2004 Toyota Camry Engine

I WAS DRIVING FORWARD SLOWLY IN A DRIVEWAY AND WAS BRAKING LIGHTLY TO STOP BEFORE TURNING ONTO A STREET. ALTHOUGH I WAS BRAKING, MY CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARD AND IT BUCKED BRIEFLY. THEN I PUT IT IN PARK. THE ENGINE RACED FOR A FEW MORE SECONDS AND THEN DROPPED BACK TO NORMAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HOT. THE CONTACT HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THE NEXT DAY AND THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BOLTS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WERE STRIPPED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A LEAK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO VERIFIED THAT BECAUSE OF THE BOLTS, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,950.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BEFORE I COULD GET IT SERVICED THE VEHICLE STARTED CUTTING OFF WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND WITH IN A DAY STARTED CUTTING OFF WHEN IDLING. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR CUT OFF THE FIRST TIME AND SOMEONE ALMOST REAR ENDED ME. WHEN MY CAR CUT OFF IT DECELERATED SO FAST THAT THE CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED TO AVOID ME AND RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING CONSTANTLY AND MY CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT. I HAVE HAD DIAGNOSTICS RUN ON IT AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT NEEDS A THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND WE ARE TRYING TO LOCATE THE PART. WHEN I RESEARCHED THE THROTTLE BODY, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ALSO HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON TOYOTA CAMRYS' WITH RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 77,000 MILES. *TR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 1/29/09 AFTER CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS. UPON STARTING THE CAR, I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR DOWN, BUT DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSE FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WARMED UP. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED. ACCELERATOR WAS NOW WORKING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE. THE CODE READ THAT THE THROTTLE BODY COULD BE FAILING. I STARTED DRIVING TOWARDS TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. A FEW DAYS WENT BY WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE NEXT TIME IT FAILED, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAIN ROAD AND HAD TO COAST TO A SIDE STREET. CAR DID NOT STALL, BUT WOULD ONLY IDLE. AGAIN NO RESPONSE WHEN PUSHING ACCELERATOR. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY FOR OVER $1000 FOR A NEW PART. THEY GAVE ME THE OPTION TO REPLACE THE PART USED FOR $150. I DON'T WANT THIS PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AGAIN A YEAR FROM NOW, SO I OPTED TO GO WITH THE NEW PART. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS PROBLEM IS MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD THAN TOYOTA WILL ADMIT. IT IS A CLEAR DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSING MAJOR INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. THERE ARE AT LEAST 50 ACCOUNTS OF THIS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND THE RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA APPEARS TO BE THE SAME IN ALL INSTANCES. *TR

I DRIVE A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT HAS BEEN PERFECTLY MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUE WITH IT UNTIL I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND IT JUST SUDDENLY STALLED ON ME. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND WAS NEARLY RAMMED IN THE BACK. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION AND THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY POSITION SENSOR. I THEN HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE EXACT SAME THING AND THAT IT WOULD COST $1300. I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 CAMRY. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS NEARLY KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLING ON ME WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINE DIED 10/ 22/07 W/59,615 MILES ON IT. 13464 MILES @ PURCHASE-I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A PROGRAM CAR W/EXTENDED WARRANTY=6 YRS/100K MILES. FOUND THE WINDOW STICKER WHEN I TRADED IT IN. NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. COMING HOME FROM A TRIP, POWER STEERING LOST SOME FUNCTIONALITY; A SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON; MY HUSBAND PUT POWER STEERING FLUID IN; WE HEADED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER. EN ROUTE WE LOST ALL POWER STEERING & ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE; CAR CUT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK 5-6 WEEKS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. DOUBT OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS INCORRECT PARTS WERE ORDERED/RECEIVED. PICKED THE VEHICLE UP~12/1/07; 59620 MILES ON IT. WHILE AWAITING REPAIRS DEALERSHIPS/CORPORATE OFFICES COULD ONLY ADVISE THE CAR MAY BE UNDER BASIC WARRANTY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY. SMELLED SMOKE AND WANTED ASSURANCE A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN AS PROMISED & THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS. THEY MADE $900+ WORTH OF ADDED REPAIRS-REAR MAIN SEAL OIL LEAK; AXLE BOOT LEAK. IT HAD 59949 MILES ON IT. AT THAT POINT I DIDN'T WANT IT BACK. I WANTED TOYOTA TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELLING A LEMON. MY MAIN CONCERN: IS THERE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WITH 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY MODELS AS SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS (ENGINE OIL SLUDGE)? SECONDLY, DID SOMETHING ELSE CAUSE THIS INCIDENT? THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS CAMRY SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED TO MY DISSATISFACTION; THEY SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED/OFFERED SOME INCENTIVES FOR SELLING ME A LEMON. THEIR ONLY CONCERN, MAKE ANOTHER SALE. REQUESTED A CALL FROM/AUDIENCE WITH THE OWNER. HASN'T HAPPENED. I NEEDED A CAR AND BELIEVED THIS WAS ABERRATION WITH RESPECT TO CAMRY MODELS' PERFORMANCE. NOT SURE THAT THEY'LL KEEP ME AS A CUSTOMER. I THANK GOD WE HAD NO ACCIDENT, NO KNOWN INJURIES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S LITIGATION RE: THIS MAKE/MODEL; I'D LIKE TO JOIN THE LITIGANTS. I CAN GIVE YOU MY VIN NUMBER AT YOUR REQUEST. THANKS. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSTIC REPORT SHOWED A FAILURE CODE OF P0136 OXYGEN SENSOR MALFUNCTION. DEALER ADVISED THAT SENSOR SHOULD BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $230.00. IF PART WAS NOT REPLACED THE ENGINE OR EMISSIONS SYSTEM COULD BE DAMAGED, AND THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING.*AK

