1997 Toyota Camry Complaint Log

UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

MODEL XLS, POWER SEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS MOVING WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING , JUST ENOUGH TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE . DLR CLAIMS NO REPAIR. TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ONLY MECHANICALSEATS. *AK

FRONT STRUTS WERE A KNOWN DEFECT, DEALER TOLD ME, THEY BANG LOUDLY AND MAY FAIL I FEAR. DEALER SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME THE STRUTS WERE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID NOT KNOW THIS. NOW THEY ARE REALLY BAD, TO

ENGINES STALLS APPROX. 15 MIN. AFTER WARMED UP UPON ACCELERATION AND WILL DOES NOT RESTART FOR AT LEAST 1 MIN.*ET

WITH MORE THEN TWO PASSENGERS BOTTOM OF AUTO SCRAPES THE SURFACE OF ROAD. *AK

BRAKES WILL LOCK UP,WILL NOT RELEASE EVEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS, CAUSING MASS VIBRATION ON CAR. UNABLE TO STOP PROPERLY. HAVE REPLACED BRAKE CALIPER SYSTEM PROFESSIONALLY 3 TIMES, WORKS FOR APPROX 1 MONTH THEN SYSTEM FAILS AGAIN. UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR. *AK

BRAKES LOCK UP, WILL NOT RELEASE EVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS,CAUSING MASS VIBRATION OR UNABLE TO STOP PROPERLY. HAVE REPLACED BRAKE CALIPERS, PROFESSIONALLY 3 TIMES. WORKED APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH AND SITUATION STARTED AGAIN. 1ST INDICATION WAS BLAKES WERE ROCK HARD WHEN COMPRESSED. AS SPEED INCREASED, VIBRATION INCREASED. MECHANIC ADVISED ALSO BOLT CAME LOOSE FRM DRIVETRAIN, CAUSING BOUCEY EFFECT PRIOR TO BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE RATTLES AS IF THE STRUTS ARE LOOSE. THIS CAUSES A LOUD BANGING NOISE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE STRUTS. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED REPEATEDLY AND BROKE AT THE LAST INSTANCE. YH

THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT IS WIDESPREAD. RESULTS IN NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL WHEN HITTING A BUMP.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING STEERING COLUMN VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OVER 65 MPH (99V-307). *MJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE AIR FUEL SENSOR HAS POSSIBLY FAILED. *SLC

VEHICLE CAN BE PLACED INTO GEAR WITHOUT APPLYING THE SHIFT RELEASE BUTTON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CNOTACTED. AK

BRAKES, DRUMS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ADJUSTED OR REPAIED DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH GRINDING, WARPING, SQUEALING AND BRAKE LOSS, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP SAFELY AT TIMES. NLM

I AM UNABLE TO GET A TETHER ANCHORAGE INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE, AND WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN GO ABOUT GETTING ONE AND HAVING IT INSTALLED. TOYOTA HAS TOLD ME THEY CANNOT SELL ME THE PART OR HAVE IT INSTALLED, BECAUSE THE "BOLT" IS NOT APPROVED BY THE US GOVERNMENT. HELP PLEASE!*AK

MOTOR REQUIRES REBUILDING DUE TO OIL SLUDGE, OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED IN EXCESS OF WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS, BUT FACTORY WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY. *ET

WHEN STARTING CAR WITH KEY IGNITION, CAR IS LOCK WILL NOT TURN IF YOU TURN STEERING WHEEL TO LEFT OR RIGHT HARD.

