2002 Toyota Camry Body & Structure Problems

I WAS COMING OUT OF MY MECHANIC DRIVEWAY AND I LET CARS GO BY DOWN A BUSY STREET> MY FOOT WAS CLEARLY ON THE BRAKE AND SUDDENLY I HEARD A WINING NOISE AND MY THE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AND WENT ACROSS THE ROAD AND HIT A CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I SAID TO MYSELF THIS CAR IS CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THE BRAKES ABS AND TRANSMISSION NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SUDDEN UNINTEND ACCELERATION AT SLOW SPEED--ON DECEMBER 17, 2015, WHEN PULLING SLOWLY INTO A GARAGE AND NEARLY STOPPED, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD RAMING THE CAR INTO THE GARAGE INTERIOR WALL. THIS RESULTED IN "TOTALING THE CAR" AND DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE AND PROPERTY IN THE GARAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS SUDDEN UNINTEND ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITH THIS 2002 CAMRY . IT ALSO OCCURRED ON JANUARY 20, 2010 WITH A DIFFERENT DRIVER (MY WIFE) WHO HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD ABOUT THREE CAR LENGTHS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA ON JANUARY 30, 2010 (SEENHTSA ID NUMBER 10303355). FOR THE 2010 INCIDENCE THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHERE REPAIRS WHERE MADE. WHEN WE PICKED UP OUR CAR FROM THE TOYOTA DEALER, WE NOTED THAT NONE OF THE REPAIR ITEMS ON THE INVOICE MENTIONED ACCELERATIONS PROBLEMS. SEVERAL DAYS LATER AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER, HE AGREED TO PERFORM A "COURTESY INSPECTION OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLEY FOR ANY POSSIBLE BINDING STICKING SLOW RETURN OR ABNORMAL PERFORMANCE." NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. IN BOTH INCIDENCES THE SURGES WERE QUICK, UNINTENDED, AND AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS. THE INCIDENCES INVOLVED TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS.

MY WIFE WAS BACKING INTO OUR GARAGE. SHE PULLED FORWARD TO REALIGN CAR. WHEN SHE PLACED GEARSHIFT BACK INTO REVERSE (AUTOM. XMSN) AND PERHAPS HAD LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE THROTTLE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO VERY HIGH SETTING. CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARD UNTIL STOPPED BY FIREWOOD PILE, FURNACE AND REAR WALL OF GARAGE. THROTTLE CONTINUED AT HIGH SETTING FOR SOME TIME. DRIVEN WHEELS KEPT SPINNING (AS SHOWN BY SKID MARKS ON GARAGE FLOOR). THEN THROTTLE AUTONOMOUSLY RETURNED TO IDLE. FIREWOOD WAS SCATTERED. FURNACE WAS DESTROYED. GARAGE WALL WAS DISPLACED ABOUT ONE INCH. BUMPER, ONE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND ONE QUARTER PANEL OF CAR WERE DAMAGED. (BODY SHOP INSPECTION MAY REVEAL OTHER DAMAGE.) MY WIFE EXPERIENCED NECK DISCOMFORT, WHICH HAS GONE AWAY. SHE IS SURE THAT SHE DID NOT PRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL MORE THAN VERY LIGHTLY. CLEARLY, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THE RESULTS OF THE THROTTLE RUNAWAY COULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE DISASTROUS. *TR

THE TRUNK OF THE CAR IS LEAKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT'S COMING FROM THE SEAL OF THE BACK WINDSHIELD. CORPORATE SAYS THEY HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ADDRESSED TO THEM TO MAKE THIS AN ISSUE. IF YOU READ THE BLOGS, THERE ARE A LOAD OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING TRUNK LEAKS. WHO IS PASSING THE BUCK ON THIS PROBLEM? *TR

