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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • copytechcopytech Member Posts: 71
    They might check the iac motor. It does affect cold starts and high idle by bypassing the closed butterfly throttle valve and passing air into the intake. Maybe the idle air control motor is not properly opening, therefore requiring a more open-throttle response. Just a guess there. It could be someting more simple though, but I'd check there. Also, I've read that some noises were caused by shipping blocks not being removed on the v-6's built in Japan at the port. It could be an upper strut support bearing noise too. I don't think these are serious issues (well, the idle issue should be checked out) but otherwise it should be ok. No car is perfect, but I too chose a 97 v-6 for the reliability, smoothness, comfort, and sweet power. For a car with a little under 200 horses, it moves. I'm also expecting many trouble-rree miles, and so far, nothing serious. Have those areas checked, though the idle area might have to be caught "in the act" as if there is nothing stored, it'll probably be hard to duplicate. Those cars do have a mass air flow sensor using a heated coil to tell the computer the amount of air passing into the intake. Sounds like some sort of air/fuel problem, but it might be hard to diagnose, considering the infrequency of the problem.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Regarding your tire pressure posts. George5 asked in post #259 about the difference between the 29 and 32 psi recommendations (light load vs. full load) for his Camry. I said to simply go with 32 all the time; it's pointless to fiddle with such a small pressure difference.

    Now if a person is willing to do what you do, that is, carefully monitor tire wear, your approach might work. But I don't think most people would want to be bothered. So as a general rule, going with the car maker's recommendations would be better than inflating the tire to just under its maximum rated pressure, IMHO.

    My own Camry provides a good example. The '97-99 Camry 4-cylinder came with 14-inch tires made by a number of manufacturers. Some like Michelin had a max tire pressure of 35. Others like General or Dunlop had a max pressure of 44. I had the Michelins and kept them at about 32-33. They wore evenly and I obtained nearly 50K miles from them (rotating them along with the full-size spare). Now I have Kumho tires on the car (don't laugh -- I got a good deal at work). These have a max. rated pressure of 44, yet they are wearing out slightly more in the center, despite my keeping the pressure at 32-33. Otherwise, I can't tell any difference in ride, handling, or noise compared to the Michelins.
  • copytechcopytech Member Posts: 71
    I agree with you about people not fiddling with tires. For me, my careful monitoring helps extend life and wear, while keeping a proper ride for me. A difference for him in a few psi won't make a difference and I too would go a little higher. I just know that I have had many different manufacturers (I swear a different one for each car, and even changed manufacturers when those wore out) and there are BIG differences in wear and performance, as even you can attest to with personal experience. I guess people just need to go with what a manufacturer states, even if a mounted tire is different than what the car manufacturers expect, so they put those numbers as a general catch-all. Fine for them, but I will keep my careful monitoring of my own tires.

