Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

redturq9

I'm enjoying a new 2004 I4 Camry XLE and its been a perfect car for my wife in every way but one...I couldn't find a local dealer with a Camry that had the power adjustable pedals when I bought it and my rather small stature wife must sit very close to the drivers side air bag to reach the pedals. I am considering aftermarket gas and brake pedal extenders, but they look a bit clumsy and I would much prefer to find a more elegant aftermarket installer of power adjustable pedals. Does anyone have any advise on this issue?

canoe2

(1) Would not shift at cold engine: If you have 4 sp then it stays at 3rd gear, for 5sp then it stays at 4th gear. It would be less noticed at 5sp. That's normal. Toyota had done this for years (on my 89 Corolla 4sp).
(2) "Cold Shift Shock" -
When the RPM is high > 1500, you will experience this. Let the engine warming up (15 second in summer, if below 32F, 40 sec to 90 sec). Keep the parking brake on during shifting.

(3) Odor problems - Try different gas station

(4) Rolls backwards - You suppose to step on brake on up hill stop.
(5) Clunking noise - Gas moving in the tank, try it at near empty next time

(6) Rattles, rattles, rattles - They are getting worst at cold weather. Most of the problems at:
a- B pillar: around seat belt area (stuff some foam there).
b- Bottom windshield: Glass contact with metal frame (again, stuff some foam there)
c- Front passenger and drive's door: worst at driver's door, due to the contact of plastic to plastic
d- Door rubbers: Use good silicon lubricant
Most of rattles (95%) have gone in my car. I found it is too quiet now (maybe I should put back few rattles)

mooselook

On Dec 7, Ando0307 wrote the following:
"The dealer I purchased my 04 SE V6 Camry from informed me Toyota last thrusday introduced a TSB regarding the front wheel misalignment. The car pulls left on its own. Dealers can do their best to rectify the situation for customers sensitive to this, however, Toyota engineers are still investigating the root cause to provide a solution to dealers.
The dealer told me no recall on this is expected because it is not a safety concern. However, the solution for the TSB should eventually surface. This does not occur on the 02 or 03 SEs. Not sure if this problem is evident on the LEs and XLEs.
Have any of the 04 SE owners heard of this and have info on when this issue will be resolved?"

Well Ando, my wife has an '03 Camry SE and we also have the problem where it seems to drift to the left. This problem seems only to be noticable on the highway. We had the front end aligned by the dealer, under warrantee and then aligned a second time by a tire dealer. The tire dealer gave me the printout of the specs, before and after. It was not within specs after the Toyota dealer, but the tire dealer brought it into specs. However, it still seems to favor the left. I'd be very interested in hearing if anyone else has any info on this problem. Our Camry has only 6500 miles on it and I'd hate to think that we'll have to live with this..
***Mooselook***

tbone379

Went to the local parts store and had them run engine code on my 98 camry. It came up as po441. Looked it up in haynes manual and it said it could be the EVAP control system-incorect purge flow. What does this mean?? How do I fix the problem?? The car seems to run fine, but the check engine light stays on all of the time. Have been told it may be the gas cap. could this be my problem?? Thanks for any suggestions!! tbone

profks

T-Bone:

My check engine light came on after someone put gas in the car and forgot to twist the cap a couple of times. I took the car (99LE) to my father's mechanic who reset it off. From that point, I made sure that I put gas in the car. I asked why it came on and they said that the fuel-air mixture may have been affected by the loose cap, but also mentioned the possibility that the EGR Valve (I hope I remember this part correctly) might have failed. After having it reset, I decided to wait for a reoccurrence before doing anything else - 2,000 miles ago.

andrelaplume

I have an 02 LE. At certain highway speeds it indeed pulls to the left. I did not have an alignment as the tires (Continentals) were wearing evenly. I just replaced the crappy Contis (with just 15K on them) for some better/safer gripping Traction TAs. If the car is perfectly aligned yet still pulls to the left, will this affect the wear of the tires over time? This has not been a huge issue for me since I do mostly city driving. Its a minor annoyance on the highway though.

alpha01

All this Auto Show buzz and the recent glut of capable family sedan models introduced (Malibu, Galant, upcoming G6) has really gotten me thinking about the 2005 Camry, which is due for a freshening and upgrades. Should anyone have the 411, please post here.