I PARKED THE CAR. AFTER REALIZING THAT I WAS ABOUT 2 FT FROM THE PARKING BUMP, I DECIDED TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND AS I TOOK THE CAR OFF PARK THE CAR TOOK OFF AND HIT THE BUMP AND WAS STOPPED BY A TREE. THE CAR CLIMBED PARTIALLY ON THE TREE, LEAVING THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS COMPLETELY OFF THE GROUND. I PUT THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT, NO AIRBAGS DISPLAYED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON THE REPAIR OF THE FRONT BUMPER. TOYOTA INVESTIGATED AND A MONTH LATER DELIVERED THE "DATA" BY MAIL FROM BOSCH, WITHOUT ANY USEFUL INFORMATION FOR ME. I DO NOT DARE DRIVE THE CAR. *TR

I DROVE UP IN FRONT OF MOSSES TOWN HALL BUILDING IN LOWNDES COUNTY AL AS I TRIED TO PUT ON BRAKES TO PARK THE CAR IT BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AND JUMP THE PARKING BUMPS AND HIT THE BUILDING KNOCKING DOWN THE WALL OF BRICKS AND THAT'S WHEN IT STOPPED. I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED AND TOOK A LOOK. THERE WERE PERSON IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHO RAN OUT TO SEE WERE I OKAY. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND I HOPE THE LAST INCIDENT I HAD WITH THE CAR. *TR

2002 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN. WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, I CAN HEAR IT UNLATCH BUT REMAINS SHUT. YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE REAR PART OF THE DOOR BACK IN UNTIL YOU HEAR A CLICK, THEN YOU HAVE TO VIOLENTLY PULL THE HANDLE AND THE DOOR WILL OPEN. *TR

INSIDE DOOR HANDLES ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THE CHROME COATING HAS CRACKED AND PEELED REVEALING A SHARP EDGE THAT CUTS THE FINGERS OF THE PERSON PULLING THE HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. PERMANENT REPAIR REQUIRES REMOVING THE INSIDE DOOR PANELS AND INSTALLING NEW HANDLES. *TR

THE DOOR HANDLES ON THE CAR WHERE YOU OPEN THE DOOR AT BREAK. THIS IS FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FROM JUST OPENING THE DOORS. *TR

PASSENGER INSIDE VEHICLE WENT TO EXIT VEHICLE AND INSIDE DOOR HANDLE CRACKED AND BROKE. HANDLE WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AT COST OF $78.00. *TR

INSIDE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF. PASSENGER INSIDE DOOR HANDLE DID THE SAME THING IN 2003. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2002 CAMRY (NEW) AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS FRONT DOOR HANDLES DUE TO BREAKAGE, WERE NOT TALKING EXCESSIVE FORCE HERE. THIS IS THE PART YOU PUT YOUR FINGERS IN TO PULL OPEN DOOR LATCH. THEY ARE BREAKING AT THE PIVOT POINT, WHERE THE PIN GOES THROUGH. TOYOTA IS CHARGING $37.00 APIECE FOR AN ITEM THAT WILL GET YOUR VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION STICKER REVOKED UNTIL REPAIRED, AS I JUST FOUND OUT. IN MY OPINION THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS( NOT BEING ABLE TO EGRESS THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY)CONSTITUTES A RECALL. THANKYOU, MARK GROSE *TR

I WROTE ON MAY 9, 2005 ABOUT MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. IN JUNE 2004 THE DRIVER'S INSIDE DOOR HANDLE CRACKED AND THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. IN MAY 2006 THE PASSENGER INSIDE DOOR HANDLE CRACKED. TOYOTA REFUSED ANY SUPPORT. IN JULY 2006 THE BACK SEAT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE CRACKED. ALL THREE TIMES IT CRACKED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. EXITING THE VEHICLE BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE AGAIN CONTACTED MY DEALERS CUSTOMER CARE AND PARTS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE GENERAL MANAGER. THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TALK TO THE OWNER. THE PART MANAGER SAYS THERE HAVE NOT BEEN A LOT SOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BULLETINS. BUT THIS IS A RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