MY 1997 CAMRY IS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS THE DEALER INFORMERD ME THAT THE ENGINE NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK AND OVERHAUL, AND COST AND LABOR WILL BE $5952.56 PLUS TAX , AND THAT THE WORK WAS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE RECIEPTS FOR THE OIL CHANGES AND IN WHICH PAID THE COST OF $2011.52 JUST FOR THEM TO TEAR APART THE ENGINE AND FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE HAD ENGINGEERS FROM TOYOTA COME OUT TAKE PICTURES OF THE ENGINE AND TAKE A OIL SAMPLE AND AT THAT TIME THEY MADE THE DECISION THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT GOING TO COVER THE CAR UNDER THE 60,000 MILE WARRENTY. THE EXPLANATION TO ME WAS THE PISTON RINGS WAS BURNT AND THE CYCLINDER WAS DEAPLY SCARED AND THERE WAS METAL FRAGMENT IN THEOIL PAN AND OIL PUMP AND THAT IT ALL NEEDED REPLACING. I DISAGREED WITH THEM WHEN THEY STATED TO ME THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF BAD OIL IN THE ENGINE ALSO I DID GIVE THEM THE LAST OIL CHANGE RECIEPT I DID WHICH WAS ONLY THE MONTH BEFORE AND ALSO TOLD THEM THAT MY CAR USELY SET IN STOREAGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM THE ONLY DRIVER TO THE VEHICLE AND I WAS DEPLOYED AT SEA EVERY THREE MONTHS. ALSO ON THE $2011.52 PAYMENT THEY QUOTED ME A COST OF 2506.00 PLUS TAX , ALSO THE REASON I'M WRITING THIS IS BECAUSE A FRIEND GAVE ME A COPY OF THE OCTOBER 1999 CONSUMER REPORTS AD ON HIDDEN WARRANTIES AND THAT DID SOUNDED LIKE ONE OF THOSE CASES.

WHEN FIVE PEOPLE WERE IN THE VEHICLE, THE TIRES SCRAPED REAR WHEEL WELLS AND UNDERCARRIAGE SCRAPED PAVEMENT. *SLC

CONFLICT ON OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION VS DEALER RECOMMEDATIONS REGARDING TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT. *CJ

THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND UNDER RIGHT FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

BRACKET MOUNTS FOR STRUTS ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE BROKE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A SMELL OF SULFUR THAT COMES INTO THE CAR WHENEVER I ACCLERATE OR OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS PASSED INSPECTION CHECKS. ON THE ADVICE OF MY MECHANIC I CHANGED THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND WAS EVEN TOLD TO CHANGE TO HIGH TEST GASOLINE WHICH HELPED SLIGHTLY BUT THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. I CONTACTED MY DEALER(LEE TOYOTA)WHO TOLD ME THAT NOTH8ING IS WRON WITH THE CONVERTER. MY PRIVATE MECHANIC INSISTS THAT THE CONVERTER IS THE CAUSE OF THE SMELL, BUT BECAUSE IT PASSES THE EMISSIONS TEST IT IS NOT CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE. A NEW CONVERTER WILL COST ABOUT $1200, BUT A DEFECTIVE ONE IS WARRANTED UP TO 80000 MILES

THE BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY SQUEALING, I WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL....THE CAR KEEPS DYING WHEN I AM COMING TO SLOW DOWN TO TAKE RIGHT HAND TURN. HAS BEEN DANGEROUS PROBLEM, I DRIVE THROUGH TWO ROTARYS, IT HAS STAULED AROUND THEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS LEAKING. NOTICED PROBLEM WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT NEEDED THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM REPLACED.*AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING A RUBBING SOUND WHEN TURNING WHEEL, NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK

TOYOTA HAS A LIFETIME GUARANTEE REGARDING MUFFLERS, EXHAUST PIPES, SHOCK ABSORBERS, STRUTS, AND STRUT CARTRIDGES, IT STATES THAT TOYOTA WILL REPLACE PARTS AND DO LABOR FOR FREE OF CHARGE, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAD STRUTS REPLACED AND WAS NOT REIMBURSED. *SLC

WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE IT HESITATES AND THEN BACKS SLOWLY. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO STERLING MCCALL TOYOTA IN HOUSTON TEXAS FOR ALL THE RECOMMENDED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE MILAGE INTERVALS. ON ONE OF THE INVOICES I HAVE IT SHOWS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLUSHED WHEN I TOOK IT THE 60,000 SERVICE MAINTAINENCE. I HAVE PAID FOR SEVERAL MAJOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE VISITS AND THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY CAR STILL EXIST. I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALERSHIP ,ON BEHALF OF THEIR NEGLIANCE , INSPITE OF ALL MY SERVICE VISITS, MY TRANSMISSION HAS WORSENED. PLEASE HELP! INVESTIGATE AND ARBITRATION. IF YOU NEED FURTHER DETAILS, YOU MAY CONTACT ME ANYTIME HOME OR WORK.*AK

CONSUMER STATES A CROSSING OF TWO WIRES IN THE TRUNK AREA CAUSED ENGINE MODULE AND INDICATOR LIGHTS ON DASH TO SHORT OUT. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 25-30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

DEALER SAYS CAR NOT SERVICED PROPERLY....I HAVE CHANGED OIL AS REQUIRED AND CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNER WHO SAYS THAT HE HAS DONE THE SAME. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

SQUEAKING OR GROANING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. *AK

UPON CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY GOES INTO NEUTRAL, PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FRONT END RATTLE-MOST SEVERE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROADS AND WHEN DRIVING CAR AT THE BEGINNING OF DAY. NOISE ABATES SOME WHAT AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROX. 15 MINUTES. TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER . DEALER SAID UPPER FRONT STRUTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. CONFIRMED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. BOUGHT CAR USED AND NOTICED PROBLEM ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. CAR HAD 58000 MILES AT THAT TIME. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. SEEMS THAT TOYOTA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND DOES NOT WANT TO RECALL. I HAVE OWNED CAMRY'S IN THE PAST. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. EVEN ON HIGH MILEAGE CARS INADDITION THE CAR SETS TO LOW TO GROUND AND MTHE FRONT END SCRAPS WHEN PULLING INTO DRIVEWAYS OR OTHER STEEP INCLINES. I HAVE OWNED CARS AND BEEN DRIVING FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A CAR OR TRUCK OF THIS NATURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT STRUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE SERVICE INDICATION LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED AIR INTAKE SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. HEARD STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ROD HAD BLOWN, AND BLOCK WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

IN1997 TOYOTA CAMRY FRONT AND BACK SUSPENSION MAKING NOISE IN COLD WEATHER MAY BE DEFECTIVE STRUTS OR SPRING NEED HELP.*AK

BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE AND UNSAFE. IF BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEED THE DISCS WARP SO THE BRAKES PULSATE AND LOSE STOPPING ABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN MOUNTAIN DRIVING OR WHEN BRAKES ARE NEEDED FOR A QUICK STROP ON HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 60 MPH, ENGINECHECK LIGHT CAME ON. OWNER EVENTUALLY PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT ENGINE HAD SEVERE OIL LEAKAGE AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISIONS. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, DID NOT HAVE SOLUTION FOR OCCURRING PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICE D A LOUD NOISE. SOON VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING, EXITING TOLL, OCCUPANTS HEARD A POP AND THEN STEERING STARTED JIGGLING. BEFORE ACTUALLY PULLING OVER TO INSPECT VEHICLE, SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES BEGAN SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH BY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING OR CAUSE OF FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

MODEL GRACO 74038NM DATED 10-11-01; WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT SUDDENLY HYDROPLANED, SPINNED AROUND AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. THIS CAUSED THE HARNESS STRAPS AND THE CLIP ON THE CHILD SEAT TO BREAK APART AND SEPERATE. INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE VEHICLE. NLM

THE VEHICLES' FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CONTINUOUSLY WHOP, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TURNED THE ROTOR 6 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

THE DEALERSHIP SOUTH BAY TOYOTA; GARDENA CA; 310-323-7800 IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING WHEEL 99 V 307 000. THE VEHICLE HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT STATED IN THE RECALL AND IS PRESENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. TS

MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OF BRAKES.