    Later 210delray
  • toycam1993toycam1993 Member Posts: 1
    I just had my transmission go out in my '93 Camry (auto 4cyl) at 104,000 miles. I'm a little shocked. It happened all of a sudden with no prior signals of any problem. It quickly slipped out of gear at about 30 mpg (I was not in the car at the time) and was then parked. It wouldn't shift into reverse but could initially shift into drive, however, after a mile or so it went out of gear. Called Toyota and they told me about the brake sensor bypass by the stick to press to get into drive. This worked so I could get to the dealer but at about 50 mph it would slip out of gear. Dealer says they just want to replace with a rebuilt which would run about $3,600...what a rip!! They don't want to even teardown to see what went wrong. They said the fluid was not problem. I think I'll take it somewhere else for less. Anyone have any thoughts or similar problems? What would make this happen all of a sudden? I had a transmission problem in a Ford Aerostar (terrible vehicle) but you had signals that something was not right prior to its final death. MLM
  • kenshulukenshulu Member Posts: 2
    I have a 97 LE, 4 cyl. (48K) whose transmission tend to stall during first forward movement of the car on cold mornings. The car moves forward but the first couple of gears seem to idle. Anyone familiar with this or had this discussed with a dealer? I'll appreciate any responses.
  • froto25froto25 Member Posts: 14
    I recently (about 2 weeks ago) bought a 1998 Toyota Camry XLE Sedan 4D V6 3.0L with 34,000 miles on it. I am very happy with the car’s acceleration, smooth quiet ride and gas mileage (22mpg city with mid grade gas). However, I hear a thumping noise coming from the passenger side front as I go over bumps. I suspect that the car has the front strut plate problem. I bought the car from a small non Toyota dealer. The dealer I got the car from said the car was off a 3 yr lease which he bought at the auction. The car now has 35,436 miles and is very close to the 36,000 limit. Should Toyota have to fix my car if I bring it in tomorrow? Or should I contact Toyota? Can anyone recommend the best course of action to handle this problem in hopes of Toyota fixing what they have acknowledged as a flaw?
    In Toyota’s Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) for 1998 Toyota Camry XLE Sedan V6-2995cc 3.0L DOHC MFI; ( found this at www.alldata.com ) 59. SU001-00 JAN 00 Front Suspension Support Noise - Change Made , and, 28. SU003-98 AUG 98 Front Suspension Groan Noise.
  • felipe47felipe47 Member Posts: 2
    3 years ago I purchased a '94 Camry XLE off of a friends lease for an incredible price. The car had 24,000 miles on it, today it has 108,000 miles. In that time the only major issue is the power steering pump which needed replacing just under 44,000 mi and started leaking again at 89,000 (I refuse to replace it again and Toyota has offered no assistance because the dealer didn't charge me for labor at the first replacement). Other than the power antenna dying at 70,000,the repairs have been a result of normal mileage wear and tear, i.e., front struts, brakes every 40,000 or so, axle boots deteriorating (very common in Southern California due to smog). The car has proved to be very reliable, with very good acceleration and braking. Annoyances are A/C vents placed so that cold air blows in our face, A/C temp controls not fine tuned, first fan click too much air, low cool setting too cold, driver visor doesn't stay up (100,000 mi), trunk lid drips water after rain or wash when open, wetting contents of trunk and leather door panels peeling off of doors. I would rate it very high woth other cars that I have owned in my life. Would purchase another, perhaps Avalon. Felipe47.
  • rooba8rooba8 Member Posts: 8
    I Just bought a '96 Camry with V-6 engine. the car has 43K miles, and it is in good shape. One complaint about the car is its tendency to slide side to side on icy roads, and ice patches on Interstate driving.

    It scares me the way it has slight side to side motion like it is starting to spin out of control. My previous car, a 95 Dodge Stratus with 92K miles, never had this trouble. My '94 Honda Accord did not act like this either.

    I think Camry's suspension is too soft. I do not believe the car needs new struts. Does anyone have this problem?
  • sranger94sranger94 Member Posts: 18
    Rooba8,

    What type of tires do you have on the Camry? Are they M&S (Mud and Snow) rated? M&S tires will give good traction in most snow situations, but are still not as good as true snow tires. I have owned a 92 Camry V6 XLE, a 98 Avalon XLS and currently own a 2000 Acura RL. Both toyotas did fine in the snow, but I generally did not encounter any true ice conditions. Have not yet experiened any snow/ice situations with the Acura, but expect this car to be quite competent. If you are concerned about traction in icy conditions, the best tire that I have used are Bridgestone Blizzaks. I have used these tires on a rear wheel drive 1988 Mercedes 300 SEL. The M/B slipped and slided very eaisly prior to the Blizzaks. Once installed, the car felt incredibly safe in ice and snow road conditions, but as many automobile experts have stated, ice is ice and requires extreme caution in any driving manuevers that are normally considerd to be routine. Happy driving.
  • rooba8rooba8 Member Posts: 8
    sranger94,

    Thanks for your comment.

    I do have bilzzaks on my wife's '97 Dodge GC. The blizzaks probably help Chrysler's weak transmission from too much tire spinning. Blizzaks are amazing on ice and snow. The soft block treads really do a nice job.

    The tires on the Camry are some type of four season tires. I know they are not M+S tires. The Camry has too soft of suspension. It is more like Buick Regal, than Honda Accord. My '94 Accord had very little suspension travel; very sporty ride, but very hard to get in and out of the car. I just hate to stack 8 snow tires/wheels in my garage!!

