2001 Toyota Camry

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS DIMINISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TWICE. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

I WAS HIT BY A SPEEDING DRIVER IN CROSS TRAFFIC. (A LOT OF PEOPLE A RUNNING THROUGH RED LIGHTS!) THE FRONT BUMPER AND GRILL AREA WAS BADLY DAMAGED, RIGHT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS TORN OFF AND HOOD WAS BUCKLED. MY SEAT BELT DID NOT STOP ME FROM BEING THROWN FORWARD AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MY HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD, BREAKING THE GLASS. I RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR MY HEAD INJURY. TWO SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT FAILED. MY CAR HAS BEEN "TOTALED" BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *JS

SYMPTOMS: 1. REAR LIGHTS OFF WARNING COMES ON THE DASHBOARD 2. CHECK WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WITH CODE 1780. (NEUTRAL SWITCH ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM) 3. NO BRAKE LIGHTS OR REVERSE LIGHT ON IN THE TRUNK AREA ONLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. 4. BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN AROUND 10MPH TO STOP LIKE YOUR TIRES ARE RIDING A VERY ROUGH SURFACES. 5. REVERSE LIGHT COMES ON IN THE SHIFT GEAR INDICATOR WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO SHIFT FROM PARK POSITION. INITIAL ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM: CHANGING THE REVERSE LIGHT BULBS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS, BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO REMAIN AS DESCRIBE IN THE SYMPTOMS. 2ND ATTEMPT BY MIKE GERBER FROM WEBSITE WWW:\\AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM. HE REPORTED THERE IS A LOOSE WIRES CONNECTION OR FRAYED WIRES AT THE HINGE OF THE TRUNK ON THE DRIVER SIDE. AFTER CAREFUL INSPECTION ON THE WIRE HARNESS AT THE HINGE CONNECTION OF THE TRUNK, DISCOVERED AT LEAST ONE WIRE THAT WAS ABOUT THE BREAK OFF FROM OPENING AND CLOSING THE TRUNK OF THE CAR FOR MANY YEARS. AFTER FIXING THESE WIRES, ALL THE SYMPTOMS WERE RESOLVED. AMAZING!!! COULDN'T HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM SO FAST WITHOUT THE READING THE ARTICLE FROM MIKE GERBER. THANKS!!!!! REASON FROM WRITING THIS COMPLIANT: TOYOTA MANUFACTURE SHOULD RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES WITH THIS COMPLIANT WITHOUT ANY CHARGES TO THEIR OWNERS..... THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT AFFECTED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSING A VIBRATION EVERYTIMES YOU APPLY THE BRAKES LIKE THE ABS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING CORRECTLY EVEN AFTER CHANGING ALL THE BULBS IN THE TRUNK AREA. *TR

THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANELS LIGHTS AND STEREO BEGIN FLICKERING ON AND OFF AND CUTS OUT THE STEREO LIKE TURNING IT ON AND OFF WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO REASON OR RHYME AS TO WHEN OR WHY IT HAPPENS. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND OCCASIONALLY SMELL A BURNING SMELL WHICH SEEMS TO GO AWAY IF I TURN EVERYTHING BUT THE MOTOR OFF. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE FOGGED AND HAVE POOR VISIBILITY. WHEN I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY WOULD JUST SWITCH IT OUT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLES HEADLIGHT. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE DONE THIS BUT IT LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME TO ME. *TR

DROVE CAR ON INTERSTATE & WHEN REACHED APPROX. 60 MPH, FELT VIBRATION & A SHUDDERING; PREPARED TO PULL OVER BUT BEFORE I COULD DO SO, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED, AS I LITERALLY WATCHED MY RIGHT FRONT END COME APART BEFORE MY EYES; COULD HARDLY CONTROL STEERING BUT MANAGED TO PULL OFF ROAD TO SAFETY. AFTER I HAD STOPPED, I GOT OUT & SAW THE WHOLE TREAD OF THE TIRE IN THE ROAD, ALONG WITH PARTS OF MY CAR ALL OVER THE PLACE. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! I CALLED MY HUSBAND WHO PUT SPARE TIRE ON & I SLOWLY DROVE IT HOME & CAR DIED REPEATEDLY DURING THE DRIVE WE USED BATTERY CABLES TO JUMPSTART, OVER & OVER AGAIN UNTIL WE GOT IT HOME & PARKED IT. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED (OUT OF POCKET) TO LOCAL DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. (B'HAM, AL). SERVICE MAN HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE ENGINE HARNESS DUE TO THE HARNESS BEING RIPPED OUT THROUGH THE RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT/PASS FRONT FENDER (ABOUT 3 FEET RIPPED OFF). SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS & THAT I SHOULD REPORT IT & TRY TO HAVE TIRE COMPANY PAY FOR DAMAGES, ETC. ENGINE HARNESS DESTROYED, ESTIMATED COST $1890.50 TO REPAIR (NOT INCLUDING BODY WORK WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE ANYWHERE FROM ANOTHER $1,500 TO $2,000 IN DAMAGES). THE FENDER, FRONT HEADLIGHT AND BUMPER WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED COMPLETELY. I'VE MADE SOME ARRANGEMENTS TO GO AHEAD & GET VEHICLE RUNNING, PAYING THE COSTS OF $1890.50 TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN; AGAIN OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. I CAN SUPPLY YOUR OFFICE WITH A COPY OF THE SERVICE MANAGER'S ESTIMATE & ANALOGY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE DAMAGES. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GET VEHICLE COMPLETELY RESTORED & FEEL ALL DAMAGES SHOULD BE REIMBURSED DUE TO THE FAULTY TIRE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE SINCE I COULD HARDLY CONTROL THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENED. THANK GOD THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD SAW ME OR IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT, AS MANY CARS WERE TRAVELING ALL LANES. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE & HAD TO CROSS OVER THE RIGHT LANE TO EXIT. *TR

BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON IN LATE P.M. HOURS AND RECYCLE ON AND OFF TILL BATTERY FINALLY DIES. UNKNOWN IF THEY COME ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN DRIVING. HAS BEEN TO DEALER 5 VISITS TOTALLING 19 DAYS, 3 TIMES HAD TO BE TOWED DUE TO DEAD BATTERY. DEALER UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. TOYOTA CUSTOMER NOTIFIED 4 TIMES, STILL NO CALL BACK. ATTY. GEN./MASS. LEMON LAW NOTIFIED ALSO. STILL WAITING FOR MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED--WE HOPE!*AK