2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS SERVICE BULLETIN. *SMD THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER, AFTER THE DAMAGE AND THE EXTENSIVE RE-BUILD OF THE ENGINE, OTHER PARTS WOULD BEGAN TO FAIL. *JB

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES TO REQUEST A FULL INVESTIGATION AGAINST A LOCAL DEALER FOR FRAUDULENT AND DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES RELATED TO THEIR VEHICLE NOT STARTING *TGW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN A BURNING SMELL EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

RADIATOR/OIL COOLER COPPER NIPPLE DISINTEGRATED CAUSING LOSS OF OIL. PART THAT FAILED IS ORIGINAL PART OF VEHICLE. THE NUT HOLDING THE NIPPLE RUSTED AND CRUMBLED CAUSING THE OIL COOLER HOSE TO SEPARATE FROM THE OIL COOLER. CAR HAS NEVER HAD FRONT END OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY AND HAVE MAJOR DAMAGE TO CYLINDER BLOCK WITH STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS. COST IS APPROX $4700 TO REPAIR. I TALKED TO EXECUTIVE OFFICES AT TOYOTA THEY WILL NOT HELP. ALSO HAS CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE. PLEASE SEE HTTP://WWW.CAMRYFORUMS.COM/FORUM/GENERAL-TECH-8/2002-STRIPPED-HEAD-BOLTS-4585/ AND CHECK OUT THE "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB2740. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS MECHANIC WANTED TO CHARGE HIM AN ADDITIONAL $3,450 TO PERFORM VALVE WORK AND OTHER REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING TIME, A PLUME OF EXHAUST SMOKE COULD VISIBLY BE SEEN. *JB

THREE HEAD BOLTS IN THE ENGINE HAVE STRIPPED AND PULLED OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE LARGEST CONSEQUENCE OF THIS IS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE; THIS ALSO CAUSED COOLANT LOSS AND OVERHEATING, WHICH IN TURN RUINED MY RADIATOR. WHEN MY MECHANIC OPENED UP THE ENGINE TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS, THESE FAULTY BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THEM OUT BY HAND WITHOUT NEEDING WRENCHES/TOOLS. THE TOTAL COST OF THE FIX, WHICH INCLUDED DRILLING OUT AND RETAPPING THE BOLT HOLES, REPAIRING/RESURFACING HEADS, INSTALLING NEW HEAD GASKETS AND INSTALLING A NEW RADIATOR EXCEEDED $3500; THE ONLY OTHER OPTION WAS BUYING A NEW/RECONDITIONED ENGINE FOR $7000+. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THIS LINE OF CARS HAS DEFECTIVE HEAD BOLTS. MY 2002 CAMRY XLE HAD ABOUT 98,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME, WHICH IS NOT A LOT BY TOYOTA STANDARDS. WHILE SEARCHING INTERNET FORUMS, I HAVE FOUND MANY MANY...

I WAS LOSING COOLANT IN MY SYSTEM SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD BOLTS ON MY ENGINE HAD BECOME STRIPPED AND THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE PUT IN. I PAID FOR THAT REPAIR AND NOW TWO YEARS LATER I AM HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT STRIPPED THREADS ARE VERY COMMON IN 2002-2008 CAMRYS. IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS NOT BEING ARRANGED. *TR

AFTER WAITING IN LINE AT A FAST FOOD OUTLET FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, MY TOYOTA CAMRY'S ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO VERY HIGH RPMS. ONLY MY QUICK REACTION TO APPLY THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD KEPT US FROM HITTING THE CAR AHEAD. THE PASSENGER REACTED BY PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION STOPPED THE ENGINE. IT RESTARTED NORMALLY AND SEEMED TO BE FINE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS LOW AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND ADDED MORE COOLANT TO THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES AFTER BEING REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE REPAIRING THE ENGINE, THE MECHANICED NOTICED THE BOLTS WHICH MOUNTED THE ENGINE WERE STRIPPED. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY MOUNTED OUT OF POSITION, PREVENTING THE ENGINE COOLANT FROM PROPERLY ENTERING THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THIS FAILURE, THE ENGINE RAN AT A LOW TEMPERATURE AND THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL INTERMITTENTLY, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE SINCE HE KNEW THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BLUE SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE TAIL PIPE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILDING UP IN THE ENGINE AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BURN MILEAGE EXTREMELY QUICKLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

THE CAR ACCELERATES AT A HIGH RATE WITH LITTLE PRESSURE ON GAS. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN THE CAR IS WARM. I COULD BE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THEN HAVE IT HAPPEN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS AND I STEP ON THE GAS. IT ALSO HAS HAPPENED WHEN ACCELERATING WHILE STILL MOVING IE: TAKING A CORNER WHILE SLOWING THEN STEPPING ON THE GAS ONCE I HAVE STRAIGHTENED OUT. *TR