    My Dodge Stratus was doing fine on icy roads with cheapy $39 General G4S tires from Sam's Club. I am surprized that this Camry is on second partially worn set of tires with only 43K miles. the car has not been abused, and there is no pulling or shimming in the steering. The brakes pulsate slightly, not to the point to raplce the rotors yet.
  • rbrasirbrasi Member Posts: 4
    I too had front strut noises from my '97 Camry, mostly when the weather reached 45 degrees or less. I felt that the boot around the upper part of the strut was causing the noise, so with a little WD40 I sprayed the drivers side strut. On the passengers side I also sprayed the boot, inside and out, and also greased around the upper middle strut-bolt, under the hood, and all around the rubber. Driving the next day the drivers side still crunched over bumps, but the passengers side didn't. After raising the car I greased around the middle strut bolt, again under the hood, and the rubber surrounding it on the passengers side. Raising the car allowed for much easier lubrication of the rubber since it wasn't pushing up against the car. Now the suspension is quiet with no complaints.
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    I have a 97 camry LE and found the same Technical Service Bulletins. about a year ago I found this noise from the front suspension. it was minor and didn't much of it. about 2 months ago it got annoying so I contacted my local toyota dealership to look at it. they said I had a broken strut and it would cost over $350 to fix it. they said it wasn't a safety issue so I let it go. today I found your problem in edmunds and looked at www.alldata.com for my 97 camry and i found the SU001 and SU003 for my car also. i called toyota customer service (1-800-331-4331 #3) and they said their customer rep from my local dealership will contact me. what is the status of toyota fixing your strut problem?

    what bugs me is that this strut issue was around since AUG 98 and the dealer did nothing about it while my car was still in the 3 years/36k mile warenty. my dealer claimes that when a recall comes in to them, they will fix it without me asking for it. does anyone else have experiance with this situation?

    thank you
  • cblake2cblake2 Member Posts: 53
    To: alt.autos.toyota; alt.autos.toyota.camry

    The quality (or lack there of) issue in the Toyota is significant. Toyota's hallmark has been long-term reliability. I believe this is NOT the case now. It may well be a myth perpetuated by Toyota. Owners are likely to have false hope based on this myth.

    Did you know that some owners are experiencing sludge in the engine and being denied warranty claims? Did you know that these same owners are paying $5,000-8,000 for new engines? Did you know that some 2000 Sienna owners are having torque converter replacements within the first few hundred miles of driving? Did you know that others have had total transmission failures after after a few thousand miles? Did you know that there are other problems common to this vehicle? Have you had:

    1) Persistent drifting/pulling to the left or the right
    2) Uneven wear of tires with need for early replacement
    3) Premature brake component wear, including rear brake drums
    4) Power steering problems, including inner tie rod or total rack and pinion replacement
    5) Vibrations, esp. at speeds above 50 MPH
    6) Premature transmission problems or failure
    7) Torque converter replacement, sometimes just after delivery
    8) Sliding door latch problems with sticking and difficulty opening
    9) Oil sludge in the engine related to a contaminated system

    IF you have experienced these problems, please write to the following agencies and file a report detailing your case. THEN, network with others by visiting sites where owners post experiences.

    U.S. Department of Transportation
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    Office of Defects Investigations
    NSA-10.01
    400 7th Street, NW
    Washington, D.C. 20590

    1-800-424-9393
    1-888-327-4236

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

    Center for Auto Safety
    1825 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Suite 330
    Washington, D.C. 20009-5708

    http://www.autosafety.org

    The Complaint Station--click "T", then "Toyota"
    http://www.thecomplaintstation.com

    Car Trackers Discussion Forum
    http://www.cartrackers.com

    Phil Edmonston's Lemon-Aid Car Guides
    http://www.lemonaidcars.com

    Also, use the USENET groups:
    alt.autos.toyota
    alt.autos.toyota.camry

    Charlene Blake
    cblake@erols.com
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    there are 2 Technical Service Bulletins:
    SU001 and SU003 for 97 and 98 camries.
    these 2 issues deal with a defect in the front strut. i found 2 postings here that show other customers found these same problems and luckely they were found while their camry was under warenty.
    my car is a 97 with 50k miles (out of warenty). i contacted toyota customer service and they said that if the car was under warenty they would have fixed it, but in my sutuation they can't help (i will need to pay).
    can anyone recommend what i should so for my local toyota dealer will repair the defective strut thats been know defective since aug 98.

    thank you
  • rbrasirbrasi Member Posts: 4
    I too had called the Toyota dealer and they said to bring it up and they would look at it. Being 75 miles away and 42K on the Camry I try to fix the easier stuff myself. Since the greasing, the suspension runs smooth and quiet so currently I feel no need to do anything else.
  • canadianclcanadiancl Member Posts: 1,078
    How you a consumer advocate, or a modern-day Ralph Nader?
  • froto25froto25 Member Posts: 14
    To recap: my recently bought 1998 Toyota Camry XLE Sedan 4D V6 3.0L with 35,678 miles, exhibited the front strut defect. I was very close to the 3yr/36,000mi warranty expiration. I brought the car into the local Toyota dealer 2 days after my original post here #225. I told the service manager my car was making a loose light thumping sound and he said diagnosis would require examination. I thought this understandable but too open ended. A friendly explanation that I had investigated the symptom and discovered on the internet that the sound often indicates a strut problem. I revealed further that I found on www.alldata.com that Toyota had issued two technical service bulletins (TSB s) on the front struts with a thumping sound. The service manager no longer needed to hear the sound. He said he had heard it many times and the repair would take a few hours. I had no appointment so he scheduled me for the following week. I asked the service manager, what if I go over the 36,000 mi limit. He said don t worry about it, you came in early enough. I must mention that this non nitpicking service endeared Toyota to me.
    The next week I was promptly at the dealership. A different service manager was there. He was a pleasant man. I explained the sound to him. He said it was the strut tower and that it needed to be tightened or replaced. Depending on where the car was manufactured determined which of two strut towers were used and thusly a replacement or tightening. Tightening seemed to me at best a temporary fix. In my view, if the defective strut tower got loose once, it would get loose again sooner or later. So, I quickly said I wanted the parts replaced not just tightened. I mentioned the TSBs. I made clear the severity of the noise in that the parts sounded loose and would soon snap off. That got his attention. (by the way, the sound seemed worse on colder wintery days) The service manager then said we ll put it on the lift and see what s wrong first, then we ll talk about it. I came back in an hour and the first service manager was now in charge of the problem and he said they would definitely replace the two front strut towers. I came back in three hours and my car was ready. The service invoice said that the two front strut towers were replaced. The parts and labor for the job were completely covered by the warranty. I test drove the car over bumpy roads for about one hour and was please with the results of the repair. While driving the car for a few days and closely listening for a sound remnant of the problem only good solid tha-dumps sounded out from bumps. Of course, now begins the test of time.
    Please forgive the length of my post. I wanted to give true help to anyone else with the problem I had. The details of the solution were essential to it success.
  • pilot13pilot13 Member Posts: 283
    I think the answer to your question is that she's an Erin Brockovich wannabe.
    Be that as it may, it seems that the problem is not Toyota (Sludge or whatever), but with the one who delivers the message.
    What do you think?
  • rogerberkowitzrogerberkowitz Member Posts: 31
    I have a 94 XLE with 75,000 miles. Over the past few months, the ABS light has been illuminating from time to time, and more often than not. It seems the ABS isn't functioning when the light comes on. I just had the car into my local goodyear dealer to get the 'regular' brakes done, and they didn't find any problem with the ABS. Of course when I drove it home, the light came back on. The manual says to take it to my Toyota dealer. Does anyone know what might be wrong here?
  • sranger94sranger94 Member Posts: 18
    If the ABS light has come on, the braking system will continue to function normally, but the ABS function will not function. Additionally, the illumination of the ABS light will probably have stored a trouble code in the computer. A Toyota dealer, or independent mechanic, will be able to retrieve the stored code(s)and diagnose the repair.
  • rogerberkowitzrogerberkowitz Member Posts: 31
    I've had the same problem in my 94 XLE. After two months, it dawned on me that my brake fluid might be low, and lo and behold, it was. Topped off the fluid and the light went out. The manual even said to do that. (when in doubt, read the manual).

    ...and this is separate from my previous ABS question.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    My brake warning light (not the ABS light) also started illuminating from time to time on my '97 Camry, mainly right after startup in the morning. I just realized late last week to closely check the brake fluid level, and it turned out to be right at the "minimum" level. Once I topped up with fluid, no more problems, at least so far.

