1996 Toyota Camry Body & Structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED INTO PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT AND THEY INFORMED THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

ALL FOUR INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES HAVE FAILED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT THE CAR WITHOUT ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOWS. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. THE LEFT REAR WAS FIRST TO FAIL AT ~100K MILES, THE DRIVER HANDLE FAILED LAST AT 139K MILES. THE LOCAL DEALER OFFERED A 10% DISCOUNT ON THE REPAIR, TOYOTA OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WOULD OFFER ANYTHING BETTER. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE ARE TRIANGULAR PANELS IN EACH DOOR THAT CONTINUE TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT SINCE THE PANELS ARE ONLY HELD ON BY CLIPS, THE PANELS MAY DETACH AND COULD BECOME AIRBORNE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY WERE SCREWED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE BONDO WAS APPLIED TO THE FRONT PANEL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM.*AK UPDATED 7/25/2006 - THE DOOR PANEL WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE OUTER DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. ALSO, THE TWO FRONT AND THE REAR PASSENGER INNER DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED. THESE DOORS CAN ONLY BE OPENED WITH THE OUTER HANDLES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER PLASTIC DOORS KNOB HANDLE BROKE. PASSENGER SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE. *AK

DRIVER/PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES CAME OFF THE VEHICLE ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE CRACKED . HANDLE WAS RARELY USED. TWO MONTHS LATER, DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR HANDLE CRACKED. THE PART COST OVER $90, INSTALLATION ABOUT $90. TOTAL FOR 2 HANDLES ALMOST $400. I'M THE ONLY DRIVER OF THE CAR, 55 YRS OLD, TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT.*AK

BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR DOORS HAVE A GLUEY STICKY SUBSTANCE THAT IS LEAKING FROM THE DOOR.IT IS LEAKING ALL AROUND THE INSIDE FRAME AND HAS MELTED THE MOLDING ON THE ACTUAL BLACK CAR MOLDING THAT IS PART OF THE CAR. IF YOU TOUCH ANY PART OF THE DOOR OR FRAME, THE BLACK SUBSTANCE STICKS TO YOU.LOCAL DEALER UNWILLING TO FIX IT. SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT TO ME. HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE MARCH 2000.

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON DRIVERS SIDE HAS BROKE OFF, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RAPIDLY EXIT THE CAR. PASSENGER SIDE HAS CRACKS AND SPRING HAS WORN THROUGH. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN BY 48 Y/O WOMEN (MY WIFE). MY CONCERN IS THAT IN AN ACCIDENT, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO GET OUT WITHOUT JAMMING A SCREWDRIVER IN IT, OR ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE FACT THAT BOTH SIDES ARE FAILING LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SINCE THE ONE PLASTIC PIECE COSTS $33.00, I WILL PROBABLY LOOK FOR ONE IN THE JUNK YARD, (WHICH MAY ALSO HAVE PREMATURELY AGED). WE LIVE IN FLORIDA SO PERHAPS THE U/V RAYS CONTRIBUTE TO ITS DEMISE. NONETHELESS IT IS CREATING AN UNSAFE SITUATION AND I COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK

TRUNK LID FELL ON CONSUMER'S BACK CAUSING INJURY, THE LID DESIGN ALLOWS FOR THE LID TO FALL EASILY.

IN A NORMAL WINDY DAY OR MILD WIND TRUNK WILL FALL DOWN HARD AND EASILY.*AKTHE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE AFTERMARKET SPOILER IS TOO HEAVY CAUSING THE TRUNK LID TO FALL EASILY, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE LID HAS FALLEN ON THE CONSUMERS HEAD WHILE REACHING INTO THE TRUNK ON A WINDY DAY. NLM

THERE IS A LIFE ELECTRICAL CURRENT RUNNING THROUGH THE DOOR, AND THE OWNER SUFFERED A REAL BAD SHOCK, AND NOW CANNOT NOT USE HIS HAND AS WELL. *AK

PLASTIC PANELS AND BUMPERS ARE CHEAPLY MOLDED/UNSAFE.

RUST ON THE REAR UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE.

DOOR SEALS FAILED.

UNDER CARRIAGE OF ALL FOUR DOORS CORRODED. *DSH

BOTH PASSENGER DOORS HAVE A GLUE STICKY SUBSTANCE THAT IS LEAKING FROM THE WEATHER STRIPPING INSIDE THE DOOR. A DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $60.00 PER DOOR TO FIX. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED OFTEN THEN THERE SOUND LIKE A DEFECTIVE PROBLEM IN THE WEATHER STRIPPING OR SOME OTHER COMPONENT WITHIN THE DOOR. THE PROBLEM STARTED OCCURING AROUND NOV. 1997 ALMOST TWO YEARS AFTER THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW. CAN YOU HELP ME IN THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

INSIDE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

SUPPORT FOR ROOF RACK IS POORLY INSTALLED.