2002 TOYOTA CAMRY Complaints

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE AND VALVE HEAD GASKET FAILURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN IN THE HEAD BOLT ATTACHMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TOYOTA REPLACE THE ENGINE BEFORE A FAILURE OCCURRED. TOYOTA DECLINED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER. *JB

I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY TOYOTA WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND I WAS SITTING BESIDE HIM. WE HIT A CAR WHEN IT STOPPED SUDDENLY. THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT PROTECT ME. MY HEAD STRONGLY HIT THE WINDSHIELD.

HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM PLAYING GOLF ON THE HIGHWAY. AS HE HEADED NORTH UP THE HILL, HE PRESSED THE GAS. THE CAR PROMPTLY JERKED THEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN/CEIZED. HUSBAND IMMEDIATELY LOOKED AT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WHICH READ NORMAL, AS WELL AS THE GAS GAUGE (FULL). AS HE STEPPED FROM THE CAR TO POP THE HOOD, HE COULD SMELL SMOKE. IN OPENING THE HOOD, THERE WAS A SMALL FLAME THAT WITHIN 1-2 MINUTES, COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE ENGINE/HOOD. HUSBAND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO GROW IN FLAMES WHICH SPREAD TO A BRUSH FIRE. HUSBAND WAS NOT INJURED AND THERE WERE NO OTHER PERSONS INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT (NON-COLLISION). BOTH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND STATE TROOPER ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND TOOK A FULL REPORT AND INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT. ALL PARTIES AGREED THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A VEHICLE MALFUNCTION, AS CARS DO NOT NOR SHOULD THEY JUST CATCH FIRE! THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED.

02 CAMRY 2.4L 5 SPD: BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A BAY AREA TOYOTA DEALER 2 YRS AGO, AUG 2013. CAR DID HAVE 36K MILES ON DAY OF PURCHASE AND DOES HAVE 53.5K ON IT WHEN ENGINE ISSUE OCCURRED. USED THE CAR AS A BACK UP OR WEEKEND CAR. WORK CAR IS A 92 CAMRY 4 CYC WITH 279K (ORIGINAL MOTOR). DECIDE TO USE 02 CAMRY FOR WORK AND TEMP GAUGE WENT TO HOT, CHECK COOLANT LEVEL AND IT WAS EMPTY, ALTHOUGH 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE ISSUE, MY CAR'S COOLANT WAS GOOD. ADDED WATER TO COOLING SYSTEM AND NOTICED SEVERE LEAK OF WATER FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. SPOKE TO TWO MECHANICS I USUALLY GO TO AND THEY DID NOT EVEN CHECK THE CAR, THEY ALREADY KNEW THE PROBLEM. DECIDE TO CALL A TOYOTA TECH MECHANIC I KNOW TO CHECK THE CAR, HE HAD INFORMED ME OF STIP HEAD BOLTS, SAME ISSUE THE OTHER TWO MECHANIC HAD MENTION TO ME. DID WENT TO THE DEALER NEXT DAY AND INFORM OF THIS ISSUE, THEY RECOMMEND TIME SERT WHICH COST ABOUT $4500. THEY HAD ALSO TOLD ME TO CALL CUSTOMER CARE, BUT I DOUBT CUSTOMER CARE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN PEOPLE POST ONLINE WHO HAD CONTACT CUSTOMER CARE RE: THIS ISSUE AND DID NOT DO ANYTHING. BEEN A DIE HARD TOYOTA GUY, WITH THIS ISSUE, BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA'S CRAFTSMANSHIP ON THE 2.4L ENGINES.. IN FACT THE TOYOTA TECH I SPOKE TO HAD MENTION THIS IS COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE MODEL AND HAD ALSO INFORMED ME THE NEWER ENGINE MODEL, 2.5L HAS ALSO A DEFECT, PISTON RING ISSUE WHICH DEALER HAD BEEN REPLACING THOSE ENGINE. AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS STRIP HEAD BOLT. I GUESS TOYOTA IS WAITING FOR SOME ONE TO GET HURT FROM THIS ISSUE BEFORE THEY START ACT; SUCH AS CAR STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY DUE TO BLOW HEAD GASKET AND GETTING HIT BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. I WAS JUST LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HOT AND WAS ABLE TO PARK THE CAR TO SAFETY.

CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS MY WIFE CAMILLE PULLED IN DRIVEWAY. CALLED WILLS TOYOTA OF TWIN FALLS AND WAS TOLD FLOOR MAT IN THE WAY OF ACCELERATOR OBJECTIVE IMPOSSIBLE WHEN LOOKED AT. LOOKED ON LINE WITH ISSUES LEAD TO FILLING OUT COMPLAINT.

THE CAR NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON IT - FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 35,000 MILES, IT'S HAD A PROBLEM WITH EITHER STALLING OR NOT RESTARTING AFTER THE ENGINE'S TURNED OFF (OFTEN, SEVERAL INCIDENTS WILL OCCUR IN RAPID SUCCESSION, AFTER WHICH THE CAR WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY FOR MONTHS). STALLING TENDS TO OCCUR WHEN THE CAR IS DECELERATING AND COMING TO A STOP - IF ADEQUATE SPEED CAN BE MAINTAINED, THE ENGINE WILL SPUTTER BUT WON'T SHUT DOWN. IN MY OPINION THE STALLING AND FAILURE TO RESTART PROBLEMS ARE CONNECTED AND I'VE READ OF OTHER CAMRY OWNERS WHO'VE BEEN CONFRONTED WITH THIS ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER AN INCIDENT NOTHING REGISTERS ON THE CAR'S COMPUTER, SO MECHANICS REALLY DON'T WHERE TO START IN DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM AND FORMULATING A POSSIBLE FIX. MY CAR'S BEEN METICULOUSLY CARED FOR AND I'VE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING HAS WORKED SO FAR - THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. I'VE CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY'RE UNWILLING TO ADDRESS IT, EVEN THOUGH I'VE TOLD THEM MY ONLINE SEARCHES HAVE REVEALED OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO TOLD TOYOTA THAT WERE I TO EXPLORE TRADING-IN THE VEHICLE (WITH FULL DISCLOSURE), I HAVE NO DOUBT A DEALER WOULD ACCEPT IT AND PASS IT ON TO AN UNSUSPECTING BUYER. I'M CONVINCED THERE'S A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM TOYOTA'S UNWILLING TO ADDRESS.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG STARTED TO PULSATE AND STARTED TO RIP THE AIR BAG COVER OPEN, PULLED THE CAR OVER TO THE BRAKE DOWN LANE AND CALLED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ALL THEY SAID WAS THER IS NO RECALL ON THAT VIN # THANKS FOR THE CONCERN TOYOTA! I AM AFRAID THAT AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY WILE CAR IS IN OPERATION.

7/14/2015. EVAP SYSTEM. CHECK ENGINE CODE P0446. CANNISTER CLOGGED AND VSV AND PURGE VALVES LEAKING. REPLACED CHARCOAL CANISTER. MILEAGE: 244309......UPDATED 11/13/15 *BF 9/23/2014. EVAP SYSTEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE P0442. FAULTY GAS CAP. REPLACED CAP. MILEAGE: 230,564. 12/14/2013. EVAP SYSTEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE P0420. CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. MILEAGE: 213,621. 7/30/2013. STEERING RACK LEAKING. MILEAGE: 203939. 10/4/2008. FAILED MARYLAND EMISSION INSPECTION. EVAP SYSTEM. FAULT CODES: P0420 CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD (BANK 1); P0440 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION; P0441 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM INCORRECT PURGE FLOW; P0446 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM VENT CONTROL CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION. MILEAGE: 96796. REPLACED CATALYST CONVERTER. 10/6/2006. FAILED MARYLAND EMISSION INSPECTION. P0440 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION; P0441 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM INCORRECT PURGE FLOW; P0446 EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM VENT CONTROL CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION. REPLACED CHARCOAL CANISTER. MILEAGE: 64147. UPDATED 12/05/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO 90 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

TIRES SHOWED SIDEWALL DRYROT WHICH WAS DISMISSED AS 'OZONE CRACKING' AND EXTREMELY REDUCED TRACTION AFTER 2 YEARS, 25,000 MILES. MICHELIN WOULD NOT MAKE GOOD ON COMPLAINT. ENTIRE SET HN7RPK1X4911, HN7RPK1X01122, HN7RPK1X4611, HN7RPK1X5111