1998 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

I EXPERIENCED A TEXT BOOK CASE OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THE TOYOTA SLUDGE PROBLEM. I WANTED TO BRING IT IN TO MY CLOSEST TOYOTA DEALER BUT WAS TOLD THAT IF I DID NOT HAVE PROOF OF OIL CHANGE EVERY 3000 MILES (MANUAL SUGGESTS 7500) NOT TO BOTHER BECAUSE HAD NO LEG TO STAND ON AND WAS BASICALLY SCREWED.

WATER PUMP BURST AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER WAS AWAITING A REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. *PH CC COPY TO NHTSA

CENTER REAR SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. *AK THE FAILURE WAS UNEXPECTED AND SEEMED TO BE A DEFECT. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO USE THE CENTER BELT IN THE REAR SEAT. THE DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR COST. *SC

WHEN 98 CAMRY WAS FIRST BOUGHT IN SEPT 2000, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAG LIGHT GOING OFF EVER SINCE IT WAS DRIVEN OFF LOT. DEALERSHIP FIXED AND I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM EVER SINCE. IN JUNE 2003 I HAD FLOOR WIRING HARNESS REPLACED. THE END OF OCT, BEGINNING OF SEPT I NEEDED MY ALARM SYSTEM SWITCHED OUT WITH NEW KEY SYSTEM (THE ALARM SYSTEM IS SOMETHING I NEEDED TO HAVE DONE). SINCE THE ALARM SYSTEM WAS CHANGED OUT, MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OFF SINCE AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS A SENSOR PROBLEM AGAIN BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO FIX. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WHEN I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY IS UP THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX. THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT I FEEL IS THEIRS. ITS ONLY BEEN 3 YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS CAR AND I FILL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHY WOULD I KEEP HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY AIRBAG INDICATOR? THIS AIRBAG CAN GO OFF ANYTIME OR MAY NOT GO OFF WHEN IT IS REALLY NEEDED. *LA

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED AN AIR FUEL RESERVOIR SENSOR TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. POTENTIAL OF PROBLEM NOT YET IDENTIFIED. ALSO, DEALERSHIP INDICATED " THIS IS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK

THE ENGINE IN MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY THREW A ROD (#4) THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, LIKE ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISE OR LOSS OF POWER, BEFORE THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS 67000 MILES AND HAS HAD THE OIL CHANGED WITHIN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES. ALSO, THE 45000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE LOCAL TOYOTA MANAGEMENT SAID THAT I DID NOT POSSES SUFFICIENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO SUPPORT THEM PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE. I HAD THE RECEIPTS FROM THE OIL CHANGES. TOYOTA CORPORATION TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CARS OVER 60000 MILES. MY COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER IS PENDING REVIEW.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHICH CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME INSIDE THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NM

WHILE EXITING INTERSTATE 75S, 5-YEAR-OLD TOYOTA CAMRY MADE STRANGE ENGINE NOISES AND LATER BEGAN SMOKING HEAVILY. AFTER SMOKE CLEARED, THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. MECHANIC SAID THAT COULD BE ENGINE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM AND/OR "THROWN ROD." DEALER COMPLETED 5-YEAR-MAINTENANCE CHECK ON 8/28/03. *LA

THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. I REPLACED GAS CAP AND NO HELP. *LA

FRONT NOISE IF PASSING OVER BUMPS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS VERY COMMON TO TOYOTA CAMRYS FOR THIS YEAR THE DEALER STATES THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF THE NOISE IS TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS AT COST TO ME. *LA