1999 Toyota Camry

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY TO WORK, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE, AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE FIRE WAS PRECEDED BY A LOUD POPPING SOUND, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE LOSS OF BRAKES/POWER STEERING, ETC. I STRUGGLED TO STEER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD, COASTING TO A STOP. MEANWHILE, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE FIRECRACKER-LIKE "POP," SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR INTO THE VEHICLE FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE VENTS ON THE TOP OF THE DASH. HEAVY SMOKE ALSO BEGAN TO POUR OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. AS I FINALLY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, A MOTORIST STOPPED AND HOLLERED TO ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AS, HE SAID, THERE WERE FLAMES VISIBLE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I EXITED THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY, AND WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES IT WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I DIALED 911 IMMEDIATELY, AND EVEN THOUGH THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 1.5 MILES OF THE LOCAL FIRE STATION, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES BY THE TIME THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED. A PENNSYLVANIA STATE TROOPER ARRIVED WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF THE ONSET OF THE EPISODE, MOMENTS AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. A TRAFFIC REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE STATE TROOPER. *JB

CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A GRAVEL ROAD. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE RAPIDLY AND WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS INDICATION OF PROBLEM OR WARNING. ALL GAUGES REGISTERED NORMAL. DRIVER EXITED THE CAR AND SAW FIREBALLS FALLING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNED AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE MAIN POINT IS THAT THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PER THE MANUFACTURERS SPECS. WE ARE NOT SURE OF WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE, BUT HAD TO BE RELATED TO FUEL SINCE IT BURNED SO FAST. *AK

THIS CAR IS A LEMON. I HAVE HAD FIVE INTEGRATED RELAY'S REPLACED AND NOW IT IS OUT AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHT OR THE DASH LIGHTS WILL WORK, BUT NOT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. TOYOTA SAID IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD A NON-FACTORY ALARM INSTALLED. THEY REPLACED THE ALARM WITH A TOYOTA ALARM AND REPLACED THE RELAY AND IT BURNED OUT THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS HAD A MUSTY SMELL SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THEY SPRAY THE VENTS WITH "FRIGI FRESH" AND IT'S FINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE SMELL RETURNS. THEY TOLD ME TO SPRAY SIMPLE GREEN IN THE AIR INTAKE ONCE A WEEK. THAT'S A PRETTY POOR REMEDY. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT HOLD ON ANY INCLINE. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL PULL INTO THE GARAGE BY IT SELF AND OTHER TIMES IT WILL ROLL INTO THE STREET. IT DEPENDS ON IT'S MOOD. THE CAR LACK POWER. SOME DAYS THE CAR IS PEPPY BUT MOST DAYS IT'S A OLD MULE. I WENT THROUGH ARBITRATION AND TOYOTA JUST KEEPS REPLACING PARTS INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE CAR. IT'S SITS IN THE GARAGE NOW BECAUSE IS NOT DEPENDABLE. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION AND RECALL OF THE 1999 CAMRY.*AK

FUEL IS BEING PUSHED THROUGH THE AIR CHECK VALVE IN CALIFORNIA SMOG SYSTEM, WHICH IS ALLOWING FUEL TO FLOW ONTO ENGINE COMPONENTS THAT HEAT UP DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE. THERE WILL BE PUDDLES OF FUEL UNDER VEHICLE WHEN IT IS PARKED IN ONE POSITION, WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED A FIRE HAZARD. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS/PHOTOGRAPHS.*AK