I'm expecting a slight power bump for the 2.4L, to 160 or 161hp, as in the RAV, Highlander, Scion tC.... I'd like to see more safety features made standard... the Solara has ABS and seat mounted side airbags standard, at a similar price, so why not the Camry? Personally, I think thats a fair compromise... leaving the curtains as optional...

~alpha

ssiu

IMO there are 2 types of thinking. Some care about safety and will pay for them (if cost is reasonable, i.e. not thousands of dollars). They will want both side and curtain airbags. The other type thinks "the chance of getting hit on the side is 1-in-a-million, it's not worth worrying about, it's not worth paying hundreds of dollars to marginally improve the odds, you can die many other ways, if it's time for you to go you go". They won't want any side or curtain airbags; they'll save the money or buy something else. They won't want to be forced to pay for standard side airbags.

I simply can't imagine anyone wanting to pay $$ for side airbags and not pay $$ for curtain airbags.

I believe some cars have curtain airbags but no side airbags. There is steel door separating the chest from the intruder, but only glass window next to the head. So I think that arrangement is somewhat logical, but not the reverse.

BTW, in Canada the Accord sedan is doing exactly what I think is illogical -- all trims except the base DX has side airbags standard, but side curtains are not available even as options. I place the blame for this problem at NHTSA, which doesn't factor head injury into the side crash ratings.

alpha01

My point was, to keep costs down, offer ABS and seat mounted chest airbags standard, and offer side curtains as a safety option avaliable on all trim lines, at a lower cost than the current Side Airbag/Side Curtain combo.

I like what Toyota has done in the US spec-Solara, which is EXACTLY what I have indicated above.

~alpha

ssiu

... to keep costs down, offer ABS and side curtains standard, and offer seat mounted chest airbags as a safety option avaliable on all trim lines, at a lower cost than the current Side Airbag/Side Curtain combo.

Strong door steel beam protects the chest, curtain protects the head, all standard features. Optional side chest airbags for extra protection. More logical to me.

2003sev6

Side impact door beams are a standard feature on all Toyotas.

alpha01

Curtains alone are more expensive than side chest airbags alone, in terms of feasability. Looking at the NHTSA data, a head curtain would NOT change the Camrys rating of 3 stars/5stars, where as a seat mounted chest bag likely would (if you look at the HIC numbers for the Camry, they are in the 400s in that test, easily survivable). Of course this is a test in which the striking vehicle is a car, not an SUV/truck.

~alpha

ssiu

Side impact door beams are a standard feature on all Toyotas.

Yes I realize that. In fact I think all 1997+ vehicles have side impact door beams in order to pass the minimum government side impact standard.

Curtains alone are more expensive than side chest airbags alone, in terms of feasability.

I agree, and for this reason I agree that what I propose (making side curtains standard) will probably not happen in the short term. But Toyota is in a position to lead if it wants to. e.g. if my memory is correct, isn't Toyota making VSC standard in all its "trucks" (including even the cheapest RAV4)?

Looking at the NHTSA data, a head curtain would NOT change the Camrys rating of 3 stars/5stars ...

As I said in #6503, I lay the blame at NHTSA for the faulty side crash rating (not taking head injury into account), which tempts manufacturers into actions like making side chest airbags standard to get a higher star rating, but not head curtains because "no brownie points". As you pointed out, the Camry HIC result is good, but the NHTSA test is like being hit by a car and not a van/truck/SUV. Hopefully the situation would improve as IIHS publish more side crash results.

Tidbits:

NHTSA will test the 2004 Camry sedan, instead of carrying over 2003 results.

I read that side+curtain airbags will be standard in all 2005 Subaru Legacys. If Subaru can do it ...

We assume that side chest/curtain airbags will help ... check out the NHTSA result for the 2004 Nissan Maxima. It was tested with side+curtain airbags (standard equipment), and has below-average side-rear head injury result in the 800s (like the Accord Sedan that I griped about in the Accord forum).

18fan

...that Toyota has not made at least ABS brakes standard throughout the Camry lineup... especially since its main competitor, the Honda Accord, has ABS standard as of the 2003 redesign across all models... even the most basic and least expensive DX trim.

joescar

I also have a new 2004 with less than 1,000 miles and have noticed a slight pull to the left. It's not particularly troublesome however I would say the car isn't quite "neutral". Everything else about the car is wonderful and I feel this is the best automobile I've ever owned - of about 40 in the last 44 years. Finally, my old '93 Camry now has 190,000 miles on it and my stepson loves it!

alpha01

ssiu, is that we both know our safety stuff.

No honestly, I really hope that for the 2005 refresh that Toyota siezes the opportunity and adds more standard safety equipment to the Camry. You are correct in stating that Toyota went the extra step and made VSC, Toyotas version of stability control, standard on ALL of its SUVs this year, from RAV4 on up. Its time Toyota paid attention to the frekin Best Selling Camry line.

With respect to the Maxima, even though the 800 HIC is on the higher side, it would still be a "survivable" crash (1000 is the threshold which indicates severe injury, possibly fatal in the words of Consumer Reports), and I'd rather have an airbag there to cushion the blow than not. (Also note that any HIC must be considered against the time duration of the "injury" infliction.)

The new IIHS tests will be very telling as well.

NHTSA is messed up? Why are they testing a 2004 Camry? Were there any mods to the restraint system? If not, I feel they waste their money. I'd rather see a retest of the side impact for a Camry with the airbags/curtains....NHTSA needs to get its act together, as well, and include the HIC in the side impact rating.

~alpha

ssiu

My guess is that Toyota is really unhappy about the 2003 Camry scores, in particular the side-front 3 star (I think it missed being 4 star by 1 TTI), and am paying NHTSA all associated costs for testing the 2004 Camry. Toyota made some modification to the side door after the 2002 Camry's poor 2 star result; probably some minor enhancement were made to the 2004's to make sure it will be a solid 4 star or better this time.

P.S. My wife and I ended up getting an Accord LX V6 instead of the Camry, end though it has no side curtains ... If we are in USA we would be getting a Camry SE V6 with VSC+side/curtain package instead; in Canada we don't have that option without getting a fully loaded Camry with leather/moonroof etc.

2003sev6

Has anyone seen the new Toyota commercial stating that 90% of the Camrys built since 1986, are still on the road today.

danielj6

No yet but my '91 Camry is still on the road. Eventhough I haven't had it since 98 I've been able to follow it through CarFax.

danielj6

No yet but my '91 Camry is still on the road. Eventhough I haven't had it since 98 I've been able to follow through CarFax.

masspector

Anyone know why the dealer installed subwoofer is only available on the le and se and not the xle? I assume it has to do with the JBL premium stereo and inputs or outputs on the radio amplifier itself. Any info would be great. Just seems wierd. My stereo sounds great, but just wanted a little extra punch. I do not want to do any heavy mods and the MTX thunderforms (read- made to fit your trunk exactly) are not made for the camry.

Just got XM radio after also adding it to an 02 QX4. In a word--AWESOME. The QX4 sounds like a whole new high end stereo was added. Only had it in camry since last night. Not as dramatic a change, but still an improvement. Better sound quality and no commercials, plus over 100 channels to choose from. Highly recommended.

rutger3

anyone had experience with Tirerack on line? Need wheels and tires. Not sure if I want to order together or only alloys online, then tires locally. any thoughts?

dekester

I bought tires for my Olds last Summer from Tire Rack....Best price I could find anywhere! You have two options - have them ship to your home and you find someone to mount and balance the tires, or you can have them sent to a local "drop ship agent" who will do the work (that cost is NOT included in what you'll pay for the tires).

As for wheels, I guess if you know what you want, have the size figured out and have priced them locally, you might be better going with them.

I haven't replaced wheels on a car in a long time, and then it was to put Cragar S/S or American Torque-Thrust Ds on my restored muscle cars...

The wife's LE V6 needs something a little bigger and better-looking than the standard 15s, but she says no....Women!

