1999 Toyota Camry Electrical System

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE GAS CAP. OUR MECHANIC HAS TRIED MANY SOLUTIONS TO REPAIR THIS AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LATER, WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE - THE EVAPORATION VAPOR CANISTER. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PIECE WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT AGAINST TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA LOST. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY OVER $400 FOR A PART SO THAT IT PASSES INSPECTION. ESPECIALLY WHEN TOYOTA KNEW THIS PART WAS A PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE GAS CAP. OUR MECHANIC HAS TRIED MANY SOLUTIONS TO REPAIR THIS AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LATER, WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE - THE EVAPORATION VAPOR CANISTER. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PIECE WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT AGAINST TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA LOST. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY OVER $400 FOR A PART SO THAT IT PASSES INSPECTION. ESPECIALLY WHEN TOYOTA KNEW THIS PART WAS A PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART.

WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE RADIO BEGAN SKIPPING SIMILAR TO A SCRATCHED CD WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE RADIO WAS TUNED TO FM, NOT PLAYING A CD. THE SAME SOUND WAS HEARD FOUR MONTHS EARLIER, BUT NOT SINCE THEN. SUDDENLY THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND PULLED ONTO A SIDE STREET, WHERE SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE ESCALATED AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR WAS CONSUMED. CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

OUR SON WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 CAMRY ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE-CHECK ENGINE, CHECK OIL, CHECK TIRES. THEN THERE WAS A DING SOUND AND A LOUD POP. THE CAR SHUT OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND EXITED THE CAR. AS HE WENT TO OPEN THE HOOD HE REALIZED IT WAS ON FIRE. HE CALLED 911. THE RESPONDING STATE TROOPER TRIED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BUT COULDN'T. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED. WE HAVE PROPERLY MAINTAINED OUR CAMRY AT OUR LOCAL GARAGE, WHO HAS THE RECORDS ON FILE. LUCKILY ONLY OBJECTS WERE LOST, OUR SON IS FINE. *TR

ON AUG 10, 2004 MY SISTER WAS DRIVING HER 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN IT INEXPLICABLY DROVE OFF THE W. BOUND LANES OF IL I '74' AT MI MARKER 115. IT TRAVELED 921 FT CROSSING THE MEDIAN, I '74' E. BOUND LANES, UP A HILL, EVENTUALLY STRIKING A TREE WHERE THE CAR BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES, BURNING MY SISTER TO DEATH. A WITNESS STATEMENT BY A SEMI TRUCK DRIVER STATED THAT HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. I ATTENDED THE CORONER'S INQUEST WHERE THE FACTUAL MATTERS WERE PRESENTED INCLUDING A TOXICOLOGY REPORT. HER DEATH WAS RULED AN "ACCIDENT". *TR

1999 CAMRY BATTERY KEPT DYING. THEN ONE DAY, THE CAR STOPPED WORKING DURING DRIVING, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, I SAW THAT THE CABLES AND BATTERY HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED. OLD PARTS WERE DISCARDED. *TR

ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 13, 2007 MY WIFE DROVE OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 20 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE TO A GOVERNMENT FACILITY WHERE SHE VOLUNTEERS AS AN INCOME TAX PREPARER FOR THE IRS THROUGH THE CITY OF PHOENIX. AS SHE WAS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE BUILDING THE CAR STALLED BUT SHE MANAGED TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN WITH THE GEAR SHIFT IN NEUTRAL AND PROCEEDED INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE THE CAR STALLED TWICE AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING SLOT AND SHE WENT INTO WORK. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES MY WIFE WAS CALLED OUT TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE SHE WITNESSED THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHING A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE CAMRY. THE FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND MELTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE. A PHOENIX POLICE OFFICER WAS PARKED IN THE LOT PRIOR TO THE FIRE AND TOOK A STATEMENT FROM MY WIFE AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR RESIDENCE. THE CAMRY HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS RUNNING IN GOOD CONDITION BEFORE THE FIRE. I HAD ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE A FEW MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR; THE DRIVER DOOR PUSH BUTTON LOCK, THE STEREO AND THE PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR WERE INTERMITTENT. NO OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAMRY WAS PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEALER IN AUGUST OF 2002 AS A TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. THIS DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ENGINE GEL, THE SECURE KEY LOCK AND WIRING HARNESS DEFECTS IN THE VEHICLE. WE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND SIMILAR CASES OF ENGINE FIRES IN 1999 CAMRYS THAT STARTED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SOME WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. WE ONLY HAD LIABILITY COVERAGE ON OUR CAMRY. WE ARE DOWN TO ONE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE SUFFERED A TOTAL LOSS. *NM

