2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust System Problems

2002 CAMRY LE WITH 153,000 SUFFERED FAILURE OF CATALYST AND CHARCOAL CANISTER AT TIME OF STATE INSPECTION. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE OF THE CATALYST SINCE PURCHASE OF THE CAR. DEALER SAID THAT CATALYST IS ONLY WARRANTIED FOR ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF INSTALLATION AND GAVE AN ESTIMATE OF MORE THAN $1700 TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. CONTACT WITH TOYOTA CONCERNING THIS ONGOING PROBLEM WAS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. VEHICLE TAKEN TO PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED REPAIRS WITH CONFORMING NON OEM PARTS CARRYING BETTER WARRANTIES AT HALF THE PRICE QUOTED BY DEALER. *TR

I OWN A TOYOTA CAMRY 2002 V6. LATE 2009, THE CAR STARTS TO BLOW LIGHT BLUE SMOKE EVERYTIME I START THE ENGINE. I CALLED HAMER TOYOTA ON MISSION HILLS, CA ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IWAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL CHECK THE ENGINE BUT IT WILL COST ME $95.00 TO OPEN THE CYLINDER HEAD. I INFORMED THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE RECALL FOR ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM BUT HE STILL INSIST THAT THERE IS A CHARGE TO OPEN THE CYLINDER HEAD. HE SAID THAT IF WHAT IS CAUSING THE SMOKE IS THE ENGINE SLUDGE, THEY WILL NOT CHARGE $95.00. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THE CAR'S ENGINE WAS SO CLEAN AND I TOOK GOOD CARE OF THE CAR. JUST WONDERING WHAT'S THE REASON WHY THE CAR IS EXHALING WHITE SMOKE UP TO NOW IF HE SAID THAT THE ENGINE IS CLEAN. PLEASE LET ME...

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW A FIRE AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD I NOTICED THAT THE EXHAUST WAS RED NEAR THE BURN SITE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH THIS MODEL CATCHING FIRE WHILE DRIVING. *CN *TR

DURING A 60,000 MILE CHECK-UP AT MY SERVICE STATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT I NEEDED A NEW "FLEX PIPE ASSEMBLY" (MANIFOLD EXHAUST PIPE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER COMBINED). THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM ON MANY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY LE'S. THE PART ALONE COST ME $900 AND $100 IN LABOR TO INSTALL. TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT THIS PART IS NOT ON RECALL LIST. I APPROVED THE REPLACEMENT BY MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT. *NM

WHILE TRAVELING ON INDIAN HEAD HIGHWAY, CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID A DEER, INSTEAD SWERVED TO THE RIGHT/LOST CONTROL AND HIT A GUARD RAIL. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS DEMOLISHED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A SULFUR-LIKE OR ROTTON EGG ODOR COMING FROM EXHAUST SYSTEM. ALSO, BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: POOR ALIGNMENT/ENGINE CHECK LIGHT/FUEL INJECTOR/ SPARK PLUGS, MIRRORS, AND STRUCTURAL DEFECTS *AK

CAR EMITS AN STRONG ODOR OF ROTTEN EGGS (SULFUR DIOXIDE) THROUGH THE INTERIOR VENT SYSTEM. THIS CONDITION IS DOCUMENTED IN TOYOTA TSB EG003-03 DATED 2/24/03. ALTHOUGH THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONDITION, THEY SAY IT IS THE FAULT OF THE GASOLINE. I HAVE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT BRANDS AND MY NEIGHBORS CARS DO NOT EXHIBIT THIS SMELL. SULFUR DIOXIDE IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS SUCH AS MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS ASTHMA. HER CONDITION HAS BECOME WORSE THIS WINTER BECAUSE (WE THINK) OF HER CONTACT WITH THIS CAR. TOYOTA HAS SAID THAT THE CONDITION IS NOT COVERED IN THEIR WARRANTY AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT. *NLM

EVERY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY NEW CAMRY, THE CAR HAS EMITTED A SULFUR/ROTTEN EGG SMELL. THE SMELL COMES FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND, WHEN THE DEFROSTER IS ON, IT SUCKS THE TERRIBLE SMELL RIGHT INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. (NOTE TO NHTSA: YOU HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ALREADY LISTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM UNDER BOTH "CATALYTIC CONVERTER," "EXHAUST SYSTEM," AND "DEFROSTER"...THEY ARE ALL THE SAME THING.) I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THEY HAVE TOLD ME: 1) THAT IT IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, 2) THAT IT HAPPENS IN ABOUT 70 OF EVERY 3,000+ CARS PRODUCED, 3) THAT I SHOULD TRY A NEW GASOLINE AND 4) THAT IT WILL GO AWAY AT AROUND 6,000 MILES. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL NEW GASOLINES AND AM CURRENTLY AT 5,000 MILES WITH NO CHANGE TO THE SMELL. I WILL TAKE MY CAR INTO THE SHOP TWO...

CAR PRODUCES A HORRIBLE ROTTEN EGG SMELL WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC. DT

EXHAUST PIPE COULD EASILY BE PUNCTURED OR OTHERWISE DAMAGED ASCENDING OR DECENDING A STEEP DRIVEWAY OR BY HITTING AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE ROAD. EXPENSIVE REPAIRS MIGHT BE REQUIRED AND PERHAPS TOXIC CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES COULD BE RELEASED. LIBERTY TOYOTA ASSERTS THAT ALL 2002 CAMRY'S ARE DESIGNED THIS WAY. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THIS FLAW. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING OCCASIONALLY WHITE SMOKE EXITS THE EXHAUST. CONSUMER STATES DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

THERE IS A VERY STRONG ROTTEN EGG/SULPHER ODOR EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN A SHORT OR LONG DISTANCE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE ODOR WAS CAUSED BY HIGH SULPHER CONTENT IN THE GASOLINE THAT I WAS PUTTING IN THE CAR AND THAT I SHOULD TRY DIFFERENT BRANDS OF GASOLINE TO SEE WHICH ONE CAUSED THE LEAST ODOR. I HAVE TRIED 3 DIFFERENT BRANDS AND THE ODOR IS STILL THE SAME. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER TWICE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT SINCE IT WAS THE GASOLINE THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEH ENGINE OR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THAT EITHER THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATED HEAT SHIELD RATTLES, DEALER REPLACED. *TT

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

A STRANGE ODOR WAS COMING INTO CAB OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS CARBON MONOXIDE. CONSUMER STATED THAT SUNROOF WAS VACUUMING FUMES BACK INTO VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TO GROUND AND MAY CAUSES A POTENTIAL FIRE, MAKING CONTACT WITH DEBRIS. DEALER AND MANFUCTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK *YH

WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY, I WAS STARTLED WHEN AN OBJECT SUDDENLY FELL/DROPPED ONTO MY ANKLE/FOOT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE'S DASH. THIS INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT OBJECT WHICH FELL OFF WAS THE "DRIVER'S SIDE AIR FLOW DUCT." FURTHER INFORMED THAT PIECE FELL OFF BECAUSE A CLIP(S) WAS EITHER NOT INSTALLED DURING ASSEMBLY OR, CLIP FELL OFF DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY INCIDENT. NOTE: STILL AWAITING FOR SPECIAL ORDER PART (CLIP) TO ARRIVE AT DEALERSHIP.