Deke

joescar

It's true that you can't beat the prices at TR but remember that shipping and mounting may negate most of your savings. Also, if there is a problem with a tire you have to ship it back and substitute another tire, if you have one, while you're waiting for an adjustment. Finally, if they wear out within the warranty and you want some satisfaction - you're really in a bind! I don't buy from them anymore for these reasons. The best tires I've found recently (believe it or not) have been Wal-Mart Douglas Touring tires. The price can't be beat, they have an exceptional warranty and the company stands behind them without question. These tires ride well, handle fine and don't hydroplane. They're quiet and wear very well. What more could a guy want?

bronzemaxell

i bought my first set of (4) good years tires from tirerack 3 or 4 years ago and put 60k miles on it before i decided to replace it, and i went back bought 2 more set of bridgestone RE 950 for my other vehicles last year, and to my suprise, they are great, at least better than the OEM dunlop i have(about $400 for tires and installation at dealer) , which only lasted 20k before sidewall cracked then small leak. the cost for my bridgestone RE950 is around $320 delivered to my door and another $40 at local corner shop for mount and balance ($10 each wheel). i have not experience any problem with the tires, and i do rotate them every 5k miles.

i've also gotten quote from local good year and other tire store for the same tire plus installation, quoted for over $500, wut a rip off.

andrelaplume

Anyone ever hear of these? We have a local tire shop we have used for 15 years for our tires, alignments etc. We have always used Jetson Tires and never had an issue. The last long and are inexpensive.

I am curious if anyone else ever heard of these? In fact I just replaced Craponental tires that came with my Camry for some Goodrich Traction TAs....they said they would have a better grip for the Camry than the Jetsons....still it was the 1st time in years I did not use the Jetsons, hope I made the right choice.

falcon74

The dealer I purchased my new Toyota is charging a very high price for the extended warranty. So I was wondering if I could buy a Toyota extended warranty from another dealership or not?

Also, does anyone know if the non-Toyota extended warranties are any good??

alpha01

I would urge you against considering an extended warranty on the Camry. You're already paying a premium for an excellent vehicle, compared to lower-quality alternatives such as the able-performing but not-quite-there-reliabilitywise Korean competitors. You've got a 5 year, 60K warranty on the most important part of the vehicle-the powertrain. Do you really feel that paying another $1000 or so for Toyotas extended warranty is worth it, given the car's "Much Better than Average" rating for the 2003 model in Consumer Reports?

Certainly, different people have different preferences, and by all means, if it sets your mind at ease, purchase an extended warranty. But I'd be willing to bet that one of the reasons you purchased a Toyota in the first place is BECAUSE of its reputation. I think a NON-Toyota extended warranty is a COMPLETE waste of money, though, so if you do get one, get the Toyota package.

Indeed, as a brand, Toyotas are even HIGHER in quality than people already perceive them, according to a recent article in USA today: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-01-15-quality_x.htm

Best of luck!

~alpha

fiftytwomv

Just wanted to give you a heads-up.
We recently bought a 2004 Camry XLE V6 with adjustable pedals. There is a constant drive train vibration coming through the accelerator pedal when accelerating under load up hills or when maintaining speed on the highway. The vibration can be a distraction and a big nuisance--especially given the fact that everything else about the Camry is very quiet, smooth and vibration-free. We test drove a 2004 LE V6 and a 2003 XLE 4 cylinder, both without adjustable pedals, and there was no vibration problem. A dealer's service department said that the vibration occurs because the accelerator and brake pedals are not solidly secured to the the firewall like cars without adjustable pedals. Instead, they are somehow suspended and connected to an area that picks up the drive train vibration under load. The dealer has received several complaints and forwarded them to Toyota Corp. As of yet, Toyota Corp. has not issued any service bulletins with a fix.

andrelaplume

You just likely spent $20K+ on your Camry. If you plan on keeping it 5 years or more, a few more $$$ on the warranty may be worth it. Ever had a power window motor go out of warranty? A nuetral saftey switch? An alternator? How about a head gasket? I paid $675 for 7yr/70K Platinum zero deductible genuine warranty Toyota warranty. If your dealer is giving you a hard time...look elsewhere. Contact CLiffy1's dealership if he is still around!

Now if you are keeping the car for only 3 years or maybe 4 and won't go over the 36K then that is another story.

Also, Toyota's rep is not a shiny as it used to be. They had a sludge problem. I read more and more on head gaskets going. They cheapened the materials and the way they fasten their plastic parts together starting in 02 yielding many a rattle. I hope they have not cheapened other mechanical parts of the car as well...time will tell. Mine drives well, is fuel efficient, is VERY ppepy for a 4 cylinder, fits our family nicely and when not rattling down the road is a pleasure to drive. I hope to have it run flawlessly for years and if I never use my $675 warranty---well I can live with that!

andrelaplume

Well, I am told it is time to change the Pollen FIlter. $30 parts, $30 labor. My question is: Does this really need to be changed at 15K miles and is this a job I can do myself? Where is the sucker located? Can it be cleaned? THANKS!

2003sev6

Your pollen filter is inside your glove box, up top and yes you can change it yourself but you will probably need a flashlight to see what you are doing. If the filter is dirty, I would change it.

As for the sludge problem, lets not blow it out of proportion as I think there have been approximately 3400 reported cases and there was a question as to if these people even had regular oil changes done.

andrelaplume

Thanks for the filter help...on the sludge issue...this was quite the topic around the time I bought my car...my take on what I read was that Toyota had an issue, did not want to deal with it and started blaming loyal customers rather than accept culpability...which ironically, in the end they did...only after sufferring a black eye in the press. Sorry but it was more than just a few folks who did not change their oil. It was folks who did change their oil and even had receipts. If the 4 cylinder engine in my Camry was not the *new* I would not be in the car now.

Thanks again for the pollen filter information.

alpha01

Was waaay blown out of proportion, but I will certainly agree that Toyota shot itself in the foot by not providing the proper solution from the onset (though they finally did offer the "Special Policy Adjustment" to all owners of any of the vehicles possibly affected).

Andrelaplume, yes, there were some affected by the sludge issue that performed regular oil changes. However, as 2003SEV6 points out, many who experienced the problem DID NOT perform regular servicing. 3400 cases from over 3.3 MILLION customers to whom Toyota sent the SPA mailing works out to <.001% (ONE THOUSANDTH OF ONE PERCENT). Is it an issue to worry about? Not for me.

~alpha

motownusa

I own a 1992 Camry LE with the 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. I was just wondering why the sludge problem, if it is a problem, only effects 4 cylinder and V6 models from 1997 to 2001? My Camry which has about 123,000 miles on the odometer has been flawless so far. Then again, I change my oil at the Toyota dealer every 3000 miles. Doesn't the 92 and 97 Camry have the same engines?

andrelaplume

Did not want to stir things up, loyal Toyota owners indeed get defensive. Sludge was an issue Toyota took some heat on, that alone makes it an issue. If they had stepped to plate instead of harrasing folks with receipts for oil changes from non-Toyota dealerships maybe it would have been a non-issue. Whether they changed their engine design on the new Camry do to this issue is unclear to me as well. I personally heard of the whole thing on the news just as I was about to pruchase my 2002 Camry. At that time there were many posts here on Edmunds...a whole forum as I recall. For sure Toyota took a hit on sludge just as they continue to do for creating cars that rattle down the road like a Chrystler or Ford. I am just saying, no one auto maker is perfect...anymore.

Instead they just made exuses hoping the issue would go away..just like other automakers. I'd have respected them more if they just admitted they did not do a good job handling the ordeal because they never had a problem such as sludge before and further, that initially, their pride would not let them believe their car could have such an issue. Instead they just made exuses hoping the issue would go away..just like other automakers.

cliffy1

[good natured sarcasm mode]
Yes, Toyota acted just like the others. They registered at multiple Internet bulletin boards, posted the official policy and stuck around with and high ranking person to personally answer consumer problems in public. They offered an 8 year/unlimited mileage warranty for sludge and repaid the few hundred folks who had already paid for new engines. Typical. Just like all the rest.

