1998 TOYOTA CAMRY Suspensionfront Problems

CAR BOTTOMED OUT OVER ANY UNEVEN SURFACE EVAN AFTER I REPLACED SHOCKS AND MOUNTS FOR OVER 850 DOLLARS ON FRONT END. FIINALLY REPLACED FRONT AND REAR SPRINGS AND STRUTS FOR 2000 DOLLARS AND CAR STILL BOTTOMS OUT AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE . CONTACT TOYOTA ABOUT PROBLEM BUT NO DEALER WOULD ADMIT TO SUSPENSION DESIGN FLAW IN 1998 CAMRY SUSPENSION. OTHER FAULTS WITH ACCELERATION AND SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO GAS PEDALS WE'RE A NATURAL PROGRESSION IN CAMRYS THAT FOLLOWED. *TR

DEAR SIR OR MADAM, I HAVE 1998 CAMRY LE AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES CLUNKING AND BANGING NOISE WHEN I DRIVE OVER ANY UNEVEN SURFACE OR SMALL HOLE, BUT NOISE GETS MUCH WORSE WHEN I DRIVE OVER BUMPS OR HUMPS. I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE ACTION TO MY COMPLAINT AND THANK YOU ADVANCE FOR TAKING CARE FOR US AS A CONSUMER SAFETY. *TR

I NOTICE THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY CAMRY THE NOISE IS CONSTANT IT MAKES A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT AND THEN IT ALSO SQUEAKS IN THE FRONT. I BOUGHT IT TO PEP BOYS 6 TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM IT IS A HORRIBLE NOISE THAT IS VERY LOUD. *TR

1. FRONT SPRING RETAINER COLLAPSED INTO TIRE AND SHREDDED TIRE IN MOTION, LOST CONTROL, REPLACED SHOCK ABSORBER ASSY' 2. REAR STABILIZER BAR SPLIT IN HALF, REAR WHEEL WOBBLED UNCONTROLLABLY CONDITION, TEMPORARY WELD, MUST BE REPLACED, PART AVAILABLE. *TR

I HAVE A '98 TOYOTA CAMRY LE WITH A FRONT-END RATTLING NOISE EMANATING FROM THE SUSPENSION. WHEN I DRIVE OFF IN THE MORNING (COLD) OVER A MODERATELY BUMPY ROAD, ITS SOUNDS LIKE MY FRONT END WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. THIS RATTLE IS DEFINITELY TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT AND DRIVING ME CRAZY. LOOKING AT THE WEB FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM ALSO ON CAMRYS AND AVALONS FROM '97-'99. *TR

BLUE SMOKE COME FROM TAIL PIPE AFTER CAR SIT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE FRONT RIGHT STRUT OR SOMETHING ON THAT SIDE RATTLE. THE DATE IS WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE NOISE BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HEARD THE NOISE A YEAR OR TWO AFTER PURCHASE,SHE HAD THE STRUTS CHANGED AND THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. *NM

FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE OVER BUMPS. THE MECHANICS I SENT IT TO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THE NOISE. I HAD ALL THE STRUTS AND SPRINGS CHANGED BUT THE NOISE PERSISTS. ALL THE PARTS WERE FROM THE DEALER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO AND IF THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *LA

I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW IN MAY 1998. I HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES THE FIRST TIME BEING 11/8/99. I HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES OF FRONT END NOISE, CAR DRIFTING, AND STEERING VIBRATIONS. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS EITHER INCORRECT TIRE PRESSURE, OUT OF BALANCE OR ALIGNMENT. MOST OF THE TIME I WAS TOLD THE NOISE IS NORMAL ROAD NOISE AND THE DRIFTING IS NORMAL DRIFTING. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO AVOID HAVING TO PAY FOR ALL THESE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND BECAUSE I HAD A 7 MONTH OLD BABY. I NOW HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND SOMETIMES I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THEM IN MY CAR. MY CAR STILL MAKES THE NOISE, DRIFTS, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS. I HAVE EVEN REPORTED CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR AND...

