1999 Toyota Camry equipment problems

EQUIPMENT

FLOORMAT OF 2009 FLOORMAT PREVENTS PROPER BRAKING.

NHTSA complaint #10284196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE 1999 CAMRY (PROBLEM: ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON EACH TIME): 1/24/2007 GOODYEAR AUTO--REPLACED CHARCOAL CANISTER AND CONTROL VALVE $549.19 7/12/2007 GOODYEAR AUTO--REPLACED PURGE VALVE $134.24; CHARCOAL CANISTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY 11/8/2008 TOYOTA DEALERSHIP--REPLACED CHARCOAL CANISTER AND PURGE VALVE (TOYOTA SAYS THEY STILL HAVE TO CHARGE FOR THIS REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS REPLACED EARLIER) $656.75 2/9/09 TOYOTA DEALERSHIP--REPLACED CONTROL VALVE--$142.34 IN SUMMARY, CHARCOAL CANISTER WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, PURGE VALVE REPLACED 2 TIMES, CONTROL VALVE REPLACED 2 TIMES--ALL IN A SPAN OF 2 YEARS. TOYOTA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIFIES IT BY SAYING IT IS A "REVISED" PART.

NHTSA complaint #10260331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

REGULATOR/MOTOR ON BOTH REAR POWER WINDOWS ARE BROKEN, (WINDOWS WILL ROLL-UP) PLUS, BOTH HANDLES ON FRONT WINDOWS ARE BROKEN. TO OPEN DOOR, ONE MUST ROLL WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE.

NHTSA complaint #10206646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

THE RADIATOR WAS EMPTY, AND HERE WERE TRACES OF ANTIFREEZE ON THE INSPECTION PLUG ON THE TIMING OVER. AS I EXPLAINED UPON OUR INTIAL MEETING, THIS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFINITE LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE, WITH A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY OF WATER PUMP FAILURE AND CORRESPONDING TIMING BELT FAILURE. HOWEVER, WHEN I DID THE INITIAL TEAR-DOWN OF THE TIMING AREA, I FOUND A RATHER SURPRISING SCENARIO. THE TIMING BELT WAS INTACT. THERE WERE NONE OF HE USUAL OIL LEAKS FROM THE CAM/CRANK SEALS. THE BELT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. THE WATER PUMP HAD SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC BEARING FAILURE. IN FACT, I FOUND PIECES OF METAL IN THE TIMING AREA, AS WELL AS A FEW OF THE BALL BEARINGS FROM THE WATER PUMP SHAFT BEARING. THE TIMING AREA ALSO HAD TRACES OF ANTIFREEZE (OEM ANTIFREEZE) FROM WHERE THE WATER PUMP HAD BEEN LEAKING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. AS PER OUR DISCUSSION, I PROCEEDED TO TEAR THE ENGINE DOWN FURTHER TO INSPECT FOR OTHER POSSIBLE DAMAGE. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE SIMPLY EXPECTING TO FIND A WARPED/POSSIBLY CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. UPON REMOVING THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE HEAD, AND REMOVING THE HEAD ITSELF, I INSPECTED THE BLOCK, CYLINDERS, AND PISTONS. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE PISTONS HAD SUFFERED SEVERE DAMAGE. THERE IS OVER THIRTY THOUSANDTHS OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TOP EDGE OF THE PISTON AND THE CYLINDER WALL. THE TOP PISTON RING IS CLEARLY VISIBLE. THEREFORE, I MUST DECLARE THE ENGINE A LOSS. IN FACT, I HAVE MADE THE OBSERVATION THAT TOYOTA VEHICLES USING THE OEM ANTIFREEZE USUALLY HAD FAR FEWER COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND. IN THEIR VEHICLES. I HAVE TWO TOYOTA PICKUPS. ONE HAS A REMAN ENGINE. IT HAS OEM ANTIFREEZE AND AN OEM OIL FILTER. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I FEEL IN MY OPINION, AND MY EXPERIENCE, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. WHAT THE MANUFACTURER CAN AND WILL DO FOR YOU I DO NOT KNOW.

NHTSA complaint #10088864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

CONSUMER CONCERNED WITH ENTRAPMENT IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC ACTUATOR FOR THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM. *PH

NHTSA complaint #10065216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THERE IS A SQEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I GO OVER SMALL BUMPS/DIPS IN THE ROAD. TOYOTA RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF TIE RODS, WHICH DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. THE NOISE CONTINUES AND HAS INCREASED IN SEVERITY. THE AIR CONDITIONER SMELLS WHEN USING IT. IT SMELLS LIKE MOLD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, BUT ALL THEY DO IS SPRAY IT WITH FRIGI-FRESH, WHICH ONLY MASKS THE SMELL FOR A SHORT WHILE.

NHTSA complaint #763519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THIS CAR IS A LEMON. I HAVE HAD FIVE INTEGRATED RELAY'S REPLACED AND NOW IT IS OUT AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHT OR THE DASH LIGHTS WILL WORK, BUT NOT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. TOYOTA SAID IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD A NON-FACTORY ALARM INSTALLED. THEY REPLACED THE ALARM WITH A TOYOTA ALARM AND REPLACED THE RELAY AND IT BURNED OUT THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS HAD A MUSTY SMELL SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THEY SPRAY THE VENTS WITH "FRIGI FRESH" AND IT'S FINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE SMELL RETURNS. THEY TOLD ME TO SPRAY SIMPLE GREEN IN THE AIR INTAKE ONCE A WEEK. THAT'S A PRETTY POOR REMEDY. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT HOLD ON ANY INCLINE. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL PULL INTO THE GARAGE BY IT SELF AND OTHER TIMES IT WILL ROLL INTO THE STREET. IT DEPENDS ON IT'S MOOD. THE CAR LACK POWER. SOME DAYS THE CAR IS PEPPY BUT MOST DAYS IT'S A OLD MULE. I WENT THROUGH ARBITRATION AND TOYOTA JUST KEEPS REPLACING PARTS INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE CAR. IT'S SITS IN THE GARAGE NOW BECAUSE IS NOT DEPENDABLE. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION AND RECALL OF THE 1999 CAMRY.

NHTSA complaint #751321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

BRAKES SQUEAK/ PULL TO LEFT AND WARP. ALSO, CD PLAYER DOESN'T WORK, HAD 4 CDS REPLACED/ SPRINGS IN SIDE OF SUN ROOF ARE BROKEN AND MAKE NOISES, AND REGULATOR REPLACED INSIDE OF WINDOWS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED AT 9000 AND 27000 MILES, EACH TIME ROTORS ARE TURNED THE BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. WINDSHILED HAS A FILM LIKE COVERING WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF. GOODYEAR TIRE P205/65R15, DOT M6URREDR228 WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #882087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS ON ANY SORT OF INCLINE. THE TRANSMISSIONS WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR ON A HILL EVEN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS A "NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ZERO DRAG FOR BEST GAS MILEAGE AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD CAR WITHOUT THROTTLE PRESSURE." THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #715156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

MAJOR "BOTTOMING OUT" PROBLEM WHEN CAR IS CARRYING 4 ADULTS. VEHICLE ACTUALLY BANGS DOWN ONTO PAVEMENT WHEN ROLLING OVER THE SMALLEST SPEEDBUMP OR EXITING DRIVEWAY. DEALER NOTIFIED & REPLACED FRONT STRUTS 9/16/1999. HAVE YET TO "TEST" NEW PARTS. AIRCONDITIONER REEKS OF STRONG ODOR SINCE 1ST USE. REPORTED TO DEALER WHO USED A SPRAY IN THE AIRCON BUT SYSTEM STILL SMELLS STRONGLY. HAVE NOT REPORTED ABS BRAKE SITUATION TO DEALER AS THIS HAS OCCURRED 3X. HAVE NEVER HAD ABS BRAKES BEFORE & THOUGHT IT WAS "NORMAL." IF STOPPING VERY SUDDENLY, ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES. HAS NOT HAPPENED RECENTLY AS A SHORT-STOPPING SITUATION HAS NOT ARISEN. DO NOT KNOW IF BRAKE/VEHICLE SHUDDER IS NORMAL?

NHTSA complaint #711832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.