    With the Camry's brake fluid reservoir, there's not much of a difference between "minimum" and "maximum" so you have to look carefully.
  • fcngfcng Member Posts: 16
    I changed the blower motor and the loud noise is gone when I turn the heater on. I also lost the first 3 speeds of the heater which was also part why I changed the blower motor. I changed the blower motor but I still don't have the first 3 speeds. The heater only operates at the higher speeds, the same as before. Any suggestions to my problem? Appreciate suggestions from fellow Carry owners and visiting guests to Edmunds.
  • fcngfcng Member Posts: 16
    I personally think that since the production of Camrys have moved to U.S.., the reliability factor has diminished considerably. Problems I see here on Edmunds and from friends owning late model Camrys, the quality has declined. The major parts such as transmission, engine, brake problems appear too early for a Toyota. I might as well buy a domestic. My next purchase of a Toyota will have to be made in Japan. Hard to come by but that might mean I have to move up to Lexus. Only Toyota(not Lexus) that is built other then US or Canada is the RAV4.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    The blower motor is fed through a current limiting resistor block for the lower speeds, but receives battery voltage through a relay for high speed only. Suggest you check the blower resistor for damage.
  • fcngfcng Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the advice. :) I'll look into it. How much does the part usually cost? The blower motor cost me $168 CAN straight from the dealership. Hope the blower resistor doesn't cost that much.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    You might find the resistor at an auto parts store, but chances are it'll have to come from a dealer. Shouldn't cost more than $15 - $20, and that's probably highballing it. The resistor is usually located on the heater/AC housing under the hood, close to the blower motor. Usually bakerlite (sp?), rectangular, 1x2 inches or so, with 4-5 terminals, and held in with a couple of small hex screws. They tend to get a broken resistor wire coil or corroded terminals. Good luck.
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    fcng,

    The Toyota Celica, Echo, 4Runner, MR-2, Prius and Land Cruiser are all built in Japan, not the U.S.
  • canadianclcanadiancl Member Posts: 1,078
    Pilot: Do you think she looks like Julia Roberts? That wouldn't be too bad. :) On a more serious note, I think there is something to the theory that fcng suggested - that Camry reliability has slipped now that they are made in North America. I've certainly noticed a decrease in quality of North American built Honda/Acura. But I think Erin, oops I mean Charlene, may have unjustifiably amplified the "problem".
  • pilot13pilot13 Member Posts: 283
    Who knows--it's such a subjective thing from an owner's perspective. If you believe in entities like JD Powers, the answer would be that Camry quality is still tops. All of the other so-called Consumer Surveys tend to support that too.
    If you subscribe to the "Live to Sue and Sue to Live" philosophy touted by crusaders like cblake, things ain't so good with Toyota.(But you have to put her claims in perspective--she has had trouble with literally every car she's owned, and she only publishes info which supports her side of the story.)
    Whatever, I wouldn't be to hasty in judging Camry quality--especially since so many of them are built in our "Great White North"!
    Gotta go now; I think I'm starting to sludge up.....or maybe my tranny is failing!
  • bunny45bunny45 Member Posts: 1
    hello. I need some help here,
    I have a 1992 camry with a 151,000km on it, I bought it used, I found out that after three months of my purchase, early in the morning , or whenever the car is cold and if I move the shifter from park to drive , the car bangs real hard and jump up, I have to hold down real tight on the brakes to keep the car steady, but once it is warmed up it doesn't bangs at all, but some times even when warm, it jerks a little, not much as the cold starts.it drives ok on the highway changes gears well , and also when starting up it revs pretty high and takes a while to come down from 2000rpm.
    is it possible that i may have transmission failure anytime soon, what can i do to combat this problem. thanks, "canadianboy"
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    The harsh engagement when cold is probably because of the high idle speed. Get that fixed and the transaxle should behave as it's designed to.
  • rajohnson1rajohnson1 Member Posts: 12
    I have what I think is a unique problem with my 91 Carry. I wonder if anyone else has ever seen this, or could tell me what they think it is.

    In warm weather, my car hesitates and stalls so much that I am almost afraid to drive it. On several occasions I was almost hit when it stalled in the middle of an intersection. I have to ease the gas very slowly to keep it from stalling, making it nearly impossible to pull out in traffic.

    After about 10 minutes, the engine warms up and the problem disappears completely for the rest of the day, until the next morning when I go through the same thing. The strange part is that this does not happen on cold mornings (less than, say 40 degrees). It happens only when it is warm, and then it is OK after the engine warms up, which sound contradictory.