In the face of the reality that not a single car was ever found with verifyable oil change records, they started accepting any form of "proof" of oil changes once a year for those covered cars. Yeah, those typical automotive industry guys sure know how to stick it to you don't they?
[/good natured sarcasm mode]

alpha01

"For sure Toyota took a hit on sludge just as they continue to do for creating cars that rattle down the road like a Chrystler or Ford."

The fact that your Camry rattles does not mean each of the 400,000 sold annually do. Most definitely, Toyota had build quality issues with the 2002 redesign, and some of the 2003s. But, reliability, according to both Consumer Reports and the JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study... continues to be excellent for most Toyota models. Indeed, the 2002 Camry had an unremarkable "Average" rating from CR, but the 2003 improved to "Much Better than Average". Toyota is not alone in initial redesign drops in build quality. The same thing happened to Honda in 2001 with the redesigned Civic, and to a lesser degree, the 2003 Accord.

I honestly do believe that the Honda/Toyota titans still offer better initial and long term reliability than their domestic counterparts. The gap has been significantly closened, however, and Honda/Toyota should be en guard.

~alpha

junepug

Yes, you can change it yourself. I have changed pollen filters in both our Camry and Highlander and it is a no-brainer. I am not a mechanic and get totally lost under the hood.

Not sure exactly where, but the instructions are in the owners manual listed under "Air Conditioning Filter".

You might want to check out E-Bay. They have the filters sometimes. I purchased a filter for the Highlander on E-Bay for around 13 dollars.

Good luck.

danielj6

I'm following the discussion here with a great deal of interest in the topic. I fully understand the difference of "Average" to "Much Better than Average reliability". I've been on both sides of the issue as an ex Camry owner and now as a domestic car owner.

The folks at the Taurus/Sable thread also read Toyota's thread and comment about what they say is "decreased Toyota/quality". The fact of the matter is that the domestics have, to some extent, narrowed the gap but they're still far from building a Camry like quality car.

My Sable is pretty good in some respects; however since I bought it it has gone back to the shop numerous times for repairs. The car has, per CR, Average reliability. Repairs were not major ones but things that shouldn't have broken early on. It also always had rattles.

My Camry never in 8 + years of ownership returned to the the shop for repairs, only scheduled maintenance. That's reliability.

junepug

Hear! Hear! Our Camry and Highlander are the best autos we have ever owned. The other autos include Jeeps, Fords, Chevys, Volvos and Volkswagens.

The number of sludge complaints as opposed to the number of toyotas on the road is minor. Toyota has not attempted to fraud the consumer.

andrelaplume

Whether or not there WAS a sludge issue is not the point (I still think it is debatable). The point is that people perceive there is/was one. Why is that? Because it was in the news and Toyota was adament that ALL the affected cars sludged up do to poor upkeep by the owner. True or false, depends on who you talk to. Cliffy is right, Toyota did all the things he said but not initially, if they had we'd likey not be discussing this now. Actually, they did initially act like other dealers by ignoring the issue. I admit they eventually went to lengths to cover all the cars and extend the warranties....truly something their American counterparts would never do. (Can you imagine Ford saying, Hey 00-02 Focus owners, yea they are all junk but hey we finally got things right on the 03s, so we'll cover you 00-02 for 8 years)

Again, its about perception, you would not expect Ford to cover their screw ups, you would expect Toyoyta to. Perhaps they just reacted too slowly with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. If your heavy into Toyota you probably will not concur and you may be right but again its about perception and controlling it.

To be honest I only heard about sludge as I was looking into a 2001 left over Camry. I saw something on the news, heard talk at dealers and found a wealth of concern on the web. It made my decision to wait for the new 02 with a new 4 cylinder engine that much easier....hey maybe it was a marketing ploy to move an initial volume of the 02s...(more good natured sarcasm)

While I do not agree with everything Cliffy says, it good to hear from him again.