SIGNAL LIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS DEFECTED (WON'T FLASH). REPLACE FUSES AND UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL PART (DON'T KNOW THE CORRECT NAME) SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WORK FOR MAYBE TWO WEEKS, THEN STOP. MECHANIC STATED ITS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; ALSO HEAR LIKE A FRYING NOISE WHEN USING SIGNALS AND SOMETIMES WHEN JUST DRIVING. INSIDE CAR LIGHT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO. REPLACE WITH RECOMMENDED FUSE AND WORKS FOR A DAY AND STOPS. *NM

THE WIRING HARNESS POWERING SEVERAL REAR MOUNTED LIGHTS SEVERED COMPLETELY FROM ITS MASTER CABLE. THIS HARNESS RUNS ALONG THE LEFT HINGE OF THE TRUNK LID. THE RESULT IS THAT I LOST MY TAIL LIGHTS, REAR SIDE MARKER LIGHTS, BACKUP LIGHTS AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE INASMUCH AS I AM SUBJECT TO A CITATION FOR VIOLATION OF SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. I DON'T MIND REPLACING CONSUMABLE ITEMS, BUT A WIRING HARNESS SHOULD NOT FAIL IN NORMAL USE, ESPECIALLY IF IT AFFECTS SAFETY LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. REFERENCE # FOR MY COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA: 200601100356. *NM

VEHICLE DID NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS PULLED OUT THE IGNITION SWITCH. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE SWITCH BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY TURNED OFF. CONSUMER WILL NOTIFY MANUFACTURER.*AK *JB

DT: THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER PARKED VEHICLE AND PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND LATER STOPPED ON ITS OWN. A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTERWARDS, SHE INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THE BATTERY CABLES MELTED BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A DEALER. THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. *AK

SHIFTED (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) INTO REVERSE. FUSE BLEW. POWER WINDOWS AND ALL DASHBOARD GAUGES STOPPED FUNCTIONING. WIRING HARNESS, AT THE HINGE, IN THE TRUNK HAD TO BE REPAIRED. *JB

MY LATE 1999 TOYOTA ECHO WAS PARKED AFTER A SHORT DRIVE. TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND A LARGE AREA OF MY HOME WAS BURNED. I AND MY NIECE WERE ASLEEP UPSTAIRS. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE SMELL OF SMOKE WOKE US. WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE CAR, A COLUMN OF WHITE FIRE WAS SHOOTING UP THROUGH THE WINDSCREEN TO THE CEILING 11 FEET ABOVE. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE CENTER OF THE CONSOLE/DASH AREA. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO FLAMES AROUND OR UNDER THE CAR. JUST THE COLUMN OF FLAME FROM THE CENTER. THE HORN WAS SOUNDING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN 10 MINUTES AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE WAS SEATED IN THE CENTRAL DASH AREA. THE KEYS WERE BESIDE BY BED. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS AND THERE WERE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE CAR. WHEN TOYOTA WERE NOTIFIED, THEY SENT INVESTIGATORS TO LOOK FOR A RELAY NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. THE RESULTS OF MY INSURANCE', TOYOTA'S AND AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR'S INVESTIGATIONS WERE (AS RELAYED TO ME BY PHONE) UNSPECIFIED FIRE STARTING IN THE DASH. *JB

