2001 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

THE VACUUM CANISTER WAS INSTALLED IN THIS AUTO AT AN ANGLE AND HAS FAILED NYS INSPECTION THE LAST THREE TIMES. THESE TYPE OF VACUUM PROBLEM HAS COST THE CONSUMERS MILLIONS IN ADDITIONAL INSPECTION COST. *NM

FIRST TOYOTA IS CLAIMING THAT THEY WONT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RUST THROUGH SINCE FIRST THEY SAID WE WASHED THE CAR THE WRONG WAY WHEN IN FACT WE HAVE LIFE TIME FREE CAR WASH IN THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM. THEN THE DEBRIS INSIDE THE INNER DOOR LOCKS AND UNDER THE HOOD NEXT TO THE ENGINE IT SELF WONT BE COVERED SINCE IT IS ABNORMAL DRIVING. WELL IF YOU DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAYS OF IL AND THIS IS ABNORMAL THEN BY ALL MEANS GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT RIGHT???? *NM

ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2006 I PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND STARTED MY 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK AND HAD NEVER BEEN MOVED. WITHIN SECONDS OF STARTING THE VEHICLE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT I SUSTAINED A FRACTURED LEFT ULNA, NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN (CERVICAL SPRAIN) AND ISSUES WITH HEARING IN MY LEFT EAR. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE!*JB

IN AUGUST, MY WIFE AND I NOTICED OUR 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE MADE A NOISE LIKE IT WAS MISSING ON ONE CYLINDER. WE WATCHED TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. WE WERE STILL UNDER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WE TRUST. HE DISCOVERED THE MIDDLE VALVES WERE STUCK OR STICKING IN THE VALVE SLEEVE, CAUSING THE "MIS-FIRING" SOUND WE HEARD. FURTHER, WE WERE TOLD THE REMEDY WAS TO HAVE THE HEAD MACHINED, REPLACE THE DAMAGED SLEEVES AND THIS WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN ASKING ANOTHER MECHANIC ABOUT THE ISSUE, WE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON FLAW IN THE 4 CYLINDER CAMRY ENGINE. IN FACT, OUR MECHANIC HAD 3 SEPARATE CARS OF THE SAME AGE IN FOR THE SAME EXACT REPAIR IN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. THIS SEEMS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET TO DISCOVER THERE ARE SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WHO FOUND THIS FLAW LONG AFTER THEIR WARRANTY EXPIRED. WE BUY VEHICLES WITH THE INTENT TO KEEP THEM; WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE QUALITY MANUFACTURERS WITH A QUALITY PRODUCT. THIS LACK OF FOLLOW-THROUGH AND CARE FOR THE CUSTOMER IS A BLATANT DISREGARD OF THE TRUST PLACED IN THEIR HANDS. TECHNICALLY, WE ARE ONLY OUT VERY MINOR FEES AND THE TIME IT TOOK TO DEAL WITH THE MATTER. THIS WAS NOT A CONSUMER PRODUCT, WHERE THE RESULT IS ANNOYANCE AND FRUSTRATION, BUT IT WAS A MODE OF TRANSPORT, CARRYING OUR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS. HOW CAN A COMPANY CARELESSLY DISREGARD THE IMPACT OF ITS' PRODUCTS CONSTRUCTION WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE EVERYTIME IT IS USED? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT NEWS ABOUT DROPS IN PRODUCT QUALITY. AS THEY FOCUS ON THE BOTTOM LINE, LITTLE CONCERN IS SHOWN TO THE CONSUMER WHO RISKS A LOT. *NM

PETITION I AND MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WERE ON HIGHWAY, WHEN THE ENGINE BURST AND CAUGHT ON FIRE OF MY TOYOTA CAMRY 2001 EXL. WE HAD DONE ALL THE MAINTENANCE WITH TOYOTA AND ALL CHANGES OF THE OIL REQUIREMENTS ON TIME. THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS ONLY 4 WEEKS PRIOR THE ACCIDENT. WE WENT THROUGH TERRIFYING AND VERY DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE ALSO LOST 27,000 INVESTMENTS IN THE CAR. TOYOTA'S ENGINES HAVE THE SLUDGE PROBLEMS, BUT THEY DECLINE ANY RESPONSIBILITIES. PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SUCH DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY CAN LOSE A LOVED ONE. I PETITION THE AGENCY FOR A RECALL, BECAUSE OF SERIOUSNESS OF FAILURE. *NM

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, MY 2001 TOYOTA SOLARA BEGAN TO SHUDDER, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60+ MPH. WHILE PULLING OVER TO THE OFF RAMP, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL ITSELF WOULD FIGHT BACK, PUSHING AGAINST THE PRESSURE. AN INSPECTION BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REVEALED NO FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEM (THE FRONT END HAD BEEN ALIGNED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES EARLIER), AND A CHECK BY THE TIRE COMPANY DID NOT REVEAL ANY UNEVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES. THE PROBLEM WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY, AND ONLY AFTER TRAVELING MORE THAN 5 MILES ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP LAST MONTH AND, AFTER A TEST DRIVE WITH THE MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGING WHEN THEY HEATED UP AFTER DRIVING MORE THAN 5 MILES. THE SOLUTION SUGGESTED WAS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER AT A COST OF $1400! I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD RESULT IN THE BRAKES LOCKING UP - A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THERE HAD BEEN NO BULLETINS OR RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MODEL AND PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY SOLARA IS THE ONLY CAMRY MODEL TO EXPERIENCE THIS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE DRIVEN AMERICAN CARS IN THE PAST - ONE, A BUICK LESABRE, FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS AND MORE THAN 180,000 MILES WITHOUT A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I FEEL THAT DRIVERS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM REPORTING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, KEEPING IT OFF THE BULLETIN LIST AND AVOIDING ANY RECALL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. UPDATED 9/11/2006 - THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WERE, AT HIS REQUEST, THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE WAS DISCONNECTED PERMANENTLY. *NM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON REPEATEDLY WITH CODE P0446 EVEN AFTER GETTING IT REPAIRED TWICE. *NM

2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. ENGINE OIL LEAKING. I DID NOT REALIZE UNTILL I WENT TO 65K SERVICE BY DEALER. THE LEAKING OIL MALFUNCTION POWER STEERING

AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM, MY SON WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY IN OUR 2001 4 CYLINDER CAMRY. HE PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE AND THE CAR SHOT BACKWARD AT VERY HIGH SPEED, COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 65 FEET ACROSS OUR NARROW SIDE STREET, WHERE THE CAR SIDE-SWIPED A CEMENT WORKER'S TRUCK AND SUBSTANTIALLY SLOWED DOWN FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND DUE TO THE CONTACT. MY SON WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL THE ACCELERATOR UP WITH HIS FOOT WHILE THE CAR WAS SIDE-SWIPED, THINKING THAT THE ACCELERATOR HAD JAMMED, WHEN THE CAR BROKE AWAY FROM THE SIDE-SWIPE AND AGAIN SHOT OUT AT UNCONTROLLABLE SPEED. THE CAR HAD BEEN STEERED SLIGHTLY TO THE DRIVER'S LEFT, SO THE CAR PROCEEDED IN A SEMI-CIRCLE ANOTHER 75 FEET, BACK ACROSS THE CURB OVER OUR LAWN THROUGH AND OVER APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT HIGH LANDSCAPING STONE AND CAME TO A REST INCHES FROM OUR HOUSE, ONLY AFTER MY SON PULLED UP THE PARKING BRAKE AND SOMEHOW THREW THE CAR INTO PARK I'VE GONE THROUGH TOYOTA REGIONAL IN AURORA, IL - THEY SENT THEIR ENGINEER WHO PERFORMED A NON-ROAD TEST ON THE CAR AT THE BODY SHOP, FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THEREAFTER, ONE OF MY CO-WORKERS DID SOME WEB SEARCH AND DISCOVERED THE CONCEPT OF "SUDDEN ACCELERATION", THE RECALL ON THE 2001 6 CYLINDER TOYOTAS AND THE NFTSA INQUIRIES ON THE 2002-04 MODELS. TOYOTA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN HAVE THEIR ENGINEER MEET ME TO DO A ROAD TEST AFTER THE BODY WORK IS FIXED. I AM SHOCKED AND STUNNED AT TOYOTA'S LACK OF CONCERN ON SUCH AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE MORE, BUT HAVE EDITED THIS TO COMPLY WITH THE 2000 CHARACTER REQUIREMENT. PLEASE CONTACT ME. *NM