1996 Toyota Camry

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND PROCEEDED TO ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE. SHE WAS ABLE TO FINALLY STOP THE VEHICLE AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, OBSERVED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD COLLAPSED IN THE OPEN THROTTLE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO RELEASED THE WEDGED ACCELERATOR CABLE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED A SECOND TIME. SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE REPAIRS WERE MADE FOR THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FAILURE ONE ADDITIONAL TIME WHILE TRAVELING IN SNOWY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE AND HAD A RELATIVE FOLLOW HER HOME IN CASE OF ADDITIONAL FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD REPEATEDLY. THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE

I ENTERED THE FREEWAY ON-RAMP AND ACCELERATED. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. I KICKED THE PEDAL DOWN A COUPLE TIMES TO GET IT UNSTUCK. INSTEAD OF COMING UNSTUCK, IT STUCK ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. (THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT. I THINK THE ACTUAL PEDAL CAME BACK UP TO THE IDLE POSITION.) THE BRAKES SLOWED THE CAR SOME WHEN I PUSHED ON THE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET WITH MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND STANDING UP SO ALL MY WEIGHT AND STRENGTH WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKES SMELLED OF BURNING AND I THOUGHT FOR A SECOND THAT MAYBE I WAS GETTING IT UNDER CONTROL. HOWEVER, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SPEEDOMETER, IT READ 95 AND THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND SMELLING QUITE STRONG. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND CONTINUED TO PUSH HARD ON THE BRAKE. IT SLOWED DOWN TO MAYBE TO 65 OR SO. BY THEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SO FAST I THOUGHT IT WOULD BLOW UP AND IT WAS NIGHT ON A RELATIVELY DESERTED FREEWAY SO I PUT IT BACK INTO GEAR AND CONTINUED THIS PATTERN FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES - SPEEDING UP TO WAY PAST 95, RIDING THE BRAKES UNTIL THEY SMOKED AND SMELLED TOO MUCH (I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BECOME USELESS IF I LET THEM BURN UP) PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL AND SLOWING DOWN FOR AS LONG AS I THOUGHT WAS OK BEFORE BLOWING THE ENGINE, REPEAT, ETC.. JUST PRIOR TO MY EXIT, THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION STOPPED AND I GOT OFF ONTO THE SIDE STREETS. WHEN I ACCELERATED AFTER A STOP SIGN, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK BUT I IMMEDIATELY PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN SHUT THE KEY OFF, STOPPING THE ENGINE. IT DID THIS TWO MORE TIMES. THE REPAIR SHOP CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS IN THE ARMY INFANTRY DURING THE 60'S BUT HAD NOT HAD A FLASHBACK FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I HAD FLASHBACKS OF THIS EXPERIENCE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN ENTERING A FREEWAY ENTRANCE RAMP. IT WAS A MOST TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND LOGICALLY IS GREATLY DIMINISHED UNDER THAT HIGH STRESS. *TR

1996 CAMRY WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THEN SURGED FORWARD INTO THE INTERSECTION WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY A MOTORCYCLE AND PICK-UP TRUCK. CAMRY AND MOTORCYCLE BOTH TOTALED. AIRBAGS IN CAMRY DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT BUT HAD A DELAY. POLICE INVOLVED WITH CASE. CAMRY DRIVER CITED FOR FAILURE TO YIELD TO A RED LIGHT WHICH DRIVER WAS STOPPED AT INITIALLY. NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION. WITH TOYOTA IN THE NEWS, FOUND REPORTS OF OTHER 1996 CAMRY'S WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION SO FILED THIS COMPLAINT. FAMILY MEMBER WAS OWNER AND DRIVER OF CAMRY. MOTORCYCLE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT RESULTED IN DEATH 5 YEARS LATER. *TR UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 07/08/10.*JB

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TGW DURING THE MONTHS OF MAY THROUGH JULY 2009, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. OFF AND ON, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THERE WAS A STRANGE ODOR COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD GENERALLY HAPPEN WHEN ATTEMPTING A ROUTINE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEN ON AUGUST 19, 2009, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED; THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. AS THE CONSUMER DESPERATELY SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL, SECOND AND THIRD GEAR, SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ABLE TO WEAVE IN BETWEEN CARS AS THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR HER TO PULL OVER WITHOUT CRASHING. SHE PUT ON HER HAZARD LIGHTS AND BEEPED THE HORN TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS. SHE THEN SWUNG INTO A WIDE PARKING LOT ENTRANCE AND SLAMMED THE GEAR INTO PARK AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. *JB

