2002 Toyota Camry Complaint Log

AFTER THE CAR HAS STOPPED THE BRAKES BLEED OFF AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES CLEAR TO THE FLOOR!!*AK

VEHICLE GOES INTO OVERDRIVE WHEN DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LAG, GOING TOO SLOWLY IN THE APPROPRIATE GEAR CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SUSTAIN A FOWARD AND BACKWARD ROCKING MOTION, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLES EARLY LOCK UP INTO OVERDRIVE IS A CHARACTERISTIC, THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED CONSUMER TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OVERDRIVE AT THAT SPEED AND THEN PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO OVERDRIVE WHEN SPEED INCREASES, THEREFORE PUTTING IT INTO 3RD GEAR INCREASES THE ENGINE NOISE, INCREASES THE RPMS AND REDUCES THE VEHICLES FUEL ECONOMY, HOWEVER THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES ALWAYS DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH OVERDRIVE ON FOR BETTER FUEL ECONOMY.*JB

WE HAVE OWNED CAMRYS SINCE 1985. TOOK DELIVERY THIS CAR W/3 MILES ON ODOMETER - BRAKES FELT "MUSHY" BUT GAVE THEM A BREAK-IN PERIOD OF SEVERAL 100 MILES, THEN RETURNED CAR TO DEALER WITH COMPLAINT OF MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL - EXCESSIVE PEDAL TRAVEL & INSTANCES OF THE PEDAL SINKING TO THE FLOOR. SVC WRITER NEVER WROTE UP AN R/O AND SAID THAT THAT WAS THE THE WAY THE "NEW" BRAKES WERE SUPPOSED TO FEEL. UN-SATISFIED WITH THE EXPLANATION ICONTACTED TOYOTA'S E-MAIL RESPONSE LINE AND COMPLAINED. THEY ARRANGED A RETURN SERVICE APPT WITH THE DEALER - R/O WAS WRITTEN UP AND REAR BRAKES WERE "CLEANED AND ADJUSTED" - THE CAR WAS NEVER TEST DRIVEN RE: THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. PROBLEM WAS UN-CORRECTED. CONTACTED TOYOTA'S E-MAIL SERVICE AGAIN AND A PERSONAL APPT W/DEALERS SVC SUPV WAS MADE. NO R/O WAS WRITTEN UP BUT HE TOOK A TEST DRIVE IN MY CAR & ALLOWED ME TO TEST DRIVE A 2002 "DEMONSTRATOR." UNFORTUNATELY THE BRAKES REACTED AND FELT THE SAME WAY IN BOTH VEHICLES. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE RE-DESIGNED BRAKE SYSTEM GAVE THIS EFFECT AND, FURTHER, THAT THE LENGTHY PEDAL TRAVEL COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED OUT. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THESE RE-DESIGNED BRAKES CAN BE CONSIDERED SAFE! THE PEDAL TRAVEL IF AT LEAST 4-5 INCHES LONG AND BEFORE THE BRAKING EFFECT EVEN BEGINS THE LEVEL OF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS BELOW THAT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT CENTERED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL (AS IN A PANIC STOP SITUATION) IT IS ENTIRELY CONCEIVABLE THAT ONE COULD BE CONTACTING BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME, BOTH BRAKING AND ACCELERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE LONG PEDAL TRAVEL BEFORE THE BRAKES TAKE EFFECT ADDS AN EXTRA REACTION TIME TO THE STOPPING PROCESS THEREBY LENGTHENING THE STOPPING DISTANCE. I AM MOST UNHAPPY WITH THESE BRAKES AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS, UNHAPPY AND DISSATISFIED WITH TOYOTA'S RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM. I DEFINITELY FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS MORE UNSAFE TO DRIVE THAN OUR SECOND CAR, A '99 CAMRY.*AK

