2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Engine Problems

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PUTTING IN DRIVE, CAR ACCELERATED AND CRASHED THROUGH GARAGE DOOR AND BRICK FRAME ON 4/19/13 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:50AM FOR UNKNOWN REASON. *TR

CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY. THE RESERVOIR WAS FULL OF COOLANT SO WE TOOK IT INTO A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. WE WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. WE LEFT THE CAR WITH THE MECHANIC AND HE FOUND THAT 3 BOLTS FOR THE ENGINE BLOCK WERE LOOSE (HE COULD EASILY PULL THEM OUT WITH HIS HANDS AND THE THREADING CAME WITH THEM). HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE SO HE LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 109K MILES ON IT. LOOKING ON THIS SITE SHOWS THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPPED. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE HAD TO BE EITHER REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A CLICKING NOISE OCCURRED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN SMOKED WAS EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD DEVELOPED A CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2002 AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT METICULOUSLY. THE CAR OVERHEATED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I BOUGHT IT ON 7/9/12. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP ON 7/11/12 FOR EVALUATION OF THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS WERE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE COOLANT RESULTING IN THE OVERHEATING INCIDENT. THE AUTO SHOP ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT IS WELL KNOWN, BUT TOYOTA REFUSES TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES FOR REPAIR. THE COST OF REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $2200.00 TO $2400.00, IF IT CAN BE REPAIRED. IF IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED, THE ENGINE WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A MUCH HIGHER COST. I WENT ON LINE TO CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM FROM OTHER 2002 CAMRY OWNERS AROUND THE USA. *TR

MY 2002 CAMRY HAD NO ISSUES UNTIL AT ABOUT 211,000 MILES WHEN ANTIFREEZE STARTED TO LEAK FROM BACK OF ENGINE. AFTER MECHANIC INSPECTED, HE SAID WATER HAD GOTTEN INTO HEAD GASKET. WHEN HE TRIED TO REMOVE BOLTS WE NOTICED THREE BACK BOLTS WERE LOOSE ALREADY AND THREAD WAS STRIPPED. AFTER HAVING HEAD GASKET CLEANED AND "REPAIRED" THIS REPAIR GUY SAID THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH HEAD ITSELF. ALL HE DID WAS INSPECT, CLEAN, AND SAND IT. HE DID SAY IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM HE ENCOUNTERS WITH TOYOTA'S. THE ONLY REPAIR HE SAYS WILL WORK IS TO HAVE ENGINE BLOCK REMOVED AND HE WILL RETHREAD ALL THE HOLES WITH DIFFERENT MATERIAL TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. NONE OF THIS IS A SURE FIX BECAUSE IT COULD STILL FAIL, THE ONLY SURE WAY IS TO BUY A NEW ENGINE, BUT IF TOYOTA MAKES DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS, THIS WILL HAPPEN...

BAD THREADS ON ENGINE BLOCK. ENGINE LEAKING COOLANT. MECHANIC DETERMINED HEAD GASKET BAD. TOYOTA CERTIFIED MECHANIC TORE APART ENGINE AND ON REASSEMBLY FOUND THE THREADS ON THE LOWER ENGINE BLOCK WERE STRIPPED AND THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. NEW ENGINE/REBUILD REQUIRED AT $5200. FAILURE CAUSED BY FAULTY THREADS/ENGINE BLOCK AT MANUFACTURING END. SIMPLY DRIVING VEHICLE CAUSES THREADS TO DISINTEGRATE AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR