2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND INTO THE WATER. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE BACK AND NECK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND CRASH CAUSED BY THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

ALTHOUGH CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND MELTING AND EVERY DAY THE MATERIAL CRACKS ARE GETTING WIDER. *TR

THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND MELTING--IT HAS AFFECTED THE GPS AND I AM AFRAID OTHER INSTRUMENTS MAY BE AFFECTED AS WELL-- THE MELTING CAUSES A TERRIBLE GLARE IN THE WINDSHIELD MAKING DRIVING IT SAFELY IALMOST IMPOSSIBLE--THIS IS A ONE OWNER-WELL MAINTAINED AUTO--I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH '04 SOLARAS AND A REPAIR WAS OFFERED FOR ABOUT $3,000. *TR

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD AND STICKINESS OF THE DASHBOARD. I ASKED AT HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA AND GOT NO SATISFACTION AND THINK I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER TOO. OVER THE YEARS, ONE HALF OF THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS BECOME VERY NOTICEABLY CRACKED AND DAMAGED AND NOW THE COVERING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOWS IS PEELING OFF THE DOORS. THE REST OF THE INTERIOR LOOKS PRISTINE. THE DASHBOARD CRACKED IN MY PREVIOUS CAMRY TOO BUT NOT TO THIS DEGREE; TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, TOYOTA PAID ME $1000 LESS THAT I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN FOR THE TURN-IN PRICE BECAUSE OF THE DASHBOARD OF THE OLD CAMRY CAR WHEN I SOLD IT BACK TO THEM WHEN I BOUGHT MY CURRENT SOLARA IN 2004. AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE HAVE COME UP TO ME AND TOLD ME THEY ALSO EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SOLARAS. ONE PERSON SAID THEY HAD 2 SOLARAS; ONE KEPT IN THE GARAGE AND ON THE STREET, AND BOTH DASHBOARDS CRACKED. I HAVE MADE AN EFFORT ALL THE TIME TO COVER THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE SUN INSIDE BUT IT HASN'T HELPED. I HOPE TOYOTA ISSUES A RECALL, AS I THINK THEY SHOULD. *TR

ABOUT 4 YEARS AFTER OWNERSHIP THE WHOLE DASHBOARD STARTED TO CRACK TO A POINT WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE A PUZZLE. WE TOOK A RIDE TO PALM BEACH TOYOTA, WHICH IS WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, AND ONE OF THEIR WORKERS ASKED WHY WE WERE THERE. MY HUSBAND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND HE TOLD MY HUSBAND NOT TO WASTE HIS TIME CAUSE OTHER PEOPLE HAD GONE IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY WERE DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S CAUSED BY THE SUN. THE CAR IS ALWAYS IN THE GARAGE. MY HUSBAND WAS SO UPSET HE LEFT THE DEALER. WE ARE VERY UPSET BECAUSE WE PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF CARS AND NOTHING LIKE THIS HAVE EVER HAPPENED. I TRULY BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR AND ALSO SURE THAT LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. *TR

THE ENGINE SURGES WHEN IN GEAR & I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO MAKE IT STOP SURGING FORWARD. *JS

THE ENGINE SURGES WHEN IN GEAR & I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO MAKE IT STOP SURGING FORWARD. *JS

SEVERE CRACKING OVER AIR BAG COVER ON PASSENGER SIDE. FEAR THAT AIR BAGS ARE COMPROMISED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY OR DEPLOY PREMATURELY. ALSO THAT SHARP PIECES OF BROKEN DASHBOARD WILL HARM OTHERS IN CAR. *TR

WHILE PULLING LEFT INTO A PARKING PLACE THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND VIOLENTLY SLAMMED INTO A PARKED CAR OPPOSITE ME. THE POLICE SAID MY FOOT PROBABLY SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND HIT THE GAS PEDAL. IT WAS A VERY VIOLENT HIT AND I WAS VERY SHAKEN. NOT HAVING A RECALL ON MY CAR, I WENT ALONG WITH THE POLICE UNTIL THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2014. LUCKILY, THIS SECOND INCIDENT ONLY THREW THE CAR INTO A PLOWED SNOW BANK. *TR

DASHBOARD HAS BEEN CRACKING FOR A WHILE NOW AND GETTING WORSE. THE CRACKS ARE ALL AROUND THE GLOVE BOX WHERE THE AIRBAG IS LOCATED. I KEEP MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. VERY CONCERNED THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. *TR