SECOND TIME IN THE 8 YEARS THAT WE HAVE OWNED OUR 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY THE CHROME PLATING ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES ARE STARTING TO PEEL AGAIN CREATING A HAND CUTTING HAZARD. FIRST TIME THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I TALKED TO A SERVICE REP AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND HE SAID HE HAS SEEN MANY DO THIS. MY WIFE AND NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CUT BECAUSE OF THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. TOYOTA REFUSES TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND I REFUSE TO PAY MONEY TO PAY FOR OTHER DEFECTIVE PARTS ONLY TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE FUTURE. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. IN JUNE OF 2004, THE INSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE CRACKED WHEN I TRIED TO EXIT THE CAR. THE HANDLE IS MADE OF PLASTIC. TOYOTA REPLACED THE HANDLE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. ON MAY 5, 2006, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER INSIDE, PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DOOR WON'T OPEN AND YOU HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE CONSOLE TO EXIT OR HAVE SOMEONE OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU. I'M GRATEFUL I WASN'T EXITING FOR AN EMERGENCY. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA. THE FIRST TIME YOU THINK IT IS A FLUKE BUT THE SECOND TIME MAKES YOU REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T WANT MY DOOR HANDLE BREAKING WHEN TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS IN MY LIFE TIME AND HAVE NEVER BROKEN A DOOR HANDLE. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO FIX IT CLAIMING THAT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THEY ASKED ME SUCH QUESTIONS AS WHETHER I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER AND IF I EVER OWNED ANY OTHER TOYOTAS. THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT RELEVANT TO THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HANDLES ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE KEEPS BREAKING IN THE MIDDLE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON TWO DOORS PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRENTY. THE THIRD DOOR HANDLED FRACTURED RECENTLY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT COST. TO OPEN THE DOORS ONCE THE HANDLE BREAKS THE OCCUPANT HAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE.

I OWN A 2002 CAMRY, THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER. IN JULY 2005, THE INSIDE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION TO THE DOOR. I HAD HANDLE REPLACED BY THE DEALER. NOVEMBER 24, 2004, WE WERE DRIVING CAMRY, AND REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS FRONT DOOR HANDLE. I QUESTIONED THE DEALER'S SERVICE COORDINATOR AS WHY, ANSWER "THEY GOT A BAD BATCH OF HANDLES, THEY ARE MADE IN USA AND THE JUST FALL OFF" TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED NOR CAN I FIND ANY INFORMATION ON FAILED HANDLES, BUT SEVERAL CUSTOMERS OF SAME DEALER AND CAR HAVE TOLD ME THEY ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE FAULTY DOOR HANDLES, EACH HANDLE COSTS ABOUT $85 TO REPLACE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE PLASTIC DOOR OPENING LEVER ON THE INSIDE AT THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR BROKE OFF, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT LOWERING THE WINDOW AND REACHING THE OUTSIDE HANDLE OF THE DOOR TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS WAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM , AND DID NOT RELATE TO THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR. THE CONTACT FELT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF HE HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THE POWER WAS OFF HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE WINDOW DOWN. *AK

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE WERE NORMAL USE OF CAR DOORS. INSIDE DOOR HANDLES OF FRONT PASSENGER AND BACK PASSENGER DOORS CRACKED AND ONE COMPLETELY FELL OFF. DOOR HANDLES BROKE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT WITHIN A 1.5 YEAR TIME SPAN AS PASSENGERS WERE TRYING TO GET OUT OF CAR (CAR WAS UNLOCKED). AS A RESULT RIDERS CANNOT LET THEMSELVES OUT OF THE CAR. ONLY THE DRIVER DOOR IS STILL IN WORKING CONDITION. DRIVER MUST "VALET STYLE" LET PASSENGERS OUT OF THE CAR. INSIDE DOOR HANDLES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE FLOOR BOARDS, CAUSING A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR, AND THE PEDALS WOULD BE SLIPPERY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK