2004 Toyota Camry

2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT STARTED FOLDING OVER ITSELF IN THE SLOT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT. AFTER PULLING HARD AND MANIPULATING IT TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT, IT WOULDN'T TIGHTEN UP OR RETRACT. THE CONSUMER STATED IT USED TO HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOW HE HAS TO STRUGGLE WITH IT OVER 50% OF THE TIME. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT, HAS DEVELOPED THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

AFTER ENTERING A PARKING LOT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS TURNING INTO A SPOT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED THRU THE SPOT AND WAS HEADING FOR THE CONCRETE WALL. SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN IT TO THE LEFT, RUN OVER THE CURB AND IN TO A SNOW BANK. SHE WAS UNABLE TO BACK THE CAR OUT AND HAD TO BE TOWED OUT. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT SHE COULD DRIVE IT HOME AND SHE MANAGED TO DO SO, BUT SHE WAS SCARED TO DO SO. IT IS NOW SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WILL NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL WE ARE SATISFIED WITH THE REPAIRS TO THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM. I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER?. *TR

I WAS APPROACHING A FREEWAY IN ATLANTA, GA. AS THE CONNECTOR CURVED, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH AND GENTLY BRAKE ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE FREEWAY. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED, THROWING MY HEAD BACK AGAINST THE HEADREST; I BRAKE HARDER BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR; THE CAR SEEMED TO PIVOT ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND THE REAR END FLEW TO MY LEFT ABOUT 240 DEGREES OR SO AND STRUCK THE GUARD RAIL WITH THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND BUMPER. THE CAR THEN, CONTINUING AT HIGH SPEED, RICOCHETED OFF THE GUARD RAIL AND THE REAR END PIVOTED TOWARD THE ROAD, MAKING THE FRONT BUMPER STRIKE THE SAME GUARD RAIL. THE SECOND COLLISION SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE CENTER OF THE BUMPER BUT THE IMPACT SEEMED STRONGER THAN THE DAMAGE WOULD INDICATE. THE SECOND IMPACT DID STOP THE CAR. I MAKE THIS REPORT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE RECALLED BY TOYOTA FOR THIS PROBLEM; BUT, BELIEVE ME, IT HAPPENED. *TR

THIS PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE POWER DOOR ACTUATOR ON THE DRIVER DOOR. THE MALFUNCTION STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AT CERTAIN TEMPERATURES. THE DOOR LOCK ON DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT WORK WHEN PRESSING THE REMOTE OR PRESSING THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTON ON DRIVER DOOR. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCK BUTTON AND LATCH STOPPED FUNCTIONING IN MANUAL MODE. NOT ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE LOCK DOES NOT OPEN ANYMORE AND DOES NOT OVERRIDE THE MALFUNCTIONING DOOR ACTUATOR. AS A RESULT, SHOULD I NEED TO QUICKLY EGRESS THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SUCH AS A FIRE OR OTHERWISE I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR AT THIS TIME IS TO PRESS THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTON BACK AND FORTH UNTIL SOMETHING CATCHES ON, AND THE BUTTON OPENS. HOWEVER, THIS WILL LIKELY NOT WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. I'VE REQUESTED THAT TOYOTA REPLACE THE FAULTY PART, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT GIVEN THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. I REQUESTED THAT THEY TAKE MY CASE TO SOUTHEASTERN TOYOTA UPPER MANAGEMENT TO MAKE A DECISION. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA DEALER I WAS AT, THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES DID NOT AGREE WITH MY COMPLAINT AND DID NOT THINK IT WAS WITHIN THEIR DUTIES TO REPLACE THE PART. MY INVESTIGATION INTO THE ISSUE HAS REVEALED THAT THIS ISSUE REPEATS WITH MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL YEARS 02-06. SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTANATION.COM/FORUM/104-5TH-6TH-GENERATION-2002-2006-2007-2011/144851-2003-CAMRY-DOOR-LOCK-PROBLEM.HTML . IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA MUST BE AWARE OF AND REFUSES TO DEAL WITH GIVEN THAT NO FATALITIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE). HOWEVER, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO GET INJURED OR POSSIBLY LOSE THEIR LIFE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED BY THE MANUFACTURER? PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SPLASHING WATER NOISE SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED, WHICH ALLOWED FLUIDS TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104,000. UPDATED 12/14/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MECHANIC THE BOLTS COULD BE RETREADED, ENGINE REBUILT, OR TO TRADE THE VEHICLE IN. NONE OF THE REPAIRS ARE GUARANTEED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/17/2012 *JS

