1998 Toyota Camry Complaint Log

GOODYEAR INTERGRITY P195/70 R 14 WORN OUT. YH

A DEFECTIVE AXLE CAUSED THE WHEEL BEARING TO FAIL, & VIBRATION AT 60 MPH, IN STEERING COLUMN AND NOISE IN FRONT END. YH

A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED TO TOYOTA CAMRY, THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBANTS GOT EXTREMELY NOISY AND IT FEELS LIKE IT WILL BREAK ANY TIME I HAVE TO DRIVE OVER A SMALL BUMP. I HAVE CONTACTED JIM COLEMAN'S TOYOTA IN BETHESDA MARYLAND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE AROUND 19000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL CAMRY'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA IS GOING TO MAKE A RECALL AND FIX IT. UP UNTIL TODAY THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. MY WARRENTY RANS OUT AT 36000 MILES. I CURRENTLY HAVE AROUND 25000. SO I LIKE EITHER TOYOTA OR THE DEALER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU

BACK SEAT BELTS.

BRAKE PADS DEFECTIVE. SHOCKS ARE NOISY.

SUN VISORS.

TIRES.

GOODYEAR TIRE BLEW OUT.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM.

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE DOESN'T WORK FROM INSIDE THE CAR.

CONTINUOUS NOISE FROM REAR AS IF THE CAR IS GOING OVER A SERIES OF BUMPS. THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ON THE STEERING ALSO.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A RUMBLING NOISE AND VIBRATION. ALSO THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND HAS A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS ADJUSTED BRAKES 4 TIMES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, AND WHEN PLACING THE KEY IN IGNITION, IGNITION WILL NOT TURN OVER/START. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT STEERING FRONT WHEEL MUST BE FACED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START TURNING IGNITION KEY. *AK

REPEATED BRAKE NOISE - METAL ON METAL - TOYOTA HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK

STRUTS BAD ON FRONT END AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK

BRAKES DO NOT HAVE THE CORRECT STOPPING DISTANCE EFFECTIVENES .WHEN THE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THEY FEEL MUSHY THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

IGNITION SYSTEM, CABORATOR AND STARTER FAILED IN THE 1998-99 MODEL CAMRY'S. NLM

THE BRAKES ARE MAKING GRINDING NOISE. THEY HAVE BEEN CHANGED ONCE BY THE DEALERSHIP AT 13000 MILES, AND THEN AT 27000 MILES THEY WERE AGAIN CHANGED BY SEARS. BUT THE BRAKES ARE GETTING WORN OUT EASILY AND THE GRINDING SOUND WILL NOT STOP. THE LEFT AND RIGHT SEAT BELTS HAVE BOTH FAILED AT 20000 AND 27000. THEY GET STUCK AND WONT COME IN OR OUT. THEY HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY THE DEALER *AK

HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE POOR VISABILITY AT NIGHT, THE LEFT SIDE HAS DARK SPOTS. HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED THREE TIMES, AND THERE HAS BEEN KNOW CHANGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR SEAT BELTS ARE TOO SHORT TO FIT AROUND SELF OR ANYONE ELSE THE SAME SIZE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM SURGED CAR INTO WALL WITH DRIVERS FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. *AK

FRONT BRAKES MAKE RUMBLING NOISE AFTER BEING FIXED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM DUE TO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE. YH

WHILE TRAVELING 30-35 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITHOUT INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT OR EXTEND FROM THE RETRACTING MECHANISM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BRAKES BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND VIBRATE. BRAKES ARE ALWAYS VERY LOW. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

THE TOP PLATE ON THE STRUT FAILED AND THE DEALER HAS NO PARTS TO REPAIR, THIS PROBLEM CAUSES TIRES TO WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE. NLM

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING AN EMERGENCY STOPPING SITUATION/ ON WET OR UNEVEN PAVEMENT, BRAKES DO NOT HOLD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHP, BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP BRAKES WILL EXPERIENCE A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AK DEALER WOULD MAKE SO CALLED ADJUSTMENTS, HOWEVER WOULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM, A BRAKE SPECIALIST DETECTED BRAKE PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE EXACT PROBLEM, CONSUMER FEELS BRAKES ARE UNMATCHING PARTS OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES THAT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR REPAIR, THE DEALER HAS ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES, REPLACED BRAKE PADS, MACHINED ROTORS, REPLACED REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND, VEHICLE WOULD SCRAPE THE GROUND WHILE ENTERING AND EXITING DRIVEWAY THAT HAD A VERY SMALL PEAK, DEALER STATED STRUSTS WERE FINE, CONSUMER FEELS STRUTS ARE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE HAS A LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND IDLES HIGH ON A COLD START, DEALER ADJUSTED THE TIMING BELT. LEFT SUN VISOR IS LOOSE, DEALER TIGHTENED, VISOR MIRRORS WERE CRACKEDM DEALER REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER HAS AN ODOR WHEN IN USE. TIRES KEEP LOSING AIR, FOUND TIRES WERE MISSING A VALVE STEM. ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER REPLACED AIR FUEL SENSOR, ENGINE STALLS AT TIMES WHEN STARTING, DEALE REPLACED THE IAC VALVE. RIGHT HEADLAMP IS DIM, DEALER ORDERED NEW BULB ASSEMBLY, BULB SHORTED. CONSUMER CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNER OF VEHICLE WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE MANY BRAKE PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIX, MANUFACTURER TOLD HER THAT SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE MADE WITH AN ILL FITTING PART THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE RECALLED, PREVIOUS OWNER HAD RETURNED VEHICLE DUE TO THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS, WHEN CURRENT OWNER BOUGHT VEHICLE TOYOTA HID THE FACT THAT VEHICLE WAS LEASED AND THAT IT HAD EXPERIENCED THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS. *SLC

NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION. *MJS

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING A/C PROBLEMS. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

GENERAL NATION GENERAL TIRES (P195 70 R14) ARE TREADLESS AND BACK TIRE ON RIGHT SIDE IS CRACKING. *SLC

BOTH FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR ON THE INSIDE, THE WORST OF THE TWO FRONT TIRES WAS WORN TO THE CASING AND WAS DISCARDED WHEN IT DEVELOPED A LEAK, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE TIRES OR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM. NLM

FLAT TIRE DUE TO OLD, CUT, SLOW LEAKING VALVE STEM. *CJ

WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE, DRIVER CANNOT SEE ANY MORE THAN APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET IN FRONT GOING DOWN A HILL. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER, AND PARTS WERE REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *SLC

KEY FAILS TO UNLOCK EITHER TRUNK OR DOORS ON VEHICLE. PROBLEM IS NOT WEATHER RELATED. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM.*AK THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A NEW LOCK SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *YH

POOR BRAKING SYSTEM AND SUSPENSION; DISAPPOINTING FIRST TOYOTA BUY.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK. RECALL 01V012000 HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK

SERVICE DEPT. SAID STRUT MOUNTS WERE BACKLOGGED AND WOULD PROBABLY TAKE MORE THAN 1 1/2 TO 2 MONTHS TO COME IN. DO NOT DRIVE CAR ON HIGHWAY BUT O.K. TO AND FROM WORK LOCALLY.

SINCE BUYING MY TOYOTA IN APRIL OF 1998, I HAVE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS 3 TIMES. I STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SCREECHING AND GRINDING NOISES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS THAT THIS NOISE HAS BEEN A NOTED PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE FOR A "NEW" CAR, I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO AVOID MAKING REPAIRS AND I HAVE MADE MORE ON THIS TOYOTA AND ITS BAD BREAKS THAN I WOULD HAVE SPENT ON KEEPING MY USED RODEO. I MEAN WITH REGULAR MAINANTENCE CHECK, OIL CHANGE, CAR PAYMENTS, $200 BRAKE JOBS EVERY 8 TO 12 MONTHS, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLUNKING NOISES COMING FROM MY FRONT SUSPENSION, ESPECIALLY IF I GO OVER A ROUGH ROAD. FOR A COMPANY THAT HAS A REPUTATION FOR SUPERIOR CARS, THIS HAS BEEN A DISAPPOINTING FIRST BUY AS I FIND THE CAR TO HAVE A VERY, VERY POOR BRAKING SYSTEM AND SUSPENSION. FROM READING YOUR TECHNICAL BULLETINS, THERE HAS BEEN 90 REPORTED COMPLAINTS ON THE BRAKES AND 31 REPORTED COMPLAINTS ON THE SUSPENSION. HOW MANY MORE COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE FILED BEFORE A RECALL ON THESE BRAKES ARE DONE?*AK

