2002 Toyota Camry Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXHAUST SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT ENGINE PRESSURE WAS EXCESSIVE CAUSING THE ENGINE BOLTS TO SEPARATE AND THE HEAD GASKET TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

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

ENGINE HEAD BOLTS STRIPPED CAUSING ANTIFREEZE LOSS, HEAD HAD TO BE RESURFACED, NEW HEAD GASKET, AND A SPECIAL KIT WAS NEED TO RE-THREAD THE LOOSE BOLTS REPAIRS COST OVER $3000 . WHICH IS BETTER THAN A NEW ENGINE BUT REPAIRS AREN'T GUARANTEED BECAUSE THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. HAD I KNOWN THIS I WOULDN'T HAVE PURCHASED THIS PARTICULAR MAKE OF CAR. *TR

COOLANT LEAK DUE TO APPARENT STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR

BEGAN NOTICING GURGLING/WATER SLOSHING NOISES AT APPROXIMATELY 100K MILES. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, CAR OVERHEATED. NOTICED COOLANT WAS LOW, SO HAD COOLANT REFILLED. CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT A STOP-LEAK WOULD FIX PROBLEM. COMPLETED THIS PROCEDURE AT PERSONAL COST. THREE DAYS LATER, CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN. TOOK TO DIFFERENT MECHANIC, AND WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE RADIATOR. REPLACED RADIATOR AT PERSONAL COST. FEW DAYS LATER, CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN. TOOK TO FOUR DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND NOTICED COOLANT LEAKS. WAS ADVISED BY ALL FOUR MECHANICS THAT IT WAS BLOWN HEAD GASKET, THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL, THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE WOULD BE SAFEST SOLUTION. ONE MECHANIC ALSO SAID THAT SIMPLY REPLACING HEAD GASKET MIGHT NOT WORK BECAUSE THE BOLT THREADING IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL WAS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE. CANNOT AFFORD $4000 TO REPLACE ENGINE, ESPECIALLY IF THIS SAME PROBLEM CAN POSSIBLY RECUR. CURRENTLY REFILLING COOLANT EVERY OTHER DAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AS THE TEMPERATURE WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD BLOT WAS STRIPPED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

THE COOLANT STARTED LEAKING FROM BEHIND THE MOTOR. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THAT THE FOAM INSULATION WAS SATURATED WITH COOLANT AND IT WAS LEAKING FROM THERE, BETWEEN THE HEAD AND THE CYLINDER. WHEN I RESEARCHED ABOUT IT ONLINE IN MANY TOYOTA FORUMS, THE COMMON THING THAT I HAVE COME ACROSS IS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD BOLTS STRIPPING AND THE COOLANT LEAKING FROM THAT AREA. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT I EITHER NEED A NEW ENGINE OR DO A FIX THE STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS WITH A HELI-COIL OR A TIME-SERT. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING WITH TOYOTA, THAT THEY ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEFECT WITH THERE 5TH GEN 4 CYL 2AZ-FE ENGINES AND ARE REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. THE SOLUTION THAT THEY ARE GIVING IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ONE OF GETTING A NEW ENGINE FOR $5000. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA OR SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE THEM TAKE NOTICE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC BECAUSE OF OVERHEATING, A COOLANT LEAK, AND MISFIRING, I BROUGHT MY CAMRY TO A CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED TO THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FORE MENTIONED ISSUES. AFTER CONDUCTING AN INSPECTION, THE TOYOTA REP. TOLD ME I HAD A BAD COIL IN CYLINDER #2, AND FOUND PRESSURE LEAKING INTO #2 AND #3 CYLINDERS. AFTER A FURTHER TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOOSE HEAD BOLTS IN THESE CYLINDERS, AND THAT THE THREADS ON THE ENGINE FOR THESE BOLTS WAS STRIPPED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO FIX TO THIS PROBLEM AND QUOTED ME A NEW ENGINE WITH 90,000 MILES WITH AN ESTIMATE COST BETWEEN $5000-$6000. FURTHERMORE, I WAS TOLD REPLACING THE COIL AT $227, WOULD FIX THE MISFIRING. HOWEVER THIS DID NOT FIX THE MISFIRING PROBLEM, AS THE MISFIRE WAS DUE BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE HEAD BOLTS WHICH WAS EXPLAINED TO ME BY THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL. THIS CONFLICTING INFORMATION LED ME TO BELIEVE IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS LONG AS COOLANT WAS PLENTIFUL IN THE RADIATOR AND OVER FLOW RESERVOIR. HOWEVER, THE OVERHEATING, LEAKING OF COOLANT AND MISFIRING CONTINUES. THE MISFIRING CREATES DANGEROUS RANDOM STALLS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED RAPIDLY INTO THE RED ZONE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. SMOKE ALSO EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE TWO HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETECTED THAT THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CYLINDER HEAD BOLT STRIPPED OFF FROM ENGINE BLOCK THREAD AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. *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

THE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REPROGRAMMING THE ECU. I DON'T THINK TOYOTA NOTIFIES CURRENT OWNERS OF FREE WORK TO BE DONE THAT IS NOT AN ACTUAL RECALL. INSTEAD THEY WAIT TO SEE WHO FINDS OUT ON THEIR OWN. THE SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 2404 DATED 07-01-04 COVERS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REPROGRAMMING THE ECU TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT MENTIONS THE SMELL OF SULFUR FROM THE EXHAUST AND WAS APPARENTLY THE ONLY REASON MOST PEOPLE HAD IT CHECKED OUT. MY WIFE'S CAR HAS HAD THE SMELL OF SULFUR FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, BUT SINCE WE DON'T MAKE IT A HABIT OF MAKING OUR CAR EXHAUST SMELL PLEASANT WE NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING OF IT. NOW, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT HER CAR IS OVER THE 8 YEAR, 80,000 MILE LIMIT OF THE TSB. IF WE WERE NOTIFIED OF TOYOTA'S DESIGN ERROR EARLIER AND HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AND THE ECU REPROGRAMMED FOR FREE, WE WOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT A $1000 REPAIR BILL IN OUR FUTURE. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR TOYOTA'S ERROR, WE ALREADY PAID FOR THE CAR. *TR

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS EVIDENCED BY ALL THE BLOGS ON THE INTERNET. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO COMPENSATE THE CONSUMER FOR THIS DEFECT. *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.

STRIPPED HEADBOLTS CAUSING COOLANT LEAKAGE WHICH RESULTS IN OVER HEATING ENGINE. FROM ALL OF THE INFO I HAVE READ ONLINE THIS IS A TYPICAL PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL. *TR

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

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.

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

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

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.

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 AGAIN. I HAVE ALWAYS SWORE BY TOYOTA CARS, THAT IS ALL I HAVE EVER OWNED BUT I WILL NEVER BUY A VEHICLE FROM THEM AGAIN. *JS

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.

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.