1996 TOYOTA CAMRY DEVELOPED PROBLEMS STALLING OUT IN TRAFFIC AND WOULD BUCK LIKE A BRONCO SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING (BEFORE STALLING). DEALERSHIP REPAIRS COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. VERY DANGEROUS TRYING TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE IN THIS VEHICLE. TECHNICIANS KEPT TAKING THE CAR BACK DOWN TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. SENT A LETTER TO TOYOTA REQUESTING THEY EXAMINE THE INVOICES AND REPAIRS ON A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. THE SENT A LETTER BACK. ONE LINE-"NOTHING IN THESE INVOICES IS UNDER WARRANTY" TOYOTA WAS NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING THEIR MISTAKES AND WAS NOT INTERESTED IN LEARNING FROM THEM. THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I KNEW AT THAT TIME THEY WERE INTERESTED IN GROWTH AND PROFIT AND LET IT BE KNOWN TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BUY TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH WHEN PLACING HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. BY PUTTING EXTREME PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE, SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAS OCCURRED ONLY ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECENT RECALL FOR TOYOTA. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE . THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 101046. UPDATED 03/09/10. *LJ UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB

THIS IS A REPAIR SHOP IN THE BETHESDA MARYLAND AREA AND THE CUSTOMERS CAR IS A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY STATION WAGON. THE CAR HAS APPROX. 135,000 MILES. WE DID MAJOR REPAIRS TO THE CAR INCLUDES REPLACE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND RIGHT FRONT AXLE. THE CUSTOMER CALLED AND SAID THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FOLDED UNDER THE CAR. WE HAD CAR TOWED TO SHOP AND FOUND THE CASTLE RETAINER NUT FOR THE RIGHT OUTER TIE WAS COMPLETELY MISSING AND THE TIE ROD END CAME OUT OF STEERING KNUCKLE. THE COTTER KEY WAS STILL INSIDE OF THE HOLE, WHICH INDICATED THE NUT DID NOT UNTHREAD BUT CAME APART- I WENT BACK WHERE THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PART OF THE CASTLE NUT. WE REPLACED BOTH OUTER TIE ROD ENDS FOR SAFETY AND DID FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AT NO CHARGE TO CUSTOMER. WE FOUND NO CRACKS OR PROBLEMS WITH THE CASTLE NUT FROM THE OTHER SIDE, BUT BOTH OUTER TIE ROD ENDS CAME WITH NEW CASTLE NUTS. WE ARE FILING THE PROBLEM TO SEE IF ANY OTHER CAMRY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED , AT CUSTOMERS REQUEST. *TR

OUR 1996 CAMRY, WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEEN SAFETY CHECKED AND HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP IT BY USING THE BRAKES, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRING, BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. OUR MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. SINCE THIS ACCELERATION PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN THE PRESS WITH OTHER TOYOTA'S WE DECIDED TO REPORT THIS SAME EXPERIENCE. I REALIZE THE CAR IS OLDER, BUT IT OTHERWISE FUNCTIONS WELL. THANK YOU. *TR

1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, CA DXLESEXLE CRUISE CONTROL RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ALONG AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY INCREASED SPEED (OCCURRENCE DATE OCT 18 2009) AND I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL GOT THE SAME RESULT, CONTINUOUS INCREASE OF SPEED UNTIL TURNED OFF. CHECKED FOR RECALL, AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 1996 CAMRY IN REFERENCE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL, HOWEVER THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER CHECKED THE VIN AND SAID THAT IT IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, AND TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS TOOK MY INFO AND ALSO TOLD ME THE VIN IS NOT ON THE LIST. THE SYMPTOMS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS IN THE RECALL. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS PEOPLE MAY THINK THEY ARE UNDER CRUISE AND NOT REALIZE THEY ARE ACCELERATING. *TR