ON MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE THE OTHER DAY (I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 40 YEARS) MY CAR KEPT GOING INSTEAD OF STOPPING!! IT TURNED OUT THAT I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AS WELL AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SINCE THEY ARE ALMOST ON THE SAME LEVEL AS WELL AS BEING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. ACTUALLY, WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS ACTUALLY HIGHER WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE STILL DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL! THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WHILE GETTING ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING THIS NEW CAR I FOUND IT UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES TO GET MY RIGHT FOOT IN THE PROPER POSITION TO DRIVE SAFELY. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?*AK

PROBLEMS WITH REAR ROTORS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *MR

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSIMISSION BEEN REPLACED SEVEREAL TIMES. TS

EXHAUST PIPE COULD EASILY BE PUNCTURED OR OTHERWISE DAMAGED ASCENDING OR DECENDING A STEEP DRIVEWAY OR BY HITTING AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE ROAD. EXPENSIVE REPAIRS MIGHT BE REQUIRED AND PERHAPS TOXIC CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES COULD BE RELEASED. LIBERTY TOYOTA ASSERTS THAT ALL 2002 CAMRY'S ARE DESIGNED THIS WAY. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THIS FLAW. DT

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE BRAKES CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30MPH AND HE HAD APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND WHICH IT CAUSE INTO A SIDE PAVIMENT. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS PRESENT TIME. TS

DURING THE DAY DRIVING THE ODOMETER IS UNREADABLE 80-90% OF THE TIME. UNLESS THE CONSUMER WEARS POLOROID GLASSES TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THIS PROBLEM IS NON EXISTENT AT NIGHT. *SCC

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED ACCIDENTALLY, WHICH CAUSED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. TS THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR, BELOW THE GAS PEDAL WHICH HAD FELT SPONGY. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE DEALER WHICH STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE, THE BRAKES STILL REMAINED THE SAME. SCC

CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IN SNOWING WEATHER CAR SLIPPERY, DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CHANGE TIRES, AND THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

CONSUMER STATED WHILE REMOVING A STONE FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, HE NOTICED THE EXTREMELY LOW STRUCTURE OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH IS ONLY 5 1/4 INCHES ABOVE STREET LEVEL AT THE LOWEST POINT, CONSUMER FEELS THE PIPE COULD EASILY BE PUNCTURED OR OTHERWISE DAMAGED WHILE ASCENDING OR DESCENDING A STEEP DRIVEWAY OR BY HITTING AN OBSTRUCTION ON THE ROAD, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THE DESIGN WAS INHERENT ON ALL 2002 CAMRY'S.*JB

THE REAR LIFTGATE DOOR HAS TWO HYDRAULIC POLES THAT SUPPORT DOOR WHEN OPEN. THE HYDRAULIC POLE AND HINGE ON BOTH SIDES HAVE FALLEN OFF. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE LEFT/RIGHT AT MID TO HIGH SPEEDS, AND BECOMES HARD TO CONTROL WHEN THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT (THE DRIVER MUST HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY TO RESIST THE PULLING). BOTH FIRESTONE AND TOYOTA SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM IS AN UNBALANCED SUSPENSION. SCC

TOYOTA REFUSES TO SATISFY CONSUMERS COMPLAINT ON FAULTY TIRES. THE TIRES THAT WERE PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE HAVE INADEQUATE TRACTION ON SNOW COVERED SURFACES. CONSUMER DOESN'T' FEEL ANY ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES FOR WINTER CONDITIONS. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT OF MONIES PAID FOR THESE REPLACEMENT TIRES. *JG

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE VARIOUS FEATURES THAT WERE DISPLAYED ON THE UNIT. THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD, AND THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED. THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS ABNORMAL AND THE AIR HANDLING SYSTEM DID NOT PERMIT OUTSIDE AIR. *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD AND TAPPED ANOTHER VEHICLE. SCC *NLM

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. *JB

ALL 4 OF THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES WERE DANGEROUS UNDER SNOWY CONDITIONS. THE TREAD FILLED UP WITH SNOW, AND TIRES HAD NO TRACTION, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO SPIN.*JB