ON BOTH CAMRY'S I HAVE OWNED I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE STREETS ARE WET THE TIRES TEND TO SPIN WHEN I FIRST BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AND THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING TRACTION. *AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V307000.... REGARDING SSC-X06 1995-1998 JAPAN BUILT TOYOTA CAMRY STEERING WHEEL SET NUT SAFETY RECALL - I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT THROUGH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-331-4331) FOR REPAIR ACCORDING TO THE AFOREMENTIONED NOTICE. I CALLED ON 28 JUNE'01 (TOYOTA SERVICE REFERENCE # 200106280784) AND TOYOTA SCHEDULED ME FOR SERVICE WITH MICHAELS' TOYOTA OF BELLEVUE, WA, 120 116TH AV. NE, BELLEVUE, WA 98004 (PH: 425-455-9500) IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. BUT I DIDN'T GET A CALL BACK FROM MICAHEL'S TOYOTA FOR THE SERVICE DATE. AS A FOLLOW-UP, I CALLED TOYOTA AGAIN AND THEY FLAGGED A SERVICE CALL FOR MICAHEL'S TOYOYTA TO SCHEDULE SERVICE WITHIN 24 HOURS. BUT TILL DATE, THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED. I HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED BY THEM FOR SCHEDULING A SERVICE. I TOOK THE CASE AGAIN WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE AGAIN NOTIFIED MICHAELS' TOYOTA TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE. I FEEL I'M JUST WASTING MY TIME CALLING THEM UP AND THOUGHT OF BRINGING THE ISSUE WITH NHTSA SO AS TO MAKE THEM AWARE THAT TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING THESE RECALLS SERIOUSLY AND NOT GIVING ENOUGH IMPORTANCE TO THIS ISSUE. I'M QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T TAKE IT AS A PRIORITY - MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S A FREE SERVICE. THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS AND MYBE CONSIDERING THIS AS A WASTE OF TIME. HOPE SOME MESAURES WILL BE TAKEN IN FUTURE SO THAT MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS DO NOT TAKE PEOPLE FOR A RIDE AND FOLLOW NHTSA GUIDELINES. P.S. I BOUGHT MY CAR THRU' KEARNY MESA TOYOTA, SAN DIEGO AND MOVED TO BELLEVUE, WA IN MAY, THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN I GOT THIS RECALL NOTICE AND SCHEDULED THE SERVICE WHEN I SETTLED IN MY NEW APARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO READ THIS MESSAGE AND TAKING ANY NECESSARY ACTIONS THAT MAY DEEM FIT. THANK YOU AGAIN - RAKESH KAPUR (PH: 425-922-9680).NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

INTERMITTENT AIR BAG LIGHT, EVENTUALLY FAILED CONTINUOUSLY ON, DEALER REPAIRED/REPLACED CABLE ASSEMBLY, FAILED AGAIN IN SAME MANNER WITHIN 12 MONTHS. *AK

