1999 Toyota Camry

I STARTED MY CAR, SAT IN THE PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES BEFORE I PUT IT IN GEAR & BEGAN MOVING. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 100-200 YARDS TO THE EXIT OF THE PARKING LOT WHEN I NOTICED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE VENTS AND OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS & GOT OUT OF THE CAR. THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS DIED NOT LONG AFTER I TURNED THEM ON. ONCE I DETERMINED THERE WASN'T A FIRE, I CAREFULLY OPENED THE HOOD TO SEE SMOKE STILL POURING OUT OF THE STARTER. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT SOMEHOW THE STARTER HAD BEEN ENGAGED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY COMPLETELY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THE HEAT FROM THE STARTER HAD NOT MELTED ANY HOSES AND IGNITED SOMETHING. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED (IT WAS THE ORIGINAL STARTER FROM WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW), BATTERY RECHARGED AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS CHECKED FOR DAMAGE. LUCKILY, THE ONLY DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TO THE STARTER ITSELF. I SUBSEQUENTLY WENT ONLINE AND FOUND REFERENCES TO STARTERS IN THE SAME MAKE, MODEL & YEAR OVERHEATING IN THE SAME WAY & SOME EVEN CATCHING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. I HAVE TO WONDER HOW MANY SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE GONE UNREPORTED, OR HOW MANY ENGINE FIRES WERE CAUSED BY STARTERS, BUT THE CAUSE WAS NEVER FOUND, BECAUSE THE STARTER & EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DESTROYED.

WAS INCHING INTO A PARKING SPACE, TAPPING THE BRAKES, GOING AT AN INCLINE (UPHILL) TO PARK. SUDDENLY WITH ABOUT 8-10 INCHES TO GO THE CAR LITERALLY LUNGED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. SLAMMING WITH A HUGE BOOM INTO A CONCRETE POLL. THE BRAKES WERE PUMPING AS ALL OF THIS HAPPENED UNTIL FINALLY THE ACCELERATION CEASED. HAD THE POLL NOT BEEN THERE I WOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW OF THE RESTAURANT OR FLATTEN ANY PERSON WALKING BY. THE MANAGER OF THE RESTAURANT WITNESSED THE ENTIRE EVENT. HE SAID THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT IN HIS MIND FROM THE CREEPING INTO THE SPACE, WITH ONLY ABOUT 8-10 INCHES TO GO, TO A SONIC LIKE BOOM AND THE HUGE LUNGE FORWARD OF THE VEHICLE, THE THROTTLE HAD TO BE WIDE OPEN, THEN STUCK THERE. IT WAS A POWERFUL ENOUGH CRASH THAT IT BROKE THE FRAME AROUND THE HEADLIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND SOMETIMES GOES OFF BY ITSELF. COMPUTER ANALYSIS INDICATES AN OXYGEN SENSOR IS BAD BUT ITEM IS UNDER WARRANTY FOR 96 MONTHS OR 80,000 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 40,000 MILES. TOYOTA SAYS THE WARRANTY IS GOOD ONLY IN THOSE STATES THAT ADOPTED CA STANDARDS, I.E., NY AND MA. OTHER STATES WARRANTY IS FOR 36,000 MILES. PROBLEM DID NOT SURFACE UNTIL 40,000 MILES. ORIGINAL AND SEND PURCHASE OF CARS WAS IN VIRGINIA BUT TOYOTA CHOSE TO PUT A CA SENSOR. I HAVE NO VOICE IN VA OR SC EMISSION STANDARDS. PROBLEM NOW IS WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, IS IT THE SENSOR OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS? THE TOYOTA WARRANTY POLICY IS ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS SINCE MOST TOYOTA'S ARE SOLD OUTSIDE OF CA. CAN YOU HELP ME?? TS

BROUGHT CAMRY NEW 1999 REPLACED REAR BRAKES AT 9776 MILES AS WELL AS REAR DRUM TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL, 17472 COMPLETE FRONT BRAKE JOB, AT 17472 MILES REPLACED COMPLETE DISC BRAKES, MOUNTED TWO TIRES AND HAD 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BROUGHT TWO MORE TIRES AT 13724 MILES, THEN 2 MORE TIRES AT 29054 MILES, ONCE AGAIN WEAR AND TEAR NORMAL MUST BE DRIVER, ANOTHER FRONT BRAKE JOB AT 29981 MILES AND CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES, THEN AT 37738 MILES REAR TIRE WORN AND FRONT TIRES CHOPPED, AT 38685 MILES WARRENTED BRAKE PAD FRONT BRAKES AND MACHINED ROTORS AT 40230 4 TIRES BROUGHT AND INSTALLED, ADJUSTED STRUT MOUNTS, AT 44016 MILES ADJUSTED AND TIGHTENED FRONT CALIPERS AND WARRANTY FOR BEARING SET, CONN. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE TIRES TIMES 2 AND BRAKES TIMES 4 WITH ONLY 44016 MILES ON CAR TO DATE CLB. *AK