2004 Toyota Camry Suspension Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT ABOUT 40 MPH I HEARD A LOUD BANG UNDER THE CAR, LIKE SOMETHING HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. THEN I HEARD RATTLING WHEN I RODE OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO A SERVICE CENTER RIGHT AWAY AND THEY FOUND A BROKEN COIL SPRING ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. FORTUNATELY, THE SPRING BROKE CLOSE TO AN END OF THE SPRING, SO THE HEIGHT OF THE CAR DID NOT DROP NOTICEABLY. IF THE BREAK WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRING, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY, PERHAPS RESULTING IN A CRASH. THE CAR'S MILEAGE WAS 114,990. THE REPAIR COSTS FOR TWO SPRING/STRUT ASSEMBLIES, TWO STABILIZER LINKS AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS $920.

POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION-I HAVE OWNED THIS TOYOTA CAMRY FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. OCCASIONALLY IT SLIPS INTO THE WRONG GEAR. THE WORSE PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED WAS FIVE WEEKS AGO WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE WANTED TO GO FORWARD. I NEARLY HIT THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. I AM GLAD NOBODY WAS WALKING IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO THE REVERSE GEAR. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND IF I COULD I WOULD RETURN IT BACK TO THE DEALER. SUSPENSION-WHEN IS RAINING THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER ABOVE 50MPH. THE REAR OF THE CAR WANT TO GO RIGHT MAKING THE FRONT OF THE CAR GO LEFT. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR HITS BUMPS ON THE ROAD. AGAIN, THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2004 CAMRY ABOUT A MONTH AGO FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA USED CAR DEALER. A WEEK LATER I TOLD THEM FRONT-END FELT FUNNY AND NEEDED TO BE CHECKED. THEY SAID I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. HAD THAT DONE. CALLED THEM LAST WEEK AND SAID I STILL FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME SORT OF FRONT-END PROBLEM. MY BRAKE PEDAL IS SPONGY AND ALMOST TO THE GROUND. SOMETIMES I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GOING TO STOP IN TIME. ALSO TOLD THEM MY STEERING WHEEL WAS SHIMMYING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PROBABLY INDICATING A TIRE BALANCE ISSUE AND THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $50 TO BALANCE/ROTATE MY TIRES. I DECIDED TO PUT THE MONEY TOWARD NEW FRONT TIRES INSTEAD HOPING THAT WOULD ALSO REDUCE ROAD NOISE. AS FOR THE BRAKES.... I WAS TOLD THAT WAS STANDARD FOR THE CAMRY MODELS AND WAS A KNOWN DESIGN ISSUE BUT NO CORRECTIONS WERE IN PLACE THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF. LAST WEEKEND I WAS IN A CRASH. MY BRAKES FAILED! MY ABS DID NOT ENGAGE AND MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30-40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE PERSON IN FRONT HIT THEIR BRAKES. I HIT MINE AND CONTINUED TO SKID INTO THE BACK OF THEIR VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP. THERE'S NO REASON OTHER THAN BRAKE FAILURE FOR ME TO HAVE CRASHED. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2004 SOLARA. AT FIRST EVERYTHING WAS GOOD THEN THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NEVER TURN OFF. THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE 4 MONTHS NOW. THE BIG INCIDENT/PROBLEM IS I WAS DRIVING 10MPH AND THE CAR STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE BY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT BUT IT WOULD NOT CORRECT. SO I SLOWLY PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. WHAT FINALLY STOPPED ME WAS THE WHEEL FELL OFF. YES THE WHEEL FELL OFF. AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WHEEL FELL OFF I ENDED UP SIDESWIPING 2 CARS IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. WHEN THE POLICE GOT THERE THEY SAID IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND THAT THE TIRE ROD HAD SNAPPED WAY BEFORE I SIDESWIPED THE FIRST CAR CAUSE HE FOUND A SNAPPED BOLT AND PARTS 3 FEET AWAY FROM THE FIRST VEHICLE. THEN HE TOLD ME THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO SOMEONE ELSE A FEW DAYS AGO AND THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE. I HAD 3 BABIES IN THE CAR RANGING IN AGE FROM 2 1/2 TO 6 WEEKS OLD. I AM VERY UNHAPPY CAUSE THE CAR IS TOTALED AND IT WAS NOT EVEN MY FAULT. THE ACCIDENT REPORT WAS MADE OUT AND IN IT IT SAYS IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SO I WAS NOT SPEEDING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. I JUST THINK ABOUT IT NOW AND THANK GOD IT HAPPENED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT ON THE STREET FOR IF IT HAD I WOULD PROBABLY RAN INTO THE GAS STATION RIGHT OUTSIDE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I FEEL THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE AND THAT THE TIRE RODS AND SUSPENSION SHOULD BE CHECKED REGULARLY . THE SAD PART IS IT HAD JUST GONE IN FOR SERVICING ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. I JUST WISH I HAD KNOWN THIS CAR DOES THAT AND THAT IT HAD AS MANY PROBLEMS AS IT DID BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. I FEEL SINCE IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND NOT ME BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MY DOING IT WAS THE CARS.SEEING AS HOW IT JUST HAPPENED I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL BE FIXED.