A 1999 GREEN TOYOTA CAMPRY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ITS OWNER WAS DRIVING IT. THE OWNER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AT THE LEFT REAR CORNER CLOSEST TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR DIED IN PLACE A CAUGHT FIRE. *AK

AFTER RETURNING FROM A ROAD TRIP CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRANK NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE VENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO HEAR A CRACKLING SOUND. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THE FIRE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A FAULTY IGNITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING MALFUNCTIONED. THIS RESULTED IN ALL ELECTRICAL OPERATED COMPONENTS FAILING AND BEING INOPERATIVE, WHILE DRIVING. *AK THERE WAS BREAKAGE OF THE WIRES THAT OCCURRED IN THE WIRE PACK WHICH CROSSED BETWEEN THE SIDE OF THE TRUNK AND THE HINGE OF THE TRUNK COVER AT THE POINT WHERE THE WIRES WERE FLEXED DUE TO THE OPENING/CLOSING OF THE TRUNK COVER. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY FOUND DUE TO NO VISIBLE DETERIORATION OR DAMAGE TO THE WIRE PACK COVERING AT OR NEAR THE POINT OF BREAKAGE. THE BROKEN WIRES WERE ULTIMATELY FOUND BY USING A FAULTY LOCATOR DEVICE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER THE ITEMS WERE PLACED IN THE TRUNK, THE COVER CLOSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR SIDE WINDOWS(WHICH WERE CLOSED AT THE TIME)COULD NOT BE LOWERED, THE SUNROOF (OPENED AT THE TIME)COULD NOT BE CLOSED, THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE INDICATORS WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. *SCC *JB

SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS ON 5/3/2003 AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

1999 TOYOYA CAMRY. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE BATTERY EXPLODED AND ACID SPILLED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHTED MIRROR ON THE VISOR FELL OFF CAUSING THE TWO WIRES BEHIND THE LIGHTED MIRROR TO COME LOOSE AND CONTACT EACH OTHER. THIS PROCEEDED TO SHORT OUT FILLING THE CARS CABIN WITH SMOKE. THE CAR WAS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY ON A LOCAL ROAD, TURNED OFF AND BOTH MY WIFE AND 21-MONTH OLD SON WERE QUICKLY REMOVED FROM THE CAR. I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS OCCURRENCE BY A LOCAL NEIGHBOR AND UPON MY ARRIVAL SAW A VERY FRIGHTENED WIFE HOLDING MY 21-MONTH OLD SON AND A SMOKE FILLED CAR. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR TO RETURN BACK TO MY HOME THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO MAKE A VERY LOUD WHINING SOUND. AFTER ARRIVING BACK AT MY HOME APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE AWAY I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE ONLY TO FIND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I THEN IMMEDIATELY OPENED THE HOOD AND BEGAN TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE BATTERY. IN THE APPROXIMATE 2 MINUTES THIS TOOK, THE ENGINE PROGRESSIVELY WHINED LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL THE STARTER BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THE ENGINE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. AT THIS POINT I FINALLY DISCONNECTED THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE BATTERY.

CLAIM NUMBER 52-2382-276 - WHILE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS CAUSE OF FIRE. *TT

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND STARTER GOT "STUCK". TURNED IGNITION TO OFF POSITION AND REMOVED KEY, BUT STARTER CONTINUED TO TURN ENGINE. VEHICLE THAN BEGAN TO SMOKE, AND ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE. CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY TO STOP STARTER FROM TURNING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT STATE SPEED LIMIT AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK

WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED ON, ENGINE FAILS TO START AND "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. MANUAL SAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS TAKE IT TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN AND MAY NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A WEEK OR TWO. I TOOK IT TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA, 4202 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95129. THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WARRANTY NOT COMPLIED WITH BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 3 -5 TRIES BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS. *AK