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I STARTED EXPERIENCING A JERKING OF MY CAR AT ABOUT 40 MPH. MY CAR IS A 2002 CAMRY XLE V6. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TWO TECH'S RIDE WITH ME AND THEY EXPERIENCED THE JERKING BUT COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS. NOW THE JERKING IS GETTING WORSE AND IS HAPPENING AT ALL SPEEDS. I HAVE ABOUT 111000 MILES ON THE CAR PRESENTLY. I HAVE HAD A FEW TIMES WHERE I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO STOP COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I CALLED TOYOTA'S NATIONAL OFFICE TO MAKE SURE MY DEALERSHIP HADN'T MISSED A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN AND THE NATIONAL OFFICE SAID THERE WASN'T A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN. HOWEVER, I HAVE FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. THE NATIONAL OFFICE OFFERED TO CALL MY DEALERSHIP, WHICH THEY DID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'LL DO FOR ME SINCE LAST...

CAR WAS FILLED WITH GAS ON RETURN TRIP AND WHILE IN TRAFFIC SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE WITH NO WARNING. THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. SAMARITANS STOPPED TO SUPPORT STRANDED CAR AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO TURN THE CAR ON , IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. WHEN CHECKED BY A INDIVIDUAL WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A MECHANIC, HE SAID, HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR AND IT WAS CLEAN. INSURANCE COMPANY AND TOWING SERVICE SUPPORT CALLED AND $400.00 PLUS DOLLARS LATER THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO LOCAL DEALER. AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DEALER REPRESENTATIVE , WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR OBVIOUS NEGLIGENCE AROUND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES WERE THE CAUSE OF THE OIL SLUDGE THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO OUR CAR TO THE TUNE OF $4,600. SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS LATER, ALLOWING COOLER HEADS TO PREVAIL, WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN SOME...

ON MY CAMRY 2002 SE ENGINE STALLS AND/OR ROUGH IDLES ANYTIME WHILE COLD OR AFTER BEING WARMED UP. PREMATURE AND UNJUSTIFIED THROTTLE BODY FAILURE IS SUSPECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 40 MPH, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OIL TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS. THE TECHNICIAN ORDERED A NEW REPLACEMENT ENGINE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE LEAKING COOLANT AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT THE HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPPED AND THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON WITH HIS PARTICULAR MODEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 99,000.

I WAS REAR-ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND MOVE INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I ENDED UP GOING DOWN AN EMBANKMENT HITTING SEVERAL TREES. THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED REAR END INTO A TREE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY PASSENGER AND I EXPERIENCED CONCUSSION SYNDROME ALONG WITH MUSCLE SPASMS IN THE NECK, BACK, AND ANKLE. WE WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE NEW BRITAIN GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE WE WERE TREATED AND RELEASED . WE ARE BOTH RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP MEDICAL CARE. *TR

WE HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH A 2.4 LITER ENGINE WITH A 38, 900 MILES IN THE ODOMETER. AND ON MARCH 4, 2010 MY WIFE CAME HOME FROM A THE GROCERY STORE ASKED ME TO CHECK THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IIS ON. I DROVE THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FIVE MINUTES WITH THE SPEED OF 10 MILES TO 15 MILES AN HOUR. BEFORE I CAME TO THE STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE START RACING, RPM IS UP THE RED LINE, I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE ROAR. I STEP ON THE BRAKE HARD, SHIFT THE GEAR HARD INTO PARK AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION. I WAS SO LUCKY, I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND THE RIGHT TIME WITH NO TRAFFIC AND KIDS PLAYING ON THE STREET. IF MY WIFE WOULD BE DRIVING AT THAT MOMENT ESPECIALLY SHE IS AN ELDERLY...

MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY V6 XLE HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH STUTTERING AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE OR COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. FOUR DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND THEIR ONLY STATEMENT IS THAT IF THE ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON, THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. A NOW INDEPENDENT, FORMER TOYOTA MECHANIC DID OBSERVE THE PROBLEM AND CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH A COMPUTER. I WAS TREATED WITH ARROGANT DENIAL BY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT TOYOTA AND THEY BLACKMARKED ME ON THEIR SYSTEM-WIDE COMPUTER HISTORY. I DID LEARN THAT ONE PROBLEM WAS A RECALL PUBLICATION 3 MONTHS BEFORE I BOUGHT MY CAR THAT SAID THE COMPUTER NEEDED REPROGRAMMED. NONE OF THESE DEALERSHIPS KNEW THIS AND TOYOTA'S "ROMAN" IN CUSTOMER SERVICE DENIED ME ANY REIMBURSEMENT ABOUT THE REPROGRAMMING EVEN THOUGH I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ENGINE STUTTERING OR MISSING SINCE ABOUT ONE MONTH AFTER NEW PURCHASE TO THE...

ON THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006, MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AT THE SHERTON PALO ALTO. WHEN ENTERING HE PARKING LOT, THE CAR ACCELERATED WITH ENGINE RACING AND CRASHED THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BARRIER. THE HOTEL GRACIOUSLY REPAIRED THE BARRIER AT THEIR EXPENSE. THIS INCIDENT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY. THIS IN THE ONLY INCIDENT TO DATE. A SECOND SAFETY ISSUE IS THE TRANSMISSION "LURCH" MY CAR HAS. I TRIED TO HAVE IT CORRECTED BY TOYOTA, BUT THEY REFUSED, SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE TOO COSTLY FOR TOYOTA TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WENT TO MEDIATION WHO AGREED WITH TOYOTA. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR

MY 2002 CAMRY BEGAN "LURCHING" APPROX. 2 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE TAKEN IT FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES, TO NO AVAIL. WE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, A SENSOR AND WERE TOLD BY ONE DEALER THAT IT WAS JUMPING FROM CYLINDER TO CYLINDER, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. TWO OTHER VISITS TO 2 SEPARATE DEALERS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM DURING TEST DRIVES. THEY EVEN HAD A REGIONAL MANAGER COME AND CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND COULD NOT DIAGNOSE IT. IT HAPPENS INCONSISTENTLY WHEN CRUISING AT LOWER SPEEDS AND AGAIN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. SOMETIMES IT IS WORSE THAN OTHERS AND THEN IT GOES DAYS WITHOUT HAPPENING. I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT IT MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE CONNECTED TO THE GAS PEDAL AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HAVE IT CORRECTED. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AS HE PROCEEDED TO A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED WITHIN TWENTY MINUTES AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE WAS 50,000.

WIFE DRIVING 2002 CAMRY FOR SMOCK INSPECTION. I AM FOLLOWING BEHIND. CAMRY STALLS - ENGINE JUST DIES. STEERING IS LOCKED. WIFE STOPPED AND TRIED TO RESTART. AFTER ~2MINS, CAR RESTARTED. CONTINUED ~2 MILES AND ENGINE DIES AGAIN, STEERING AGAIN LOCKS. WIFE ABLE TO START AGAIN. AFTER CAR STARTS, VSC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS ARE NOW ON. TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER NEXT DAY. A SKID CONTROL COMPUTER IS DOWN PER TOYOTA. TOYOTA UNABLE TO DUPLICATE ENGINE DYING, BUT ADMIT FAULTY COMPUTER COULD BE CAUSE. SKID CONTROL COMPUTER COSTS $1453 TO REPLACE + $XXX FOR LABOR. I HAVE READ THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR 2002 TOYOTA SO AM FILING A COMPLAINT. WHY HAS TOYOTA NOT RECALLED/FIXED THIS YET? IF THIS OCCURRED ON FREEWAY, STEERING WHEEL LOCKUP AT 55+ MPH? ARE THEY CRAZY? *TR

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY, ENGINE STALL/LOW IDLE PROBLEM AT 60K MILES, NO CODES ON OBD REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, COIL PACK, FUEL INJECTION SERVICE BUT STILL SAME PROBLEM, NO ERROR CODE ON DIAGNOSTICS. *TR

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS FOUL ODOR COMING FROM HVAC VENTS. DEALER HAS REMOVED FAN ENCLOSURE IN ENGINE AND CLEANED OUT AND ADDED DISINFECTANT. ODOR REMAINS A PROBLEM. *TR

OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP RESULTING IN POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE SEIZURE AND FIRE. *TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALERSHIP AND REGULARLY MAINTAINED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SO I TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR WHICH HE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING AND SHE WAS JUST ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC'S SHOP WITH THE CAR RUNNING ROUGHLY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE (136,000 MILES) HAD SUFFERED A "BLOWN" HEAD GASKET. HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET BUT WARNED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM CASTING OF THE ENGINE THAT THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WHEN HE REMOVED THE STEEL BOLTS THEY WOULD STRIP OUT THE ALUMINUM THREADS AND THEN I WOULD BE LOOKING AT A NEW ENGINE. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED - TOTAL COST TO PUT IN A...

VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING (WHITE SMOKE) I TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER HE ADVISED THAT THE PRIOR YEAR VEHICLES HAD A DEFECT OF THE MOTOR SLUDGING UP BUT MY MODEL HAD BEEN REDESIGNED AND THAT IT WAS DUE TO ME NOT CHANGING THE OIL FILTER MY HUSBAND OWNS A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD DONE THE OIL CHANGES AND REPLACED THE FILTERS THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER 50,000 BUT DEALER WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF PROBLEM. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY NEW AND RECENTLY NOTICED THE CAR BLOWING BLUE SMOKE ON START UP IN THE MORNINGS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER WHERE THEY DID AN EVAL. THEY ARE SUGGESTING THAT I HAVE THE VALVE STEM SEALS REPLACED AT A COST OF AROUND $2,000.00. I WAS SHOCKED. MY CAR IS 5 YEARS OLD WITH 77,000 MILES. HOW COULD THIS BE? I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR, GETTING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES (AND HAVE THE RECEIPTS AND RECORDS TO PROVE IT. IN FACT THE DEALER HANDLED ALL THE OIL CHANGES AND SERVICE FOR ME, UP TILL THE LAST 2 OIL CHANGES.) I KNOW THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR AN OIL SLUDGE/GEL PROBLEM, WHICH AFTER READING EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET, I BELIEVE IS PROBABLY THE REAL ISSUE WITH MY CAR, BUT EVERYTHING I'VE READ SAYS IT ENDED WITH THE 2001 CAMRY...

TOYOTA CAMRY LE 2.4 L WINTER WEATHER CAUSE TO VVT ON AUTO TO FAIL AND STALL ENGINE. STALLED ENGINE CAUSED LOST OF CONTROLS, STEERING, BRAKES, ETC..PARTS REPLACED WERE OXYGEN SENSORS, CAT.CONVERTOR, ETC.. THE VVT IS VARIABLE VALVE TIMING CONTROL ALONG WITH OCM, PCM, THROTTLE SENSOR, MASS AIR SENSOR WHICH REGULATES THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE. *TR

I WAS COMING HOME ONE DAY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE O2 SENSOR GOING BAD. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION SO I TOOK MY CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS VERY CONCERN BY THESE TWO DIFFERENT ANSWERS, SO I WENT TO A THIRD DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS INDEED THE O2 SENSOR. AFTER HAVING THAT REPLACED, WITHIN 2 MONTHS THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON AGAIN. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE TOWING COST. THEY WON'T PAY FOR THE 7 MILES TOWING CHARGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. *BF

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

AT 1,500 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002 AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY RESET THE COMPUTER. THE CAR WAS FINE UNTIL I ARRIVED AT HOME AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON NOVEMBER 11TH AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY WERE GOING TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION BUT NEEDED A PART. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 25TH AND THE PART STILL HASN'T ARRIVED AND THE CAR HASN'T BEEN REPAIRED.

MY VEHICLE, A VINTAGE 1965 PONTIAC CATALINA HARDTOP COUPE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT MY FRIEND'S RESIDENCE AT 1271 N.E. 207TH STREET WHEN AT AROUND 4:50 P.M. IT WAS STRUCK BY A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SEDAN DRIVEN BY A MRS. UNA ELIZABETH TUCKER OF PORT ST. LUCIE, FL. THE TOYOTAS WAS ON THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY. ACCORDING TO HER, SHE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE CLAIMS HER CAR STARTED SMOKING AND SUDDENLY BOLTED. HER VEHICLE SMASHED ONTO MY CAR WITH SUCH FORCE.. THAT IT MOVED IT AND PUSHED IT AGAINST A VAN THAT WAS PARKED NEXT TO IT. MY CAR'S FRONT FENDERS WHERE SMASHED, MAKING THE FRONT WHEELS IMMOBILE. THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER BENT UNDER, LEFT FRON HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY SMASHED, UNABLE TO OPEN HOOD, POSSIBLE FRONT SUSPENSION DAMAGE, UNKNOWN DAMAGE TO ENGINE. HSMV CRASH REPORT NUMBER 4464507 MIAMI DADE COUNTY. *AK

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND ENGINE ROARED AND SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EXTREME FORCE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. ALSO, WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON AND TURNED OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN THERE WAS A FOUL ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. *AK

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE, SINCE I GOT THE CAR NEW IT STARTED TO LUNGE SEVERAL TIMES WHILE SITTING AT STOP LIGHTS/SIGNS. I WENT TO TWO DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS RUNNING AS MANUFACTURED. I SAID THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. ALSO, SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IT WANTS TO STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. AGAIN, NO DEALER WILL HELP. SOMETHING IS WRONG BUT THE DEALERS WON'T HELP. I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO KEEP RUNNING TO DEALERS, THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT A NEW CAR. THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. AS TIMES GOES BY, IT'S GETTING WORSE, ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS.