2004 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR OUR 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SUDDENLY DECELERATED, AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD VERY SLOWLY. AFTER PULLING THE CAR OFF OF THE TRAVEL LANE AND INTO A SAFE LOCATION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN VERY SLOWLY (APPROXIMATELY 2-4 MILES PER HOUR) WITH THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED COMPLETELY. AFTER ABOUT 45 SECONDS THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE TO 35-40 MILES PER HOUR AND STAY AT THAT SPEED WITH THE ACCELERATOR COMPLETELY DEPRESSED. THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO OPERATE WITH THESE ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL COMPUTER HAD FAILED, AND THAT THE ENTIRE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL COMPUTER MUST BE REPLACED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA SE NEW IN 2004. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH HAS COME ON AND OFF SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. IT NOW IS ON MOST OF THE TIME. AS I UNDERSTAND IT WHEN IT IS ON IT DISABLES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH IS DANGEROUS. THE "BUCKLE SAFETY SWITCH" AMONG OTHER THINGS MAY BE THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS HAD PROBLEMS IN THESE AREAS WITH OTHER MODELS AND MADE RECALLS. THE SAME DEFECTS MAY BE IN OTHER MODELS AND THEY HAVE NOT YET RECALLED OR REPAIRED THE CARS. THEY SHOULD FIX THEIR DEFECTS FOR FREE FAST PRIOR TO SOMEONE GETTING KILLED. MY VIN # IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW REAR CRASH SENSOR AS WELL AS A NEW PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AND THEN SLOW DOWN ALMOST TO A STOP WITHOUT DRIVER PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CHANGING. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN BEFORE REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE PEDAL CONTROL, P/N 78010-33010. I AM WAITING ON THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR

TOYOTA CAMRY 2004 GOT CAUGHT ON FIRE I DROVE MY TOYOTA CAMRY 2004 THE OTHER DAY AND SUDDENLY THE ABS SYSTEM WAS TRIGGERED. ENGINE DIED. WHEN I CRANKED IT BACK UP AGAIN, SMOKES STARTED COMING OUT. I CHANGED MY OIL REGULARLY. THE LAST ONE WAS A WEEK BEFORE AT VALVOLINE (THEY CHECKED ALL FLUIDS) TOYOTA RAN AN INVESTIGATION AND THIS IS WHAT THEY MADE UP: "SERPENTINE BELT IS FAULTY, CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED, PRESSURE IN RADIATOR CAUSED IT TO BURST AND SPRAYED COOLANT ONTO THE BATTERY AND FUSE BOX AND RELAY PANEL WHICH LED TO A SHORT CIRCUIT" I TALKED TO A NICE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT TOYOTA AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY MADE UP TO GET AWAY IT. HE EXPLAINED TO ME HOW THAT WASN'T TOO LIKELY TO HAPPEN TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT THEY'LL CALL ME BEFORE INSPECTING THE CAR. THEY NEVER DID . THEY SENT ME A LETTER, WHICH ARRIVED A DAY AFTER MY VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE TOWED FROM THE DEALER (ON FRIDAY). I HAD TO WAIT TILL MONDAY TO TOW IT AWAY AND THEY CHARGED ME WEEKENDS STORAGE FEE ($25 A DAY) I PLANNED TO JUST DONATE THE CAR AND IT WILL USUALLY TAKES 2-3 DAYS. I THOUGHT I'LL DO THAT BY THE TIME THEY ARE READY TO INSPECT MY CAR. I CALLED TOYOTA EARLIER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK (2 DAYS - EVEN AFTER INSPECTION). AGAIN, THAT NEVER HAPPENED TILL NOW THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS BURNED UP. MOST STUFFS MELTED, BUT I'M SURPRISED THEY CAN CONCLUDE THAT IT'S THE SERPENTINE BELT. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE TO BELIEVE. EVERYTHING THERE MELTED AND TURNED BLACK BEFORE FIREMAN CAME (HUGE FIRE). I WENT TO CHECK AND RETRIEVE THE BELT AND IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE CUT IT DELIBERATELY. I EVEN HAD HARD TIME OPENING THE HOOD BECAUSE THEY DAMAGED IT..... DO YOU GUYS THINK THIS IS A FOUL PLAY? I GOT NO FULL COVERAGE ON THE CAR. I'M PRETTY MUCH BROKE NOW....AND THEY SORTA PUSH ME TO GET RID OF MY CAR THEY SAID THEY'LL CALL ME TO ARRANGE A MEETING FOR INSPECTION. THEY NEVER DID AND INSPECTED MY CAR ANYWAY THEY CUT SOME STUFFS LIKE SERPENTINE BELT FROM MY ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED REPEATEDLY AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THIRD TIME, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, AT WHICH TIME A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES OR VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION FOR FOURTEEN DAYS TO PERFORM FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,593. UPDATED 08/24/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/25/10*JB

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY, PURCHASED IN OR, REGISTERED IN WA SINCE 2005. WE HAVE HAD THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR RESET AT LEAST 6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, BOTH IN OR AND WA. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE REPAIRS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. MICHAEL'S TOYOTA IN BELLEVUE HAS STATED THAT THEY "REPLACED" THE SENSOR LAST TIME IT FAILED BUT IT ONCE AGAIN HAS FAILED; WHICH MEANS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. MICHAEL'S TOYOTA'S SERVICE MANAGER HAS STATED THAT THE LAST REPAIR WAS THE LAST ONE THEY WOULD ABSORB. I BELIEVE THIS AIRBAG SENSOR WAS NOT REPLACED AND REMAINS FAULTY; EITHER BY DESIGN OR IN THIS PARTICULAR ONE. I AM BRINGING IT IN FOR ANOTHER REPAIR TOMORROW BUT EXPECT A BATTLE OVER THE COST OF REPAIR BEING ABSORBED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS FAILED AIRBAG SENSOR MEANS DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR ANYONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE WA STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, THIS MAY BE A KNOWN PROBLEM ALREADY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT FAILED BECAUSE OF THE BEARINGS AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FEEL EXTREMELY TIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COULD LOCK WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING COLUMN, STEERING ASSEMBLY AND THE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 26,000. UPDATED 8/25/10 *CN UPDATED 08/27/10 UPDATED 08/30/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL HAD A SMALL CRACK ON IT. THE CRACKED EXPANDED THROUGH OUT THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL AND HAD EXTENDED NEAR THE AIR BAG. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG COULD PREMATURELY DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SINCE IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,496.

MY WIFE WAS PULLING HER 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY INTO A PARKING SPACE, CAR IN DRIVE WITH HER FOOT LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKES WERE OF LITTLE USE AND THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT HER FROM CRASHING INTO AN OFFICE BUILDING WAS A SMALL RETAINING WALL THAT STOPPED THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOW AT AN AUTO BODY SHOP WITH OVER $7,000 IN REPAIRS TO BE MADE. *TR