THE SUSPENSION OF MY 1998 CAMRY LE HAS BEEN HAVING NOISES WHEN PASS THE SPEED HUMPS FOR TWO YEARS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE HEARD SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL YET. IT MAKE ME VERY CONCERNED. *NLM

JUST BEFORE 30,000 MILES MY RIGHT FONT SUSPENSION BEGAN TO RATTLE OCCASIONALLY. THE CAR NOW HAS 93,000 MILES AND THE RATTLE IS STILL HEARD NOW AND THEN. NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE SHOP HAVE NOT TURNED UP ANY CAUSE. *JB

FRONT SUSPENSION, NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, UNEVEN PAVEMENT. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. DEALER SUGGESTS TRYING DIFFERENT PARTS BUT NONE SEEMS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ITS GETTING EXPENSIVE AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THE SERVICE TECH STATED HIS WIFE HAS THE SAME CAR AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AND WAS NOT SURE HOW TO CORRECT IT. HE ALSO STATED THE TOYOTA SOLARA WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB

FRONT SUSPENTION SOUNDS LOOSE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN RAPID CONCESSION. GETTING LOUDER EVERY DAY AND CAN'T PINPOINT THE PROBLEM

FRONT SUPENSION MAKES CLUNKING AND BANGING NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER EVEN SMALL POT HOLES. NOISE GETS MUCH WORSE WITH LARGER POT HOLES. NOISE STARTED AROUND 25K MILES.SUSPECT FRONT STRUTS AND STRUT MOUNTS.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

RECURRNET NOISE FROM FRONT END SINCE DAY ONE, ESPECIALLY GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT. DEALERS SERVICED ONCE FOR FREE, BUT NOISE CONTINUED. NOW THAT WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, I AM ADVISED THAT THE STRUT MOUNTS HAVE FAILED AND NED TO BE REPLCED. REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUT MOUNTS AT COST OF $416.58. SERVICE ADVISER ADMITS TOYOTA HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I BELIEVE THIS A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPAIR FOR ALL OWNERS OF CAMRYS.

WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD AND DRIVER TURNS HITTING OR A BUMPING THERE'S A GRINDING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS STRUT TOWERS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS THERE WAS VIBRATION IN VEHICLE, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE TO THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION STARTED RATTLING AT AROUND 40,000 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THE PROBLEM AND REPAIRED THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS AT A COST TO ME OF $342.00. TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. I KNOW FROM NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND CONSUMER REPORTS DATA THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOWEVER, TOYOTA REFUSES TO COVER AS I AM OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT. *AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE RAN OVER A BUMP/POTHOLE, ETC., IT CAUSED HARD BANGING NOISE UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER SAYS STRUT PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER DUE TO THE PROBLEM BEING NATIONWIDE. *SLC

BOTH FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR ON THE INSIDE, THE WORST OF THE TWO FRONT TIRES WAS WORN TO THE CASING AND WAS DISCARDED WHEN IT DEVELOPED A LEAK, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE TIRES OR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM. NLM

BOTH FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR ON THE INSIDE, THE WORST OF THE TWO FRONT TIRES WAS WORN TO THE CASING AND WAS DISCARDED WHEN IT DEVELOPED A LEAK, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE TIRES OR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM. NLM

BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY EVEN THOUGH A BRAKE KIT WAS INSTALLED AT 4,000 MILES. NEW MASTER CYLINDER WAS INSTALLED AS WELL. AT TIMES BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND CAR DOES NOT STOP. SUDDENLY LOUD NOISE HAPPENS AND CAR JERKS AND STOPS. ALL STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND SOLVED CRUNCHING NOISES. RELAY SWITCH INSTALLED TO SOLVE LOCK PROBLEM. CAR IS FALLING APART BEFORE MY EYES!!

BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY EVEN THOUGH A BRAKE KIT WAS INSTALLED AT 4,000 MILES. NEW MASTER CYLINDER WAS INSTALLED AS WELL. AT TIMES BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND CAR DOES NOT STOP. SUDDENLY LOUD NOISE HAPPENS AND CAR JERKS AND STOPS. ALL STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND SOLVED CRUNCHING NOISES. RELAY SWITCH INSTALLED TO SOLVE LOCK PROBLEM. CAR IS FALLING APART BEFORE MY EYES!!

