NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
96 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Apr 12, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED, WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST SAFE PLACE TO STOP, AT WHICH THE ENGINE CEASED FUNCTIONING. I'M TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT FOR A COST OF $4500. I PRESENTLY OWE $12,000 ON THIS CAR. THIS IS DUE TO THE …
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MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED, WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST SAFE PLACE TO STOP, AT WHICH THE ENGINE CEASED FUNCTIONING. I'M TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT FOR A COST OF $4500. I PRESENTLY OWE $12,000 ON THIS CAR. THIS IS DUE TO THE SO-CALLED "OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM" AND I DEMAND IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION IN THIS MATTER. EVIDENTLY THOUSANDS OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. FOR MORE INFORMATION: FEATURES/2001OVERVIEW/TOYOTA/CAMRY.TMPL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #760637
Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE HAS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE THAT IS COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #758683
Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. HEARD STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ROD HAD BLOWN, AND BLOCK WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8004389
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension
DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES HIGH NUMBER OF STRUT AND MOUNT FAILURES ON 1997, 1998 AND 1999 CAMRYS. PROBABLY DESIGN DEFECT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #757882
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension
TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES TO HAVE ISSUED ONLY A "SERVICE BULLETIN" TO ITS DEALERS ON THIS ISSUE. IT DOES ACKNOWLEDGE A HIGH NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF FAILED STRUTS AND MOUNTS ON 1997, 1998 AND1999 CAMRYS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #757881
Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #753529
Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
DEALER SAYS CAR NOT SERVICED PROPERLY....I HAVE CHANGED OIL AS REQUIRED AND CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNER WHO SAYS THAT HE HAS DONE THE SAME. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #751056
Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension
BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING TO THE FLOOR, DEALER REPAIRED FRONT BRAKES. CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER STATES 2 FRONT STRUTS NEED REPLACED, ALSO AXLE BOOTS LEAKED AND DEALER REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND THEN WOULD DIE, DEALER REPLACED THE ISC VALVE. WATER PUMP LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED.…
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BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING TO THE FLOOR, DEALER REPAIRED FRONT BRAKES. CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER STATES 2 FRONT STRUTS NEED REPLACED, ALSO AXLE BOOTS LEAKED AND DEALER REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND THEN WOULD DIE, DEALER REPLACED THE ISC VALVE. WATER PUMP LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #562023
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000-4000 MILES. I PREVIOUSLY HAD HONDA ACCORD WITH 186000 MILES AND NO PROBLEMS. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT WITH THIS ENGINE!*AK
NHTSA ODI #747768
Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THE FAILURE RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION AND A HOLE IN THE ENGINE, THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR WAS FOR 60000 MILES, THE DEALER REFUSED TO ABIDE BY THE WARRANTY STATING THAT THE OIL WAS NOT CHANGED PROPERLY RESULTING IN SLUDGE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLES SLANTED ENGINE COULD POSS…
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THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THE FAILURE RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION AND A HOLE IN THE ENGINE, THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR WAS FOR 60000 MILES, THE DEALER REFUSED TO ABIDE BY THE WARRANTY STATING THAT THE OIL WAS NOT CHANGED PROPERLY RESULTING IN SLUDGE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLES SLANTED ENGINE COULD POSSIBLE IMPEDE THE FLOW OF OIL AS IT RETURNES TO THE OIL CHAMBER THUS RESULTING IN SLUDGE. NLM
NHTSA ODI #561322
Official recalls
3Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
Nov 20, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A POSSIBLE JAMMING OF THE LOCK PIN OF THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID, IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN THE "PARK" POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNDER SUCH A CONDITION, SHOULD A DRIVER FAIL TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO "PARK" POSITION AND ALSO FAIL TO ACTIVATE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY DOWN A SLOPE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID.
Sep 17, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
ODI'S DATA ANALYSIS FOUND THE FIRES RATES TO BE CONSISTENTLY LOW AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG SIX MODEL YEARS AND SIX DIFFERENT ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS.ODI EXAMINED A VARIETY OF ROOT CAUSES, THOSE BEING DETONATION (RESULTING IN OIL PAN PUNCTURE FROM CONNECTING ROD), STARTER FIRES, VARIOUS FUEL RELATED FIRES, LEAKING OIL FILTERS, WIRING ISSUES, IMPROPER REPAIRS AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.NONE OF THE ISSUES EXAMINED HAD REPORTS THAT INDICATED A TREND WHEN NORMALIZED FOR POPULATON AND EXPOSURE.SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
PE97034 · Ignition Interlock Failure
Opened Jul 16, 1997 · Closed Nov 28, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
No summary supplied.
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