2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE WAS LEAKAGE FROM THE ENGINE GASKETS DUE TO STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS. HE THEN ADDED THAT HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR FREE REMEDY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 95,900. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/20/09.*JB

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE COMES TO A STALL (ENGINE STOPS RUNNING AND CAR DOES NOT RESTART FOR A FEW MINUTES) ON RED LIGHT AND STOP SIGN. MANY PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED OR FIXED BUT DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY RESTARTS IN A FEW MINUTES IN MOST CASES. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR A CAR TO STOP SUDDENLY AT RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. *TR

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY, ENGINE STALL/LOW IDLE PROBLEM AT 60K MILES, NO CODES ON OBD REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, COIL PACK, FUEL INJECTION SERVICE BUT STILL SAME PROBLEM, NO ERROR CODE ON DIAGNOSTICS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GRACO SNUGRIDE INFANT CHILD SEAT, MODEL NUMBER 8643MDW3, MANUFACTURED ON DECEMBER 14, 2006. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTING THE CHILD TO THE VEHICLE SECURED IN AN "INFANT ONLY" CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT WHEN THE HANDLE MECHANISM FAILED TO REMAIN IN THE LOCK POSITION. WHEN GRASPING THE CARRY HANDLE FIRMLY THE SEAT FLIPPED FORWARD; HOWEVER, THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, THE OFFERED NO RESOLUTION. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS FOUL ODOR COMING FROM HVAC VENTS. DEALER HAS REMOVED FAN ENCLOSURE IN ENGINE AND CLEANED OUT AND ADDED DISINFECTANT. ODOR REMAINS A PROBLEM. *TR

MY CAMRY SOLARA 2004 SUDDENLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY DUE TO A THROTTLE BODY FAILURE, THANKS GOD I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE EMERGENCY LANE ON TIME AND BE ABLE TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT, AFTER AN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND TOYOTA MOTORS SO FAR HAS IGNORED THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE MY WIFE (DRIVER FOR 40 YEARS) WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR ACCELERATED AT FULL THROTTLE, SHOT ACROSS THE STREET AND INTO THE NEIGHBORS' YARD AND CRASHED INTO A TREE WHICH PREVENTED THE CAR FROM CRASHING INTO THE HOUSE. *TR

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY, STALLS AS COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC, TURNING OR SOMEONE PULLING IN FRONT OF ME IN TRAFFIC. CAR WILL NOT START FOR 20 MINUTES. WHEN TRYING TO START CAR BEFORE 20 MINUTES IT TURNS OVER BUT NOT START OR HAS A HARD TIME STARTING AND SPUTTERS TILL I CAN PULL OVER OFF THE STREET AND STALLS IN A PARKING LOT. WHEN I WAIT THE FULL 20 PLUS MINUTES THE CAR STARTS AS IF NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. BY THE TIME I GET TO THE DEALER OR ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL AND THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT MAY BE THAT PROBLEM & I MAY HAVE TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN & I WILL NOT BE REFUNDED MY MONEY & WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE OUT OF THE POCKET. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 YEARS. IT IS WORSE IN THE HEAT & HUMIDITY (HAPPENS MORE OFTEN). *TR

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALERSHIP AND REGULARLY MAINTAINED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SO I TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR WHICH HE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING AND SHE WAS JUST ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC'S SHOP WITH THE CAR RUNNING ROUGHLY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE (136,000 MILES) HAD SUFFERED A "BLOWN" HEAD GASKET. HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET BUT WARNED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM CASTING OF THE ENGINE THAT THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WHEN HE REMOVED THE STEEL BOLTS THEY WOULD STRIP OUT THE ALUMINUM THREADS AND THEN I WOULD BE LOOKING AT A NEW ENGINE. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED - TOTAL COST TO PUT IN A REASONABLY "NEW" USED ENGINE (FROM A 2009 SCION) WAS $5,800. I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN AND AM NOT UNDULY UPSET THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN HOWEVER, SOMETHING AS BASIC AS KNOWING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT USE STEEL BOLTS IN AN ALUMINUM THREAD SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY TOYOTA. WHEN A REPAIR SUCH AS MINE IS UNDERTAKEN THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF THE BOLTS STRIPPING OUT THE ALUMINUM THREADS. WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE COST OF REPAIR GOES FROM APPROXIMATELY 1600 TO REPLACE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET TO 5800 TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE ENGINE. THIS IS REALLY A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS TO ANY ENGINEER AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY TOYOTA. *TR

2002 CAMRY LE,50K MILES ALWAYS PULLS TO LEFT. HAS BEEN TO DEALER AND VARIOUS SHOPS. STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES AT ANY AND ALL SPEEDS. PROBLEM IS STRUCTURAL. BRAKES ARE CONSTANT PROBLEM. SUNROOF WILL NOT SEAL CORRECTLY THEREFORE REAR FLOOR IS NOW WET. NOW EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF BUYING A 1950 STUDEBAKER! AND GM IS IN TROUBLE? LAST TOYOTA FOR ME. CAR IS UNSAFE. *TR