IN 18 MONTHS 8 ALIGNMENTS AND 3 SETS OF TIRES AND THE CAR STILL VIBRATES. *AK

TIRES WOBBLE/VIBRATE 70-75MPH BEING THE WORST. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO DEALER. 6 TIRES REPLACED. MULTIPLE TIME BALANCING TIRES. LATEST RESULT - PER DEALER "WE CAN'T FIX BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WITH SPEEDS OVER 65MPH AND TOYOTA WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIRS ON ISSUES OCCURING OVER 65 MPH. ALSO, BRAKES MAKE BAD GRINDING NOISE AND SQUEEKS FORWARD/REVERSE - ADVISED IT IS BECUASE OF THE MATERIAL OF THE PADS. PADS CHANGED ONCE AND HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, BUT HAVE LEFT LONG SKID MARK WITH ONE TIRE AND CAR PULL TO THE SIDE. *AK

CAR VEERS TO THE LEFT FOR NO REASON. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG, BUT SAID VEHICLE NEEDS NEW TIRES. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS UNDER SNOWY AND FREEZING CONDITIONS WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE OVER BUMPS. THE DEALER THAT I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT TODAY, CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE STATES THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE STRUT MOUNTING BRACKETS. HE HAD OVER 14 SETS ON BACK ORDER TODAY. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT THEY ARE HAVING AND YOU ARE RECEIVING TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT A RECALL MIGHT HAPPEN. THE COST TO CORRECT WOULD BE INEXCESS OF $300. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE OVER BUMPS. DEALER SAYS VERY COMMON PROBLEM BUT NO SOLUTION AVAILABLE. REFERNCE TSBS: NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: SB602177 & SB602531. REFERENCE ODI ID: 545483, 706991, 712064, & 714862. *AK

NOISY SUSPENSION FRONT & REAR. ROADWAY BUMPS CAUSE THE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO MAKE A BANGING AND BUMPING NOISE. THE FRONT STRUTS HAD REPLACEMENT MOUNTS INSTALLED BUT DID NOT ELIMINATE THE BANGING AND BUMPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT STRUTS. THE REAR STRUTS BOTTOM OUT WITH MINOR BUMPS IN A ROADWAY. THE CASE IS IN ARBITRATION WITH TOYOTA AND TOYOTA IS AGAIN TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTS WITH A NEWER 2ND GENERATION REPLACEMENT STRUT MOUNT. TOYOTA IS GOING TO REPLACE BOTH REAR STRUTS WITH REPLACMENT STRUTS. AT THIS TIME THE WORK HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED SO I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE 2ND GENERATION STRUT MOUNTS AND REPLACEMENT STRUTS FOR THE REAR WILL ELINIMATE THE SUSPENSION NOISE. I'VE TOLD TOYOTA I BELIEVE THE STRUT SYSTEM IS BADLY DESIGNED AND THAT THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS WEAK. IF TOYOTA'S ADDITIONAL ACTIONS DON'T STOP THE BUMPING NOISE, THE CASE GOES BACK TO...

WITH THE SQUEAKS AND CRACKING NOISES THAT COMES FROM THE SUSPENSION MAKE YOU WONDER. I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF LUBE JOBS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. I HAVE HAD THE DRIVERS SEAT TRACK REPLACED BECAUSE OF TO MUCH MOVEMENT... A ROCKING CHAIR. THE DEALER FINALLY SUPPORTED ME ON THE SQUEAKY BRAKES WITH THE UNBEARING FEELING OF THAT GRIND. THE REPAIR KIT WORKS. THE CAMRY HAS A GREAT FEEL WHEN DRIVING A SPEED LIMIT UNDER 45MPH, ANYTHING OVER THAT SPEED THE CAR SUSPENSION DOESN'T HANDLE WELL. MY CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT MOST OF THE TIME. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TIRES. I HAVE HAD THEM ROTATED AND BALANCED ACCORDING THE THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES. THE GOODYEAR INTEGERITY'S HAS TO BE REPLACED. ALL I GOT OUT OF THEM IS 32,000 MILES. FUEL IS ANOTHER THING I BROUGHT UP AT MY LAST SERVICE. PUTTING A LOWER GRADE 83 OXCTAIN MAKES THE CAR EXHAUST...

RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED CAUSING NOISE UNDER THE CHASSIS WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROADS. NLM

VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LANE TO LANE. *AK

AT FREEWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE DRIFTS WHEN WEATHER OR ROAD CONDITIONS ARE POOR.