2000 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA Complaints

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT MY SON'S FATAL 2000 TOYOTA SOLARA CRASH. HIS CAR WENT INTO FULL SPEED AND HIT THE TREES WITH SPEED CLOSE TO 100 MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET WITH 20 MPH LIMIT. UPDATED 03/10/10 *BF *TR UPDATED 9/21/2011*CW UPDATED 09/23/10

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED IN A RAINSTORM WHILE DRIVING 70MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *TR

I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT MY BRAKES ON MY SOLAR 2000, THE DEALER SHIP HERE IN RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA THEY WILL LAUGH AT ME, THEY DON'T DO ANY THING . I TELL PEOPLE IF ANY THING HAPPENS TO ME IN MY VEHICLE IT WILL BE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES. I HAVE MY BRAKES DONE EVERY YEAR, AND I JUST HAD THEM DONE AND I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH NOISE AND SOMETIMES NO BRAKES AT ALL. I GET MY BRAKES CHECKED THREE TIMES A YEAR. *TR

I HAD A PASSENGER WHO REMARKED THAT THERE WAS A SULFUR SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF CAR WHEN RECIRCULATION AIR IS SWITCHED ON. I HAD NOTICED IT BEFORE BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT IT. I'VE HAD LOTS OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES OVER THE PAST 5 MONTHS. WHEN I MENTIONED TO A MECHANIC HE SAID IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE SULFUR DIOXIDE POISONING ME. *TR

MY SON WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON I-75 NEAR BRUCE B. DOWNS BLVD IN TAMPA FL AT APPROX 2:30 AM ON 9/26/2008. ANOTHER DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO ENTER HIS LANE AND HE SWERVED INTO THE FAR RIGHT LANE TO AVOID BEING STRUCK LOSING CONTROL WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AT APPROX 70 MPH, WENT AIRBORNE, LANDED STRAIGHT DOWN THEN DID AN END TO END FLIP APPROX 20 YDS OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO THE WOODS, COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. HE WAS DRIVING A 2000 TOYOTA SOLARA SE, VINE #. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT; HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, BUT NOTHING REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION. NEITHER THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL, DRIVER FOR THE WRECKING COMPANY NOR INSURANCE ADJUSTER COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE COPIES, PLEASE NOTIFY ME VIA EMAIL. THANK YOU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE REAR AXLE OR WHEEL BEARING. TOYOTA ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IN 2004 AT 29,000 MILES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED IN DECEMBER OF 2007. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY CORRECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,811.

COMPLAINT AGAINST COSTCO AUTOMOBILE TIRES: PURCHASED 4 COSTCO TIRES IN 2006. THEY WERE FILLED WITH NITROGEN. NOT TOLD THAT ALL AIR MUST BE NITROGEN AIR PUT IN TIRES. FILLED TIRED WITH REGULAR AIR. MAJOR CAR PROBLEMS WITH SHAKING OF STEERING AND FUMES AND SMELL AND TIRES HOT TO TOUCH. TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT WHEN I PUT IN AIR IN NITROGEN FILLED COSTCO TIRES IT CAUSED A CHEMICAL REACTION. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THANKFUL I WAS LUCKY, BUT WHO WILL BE THE NEXT VICTIM AND WILL THEY BE SO LUCKY? SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HOLD COSTCO ACCOUNTABLE FOR FILLING TIRES WITH NITROGEN AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY SHOULD FILL WITH AIR AS WITH INDUSTRY STANDARD. *TR

EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM REAR OF CAR. INITIALLY INDICATED AS A TIRE PROBLEM BUT TURNED OUT TO BE INCORRECT. THEN AS A RIM PROBLEM - DETERMINED TO BE INCORRECT. NEXT, CHECKED BREAKING SYSTEM BUT NOT THE CAUSE. DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, STATED THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY WITH THE TIRES, RIMS, BRAKES OR EXHAUST SYSTEM. REPLACED TIRES, EXAMINED RIMS, ALIGNMENT AND BALANCED TIRES, CHECKED EXHAUST SYSTEM - NO PROBLEMS NOTED. DISCUSSED ISSUE WITH LOCAL AUTO SUPPLIER (AUTO ZONE) AND WAS INFORMED TO CHECK THEIR WEBSITE OF RECALLS. LOCATED RECALL, WHEN TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SHOWED SERVICE REP THE NOTICE. REP INDICATED THAT THERE ARE NOT CAMPAIGNS REGARDING THE 2000 CAMRY SOLARA; STATED THAT A FAILURE OF THE AXLE BEARINGS/HUB IS EXTREMELY REAR. REQUESTED TECH TEST DRIVE THE CAR TO HELP RESOLVE THE NOISE PROBLEM. THE TECH DROVE THE CAR, INFORMED SERVICE REP AND MYSELF THAT THE REAR AXLE BEARINGS MUST BE REPLACED. REPEATED LINKAGE TO RECALL AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEIR SYSTEM WOULD HAVE NOTIFY THEM OF ANY CAMPAIGNS WHEN COMPLETING EARLY WORK . ORDERED THE PARTS AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE THE AXLE(S). CHECKED YOUR WEBSITE AND LOCATED NHTSA CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 00V154000. CAMPAIGN COVERS MY PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT COVER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 1999. COULD THE RECALL HAVE MISSED PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR AXLES ON 2000 MODEL YEAR TOYOTA SOLARAS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO THE TIME FRAME OF MARCH 30 THROUGH APRIL 9, 2000. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE REAR END,. LOUD NOISES CAN ALSO BE HEARD WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. UPON INSPECTION THE REAR AXEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V154000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION: REAR. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK UPDATED 7-13-2006 - *NM

DT: THERE IS SERIOUS VIBRATION IN THE FRONT BRAKES. EVERY TIME THE CONSUMER APPLIES THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL SHAKE AND SO WILL THE STEERING WHEEL. CAN HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON AUGUST 1, 2003. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND HAD TO CHANGE THE CALIPERS AND THE ROTORS. HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED , THEN SHAVED THEM TWICE, AND THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS. *AK