TRAVELING OVER BUMPS OR DIPS IN ROAD. THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED AND I WAS ADVISED AT TIME OF THE INSTALLATION THAT THE NEW STRUTS WOULD NOT RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND NO RESOLUTION EXITS. *AK

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT RATTLE PRESENT FOR TWO YEARS. ON 03/30/03 DURING A DRIVE AT 56 MILES/HR SPEED, STRUT RATTLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE GREW WORSE SUDDENLY AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD, THE LEFT STRUT CENTER BOLT CAME OFF COMPLETELY AND ITS THREADS WERE COMPLETELY STRIPPED. STRUT CAME OFF THE MOUNT SLEEVE. AFTER A NEW STRUT IS PUT ON THE VEHICLE, THE DAMAGED STRUT IS CHECKED AND ITS TOP THREADS (WHERE THE CENTER NUT GETS FASTENED) WERE PARTIALLY STIPPED.

FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION AT STRUT MOUNTS MAKE A NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD AT 20 TO 30 MPH.

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S FRONT RIGHT STRUT HAS BEEN DESTROYED. WHEN VEHICLE DRIVES OVER BUMPS IT MAKES LOUD NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES FRONT END RATTLES AROUND THE TIRE AREAS ON BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED STRUT MOUNTS. *YD

THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT MOUNT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY FOWLER TOYOTA TO BE BROKEN. IT ONLY HAS 31,000/WARRANTY IS 36,000/3 YEARS. FOWLER TOYOTA SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WITH A CAR WITH THAT MANY MILES. I CONTACTED THE DISTRICT MANAGER TO ASK THAT TOYOTA WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR. HE REFUSED BECAUSE IT WAS PAST THE 36 MONTHS. HE SAID IT WAS NOT A SAFETY FACTOR.*AK

EXPERIENCED BUMP AND NOISE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. DEALER ADVISED I NEEDED TO REPALCE THE STRUT ASSEMBLY, COST $700.00! CAR ONLY HAS 24,000 MILES. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS TOLD NO. DEALER DID ADVISE THAT THEY HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WITH THIS ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED CAMRY'S IN THE PAST AND HAD NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED OR AT LEAST PAID FOR BY TOYOTA. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I CHECKED OUT YOUR WEBSITE AND NOTICED THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD APPRECIATE AND ASSISTANCE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE. I DID SEND A SEPARATE E-MAIL TO YOU BEFORE I CAME ACROSS THIS FORM. *AK

BRACKET MOUNTS FOR STRUTS ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE BROKE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

97 CAMRY 4 CYLLINDER PURCHASED USED (34533 MI) SEPT, 99. WITHIN A WEEK NOTICED: FRONT GRILL BROKEN; GRINDING, SCRAPING NOISE IN FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM; DISTINCT "CHUNK" NOISE PRIMARILY IN RT FR WHEEL WELL AREA FROM MACPHERSON STRUT (LFT NOISY ALSO); CA

PROBLEM STARTED 12/17/97 WITH 4581 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM BEING A NOISE UNDERNEATHJ THE CAR WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITHE THE LAST BEING 2/2/99 TRYING TO GET THE PROBLEM SOLVED. THEY HAVE TRIED ON EACH TIME WORKING WITH THE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY AND THE STRUTS. THEY HAD TOYOTA REP IN ON THIS LAST TIME AND HE SAID THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM MORE NOTICEABLE IN COLD TEMPERATURE AND THAT THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO COME UP WITH A FIX. PROBLEM IS MAINLY A DESIGN PROBLEM IN THE STRUT ASSEMBLY. ALSO HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF POOR VISABILITY PATTERN THEY PROJECT AND STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. THIS MATTER HAS ALSO HAD SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT CORRECTING WITH THE LAST BEING 2/2/99

FRONT STRUT FAILING TO OPERATE BETWEEN 6000 -7000 MILES OF WEAR. WHENEVER VEHICLE HIT A BUMP THE STRUT WOULD BOTTOM OUT/ METAL TO METAL ARE HITING. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

THERE IS SHAKING IN THE TIRE, AND THE TIRERS ARE OUT OF BALANCE. ALSO, THERE IS A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE STRUCTURE. *AK