1999 Toyota Camry Engine

I PURCHASED A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY IN JANUARY 01. APPROXIMATELY, 18 MONTHS LATER, MY VEHICLE SUFFERED ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS ADVISED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. I COMPLETED REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE WARRANTY ONLY PARTIALLY PAID FOR THE DAMAGE. I WAS FORCED TO PAY ABOUT $2400. EVEN THOUGH MY WARRANTY SHOULD HAVE COVERED EVERYTHING LESS THE $500 DEDUCTIBLE. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT TOYOTA RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM AND SAID THAT IT WOULD PAY FOR THESE DAMAGES. I AM INTERESTED IN INVESTIGATING IF I CAN HAVE THE FUNDS I PAID REFUNDED TO ME.*AK

CAR OVERHEATED. DROVE TO TOYOTA DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A RADIATOR PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS 51000 MILES ON IT.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH. ALSO, SPEEDOMETER FAILED WHILE THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE DECREASED. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR SEVERAL TIMES BUT THAT NEVER ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH APPROX. 89,000 MILE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I AM TOLD THAT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 294 PARTS AND 190 LABOR. UPON CHECKING THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE REPAIR IT SEEMS THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT ON MANY TOYOTA MODELS INCLUDING MINE. *NM

DEFECTIVE PART ON TOYOTA CAMRY 1999. CHARCOAL CANISTER. MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSES OIL TO GEL, RESULTING IN BLOWN MOTOR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I HAVE READ A REPORT IN USA TODAY NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE CAMRY SOLARA SURGING AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS MYSELF. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MOST OF MY TRAVEL IS AT THESE SPEEDS. AT THE TIME I DID NOT NOTICE THE SPEDOMETER OR THE TACHOMETER INCREASE, IT JUST FELT LIKE I GOT A SUDDEN PUSH FROM BEHIND. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AT ANY CERTAIN TIME, ROAD CONDITION, WEATHER OR ANYTHING ELSE. EACH TIME ON THE HIGHWAY I WAS USING MY CRUISE CONTROL. ALSO I NOTICE IN THE REPORT THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. I MYSELF WAS JUST INVOLVED IN A MINOR CRASH RECENTLY WHERE AT THE TIME I THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT. I HAD BEGUN TO MOVE INTO THE SPOT THAT THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME WAS MOVING OUT OF. WE WERE IN THE RIGHT TURN LANE, STOPPED, WAITING TO TURN. AS I MOVED I LOOKED LEFT FOR CLEARANCE AND WHEN I TURNED BACK, LOOKING RIGHT, SHE HAD STOPPED. MAYBE 5-10 FEET AHEAD OF ME. WELL I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. I COULD FEEL THE PEDAL PUSLE FROM THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. I WASN'T GOING MORE THAN 5MPH MAX. I HAD JUST STARTED TO MOVE. I DON'T EVEN THINK I TOUCHED THE GAS, JUST LET OFF OF THE BRAKE TO COAST AHEAD INTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN UNOCCUPIED SPOT. AT THE TIME IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO STOP IN SUCH A SHORT DISTANCE ESPECIALLY WHILE GOING AS SLOW AS I WAS. BUT AFTER YOUR CAR GETS CRUMPLED YOU KIND OF FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THE VEHICLE AND DRIVERS CONDITION INVOLVED. OF COURSE I RECIEVED A TICKET FOR CARELESS DRIVING FOR BEING THE REARENDER, NOT THE REARENDEE.*AK

VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY DIES ON THE ROAD. *MR THERE WERE MORE THAN FOUR ATTEMPTS MADE TO REPAIR THE WARRANTY PROBLEM. *SC *JB

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, DUE TO A FAULTY GAS CAP. *BF THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT. THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND DID NOT COME BACK UNTIL 31,602K MILES. *SC WHEN THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE EMISSIONS CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD BANG NOISE WAS HEARD AND A CLANGING SOUND WAS MADE FROM THE CAR. CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEC. WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON 4/15/04. CONSUMER WAS 400 MILES OVER FORD WARRANTY. WARRANTY COMPANY HAS AN ADJUSTER COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE VEC. 6 OR 7 TIMES. FORD KNEW IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY THAT THE VEC. WAS OVER MILEAGE AND THEY CONTINUED TO LEAD THE CONSUMER AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY WOULD FIX IT. FORD DEALERSHIP AND THE FORD WARRANTY COMPANY ADJUSTER BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. 2 BOLTS THAT HELD THE PISTON IN PLACE BUSTED AND THREW A ROD THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE SAME DEALERSHIP HAD ANOTHER CAMRY WITH 61,000 MILES COME IN WHILE THIS CAR WAS THERE AND HAD DONE THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED WITH IT. THE VEC. NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AND NOT TOYOTA NOR FORD WILL HELP US. I HAVE DONE SEVERAL SEARCHES OVER THIS VEC. AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN OVER 5,000 CAMRYS THAT HAVE DONE THIS EXACT SAME THING....1999. THEY HAVE ALL BEEN AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE ALSO. *AK

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE DEALER DISCOVERED, THE CHARCOAL CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT PART THAT IS COVERED UNDER FEDERAL EMISSIONS CONTROL. *TC

WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND HEARD LOUD CLANGING SOUND AND THEN SAW LOTS OF SMOKE. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I PULLED OVER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND OPENED THE HOOD. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND OIL WAS ALL OVER. CAR HAD 66,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS 400 MILES OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO SLUDGE OR GEL IN THE ENGINE. CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS. WARRANTY COMPANY IS FIGHTING US ON FIXING THE VEC. AND TOYOTA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING EITHER. THIS HAPPENED ON APRIL 15, 2004 AND IT IS NOW JULY 7, 2004. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP STILL HAS MY CAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD BANKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A BLOWN GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN 55-60 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, JERKING FORWARD AND THEN STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THAT THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE ENGINE LOCKED UP DUE TO AN OIL SLUDGE. *AK

ENGINE BLOWN ON MY TOYOTA SOLARA. *AK

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE ACCELERATED AND BRAKE. THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME. THE DRIVER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILE, RANGING FROM TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS TO PAINT PROBLEMS. ENGINE STALLS. *BF *TC

WHILE AT A STOP CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM, AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, AT 7:30 AM ON THURSDAY APRIL 22, 2004, I NOTICED A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER MY AUTO'S HOOD. THE AUTO WAS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY, WITH ABOUT 90,100 MILES ON IT. THE CLICKING NOISE REMINDED ME OF A SPINNING ROULETTE WHEEL. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE NOISE INCREASED IN INTENSITY. AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO A REPAIR FACILITY TO HAVE IT EXAMINED. AS I WAS DOING THAT, THERE WAS A LOUD, EXPLOSION-LIKE NOISE AND THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING VERY HEAVILY. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AT WHICH POINT, I GATHERED UP SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS FROM MY CAR, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. BY THIS TIME, THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I CALLED 911 AND ADVISED THE DISPATCHER OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES AND LOCATION. THE CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN THREE MINUTES OF MY CALL. THEY TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH AN EXTINGUISHER, BUT WERE UNABLE TO DO SO. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, 10 MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND SMOKE. THEY WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT BY THAT TIME, THE CAR WAS RUINED. A FEW MINUTES LATER, A TOW TRUK REMOVED THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY GARAGE. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND FILED A CLAIM. THEY HAVE SINCE DECLARED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REMITTING MY SETTLEMENT.*AK

1999 TOYOTA CAMRY 140,000 MILES ROUTINE OIL CHANGES THREW A ROD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. DEALER CHARGED $127.00 TO PULL THE VALVE COVER. DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE ENGINE FAILED BUT IT WAS NOT OIL GELLING. THEY DENIED MY OIL GELLING CLAIM EVEN THOUGH I SHOWED RECEIPTS FOR THE OIL CHANGES. *AK

STARTING IN DEC. '03, I HEARD FLUID CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE IN MY "99 TOY. CAMRY (V6), ESP. FROM A STOP. THE TOY. DEALER TOLD ME MY COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW, BUT FOUND NO LEAKS, AND ADDED MORE COOLANT. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, THE SOUND CAME BACK AND BECAME WORSE. THE CAR BEGAN TO IDLE ROUGH AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RAN HIGH. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO ANOTHER TOY. DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. I HAD TO HAVE A NEW SHORT BLOCK INSTALLED, ALONG WITH A NEW OIL PUMP AND WATER PUMP. *JB

EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE PASSENGER CABIN WHEN DRIVING UPHILL AT 30 TO 40 MPH. DRIVER EXPERIENCES DIZZINESS, HEADACHES AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. DEALER HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR TOYOTA CAMRY VEHICLES. DEALER SAID THAT IT'S THE TYPE OF FUEL USED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T CAME ON, DEALERSHIP WON'T BE ABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. *LA

INITIAL SYMTOMS: ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON; CAR RAN VERY ROUGH, AS IF MISFIRING; WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED; ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF OIL; RESPONSE: MECHANIC FLUSHED OIL THROUGH ENGINE; REFILLED ENGINE WITH 4 QUARTS OIL; CHANGED FRONT 3 SPARKPLUGS; 1 WEEK LATER SAME SYMTOMS ABOVE RETURNED; ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF OIL AGAIN;

SLUDGE

BLUE EXHAUST SMOKE AND ODD ENGINE NOICE DURING IGNITION. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO COBB COUNTY TOYOTA IN KENNESAW, GA. I TOOK ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND SOME ARTICLES I'D PRINTED OUT REGARDING OIL GELLING, IN CASE THEY GAVE ME ANY HASSLE. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DO A FLUSH - HE SAID THAT TOYOTA WOULDN'T ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT ANYHOW, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING IT APART. HE WOULDN'T EVEN SPECULATE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS GELLING UNTIL THEY TOOK IT APART. AS SUCH, THEY WOULDN'T AGREE TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THEY THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS GELLING. THEY DID TAKE IT APART AND FOUND THAT THE GELLING WAS LIMITED TO THE HEAD. WITHOUT ASKING FOR MAINTENANCE RECORDS (EVEN THOUGH I'D HAD MOST OF MY OIL CHANGES DONE BY 3RD PARTIES), AND COMPLETELY FREE OF COST TO ME, THEY CLEANED THE HEAD, AND REPLACED THE VALVE STEM SEALS, OIL PUMP, PICK-UP SCREEN, PVC VALVE, AND VALVE COVER. RUNS SMOOTH AS THE DAY I BOUGHT IT NOW (THOUGH I DID REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AS WELL, WHICH I'M SURE CONTRIBUTED SLIGHTLY TO THE IMPROVEMENT). NO RENTAL CAR WAS NECESSARY AS THEY HAD IT BACK TO ME BY THE END OF THE DAY (I'D TAKEN IT IN THE PREVIOUS EVENING). INCIDENTALLY, I TOOK IT IN 4 YEARS TO THE DAY SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF IT.