I'd also like his take on rebates. With Toyota continuing to offer rebates (now $1000) I feel it lowers the value of my 02 a bit. Do you think rebates are hear to stay or will eventually one of the big 3 (Toyota, Nissan or Honda that is) finally just drop the base price by $750 - $1000.

andrelaplume

I concur with your post and assesment. The reason I am in the Camry was exactly what you descibed in your post, to eliminate nuisance visits to the dealer and to finally get a quiet, rattle free car. Two out of three ain't bad I guess. I hope the latest generation Camry proves as mechanically reliable as its predecessors.

sandman46

We had all our oil changes on our '96 Camry done at the same Toyota dealer at 7500 miles as the manual stated. Got the sludge and a tech at the local Toyota store showed it to us. Told us to dump the car, which we did at 80k miles.
The Toyota store that did all the changes didn't notice this. This was and is a real problem. Just to bad so much skepticism about it.
This story is true, no matter who believes it.

The Sandman :-)

alpha01

andre- Points well made, and taken. Several posts back I posted a link to a USA Today article regarding perceived vs. actual quality. If you read the article, you will see that Toyota and Lexus cars, despite their already high reputation for quality, are indeed higher in quality than the actual perception. Contrast this to makes like Mitsubishi, whose quality is marginal in comparison but perceived to be high because of the Japanese name. Or contrast it to the Ford make, whose perceived quality is almost directly aligned with the actual quality.

sandman- I believe you. I also lay blame on the manufacturers. 7500 miles, IMO, is too infrequent for normal servicing. Was there no time length qualifier with 7500 miles though? If I were you, I would strongly recommend servicing your Sentra at the 3750 intervals.

~alpha

motownusa

Every 3 to 4K mile and you will have no sludge problems. Changing your oil every 7500 mile or later is a recepie for trouble. It is hard to believe that Toyota is the only manufacturer that had to deal with this issue. But since people expect Toyota to be better than others they make a huge deal out of a relatively small problem. But has the sludge issue effected Camry sale or Toyota in general? Judging by the sales chart, doesn't look like it.

andrelaplume

....and I BOUGHT one too! I just had higher expectations for the car.

petl

We are on our third Camry and have owned 9 different Toyota's since 1984. We currently own a 2002 Camry XLE and a 2003 XR 4WD Matrix. Admittingly, Toyota did not handle the sludge problem very well. However, the overall reliability of each of our Toyota's has been outstanding (touch wood). Toyota's perceived reliability problems started with the decontenting of their vehicles in 1995. Consequently the overall feel of luxury and quality had been reduced. Many standard convenience items had been removed and cheaper materials (plastics and fabrics) were now being used. For some reason the decontenting fiasco didn&#146;t seem to sink in with the North American consumer. Heck they made the Camry the number selling vehicle. Toyota seemed to be selling vehicles on their reputation alone.

Incidentally/ironically the decontenting did not last very long in Japan. Many consumers revolted by not buying Toyota vehicles. It didn&#146;t take long for Toyota to reverse their strategy and quickly re-included features that had been removed.

It took a few years but Toyota seems to be doing a better job of hiding the savings obtained in their cost cutting manufacturing techniques. I don&#146;t think they had much choice; it was starting to catch up with them. They are not the quickest to react. Slow and steady is their motto. Now, if they could only add a little styling pazzaz to some of their vehicles.

The bottom line is that Toyota&#146;s reliability is tied to extremely high expectations (as others have stated), which includes vehicle convenience item content and types of materials used in manufacturing. Just my opinion.

2003sev6

because like alpha01 said, one thousandth of one percent were affected.

Now lets change the subject by talking about the percentage of Camry owners or any other Toyota model for that matter that has put extremely high mileage on their vehicle.

A guy I work with has a 1997 Camry XLE V6 that currently has approximately 320,000km on it and without any problems. He doesn't even want to get rid of it because it is still such a good car and he thinks that he could easily double that mileage. One thing though. He changes his oil every 5000km and that is what I would recommend to everyone.

cliffy1

Thanks for the welcome back. I hope you saw the fact that I was smiling big when I wrote my response. I was kinda having fun writing it and ribbing you. I have been drifting away from the TH but somebody wrote something nasty about me in another topic and a friend of mine alerted me to it so I had to come back and read all my subscribed topics. I'll try to keep up more.