2001 Toyota Camry Solara

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, MY 2001 TOYOTA SOLARA BEGAN TO SHUDDER, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60+ MPH. WHILE PULLING OVER TO THE OFF RAMP, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL ITSELF WOULD FIGHT BACK, PUSHING AGAINST THE PRESSURE. AN INSPECTION BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REVEALED NO FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEM (THE FRONT END HAD BEEN ALIGNED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES EARLIER), AND A CHECK BY THE TIRE COMPANY DID NOT REVEAL ANY UNEVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES. THE PROBLEM WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY, AND ONLY AFTER TRAVELING MORE THAN 5 MILES ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP LAST MONTH AND, AFTER A TEST DRIVE WITH THE MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGING WHEN THEY HEATED UP AFTER DRIVING MORE THAN 5 MILES. THE SOLUTION SUGGESTED WAS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER AT A COST OF $1400! I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD RESULT IN THE BRAKES LOCKING UP - A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THERE HAD BEEN NO BULLETINS OR RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MODEL AND PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY SOLARA IS THE ONLY CAMRY MODEL TO EXPERIENCE THIS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE DRIVEN AMERICAN CARS IN THE PAST - ONE, A BUICK LESABRE, FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS AND MORE THAN 180,000 MILES WITHOUT A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I FEEL THAT DRIVERS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM REPORTING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, KEEPING IT OFF THE BULLETIN LIST AND AVOIDING ANY RECALL. *JB

TOYOTA SOLARA 2001 HAD TO HAVE BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST PART REPLACED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD CAUSE HARM TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND EVENTUALLY MAY STOP ON HIGHWAY. CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS EXCELLENT CARE. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT TOYOTA HAD RECALL OF THIS PART FOR THEIR COROLLAS FOR THAT YEAR, BUT NOT THE SOLARA. THIS COST ME $800 AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL THE VACUUM ASSIST DRUMS FOR THAT YEAR SINCE THE PART IS THE SAME FOR ANY MODEL. *JB

REAR WINDOW OF CONVERTIBLE TOP KEEPS HITTING THE BACK SEAT. WINDOW FINALLY BROKE OFF PIECE OF BACK SEAT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. WINDOW NOW HAS COME LOOSE - HANGING FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. TOOK CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SOLARA. THEY WILL MANUALLY ADJUST THE BACK SEAT FORWARD. THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE REAR GLASS AND ASSEMBLY. AS SOON AS THE REPAIR FACILITY SAW MY CAR, THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD TO FIX A LOT OF SOLARA CONVERTIBLES. ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM: THE REAR WINDOW HITS THE BACK SEAT AS IT GOES DOWN. TOYOTA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT.

FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HAS LOOSE TRACK AND ROCKS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER ATTEMPTED A QUICK FIX PER TSB TO NO AVAIL. TOYOTA REP ADVISED TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE THE SEAT TRACK, BUT DEALER STATED I WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE $350.00 LABOR CHARGE. I WAS ADVISED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON DEFECT, BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. IF THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT, MATERILAS AND LABOR SHOULD BE AT THE EXPENSE OF TOYOTA. *AK

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PLACED BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE INTO A BRICK WALL. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *LA THE DRIVER IS STILL UNDER DOCTOR'S CARE. *NM

LTR FM TIMOTHY F. QUINN (NY) RE ALIGNMENT AND FRONT SUSPENSION DEFECTS FOR A 2001 TOYOTA SOLARA, INQUIRING WHEN NHTSA WILL INITIATE DEFECT INVESTIGATION, REPLY TO NEW YORK, NY OFC. *PH THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A TENDENCY TO PULL THE LEFT AND INTO THE OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NINE OCCASION, HOWEVER THE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CROWN IN THE ROAD. *JB *SC

I HAD AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE I HIT THE BACK OF A VAN STOPPED TO TURN ON A ROADWAY (LEGALLY) AND I FAILED TO SEE IT UNTIL I WAS RIGHT UPON IT. I HIT THE BACK OF THIS VAN AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR. ALTHOUGH THE VAN WAS HARDLY DAMAGED, MY WHOLE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED, INCLUDING PARTS OF MY RADIATOR, FANS AND BUMPER, LIGHTS, AND GRILL. HOWEVER, MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PLACE THAT FIXED MY CAR, CERTIFIED COLLISION CENTER ASSOCIATED WITHOUT THE DURANT TOYOTA HOUSE HERE IN WEATHERFROD, TEXAS SAID THAT ONLY ONE OF MY SENSORS WAS DAMAGED DURING THE IMPACT. NOW I WANT TO KNOW IS MY AIRBAG GOING TO DEPLOY WHILE I AM DRIVING OR WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE AND WHY DIDN'T IT DEPLOY DURING THIS IMPACT? I SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES FROM THIS IMPACT. I AM HAVING PHYSICAL THERAPY TO HELP MY THORACIC MUSCLE. I ALSO HIT MY KNEES ON THE DASHBOARD DURING THE IMPACT. I ALSO HAD A LARGE BRUISE AND A SMALL CUT ON MY LEFT SIDE OF MY THROAT FROM WHERE THE SEAT BELT CAUGHT ME. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHY IT DID NOT GO OFF. A 40 MILE PER HOUR IMPACT HIT SQUARELY BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE SET OFF MY AIRBAGS, AT LEAST I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THE AIRBAG THAT IS PRESENTLY INSTALLED IN MY CAR AND I FEEL THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THESE BACK AND NECK INJURIES IF IT HAD GONE OFF AS IT SHOULD HAVE. I WANT MY CURRENT AIRBAG COMPLETELY REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE SENSORS, BY TOYOTA.*JB