1998 Toyota Camry

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER FAILED. ALL THE OTHER GAUGES AND LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND WORKED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 218,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

IGNITION KEY JAMS, WILL NOT TURN TO START ENGINE, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED WHEN ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. FREQUENCY OF JAMMING INCREASED UNTIL I SWITCHED TO USING THE SPARE "MASTER" KEY. IT WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. FINALLY, I USED THE "VALET KEY" AND IT HAS WORKED FINE FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. WHEN I RECENTLY WENT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO PURCHASE 2 NEW KEYS, AFTER NEARLY 2 HOURS I WAS ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THE NEW KEYS COULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED WITHOUT THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION A NEW IGNITION MODULE (ON-BOARD COMPUTER) COSTING $1,812 INCLUDING LABOR AND 2 KEYS. TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICE HAS REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT WON'T GO AWAY. SUPPOSEDLY IT WAS RELATED TO THE O2 SENSORS. THEY'VE BOTH BEEN REPLACED, TO NO AVAIL. A DUAL-CERTIFIED TOYOTA MASTER MECHANIC IS SCRATCHING HIS HEAD ON THIS ONE. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AS IT'S BEEN PERFORMING WELL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WITH AN ENGINE LIGHT BURNING BRIGHTLY, REGARDLESS. IT'S VERY ANNOYING AS IT'S OBVIOUSLY A USELESS LIGHT, NOW, AND ALL I CAN HOPE FOR IS FOR THE BULB TO EVENTUALLY BURN OUT - AS I DON'T CARE TO GET INTO TEARING OUT THE DASH TO REMOVE IT. VERY VERY ANNOYING (NOW HAVE A PIECE OF BLACK DUCT TAPE OVER THE LENS BUT THAT'S HARDLY A FIX). *TR

TOYOTA CUSTOMER AND OWNER WITH UNFORTUNATE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR DRIVEN NORMALLY IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF THE DAY AS AN ELDER. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE OIL LEAKS, THE FLOORMAT INTERFERES WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND STICKS, INTERFERING WITH BRAKING EXPERIENCED RECENTLY ON THE NY-CT HIGHWAY. I PAID TO REPAIR THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND OIL LEAKS AND STILL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS INDICATED FOR EXAMPLE BY THE DASHBOARD WHICH IS CONTINUOUSLY LIT UP, I.E. IS STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I WROTE TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC. 19001 SOUTH WESTERN AVE. DEPT. WC11 TORRANCE, CA 90501 CC: NANCY FEIN, VP CUSTOMER SERVICE TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA INC., PO BOX 10054 TOLDEO OHIO 43682-4419. *TR

1. THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD SHIMMY, SHAKE AND STOP OPERATING SUDDENLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THIS LEAD TO SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENT SCENARIOS. . WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF IT PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM PROCEEDING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND AT INTERSECTIONS CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. 3. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. BRAKE REPAIRS WERE DONE BUT THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THIS RESULTED IN ANOTHER VERY DANGEROUS NEAR ACCIDENT DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION IN WHICH THE AUTO WOULD NOT START AFTER SHAKING AND COMING TO A VIOLENT HALT.*AK