ALL 4 OF THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES WERE DANGEROUS UNDER SNOWY CONDITIONS. THE TREAD FILLED UP WITH SNOW AND THE TIRES HAD NO TRACTION, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO SPIN.*JB

THE SPEEDOMETER WAS INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. SCC *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND BEFORE THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE CONSUMER REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT OTHERS REPORTED SIMILAR CONCERNS. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A LACK OF LOCK ON THE TRANSMISSION. *NLM *NLM

THE POSITION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMERS FOOT TO ACTIVATE THE ACCELERATOR WHILE BEING MOSTLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TOO LOW TO THE FLOOR DURING BRAKING.

THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 1/9/2003 AND STATED THE BRAKES WERE FINE. *NLM

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FORTY FIVE MINUTES AND WITHOUT WARNING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. (MODEL/MR2 SPYDER) SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. WHEN CHANGING THE TIRE, SEVEN PUNCTURED HOLES WERE FOUND ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE RADIAL TIRE. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

FAILURE OF AIR BAGS TO ACTIVATE IN TWO SERIOUS FRONT END CRASHES.*MR THE CONSUMER IS IN POSSESSION OF THE AIR BAG SENSOR FROM THE FIRST CRASH. IN ADDITION, HE WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE WITH APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION. VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS TOTALING $7030.00. (ATTORNEY WROTE ON BEHALF OF CLIENT: DAVID JANG) *PH *JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED A FRONTAL CAR CRASH AT 25 MPH BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH A PLASTIC WHEEL COVER THAT MELTED AND FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE HUBS OVERHEATING. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT DIDN'T HAVE A SOLUTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, JUST INFORMED CONSUMER OF THE COST TO REPLACE THE COVERS.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD A TOUGH TIME ENGAGING INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S CONCERN.*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WAS VERY HARD TO KEEP CLEAN. THERE WAS A FILM THAT WOULD NOT DISSOLVE. IT WAS CONSTANTLY DIRTY. THE OWNER HAD TRIED MANY CLEANING SOLUTIONS, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS....... *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE OFF VEHICLE ROLLED BACK INTO TRAFFIC. DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED PEDAL FLUTTERS, AND IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. *AK

THE VEHICLE IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. THERE IS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION LINE. THIS IS CAUSING A DELAY IN ACCELERATION. DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION LINE, AND 5,000 MILES LATER TRANSMISSION LINE WAS LEAKING AGAIN. ALSO, RADIO WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO BURNING SMELL, AND RADIO STAYING ON WHEN ENGINE IS OFF. *AK

BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WHEN DEPRESSED. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER RUNNING A STOP SIGN. DEALERSHIP WILL BE CONTACTED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN BY THEIR SON.*AK

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE RACED AND SOUNDED LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATOR UP TO 5000 RPM'S AND WOULD NOT SETTLE DOWN. *SC

CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK,WITH MOTOR RUNNING. OPENED GARAGE DOOR, AND THEN REENTERED VEHICLE, SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD INTO GARAGE. HAD NOT PLACED FOOT ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN IT HAD HAPPENED. THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. HAD SURGING PROBLEM REPAIRED IN MARCH, 2004. SUBMITTED A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT 10062956, AND WAS INFORMED TO RESUBMIT COMPLAINT TO THE HOT LINE FROM NHTSA'S ENGINEER - S. YOUNG.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. WHILE PARKING INTO A SPACE AT A SCHOOL VEHICLE SURGED AND LUNGED FORWARD WHILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES. *AK

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. *MR THIS INCIDENT CAUSED DAMAGE TO A GARAGE, AND HIT THREE OTHER PARKED VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM RECURRED ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS. CURRENTLY THE GEARSHIFT BEGUN TO GIVE THE CONSUMER PROBLEMS. *SC