1997 Toyota Camry Engine Problems

ENGINE IS BEGINNING TO USE ENGINE OIL BETWEEN CHANGES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE DRIVER STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD NOISE. A FEW MILES LATER THE DRIVER SAW ORANGE FLAMES COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE DRIVER THREW DIRT ONTO THE ENGINE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CONNECTING ROD FAILURE. WHILE I WAS CHECKING MY BATTERY, THE ENGINE EXPLODED, BLOWING A 4" HOLE ON THE ENGINE BODY AND SPREADING PIECES OF THE CONNECTING ROD AROUND THE YARD. NO PRIOR SIGNS HAD INDICATED ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE UP TO THE LAST SECOND BEFORE THE EXPLOSION. *TR

PLEASE SEE THE INFORMATION BELOW, AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME PURSUE THIS MATTER. AT THE VERY LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST TOYOTA AND LUCAS OIL. > ATTORNEY COMMENT: THE WEBSITE FOR LUCAS OIL REGARDING ITS STOP LEAK PRODUCT SAYS THAT IT REPAIRS WORN SEALS WITHOUT RISK OF DAMAGE. > >ATTORNEY COMMENT: THIS SITUATION PRESENTS AN UNUSUAL ISSUE IE THE LIABILITY OF THE OIL LEAK PRODUCT FOR NOT WARNING AGAINST USE OF THE PRODUCT IN A CAR PRONE TO SLUDGING. > > I ADDED 1 QUART OF LUCAS ENGINE OIL STOP LEAK (PURCHASED AT PEP BOYS) TO THE ENGINE OIL OF MY 1997 V-6 TOYOTA CAMRY, WHICH CAUSED A ROD TO BE THROWN, KILLING THE ENGINE. (PRIOR TO THIS, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE, BUT I DID HAVE A SLIGHT ENGINE OIL LEAK PROBLEM.) THE ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS $3,171.91. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAS 177,559 MILES ON IT. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT MY CAR ENGINE IS PRONE TO SLUDGE AND SLUDGE DAMAGE DUE TO DESIGN ERROR. HAD I BEEN AWARE OF THIS, I NEVER WOULD HAVE ADDED THIS PRODUCT. AS IT IS, NEITHER TOYOTA NOR LUCAS OIL POSTED ANY WARNINGS ABOUT USING THIS PRODUCT IN MY CAR ENGINE. AS SUCH, I CONTACTED BOTH TOYOTA AND LUCAS OIL FOR SOME RELIEF - BOTH COMPANIES DENIED MY REQUEST.

ENGINE FROZE WHILE ON NJ TURNPIKE. OIL COAGULATED INTO GOOK/MUDR

HI , I HAVE A 1997 CAMRY THAT'S GOT ROUGHLY 150,000 MILES ON IT.. RECENTLY MY ENGINE BLEW UP/FROZE ...AND IS A TOTAL LOSS-WITH LITTLE TO NO WARNING. I HAVE BEEN TAKING MY CAR TO JIFFY LUBE FOR 3-4 YEARS FAITHFULLY EVERY 3,000.00 MILES. ACTUALLY PAYING THEM FOR THEIR "SPECIAL" HIGH-MILEAGE OIL EVERY TIME. IN LATE OCTOBER I TOOK MY CAMRY TO A INDEPENDENT DEALER THAT DID A $ 800.00 TUNE-UP , REPLACED MY PCV VALVE, AND DID A OIL CHANGE.-I ALSO PAID THIS DEALER TO DO A SPECIAL "COMPREHENSIVE-DIAGNOSTIC" TEST TO FIND ANY THING ELSE THEY COULD FIND WRONG WITH MY CAR-SUPPOSEDLY A STEM TO STERN INSPECTION OF MY CAR. 3,000 MILES LATER, JAN 6TH 2009, I GOT MY REGULAR SCHEDULED JIFFY LUBE OIL CHANGE AND ACTUALLY ASKED THEM TO CHECK FOR ANY OIL LEAKS..AS I WAS ADDING 1-2 EXTRA QUARTS BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THEY TOLD ME "NO LEAKS".. AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. 250 MILES AND 21 DAYS LATER MY CAR DIED ON JAN 27TH, .STRANDING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH NO WARNING. JIFFY LUBE SENT OUT "INVESTIGATORS"- ...WHO LOOKED AT MY ENGINE, AND SAID "SLUDGE BUILD-UP" WAS SO MASSIVE THAT THE PRESSURE BLEW OUT THE PCV VALVE, CAUSING A SUDDEN MASSIVE LOSS OF OIL..AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE..AS THEY SAID IT WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. I CHANGED MY OIL RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 3,000 MILES WITH "JIFFY LUBE'S OIL" NO LESS...AND JUST HAD A STEM TO STERN TUNE-UP AND A NEW PCV VALVE PUT IN.. HELP!!!!...I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE...TOYOTA DEFECT? TUNE-UP SHOP OR BAD JIFFY LUBE OIL? PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. *TR