I AM WRITING DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT HAS BEEN ON FOR AT LEAST THE LAST YEAR. IT WAS A 4 CYLINDER, BUT ONE WOULDN'T KNOW IT BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NOT AT FIRST ANYWAY. I PURCHASED IT IN JULY 2005. SINCE THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE SLUGGISH. I DIDN'T T KNOW WHY THIS LIGHT WAS ON, AND WAS WONDERING IF THE ENGINE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT BEING SLUGGISH. ALSO, WAS LEAKING RIGHT WHERE THE ENGINE WAS. A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A CAMRY, AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINES IN CAMRYS WERE RECALLED. HERS WAS ONE OF THEM. I DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT I WANT TO SEE IF THE ENGINE WAS ONE OF THOSE RECALLED. ALSO ,THE BRAKES WENT DOWN FURTHER THAN ANY OTHER CAR THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. I TOOK THE BRAKES TO GET THEM CHECKED, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE FINE. TOO ME, IT JUST DID NOT SEEM NORMAL. BUT THEN, THIS CAMRY WAS THE ONLY CAMRY THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. I DID NOT KNOW THAT EXACT DATE THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON SO THE BELOW DATE WAS AN APPROXIMATE DATE. TO CONTACT ME PLEASE USE MY EMAIL ADDRESS. THANK YOU. *AK

MIL "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON MORNING OF FRIDAY MARCH 30, 1997. CAR PERFORMED NORMAL FOR MOST OF DAY (35 MILES) UPON START THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR. SUBSEQUENT RESTARTS VARY FROM NO RESPONSE TO SUDDEN SURGE OF ACCELERATION TO VERY LOW POWER AND STALLS. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2004 CERTIFIED TOYOTA CAMRY, WITH 51,000 MILES ON THE UNIT. ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, THEY JUST SAID IT WAS A SENSOR ISSUE, AND RESET THE LIGHT. THE LIGHT CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF FOR THE NEXT 7 MONTHS. I TOOK THE TOYOTA THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE IN APRIL 2006, AGAIN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND GOING OFF AT TIMES, THEY JUST RESET IT AGAIN, AND DID NOT DOCUMENT ANYTHING. ON 4-28-06 THE SERVICE ENGINE CAME ON EARLY MORNING, AND I HEARD A TICKING SOUND FROM ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE SAME TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN SINCE I WAS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY. I ARRIVED 10 MINUTES LATER, AND THERE WAS FLUID STARTING TO RUN OUT AND STEAM STARTING TO COME FROM MY HOOD. THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE CAR OUT, AND SAID THAT THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT, AND THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS DAMAGED ALSO. HE EXPLAINED THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN PRETTY QUICK. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH TOYOTA EXTRA WARRANTY, AND MPP EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND MY VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIODS FOR BOTH, AND BOTH COVER THE DAMAGED PARTS. BUT, TOYOTA REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY WONT TO PUT NEGLECT ON THE DRIVER. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP ADMITS ON PAPER TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF INDIANA, THAT THE DRIVER MADE AN HONEST EFFORT TO GET THIS CAR IN FOR SERVICING, AND THAT THE CONDITION OF THE CAR BEFORE BREAKDOWN WAS REALLY GOOD. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

(1) MERGING ONTO HIGHWAY AFTER SLOWING DOWN A BIT ON AN EXIT RAMP. (2) HESITATION IN ACCELERATION - CAR ACTUALLY SLOWS DRAMATICALLY INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. (3) ATTEMPTED TO EXERCISE WARRANTY AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR. ATTEMPTED ARBITRATION AND THAT FAILED ALSO. NOTE THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS REGULARLY. THE DEALER TECHNICIAN CLAIMS THE CAR SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN BRAKING AND THEN NEEDS TO SHIFT BACK INTO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING AND THE PERFORMANCE IS TYPICAL.

CHARCOAL CANISTER FAILED AT 13058 MILES. PARTS AND LABOR UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, OUT OF WARRANTY COST WOULD HAVE BEEN AT ABOUT $500. KNOWN ISSUE FOR TOYOTA AS SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED. DEALER RECOMMENDED TO PURCHASE EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN TO COVER COMPONENT AFTER ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRES. PARTS AND LABOR SHOULD BE COVERED FOR THIS COMPONENT AFTER ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRES AS ISSUE IS KNOWN TO TOYOTA AND HAS FAILED IN ENOUGH NEW CARS TO ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN. FAULTY CHARCOAL CANISTER WILL CAUSE A NO PASS ON SMOG CHECK FOR CALIFORNIA AND WILL POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT UNTIL REPLACED. THANK YOU.

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I WAS DRIVING THEN THERE WAS A LARGE BANG AND A ENGINE VALVE WAS BUSTED. I CRASHED. (I WAS THE ONLY ONE DRIVING.)*AK