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE COMING OUT OF THE CAR WASH AND SWITCHING THE POSITION GEAR FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO ALMOST 50 MPH FOR ABOUT 20-30 SECONDS, CAUSING IT TO CRASH INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 26,190.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO PERFORMANCE AND REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND VEER TO THE RIGHT. PERFORMANCE DODGE PICKED UP VEHICLE FOR A 2ND REPAIR AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A DAMP MOUNT ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO CONSUMER ON 4/27/07 BUT CONSUMER IS STILL FEARFUL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 05/13/07*TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE READJUSTED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE CAR HAS 28,000 MILES ON IT AND I SEE WHERE MY SECOND SET OF TIERS ARE NEAR RUINED DO TO THE ISSUE. REPEATED ALIGNMENTS HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE--WHICH TOYOTA IS AWARE OF (ST002-04). *NM

CAR CONTINUOUSLY PULLS TO THE LIFT. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO WANT TO TURN ACCROSS THE CENTER LINE INTO THE FACE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TOYOTA MOTORS AND TOYOTA SERVICE KEEPS STAGGERING THE TIRE PRESSURE (2 1/2 POUNDS LESS ON ONE SIDE OF THE CAR THEN THE OTHER). THIS HAS ME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FRONT TIRES PULLED TO THE LEFT SIDE, AND VEHICLE VIBRATED. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER HAS NOW SATISFACTORILY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *NM

HI -- I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA I PURCHASED FROM IRA TOYOTA. THE CAR HAS HAD A CONSTANT PULLING TO THE LEFT AND THEY HAVE REPURCHASED 1 CAMRY SOLARA FROM ME ALREADY. AFTER STATING THAT IT WAS "1 BAD CAR" AND THAT THEY "HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SPORT SUSPENSION", I PURCHASED AN SLE WITHOUT THE SPORT SUSPENSION. I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT IS THE 'CROWN OF THE ROAD', NOT THE CAR. THE CAR WILL GO FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE MEDIAN STRIP IN LESS THAN 1 SECOND AND THEY SAID THAT HAPPENS WITH 'ALL CARS'. I HAVE DRIVEN 4 SEPARATE CARS, 2 OF WHICH I HAVE HAD TO RENT BECAUSE TOYOTA WON'T/CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR IS UNSAFE FOR HIGHWAY TRAVEL. PLEASE TELL ME HOW I CAN HAVE THE CAR FIXED OR, AGAIN, REPURCHASED. IT SEEMS UNFAIR THAT LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON VARIOUS WEB SITES (TOYOTA'S OWN, EDMUNDS.COM, YAHOO.COM) HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT REQUIRED TO FIX IT AND CAN BLAME THE 'ROAD CROWN' FOR THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CAR.NM

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE PULLED TOWARDS THE LEFT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CAR CONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *NM

CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. IT IS VERY SEVERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR SEEMS TO BE FIGHTING FOR CONTROL. YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY STEER RIGHT TO AVOID DRIVING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN DRIVEN ON A FREEWAY OR OVER A ROUGH ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN BY 3 FACTORY REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE THE THIRD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT VIBRATION WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED, AND COULD NOT BE CORRECTED.*AK

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA AND FORM FORUMS I BEEN GOING TO 3 OUT OF 5 OWNERS SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WHICH IS THAT THE NEW CARS SEEM TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN EVER SPEEDING UP ALSO THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR KEEPS GOING OFF... SO FAR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW ONE OF THE OWNERS OF A 2004 SOLARA HAS BEEN ABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM WHICH IS THAT THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE SPRING PRESSURE (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT). THEY BASICALLY NEED TO ROTATE THE SPRINGS SEATING IN THE PERCH ABOUT A QUARTER INCH TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT WAY IT WOULD STOP THE CAR FROM PULLING TO THE LEFT AND ALSO NOT CAUSING THE LIGHT INDICATOR TO GO OFF.... *CB

THE CAR HAS PULLED OR VEERED TO THE LEFT SINCE PURCHASE ON 12/12/2003. THE CAR HAS BEEN ALIGNED TWICE AND THE TIRES ROTATED TWICE BUT THE CAR STILL PULLS TO THE LEFT. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR PULLS INTO INCOMING TRAFFIC. THE TIRES WILL BEGIN TO WEAR UNEVENLY.*AK

I JUST BOUGHT A 2004 CAMRY LE THAT PULLS TO THE LEFT, AND I HAVE TO KEEP A RIGHT PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE TIME TO MAKE THE CAR RUNNING STRAIGHT.*AK

I PURCHASED MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY LIMITED EDITION IN NOVEMBER OF 2003. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE I'M DRIVING - ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN ADDITION THE CAR IS VERY SENSETIVE TO THE ROAD CROWN AND WIND. IT IS ACTUALLY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IT IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE CONSTANTLY IN SOME TYPE OF STRONG CROSSWIND. THE LEFT PULL IS SO NOTICEABLE THAT I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE. I'M SURPRISED SOMEONE HASN'T WRECKED AS A RESULT OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISES ME THAT THERE IS A FLAW IN THE ENGINEERING OF THE AUTOMOBILE AND THAT THEY GET THIS COMPLAINT QUITE OFTEN. I CONSIDER THIS AN UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE THUS I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT AND CURRENTLY ALL THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT ON THE OUTSIDE. *SC

I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY LIMITED EDITION. THIS CAR HANDLES POORLY, LIKE DRIVING IN A WINDSTORM. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. THE TOYOTA REPS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I FILED FOR ARBITRATION IN 10/05. THE ARBITRATOR AGREED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND ORDERED TOYOTA TO CORRECT IT. THE TOYOTA REPS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. I AM NOW SEEKING ARBITRATION TO HAVE TOYOTA BUY THE CAR BACK. *JB