CONNECTING ROD WENT THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. *TR

WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS OR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA, SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN SECONDS, FLAMES WERE SEEN, BY THE TIME HE REACHED THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE ENGINE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FIRE. BY THE TIME HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, MINUTES, THE DASH WAS ENGULFED. IT TOOK 15 MINUTES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT IT OUT. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD REGULAR SERVICES PER MANUFACTURERS REQUIREMENTS, PLUS A SAFETY AND ENGINE EXAMINATION APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS AGO. NO EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM OF ANY KIND WAS FOUND AT THAT TIME. *JB

1997 TOYOTA CAMRY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING ON I-87. FIRE BEGAN SOMEWHERE UNDER THE FRONT HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. BRAKES FAILED WHILE MOVING TO HIGHWAY SHOULDER. PASSENGERS WERE IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. *JB

DT: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE ENGINE AND DESTROYED IT. THIS OCCURRED ON AUGUST 31, 2005. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS THE PISTON ROD THAT CAME LOOSE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THEY WERE NOT HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. *AK 11/02/05. *JB

MY CHEK ENIGNE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I WAS HEADED OUT FOR A 250 MILE TRIP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND GOT THEIS LIST OF PROBLEMS. TIMING BELT REPLACMENT,WATER PUMP, RESEAL OIL PAN, REPLACE ENGINE PIPE, TRANSMISSION GASKET AND FILTER REPLACEMENT OXYGEN SENSOR, A/F SENSOR, EFI SERVICE, CAM SEAL, CRANK SEAL, OIL PUMP SEAL . BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST. I WENT ON LINE AND REALIZED THAT I HAD OIL SLUDGE. CALLED TOYAOTA, THEY TOLD ME TO GET IT EVALUATED FOR OIL SLUDGE

IN JULY, 2003 (PLEASE REFER TO ODI ID NUMBER: 10030262) OUR 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY CE (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) BEGAN LEAKING LARGE AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE. IT WAS DETERMINED INTERNAL PRESSURE HAD CAUSED THE TANK TO BULGE OUT AND RIP AT THE SEAMS. AFTER TWO SOLDERING ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO PATCH THE TANK, THE ENTIRE TANK WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. A PRESSURE TEST WAS CONDUCTED BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. IN FEBRUARY 2005 THE GAS TANK STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. THE SAME BULGE FROM INSIDE OUT WAS FOUND AS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SEEN WITH THE OLD AND SINCE REPLACED TANK. THE TANK WAS REMOVED & SENT OUT FOR WELDING, RETURNED AND TESTS WERE CONDUCTED ON THE CHARCOAL FILTER & VACUUM SWITCH. BOTH TESTED FINE. THE VACUUM SWITCH WAS REPLACED AS THE COST OF REPLACING THE CHARCOAL FILTER WAS TOO EXPENSIVE AND SINCE IT DIDN'T SHOW FAILURE, IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE NECESSARY. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED PERIODIC TESTS IN CASE THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. ALSO, THE HEAT DISTRIBUTOR (I BELIEVE THAT'S THE NAME FOR THE METAL BETWEEN THE EXHAUST PIPE & THE GAS TANK TO KEEP THE TANK FROM OVERHEATING & EXPLODING) WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN "WRINKLED" BUT FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE IN-OUT EXPANSION OF THE TANK, NOT FROM AN OUT-IN PUSH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED FROM DRIVING OVER SOMETHING. *AK LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, THE GAS LEAK RETURNED. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED AND WE WERE REFERRED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER. THE CSM COORDINATED WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THE CAR PUT UP ON THE RACK AND LOOKED AT. THREE INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THE CSM DECLARED IT WAS AN "EXTERNAL LEAK FROM THE PATCH" AND FELT IT WAS NOTHING THEY WERE WILLING TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER. THEY DID SUGGEST REPLACING THE TANK AND DOING FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS TO ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE THE PROCESS, HOWEVER, THE EXPENSES ARE SO EXTRAORDINARY, WE HAVE OPTED TO REPLACE THE TANK WITH A USED ONE AND LOOK AT OTHER REPLACEMENT VEHICLE OPTIONS, POSSIBLY SELLING PARTS OR TOWING TO A JUNK YARD.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OIL LEAKAGES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, AND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK

THE VEHICLE MAD A LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISE WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY FOLLOWED BY A BANG. THE ROD HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. INCIDENT DATE 01/28/2005. *SC

THE FOLLOWING IS A COMPLANT THAT WAS SENT TO TOYOTA MOTOR CO. IT IS NOT MY WISH TO HAVE TO WRITE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER I MUST, BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME TO PASS. MY FAMILY HAS SUPPORTED TOYOTA, AND OFCOURSE ALL OWN TOYOTA DUE TO THE BEAUTIFUL WORK AND CRAFTSMANSHIP OF TOYOTA. HOWEVER MY TOYOTA CAMRY HAS MADE ME TO DOUBT THE STRONG FEELING I ONCE HAD FOR MY CAR. I TURNED MY CAR OVER TO TOYOTA OF LOUISVILLE FOR SERVICE AND THE REPAIR OF OIL SLEDGING. I ASSUME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. HOWEVER AT THE TIME I WITNESSED NO SYMPTOMS. I SIMPLY DID NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. SO I HAD IT SERVICED TO AVOID ANY PROBLEM. LATER AFTER HAVING MY TIMING BELT REPLACED I STARTED TO WITNESS A SLUGGISH ACCELERATION, AND WORSENING GAS MILEAGE, THE PROBLEM WORSENED. EVENTUALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. AND THE OIL LIGHT ALSO. HOWEVER IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE ENGINE THREW A ROD ON THE INTERSTATE ON THE WAY HOME FROM COLLEGE FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CAR RESTORED TO THE STATE IT WAS IN BEFORE THE SPECIAL SERVICING. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOUR COMPANY; I PLAN ON PURCHASING FROM TOYOTA IN THE FUTURE. HOWEVER THIS MATTER HAS PLACED ME IN SALTY WATERS, AND AS U CAN IMAGINE THAT IS NOT A VERY PLEASANT TASTE. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING BACK FROM YOUR OFFICE REGARDING THIS MATTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SINCERELY A FAITHFUL CUSTOMER JOHN R. CUMMINGS JR.*AK

AT 72,000 MILES ENGINE BLEW. PERFECTLY MAINTAINED CAR WITH RECORDS TO BACK IT UP. NEEDED NEW ENGINE. AT 39,000 MILES VALVE SEALS HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 67,700 MILES VALVE SEALS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I BELIEVE THIS ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE SINCE THE TIME IT LEFT THE FACTORY. NO RESPONSE FROM MANUFACTURER.*AK

AT ABOUT 70K MILES, MY 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY STARTING EXHIBITING PROBLEMS OF HUGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE AT COLD STARTUP. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE ENGINE SLUGE OR GELLING PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE TSB-628696 AS NOTED IN THE NHTSA. HOWEVER, TOYOTA HAS DECLINED TO COVER THE REPAIR, BUT IS WILLING TO COVER ONLY THE PARTS, BUT THE LABOR IS BEING CHARGED TO ME. THEY ARE NOT HONORING THE EXTENDED COVERAGE THAT THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED FOR THIS TSB TC02002 AND NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 628696. THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED GAS IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE TOTALLY DESTROYED THE VEHICLE.*AK

TOOK 1997 CAMRY TO DEALER SEPTEMBER 2002 FOR SLIGHT HESITATION PROBLEM AND ADVISED THEM THAT I NOTICED A SMALL OIL LEAK WHILE PARKED AT HOME. DEALER ADVISED IT WAS ENGINE SLUDGE. CAR REMAINED IN DEALER'S POSSESSION FOR 1 1/2 MONTHS BECAUSE OF NO RESPONSE FROM SERVICE TECH. THEY CLAIMED THAT SLUDGE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, HOWEVER. JULY 8, 2004 THE CAR STOPPED. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE DIED FROM SLUDGING...AGAIN. DEALER SAY THEY WILL NOT FIX IT AND THAT I MUST PURCHASE ANOTHER ENGINE FOR $5200.00 (USED 2000 TOYOTA ENGINE). I ADVISED THEM OF THE LETTER FOUND ON THE I-NET FROM TOYOTO RE. "COVERAGE FOR OIL GELLING RELATED ENGINE DAMAGE FOR 8 YEARS UNLIMITED MILEAGE FROM DATE OF FIRST SALE" BUT SERVICE TECH SAID "WE FIXED IT ONCE AND WE WILL NOT DO IT AGAIN". I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION, AND NO SATISFACTION FROM TOYOTA DEALER. HELP!*AK

WHILE DRIVING FRONT END/STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO ENGINE SLUDGE. *AK