2001 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

2001 SOLARA-WHEN ENGAGE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASE IT TO DRIVE,THE FRONT WHEELS VIBRATE AND IT FEELS THAT YOU ARE DRIVING ON A WASHBOARD TYPE ROAD WITH ALL SPEED BUMPS, AND THE CAR CANNOT GET UP TO SPEED AS YOU PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND IT ALSO FEELS LIKE ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES ARE FLAT. WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RESTART AND DRIVE THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED THE FOUR TIMES WE HAVE ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. OBVIOUSLY WE NO LONGER ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SAYS HE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS RECEIVED NO NOTICES FROM THE TOYOTA CO. I THINK FOR SOME STRANGE REASON WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ENGAGED AND THEN DISENGAGED THE BRAKE CALIPERS DO NOT FULLY RELEASE AND RUB THE ROTORS. THE MYSTERY IS HOW THE ROTORS WOULD OPEN FULLY JUST BY STOPPING THE AUTO AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION WITH NO FURTHER TOUCHING OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER. ARE THE CALIPERS EFFECTED BY THE ENGINE BEING SHUT DOWN? WHY DOES EVERYTHING RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE? *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT CIGARETTE LIGHTER, AND CELL PHONE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER FELT THAT ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE: AT 14,000 MILES THE REAR BRAKES WORE DOWN TO THE ROTORS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO FAIL. AT 19,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED PUTTING GOUGES INTO THE ROTORS. *CB

MY CAR (A 2001, 4-CYLINDER, TOYOTA CAMRY LE; VIN #: [XXX]) HAS BEEN AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR 26 DAYS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THAT DEALERSHIP WHEN IT SUDDENLY BROKE DOWN ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR STARTED TO JERK SPORADICALLY AND HESITATE WHEN I DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR GOT WORSE IT STARTED TO MAKE A CLICKING-AND-CLACKING NOISE AND SEEMED THAT IT WOULD DIE AT ANYTIME. AS I APPROACHED THE SERVICE STATION, I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE. I ASKED THE MECHANICS AT THE STATION TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER LOOKING AT THE CAR, ONE OF THE MECHANICS ASKED HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THIS CAR?? WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS A 2001, HE SAID THAT HE?D NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE IN A 2-YEAR OLD CAR. HE RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE A REPAIR THAT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. TWO LETTERS AND SEVERAL CALLS LATER AND MY CAR STILL SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM PERCY CHAN OF TOYOTA'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER (310-468-2846) ON OCTOBER 17, 2003. [XXX]. [XXX] CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY (APPROX 66,060 MILES). HE THEN SAID THAT HE'D GOTTEN AN EMAIL FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS FOR $500 (THIS IS DOWN FROM $5,500; THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. I RECEIVED A SECOND CALL FROM [XXX]. [XXX] ON OCTOBER 20, 2003. HE CALLED TO TELL ME THAT HE'D REVIEWED THE LETTER AND COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALERSHIP WOULD LET MY CAR SIT ON THE LOT TAKING UP SPACE. HE SAID THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN MONEY FROM TOYOTA TO MAKE REPAIRS UNDER THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM. I RECEIVED A THIRD CALL FROM [XXX]. [XXX] ON OCTOBER 21, 2003. HE CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE [XXX]. BOOTS WAS NO LONGER THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE NEW MANAGER WAS [XXX]. HE SAID THAT [XXX] CHECKED WITH THE MECHANIC AND SAID THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY VALVOLINE WHO HAD DONE MY LAST OIL CHANGE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC

TIRES SKIDED ON WET ROAD AND WHEN CHECKED I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ONE OR MORE OF THE TIRES. I ROTATE MY TIRES EVERY 5,000 MILES AND HAVE HAD THEM BALANCED AT LEAST ONE TIME. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES SHIPPED WITH THE VEHICLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY WOULD FAIL IN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES.

CAR MAKES LOUND RATTLING NOSEY WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE WHOLE CAR SHAKES. THE ALSO TAKE A WHILE BEFORE PUTTING OFF . CAR DEALER WON'T FIX OR LOOK AT THE PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD ROCK BACK AND FORTH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY, NOTHING WE COULD DO. *AK THE SEAT WAS REPAIRED BUT THEN SIX WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. TOYOTA SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *SC

QUESTIONS CONCERNING AIR BAGS. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WITH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT RESULTING IN THUMB INJURIES. *SC *JB

WHILE PARKED FOR 5 HOURS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER, THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

PREMATURE TIRE FAILLURE. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES ON A 2001 TOYOTA CAMARY. THE CAR HAS 47000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE DEALER INDICATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED THSI PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. OTHER CUSTOMERS HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS INVOLVING SEVERAL BRANDS OF TIRES. HE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS PREMATURE OUTER EDGE WEAR INDICATING A POSSIBLE SPECIFICATION PROBLEM.