2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

I STARTED THE CAR, AND I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND STARTED IN REVERSE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE CAR SUDDENLY SPED UP TO ABOUT 45 MPH IN REVERSE. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP EVEN AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE, AND IT THEN HIT TWO CARS. THAT IS WHEN IT STOPPED. I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE TO GO BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE, BUT IT JOLTED FORWARD AND SKIPPED TWO PARKING BUMPERS. AT THAT TIME, I HIT ANOTHER CAR. AT THAT POINT, I LEFT THE CAR ALONE SEEING AS THERE WAS SOMETHING CLEARLY WRONG. IN THE END, MY CAR SUSTAINED DAMAGED TO THE FRONT AND TO THE BACK TOTALING $10,111.60. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE TO THE THREE OTHER CARS, THE TOTALS OF DAMAGE OF WHICH I AM NOT AWARE OF ALTHOUGH THEY ARE CLAIMING MY INSURANCE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER HAVING CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CLAIMS AGAINST TOYOTA FOR PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE WHERE THERE IS A SUDDEN, INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION. I SHOWED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ALL THE RESEARCH I HAD GATHERED FROM THE INTERNET. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR'S COMPUTER, AND THEY CLAIMED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE OR WITH THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THEY CLAIMED THAT AIR POCKETS BETWEEN THE ACCELERATION AND THE BRAKE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT, THEY FIXED THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR, BUT THEY MAINTAINED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE THROTTLE, OF THE CAR. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BROADSIDE ON THE PASSENGER'S DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT A BODY SHOP AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND THE CONTACT WAS EXPECTING A RETURN PHONE CALL. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY GETS LODGED UNDER THE SEAT. THIS MAKES THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED HIM TO CONNECT THE SEAT BELT WHEN NOT IN USE, SO THE BUCKLE WILL NOT GO UNDER THE SEAT. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND NO CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE HIS CAR WAS PARKED, HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO SHIFT IT INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO ACROSS TWO SIDEWALKS AND A HOSPITAL LAWN AND INTO TWO TREES. HE REPORTS HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *JB UPDATED 12/7/2005 - *NM

DT CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. WHEN PUTTING THE FOOT ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND TO COME TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT CAUSED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERS NOW. AT THIS POINT THE DEALER IS NOT SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK

CHILD SAFETY SEAT MOLDING HOLDING BAR IN PLACE IS LOOSE. *TS WHEN DISENGAGING THE BASE, THE METAL ROD NEEDED TO BE PULLED OUT. THIS REQUIRED A MOLDED PLASTIC TAB ON ONE SIDE TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE ALLOWING THE ROD TO SLIP OUT OF THE BASE. THE ROD WAS FREE MOVING WITH NO MOLDING OR OTHER MEANS TO REMAIN IN PLACE. *SC

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE. PIECE IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND JUST BROKE, DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE, PASSENGER CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. SPOKE WITH DEALER, CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, PART CAN BE REPAIRED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *NM

BRAKES WERE UNABLE TO BRING CAR TO A STOP, INSTEAD THE CAR ACCELERATED. CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO THE HOUSE. CAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE BODY AND FENDERS OF THE CAR WERE REPAIRED BUT NOTHING WAS REPAIRED WHICH LED TO THIS OCCURRENCE IN REGARDS TO THE MECHANICS OF THE CAR. IN ADDITION AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT.*JB

I HAVE A 2002 CAMRY AND THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS. I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE SIMILAR, SO THIS MUST BE A DEFECT WITH THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT MY STRUTS AND MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - ALONG WITH MY BRAKES. *NM

SEVERE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKES APPLIED 20+ MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. BROUGHT TO DEALER, DEFORMED ROTORS, MACHINED FRONT DISC BRAKES & REPLACED PADS. WHEN BRAKING AFTER THIS, VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. 24 MONTHS LATER HAD SAME SEVERE VIBRATION/BRAKES AGAIN. RESEARCHED COMPLAINTS NHTSA SITE..MANY HAVE SAME COMPLAINT TO DEALER AGAIN & THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $99 TO DIAGNOSE. I SAID NO & THE MGR STEVE SAID WE DON'T CHARGE THAT FEE FOR BRAKES. I ADVISED I KNEW OF TSB'S ISSUED FOR THIS CAR & SHOULDN'T HAVE SAME PROBLEM FROM 2 YRS AGO. HE SAID ONLY 1 YR WARRANTY ON PREV WORK, BUT HE WOULD TAKE A LOOK. HE SAID MY ROTORS WERE WARPED & COULD NOT BE MACHINED AGAIN, ONLY REPLACED, HOWEVER BRAKE PADS ARE REPLACED WHEN THEY ARE 2 ML & MINE WERE AT 7-8, & SAFE SO EITHER REPLACE ROTORS & PADS $469 LIVE W/ VIBRATION UNTIL PADS WORN DOWN TO 2 ML THEN DO BRAKE JOBE. I ADVISED I KNEW OF TSB'S FOR THIS PROBLEM & HE SAID HE ALREADY CHECKED & THERE AREN'T. I SAID CHECK AGAIN & AFTER WAITING TOLD ME THERE WAS A TSB BUT IT HAD EXPIRED BUT IN AN ACT OF "GOOD WILL" HE WOULD ORDER THE PART AND DO THE REPAIR TO BOTH FRONT BRAKES FREE. I MADE AN APPT & WENT FOR REPAIR. REPAIR ORDER SAID ONLY ONE SIDE ROTOR AND PAD REPLACED. NOW WHEN I APPROACH HGWY SPEED OF 60-65 MPH, STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. PEOPLE ARE HAVING ACCIDENTS DUE TO THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS ACCORDING TO NHTSA COMPLAINTS & NOTHING IS BEING DONE! I WORRY SOMEONE WILL BE HURT BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DEEMED WORTHY OF A RECALL. THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES IS A PROBLEM. *NM