ON OCT 18, 2012, MY CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. ON FRIDAY, OCT 19, 2012 OUR MECHANIC STATED HE COULD NOT FIX IT AND LOOKS LIKE IT IS AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK. HE FURTHER STATED WE NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE BOUGHT IT FROM TO CONFIRM THE ENGINE WAS NONE REPAIRABLE. ON MONDAY, OCT 22, 2012, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED US AND CONFIRMED THE BAD NEWS. OUR 2004 CAMRY 2.4L ENGINE IS LEAKING COOLANT INSIDE THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE BOLTS ARE STRIPPED. THEY GAVE US SOME OPTIONS. THE DEALER COULD TRY TO REPAIR THE BOLTS BY RETREADING THEM (NO GUARANTEE IT WORLD WORK). REPLACE THE ENGINE (REBUILT AND NOT GUARANTEE IT WOULDN?T HAPPEN AGAIN). AND FINALLY, TRADE IN THE CAR (NOT ENOUGH TO PAY OFF MY LOAN). AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO CAMRY SINCE 2002. ONE POST STATED IT WAS FIXED WITH THE 2004 MODELS, BUT IN 2004 THE SAME ENGINE IS IN THE HIGHLANDER AND THE CAMRY. THE HIGHLANDER ALSO HAS SEVERAL POSTS TO THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN WILL TOYOTA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND FIX IT WITHOUT COMING AFTER THE CONSUMER! I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AT 800-331-4331 AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING THE DEALER TOLD ME, NOT THEIR FAULT. I AM REALLY HOPING THE GOVERNMENT TAKES THESE COMPLAINTS AND FORCES TOYOTA TO RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THE ISSUES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HE PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO ENAGED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,200.

I NOTICED THAT WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM MY EXHAUST PIPE, THEREFORE, I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THE MECHANIC SIMPLY TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO A BAD HEAD GASKET. LATER ON, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIX, HE TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS UNREPAIRABLE, THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I ASKED HIM, "WHY?" HE TOLD ME THAT THE BOLTS THAT KEEPS THE ENGINE IN PLACE CAN NO LONGER BE TIGHTEN. THE ENGINE CAN NO LONGER BE HELD IN PLACE. HE CALLED IT, "STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS." ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AND HIS COLLEAGUES, IT IS A DESIGN FLAW BY TOYOTA. THE MECHANICS WENT ON STATING THAT, "EVEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE BOLTS WILL COME LOOSE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK IN. WHICH CAUSED THE WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. SO, I CALLED UP TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY CAN CORRECT THEIR PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. IF TOYOTA CAN'T FIX IT, HOW WOULD A MECHANIC FIX IT? I ASKED TOYOTA IF THERE WERE A RECALL FOR THIS, THEY SIMPLY SAID, "NO." THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND TAKE CARE OF THIS AWFUL PROBLEM. IT TURNS OUT THAT EVERY 2003-200? CAMRY OWNERS HAVE OR WILL HAVE THIS AWFUL PROBLEM. IS NOT JUST A RELIABILITY PROBLEM, BUT IS ALSO POLLUTING OUR HOME PLANET. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CAMRYS ON THE ROAD RANGING FROM THESE YEARS AND ALL OF THEM ARE OR SOON WILL BE SPEWING OUT FOREIGN SMOKE. NO MECHANIC OUT THERE CAN FIX THE PROBLEM. ALL THEY CAN DO IS REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT WILL SOON HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. PLEASE STEP IN AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX THIS AWFUL ISSUES WITH THE "STRIPPED HEAD BOLT." [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR