1994 Toyota Camry

1994 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER STATES ENGINE EXPLOSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE EXPLOSION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE WITH SMOKE. THE CONSUMER CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD TO FIND THAT MANY PARTS OF THE ENGINE HAD BURST; THE RIM AND PISTON WERE VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. ALL THE ENGINE OIL BLEW UP AND WAS OVER THE FLOOR. *JB

AT 67,320 MILES, UPON TURNING THE IGNITION KEY, THE ENGINE EXPLODED BELOW THE FILTER HOUSING AND THE CRANKSHAFT WAS VISIBLE. ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS THE ONLY REMEDY. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE,I SUSPECTED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE CAMRY ENGINE HAD SLUDGE-RELATED PROBLEMS. I HAVE ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS ABOUT MY CAMRY THAT SHOW THAT OIL AND FILTER WAS CHANGED REGULARLY BY A TOYOTA DEALER OR COMPETENT CAR MECHANIC. THUS THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY NEGLECT. ON APRIL 24, 2005, I SENT A LETTER TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., TORRANCE, CA 90501 THAT DESCRIBED THE EVENT AND REQUESTED REPLY. THERE WAS NO REPLY TO THIS DATE. ON JUNE 18, 2005 I WROTE ANOTHER LETTER TO THE TOYOTA ASSISTANCE CENTER REMINDING THEM THAT I EXPECT BOTH A REPLY AND EXPLANATION OF WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. AGAIN, NO REPLY TO THIS DATE. *NM

WIFES CAR STARTED SMOKING AT 59,000 MILES. I WENT TO LOCAL TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT THE OIL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED ON A REGULAR BASIS. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS NOT TRUE. I ASKED HOW MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AND THEY SAID THAT TOYOTA ENGINES DO NOT GIVE ANY PROBLEMS WHEN THE OIL IS CHANGED. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IN SECRET THAT SOME OWNERS HAVE PUT TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE OIL AS A DETERGENT AND BREAK UP THE SLUDGE. WE DROVE THE CAR UNTIL IT HAD 73196 MILES AND FOUND A TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER WHO HAD A SHOP WHO QUOTED ME THE $2100.00. HE SAID IT WOULD COST $4,800.00 IF TOYOTA DID IT. I WAS FURIOUS WITH TOYOTA AND LET HIM DO IT. HE TOLD ME HE AND A PARTNER WORKED AT TOYOTA 12 HOURS A DAY FOUR DAYS A WEEK TEARING DOWN FIXING AND REASSEMBLING TOYOTA ENGINES BECAUSE OF SLUDGE BEFORE HE BECAME SERVICE MANAGER

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH CAR FOR 3 YEARS OWNED. HAD CAR TOWED DUE TO SLUGGISH/ WANTING TO CUT OUT WHEN IDLING ISSUE. WHEN FT WAYNE TOYOTA CHECKED CAR, THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGE" IN IT, WAS UNFIXABLE AND CAR NEEDED NEW ENGINE. LOOKED THEY SAID LIKE THE OIL HADN'T BEEN CHANGED OFTEN OR CORRECTLY. OIL CHANGES DONE APPROX EVERY 4000 MILES SINCE OWNERSHIP. PERSON AT FT WAYNE TOYOTA BOUGHT CAR TO PUT NEW ENGINE IN AND TOOK A SCOPE THROUGH IT- SAID ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE, METAL CHUNKS AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE RINGS HAD JUST SUDDENLY SNAPPED AND ENDED UP IN ENGINE.

I HAVE A 1994 TOYOTA CAMRY, AND I HAVE AN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. I HAVE KEPT VERY GOOD RECORDS OF THE SERVICE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES, BUT SOMEHOW THIS WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I APPLIED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE OIL SLUDGE PROGRAM BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS OLDER THAN THE MODELS IN THE OIL SLUDGE PROGRAM. I REALIZE THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OTHER MODEL VEHICLES ARE ALSO BEING AFFECTED BY THE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM.

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL GEL'S UP THE ENGINE AND ON THIS CASE CAUSES A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL. DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL BUILDING UP ON THE ENGINE AT THIS TIME THERE IS A RECALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THIS RECALL IS ONLY ON YEARS 97 AND UP WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. TS

THIS ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO ENGINE GEL OR SLUDGE. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK IT TOO LIED ABOUT THE FAILURE AS WELL AS TOYOTA CORPORATE DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS PARTICULARLY INSULTING BECAUSE WE OWN A 1998 CAMRY THAT IS UNDER THE GEL PROGRAM AND HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH CAMRY'S. WE TRUSTED THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AND THEY LIED AND SAID THAT IT WAS AN UNFORESEEN PROBLEM AND THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD CAUSED IT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS MATTER TIRELESSLY AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE 2.2 LITER ENGINE THAT IS IN THIS CAR IS IN FACT AT RISK FOR GEL OR SLUDGE. I BELEIVE THAT I HAVE PROOF OF THE SLUDGE PROBELM. TOYOTA CORPORATE IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBLITLY FOR THIS ENGINE FAILURE THEY PAID FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR UNDER A GOODWILL WARRANTY AND NEVER TOLD ME WHY THIS HAPPENED TO THIS ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED LUCKILY MY SON WAS ON A CITY STREET,, WHAT IF HE HAD BEEN ON ONE OF THE MANY BRIDGES IN THE JACKSONVILLE AREA OR TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED? WHEN WILL THE NHSTA HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTIVE ENGINES THAT THEY HAVE WORKED SO HARD DEFENDING WHILE BLAMING OWNERS?*AK