UPON TURNING IGNITION VEHICLE MAKES LOUD NOISE. WHILE DRIVING BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE HAS TO PRESS PEDAL COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I TRIED WORKING WITH TOYOTA TO RESOLVE THERE ISSUES, BUT BECASUE THE WARRANTY TIME IS EXPIRED THEY WON'T ASSIST IN FIXING THERE DEFECTS. I WAS TOLD IF I WANTED TO PAY THE $2,000.00 BILL THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO ORDER THE PARTS. THE HEAD LAMPS ARE SO DIM I HAVE NEARLY HIT DEERS IN THE ROAD ON 5 SEPERATE OCCASIONS I KNOW THESE CAN'T PASS FMVSS REQUIREMENT. THE DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE IN THE TRACK AND ROCKS WHEN ACCELERATING AND STOPPING. THE FRONT STRUTS MOUNTING BRACKETS RATTLE, SHAKE, VIBRATE AND BANG. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHILE TURNING. THE REAR STUTS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE VEHICLE SO PEOPLE CAN'T RIDE IN THE REAR OR THE CAR BOTTOMS OUT. THE CAR ALARM SOMTIMES WORKS AND SOMTIMES DOESN'T. THE BURLWOOD DASH IS SPLITTING,CRAKING, FADING AND PEELING. I WAS TOLD BY THE ASST. SERVICE MGR. AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF ALL THESE DEFECTS AND IT'S A RESULT OF POOR ENGINEERING AND VEHICLE TEST VALIDATION. I THEN HEARD HIM TELL A MECHANIC "WHAT PEOPLE THINK JUST BECAUSE IT'S A TOYOTA IT DOESN'T EVER BREAK" HE THEN LAUGHED AND SAID THESE CARS ARE THE WORST. I THINK WE NEED SOME HELP IN MAKING TOYOTA FIX THERE KNOWN DEFECTS BECAUSE THIS IS UNCALLED FOR.*AK

I HAVE BEEN TRING TO HAVE A TETHER STRAP ANCHOR INSTALLED IN MY CAMRY FOR MY CHILD'S RESTRAINT WHICH REQUIRES SUCH TETHER. INITIALLY, I CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE PERSON ON THE PHONE SAID HE WOULDN'T INSTALL IT, BECAUSE THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, SHANDS, HAD YELLED AT HIM FOR IMPROPER INSTALLATIONS ON PRIOR CAR RESTRAINTS. WHEN I ASKED THE SAME SERVICE MAN IF HE COULD READ THE CAR MANUAL TO DETERMINE WHICH PARTS WOULD BE NECESSARY, HE SAID IT MADE NO SENSE TO HIM. I THEN CALLED THE NATIONAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS GIVEN THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. I THEN SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR A TOYOTA PARTS DEPARTMENT IN RICHARDSON TEXAS AND ORDERED THE PARTS LISTED IN THE MANUAL AS NECESSARY. I THEN CALLED BACK THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE PARTS INSTALLED. AFTER TAKING THE PARTS TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE MISSING PARTS. THE MISSING PARTS WERE NOT SENT TO ME BY THE TOYOTA RICHARDSON PARTS DEPARTMENT. I SEARCHED AGAIN THE TOYOTA WEB SITE TO FIND THE MISSING PART, WHICH WAS THE ANCHOR FOR THE TETHER. ONLY THE BOLTS AND THE SPACERS WERE SENT BY TOYOTA RICHARDSON. I CALLED THE NATIONAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO ASK IF THEY COULD IDENTIFY THE PART THAT I NEEDED SINCE, THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CLEARLY LABEL THE PART OTHER THAN CALLING IT THE TETHER ANCHOR. I FEEL THAT THE CAR DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL TETHER STRAPS INTO THEIR CARS, BUT I CAN'T EVEN FIND SOME ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO KNOWS WHICH PARTS I NEED TO ORDER AS LISTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT ALL TIMES. ALSO, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERABLE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *YD

CONSUMER STATED ON 2 OCCASIONS THE THROTTLE ENGAGED BY ITSELF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FOWARD AND CRASH.*JB

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMING OUT GOING OVER DIPS, BUMPS, ETC. HAVE BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED OVER TIME. ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY PASSENGERS, EVEN ONE SMALL CHILD, IN REAR SEAT, THE CAR BOTTOMS OUT AND SCRAPES THE STREET SURFACE. EVEN BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED, CAUSES THE REAR TO BOTTOM OUT AND SCRAPE THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, IT WILL BOTTOM OUT ON SLIGHTLY ROUGH ROAD. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT THEY HAVE ADVISED US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION BUT INSIST THAT TOYOTA BUILT THE CAR WITH A SOFT SUSPENSION FOR A SOFT RIDE. THE RESULT IS A CAR THAT BOTTOMS OUT CONTINOUSLY IF YOU HAVE ANY PASSENGERS IN THE REAR OF THE COMPARTMENT OR A LOAD IN THE TRUNK.*AK