1999 Toyota Camry Solara

1999 TOYOTA SOLARA IN EXCELLENT CONDITION YESTERDAY AS I WAS RETURNING FROM THE GROCERY STORE I TRIED TO START MY CAR. THE ENGINE TURNED OVER BUT WAS RUNNING ERRATICALLY. WHEN I TRIED TURNING IT OFF TO RESTART IT, IT WOULD NOT STOP RUNNING. IT MADE A STACCATO SOUND AND RAN FAST AND OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL IT DRAINED THE BATTERY AND STOPPED. WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT AND A TERRIBLE SMELL ACCOMPANIED THIS. WHEN I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO WORKS ON MY CAR, HE SAID HE HAD ANOTHER TOYOTA THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE HAS REPLACED THE STARTER MOTOR, AND THE BATTERY IS HOLDING A CHARGE. I BELIEVE THAT IF TWO CARS IN THIS ONE GARAGE HAD THIS PROBLEM, IT MAY BE MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE. I AM NOT SURPRISED TO HAVE TO REPLACE A STARTER MOTOR, BUT THIS WAS A FRIGHTENING EVENT AND COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF I WERE NOT IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD SETTING. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE STARTER MOTORS IN OTHER CARS, BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD A SITUATION LIKE THIS ONE WHEN THEY HAVE NEEDED REPLACEMENT.

CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT HAS MALFUNCTIONED THREE TIMES IN THE FOUR YEARS WE'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. PREVIOUS TWO TIMES IT WOULD SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ADJUSTMENT, BLAST EITHER HOT OR COLD AIR. WE COULD USUALLY STOP IT, BY A LOT OF MANIPULATION OF THE THERMOSTAT KNOB, AND IT WAS "FIXED" BOTH TIMES BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. IN THE THIRD (CURRENT) INCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE IS STUCK ON 76 DEGREES. NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT WARMER OR COOLER. *NM

1. MY 1999 SE V6 SOLARA BEGAN SMOKING A LOT EVERYTIME I STARTED THE CAR AND WHEN I ACCELERATED. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE "SLUDGE" PROBLEM AND THE DEALER DID ALL OF THE REQUIRED WORK TO FIX THAT. 2. I WAS IN A FRONT END ACCIDENT IN 1999 AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. 3. THERE IS A VERY LOUD, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, CLUNKING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA. THE DEALER SAYS THE STRUT TOPS ARE WORN OUT AND IT WILL COST $750.00??? PER SIDE TO REPLACE THE STRUTS. THE CAR ONLY HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT. SHOULDN'T THE STRUTS HAVE A LONGER LIFE THAN THAT? 4. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW JUST FELL INTO THE DOOR PANEL ONE DAY AND HAD TO HAVE THE REGULATOR REPLACED. 5. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, IF I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STILL WARM IT WOULDN'T CRANK. FIRST THERE WAS NO NOISE AT ALL WHEN I TURNED THE KEY OVER AND IF I WAITED A BIT, AS IT COOLED OFF, IT WOULD EVENTUALLY START. THEN ONE DAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK I STOPPED AT THE STORE AND WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE IT WAS DEAD AND WOULDN'T START AT ALL. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY AND HAVE A THROTTLE BODY SERVICE BECAUSE THE WAS "CARBON BUILD UP IN THE INJECTORS". 6. THE CAR SHAKES LIKE IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IT IS NOT THE TIRES BEING OUT OF BALANCE OR THE ALIGNMENT. IT ALSO SHIMMIES BADLY WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES FROM A HIGH SPEED. 7. NOW, I WENT TO HAVE AN EMISSION TEST DONE AND FAILED BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THE CODE WAS FOR THE O2 SENSOR. MY MOTHER HAS THE SAME CAR AND HAS HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM FOR THE O2 SENSOR, WHICH SHE HAD REPAIRED AND WITHIN A WEEK THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I AM SO TIRED OF ONE THING AFTER THE NEXT WITH THIS CAR.

RE: STRUTS 3 SERVICE CENTERS, INCLUDING ANTWERPEN, CHECKED. ALL 3 AGREE ON RR STRUT AND MOUNT. THE OTHER TWO ADDED THAT THE OTHER STRUTS WERE LEAKING. ANTWERPEN SAYS THAT'S "NORMAL" FOR TOYOTA. HOWEVER, A CHECK AT THE SERVICE CENTER OF 2 OTHER TOYOTA'S REVEALED NO LEAKS. AFTER CUSTOMER CALLED A "WISE ASS" BY TOYOTA REP, EFFORTS TO SPEAK TO MANAGERS REVEALED THEM UNAVAILABLE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY (THIS AT 8:30 A.M.) RE: POWER WINDOW. WHEN IT WAS FIRST REPORTED, THE WINDOW BECAME OPERABLE BEFORE I COULD GET IT INTO THE SHOP. IN AUG. 2002 I KEPT THE MOTOR RUNNING AND DROVE DIRECTLY THERE. ANTWERPEN SAID IT WAS THE POWER MOTOR AND THAT THEY WOULD ORDER THE PART. ALTHOUGH I HAVE CALLED SEVRERAL TIMES AND MENTIONED IT AGAIN DURING THIS INCIDENT, THAT HAS NOT YET "COME IN" FROM TOYOTA IT'S NOW 4 MONTHS LATER. DT