1997 Toyota Camry

FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A SMELL OF SULFUR THAT COMES INTO THE CAR WHENEVER I ACCLERATE OR OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS PASSED INSPECTION CHECKS. ON THE ADVICE OF MY MECHANIC I CHANGED THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND WAS EVEN TOLD TO CHANGE TO HIGH TEST GASOLINE WHICH HELPED SLIGHTLY BUT THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. I CONTACTED MY DEALER(LEE TOYOTA)WHO TOLD ME THAT NOTH8ING IS WRON WITH THE CONVERTER. MY PRIVATE MECHANIC INSISTS THAT THE CONVERTER IS THE CAUSE OF THE SMELL, BUT BECAUSE IT PASSES THE EMISSIONS TEST IT IS NOT CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE. A NEW CONVERTER WILL COST ABOUT $1200, BUT A DEFECTIVE ONE IS WARRANTED UP TO 80000 MILES

MY 1997 CAMRY IS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS THE DEALER INFORMERD ME THAT THE ENGINE NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK AND OVERHAUL, AND COST AND LABOR WILL BE $5952.56 PLUS TAX , AND THAT THE WORK WAS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE RECIEPTS FOR THE OIL CHANGES AND IN WHICH PAID THE COST OF $2011.52 JUST FOR THEM TO TEAR APART THE ENGINE AND FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE HAD ENGINGEERS FROM TOYOTA COME OUT TAKE PICTURES OF THE ENGINE AND TAKE A OIL SAMPLE AND AT THAT TIME THEY MADE THE DECISION THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT GOING TO COVER THE CAR UNDER THE 60,000 MILE WARRENTY. THE EXPLANATION TO ME WAS THE PISTON RINGS WAS BURNT AND THE CYCLINDER WAS DEAPLY SCARED AND THERE WAS METAL FRAGMENT IN THEOIL PAN AND OIL PUMP AND THAT IT ALL NEEDED REPLACING. I DISAGREED WITH THEM WHEN THEY STATED TO ME THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF BAD OIL IN THE ENGINE ALSO I DID GIVE THEM THE LAST OIL CHANGE RECIEPT I DID WHICH WAS ONLY THE MONTH BEFORE AND ALSO TOLD THEM THAT MY CAR USELY SET IN STOREAGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM THE ONLY DRIVER TO THE VEHICLE AND I WAS DEPLOYED AT SEA EVERY THREE MONTHS. ALSO ON THE $2011.52 PAYMENT THEY QUOTED ME A COST OF 2506.00 PLUS TAX , ALSO THE REASON I'M WRITING THIS IS BECAUSE A FRIEND GAVE ME A COPY OF THE OCTOBER 1999 CONSUMER REPORTS AD ON HIDDEN WARRANTIES AND THAT DID SOUNDED LIKE ONE OF THOSE CASES.

THIS VEHICLE NEVER HAD REPAIRS OTHER THAN A SHOCK REPLACEMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NORMAL MAINTENENCE. THE VEHICLE LEFT HOME IN THE MORNING AND WITH IN 4 MILES SMKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ALL THE GUAGES SHOWED NORMAL RIGHT BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. IT THEN BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND ACTUALLY MELTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. TOYOTA WILL NOT RELEASE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK