1998 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND SEATBELT RETRACTOR FAILED. SEAT BELT CAME APART AND WON'T GO BACK IN PLACE. *AK

DEFECTIVE FRONT & REAR STRUTS. DEALER HAS ADDED STRUT PLATES & REPLACED ALL 4 STRUTS. CAUSED FRONT TIRES TO FAIL @ 12,000 MI. STRUTS ARE LOOSE & RATTLE. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A "DESIGN DEFECT" OF THE 1998-1999 CAMRY. MULTIPLE TSB'S AND COMPLAINTS EXIST FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER SAID HE HAS A ONE MONTH LEAD TIME ON ORDERING FRONT STRUT PLATES SINCE SO MANY VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. TOYOTA USES THE STRUT PLATES AS A QUICK FIX INSTEAD OF REDESIGNING THE SUSPENSION. NO REAL SOLUTION EXISTS FOR PROBLEM DUE TO DESIGN LIMITATIONS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

REAR PASSENGER'S WHEEL CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL/REAR END COLLISION AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. INSPECTOR FROM TOYOTA SAID THAT AIG BAGS WORKED AS THEY WERE DESIGNED TO. *AK *ML

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING AN EMERGENCY STOPPING SITUATION/ ON WET OR UNEVEN PAVEMENT, BRAKES DO NOT HOLD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHP, BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

THE TOP PLATE ON THE STRUT FAILED AND THE DEALER HAS NO PARTS TO REPAIR, THIS PROBLEM CAUSES TIRES TO WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE. NLM

TIRES WOBBLE/VIBRATE 70-75MPH BEING THE WORST. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO DEALER. 6 TIRES REPLACED. MULTIPLE TIME BALANCING TIRES. LATEST RESULT - PER DEALER "WE CAN'T FIX BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WITH SPEEDS OVER 65MPH AND TOYOTA WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIRS ON ISSUES OCCURING OVER 65 MPH. ALSO, BRAKES MAKE BAD GRINDING NOISE AND SQUEEKS FORWARD/REVERSE - ADVISED IT IS BECUASE OF THE MATERIAL OF THE PADS. PADS CHANGED ONCE AND HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, BUT HAVE LEFT LONG SKID MARK WITH ONE TIRE AND CAR PULL TO THE SIDE. *AK

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BRAKES BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND VIBRATE. BRAKES ARE ALWAYS VERY LOW. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT OR EXTEND FROM THE RETRACTING MECHANISM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

A CLIP WITHIN THE DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY BROKE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TO OPEN DOORS. *AK *ML