1997 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

IN1997 TOYOTA CAMRY FRONT AND BACK SUSPENSION MAKING NOISE IN COLD WEATHER MAY BE DEFECTIVE STRUTS OR SPRING NEED HELP.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. HEARD STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ROD HAD BLOWN, AND BLOCK WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE SERVICE INDICATION LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED AIR INTAKE SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ALREADY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED.*AK

BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK WITHIN THE LATCH ASSM OF BOTH REAR DOORS THE OCCUPANT IS UNABLE TO BE OPEN EITHER DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THE DOORS CAN ONLY BE OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR*AK.

DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES HIGH NUMBER OF STRUT AND MOUNT FAILURES ON 1997, 1998 AND 1999 CAMRYS. PROBABLY DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES TO HAVE ISSUED ONLY A "SERVICE BULLETIN" TO ITS DEALERS ON THIS ISSUE. IT DOES ACKNOWLEDGE A HIGH NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF FAILED STRUTS AND MOUNTS ON 1997, 1998 AND1999 CAMRYS.*AK

THESE PARTS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY TOYOTA AND WE OWNERS SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THE COST. SEVERAL SERVICE WRITERS AT A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER HAVE TOLD ME THAT MANY OF THESE STRUT ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED. I'VE DRIVEN OTHER TOYOTA MODELS, 3, OVER 900,000 AND HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE STRUT ASSEMBLIES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE, AS IF THIS ASSEMBLY BREAKS, WHILE DRIVING, YOU MAY HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT.*AK

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS AT TIMES OPERATES INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE COMBINATION SWITCH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *YH

THE FRONT UPPER STRUT HOUSINGS ON 1997 - 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY'S ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN GOING OVER ANY KIND OF BUMP IN THE ROAD THE ENTIRE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY SHAKES AND RATTLES TERRIBLY. TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT STRUT UPPER ASSEMBLY AND WILL ONLY REPAIR IF THE VEHICLE IS ON THE 3/36 WARRANTY. IN MOST CASES, AS IN MINE, THE RATTLE AND SEVERE VIBRATION DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS OFF WARRANTY. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH AUTOFAIR TOYOTA IN MANCHESTER, NH AND THEY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE UPPER STRUT ASSEMBLY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED IT COULD ONLY BE REPAIRED ON WARRANTY. IT WAS FURTHER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT IT WOULD NOT STRAND OR DISABLE THE CAR. I ALSO HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AT GRAPPONE TOYOTA IN CONCORD, NH AND THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE DEFECTIVE STRUT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE ALSO KNOWN MANY CAMRY OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND EITHER HAD THE WORK DONE ON WARRANTY, OR PAID THE 450.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THIS MATTER TO TOYOTA USA HEADQUARTERS, ONLY TO HAVE THEM SAY THAT THE REPAIR WOULD ONLY BE DONE IF IT WAS BROUGHT BACK ON WARRANTY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS STRUT DEFECT IS GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO A SERIOUS CRASH WITH RESULTING FATALITIES. ALTHOUGH TOYOTA INSISTS THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT IMPACT SAFETY, I BEG TO DIFFER, AS THE NOISE AND RATTLE FROM THE FRONT END IS CLEARLY INDICATIVE OF A COMPROMISED FRONT END. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT WILL ULTIMATELY BE A CONTRIBUTORY ELEMENT IN A CRASH. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR ORGANIZATION INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER. THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESOLUTION IS TO HAVE TOYOTA REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STRUT ASSEMBLY'S ON THE IMPACTED TOYOTA CAMRY'S.*AK