    Anybody seen this, or have any advice? I'm eventually going to take it to a shop, but since it has been cold here in NJ for a while, it is not urgent, and I would like to go into the shop with an idea of what it may be.
  • rajohnson1rajohnson1 Member Posts: 12
    I did write "91 Camry" in the previous post, but I made the mistake of using this board's spell checker, and I didn't realize that it had changed Camry to carry.
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    We ALL hate the spell-checker. I would ignore it for the near term.

    bnormann
    Host
    Maintenance & Repair Message Board
  • roozrooz Member Posts: 2
    I have a brand new 2001 Camry LE V6. When the fuel tank is full, I can hear the fuel splashing around when I come to a quick stop. The fuel also makes a thumping sound when I take off into a quick start. Anyone else ever had this problem, and if so, is there anything that can be done about it?
  • rogerberkowitzrogerberkowitz Member Posts: 31
    It's also a common (but apparently harmless) problem with the Honda Odyssey.
  • camryfancamryfan Member Posts: 17
    Sorry for the double posts since the first one is hard to read.

    '97 I-4 Camry, 25K miles, excess wear of outside shoulder of front right tire (but not front left), I checked with dealer 3K miles ago, no alignment problems. It is getting worse, but no shacking. Any thoughts? Experts out there please help me out in deciding: 1) toe-in or camber problem (I
    do not remember which one)? We have to adjust them? 2) replace with a new set of tires, but we have to solve the problems first, otherwise, new tires are going to be ruined quickly. 3) what is your recommendation on the new tires and where I can get a better deal? These are 195/70R14 all season tires. I want good wet traction, long-lasting, quiet and moderate performance all season tires.

    Also, '2000 Sienna, bought June, 1999, so it is 18 months old. The battery was weak (could not start) during Christmas Day. I do not drive much (only 9 k miles so far), but I drive everyday during this Christmas, and most highway at least 5 - 20 miles each time. This is in Alabama but the low is 15 - 30 K. I charged battery and it works OK, but I do not think it should happen since the car is only 18 months and 9K old. Can I complain to dealer for a new battery under warrenty or at least ask for partial refund? ALso, for both Camry and Sienna, do we have to recode battery after changing the battery? How? My Camry battery was also weak (could not start) this Christmas, since this is a 3.5 year and 25k old car, it seems acceptable.

    Thank you in advance and help is greatly appreciated.

    Sha
  • guevinjguevinj Member Posts: 15
    My '98 Camry LE 4 cyl. with 26,000 miles idles between 1800-2000 rpm when cold, and about 700 rpm when fully warmed up. However, when restarting the car even just a half-hour after being driven, the car will idle at 2000 rpm again, as if it were stone-cold. Have any other Camry owners experienced this fast idle after warmup? I know the engine is electronically controlled, but it seems that 2000 rpm is excessively high on a "warm" startup. Or, has the car really "cooled off" that much in a half-hour's time, to necessitate such a fast idle? Is this normal? It seems to have taken a toll on my gas mileage, as I'm only getting 16 mpg in the city. That seems low for a 4 cylinder. Can the idle speed be set to lower the rpms (while not making the car stall out), or are there no adjustments that can be made? The racing is disconcerting. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Wear around the outer edge of the tire only is usually caused by excessive positive camber. Toe will have to be set after anyway because camber adjustment changes toe settings. The only other common cause of tire outer edge wear is "spirited" cornering.
  • camryfancamryfan Member Posts: 17
    Thank you, Al. I am a very conserved driver, so no hard cornering. However, I do have a steep driveway. Every time I need to get on to my driveway, I have to do it in a angle, like 45 degrees instead of 90 degrees, of cause right turn. Otherwise, it will bottom out. Does it explain the excess outside shoulder wear of front right tire? Tahnks.
    Sha
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    That's a possibility. If alignment angles are verified within spec, then have the tires rotated at regular intervals to minimize wear.
  • parksrparksr Member Posts: 11
    Could someone tell me how to replace the light bulb on the Gear Shift located on the Console, or which fuse might control this circuit? Thanks in advance. Ron
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Mine went a few years ago. I do not believe that it is a bulb or fuse, it is a diode type of light. Cost to replace by a dealer is huge as the dash has to be disassembled. I have learned to live with it, the only gear that does not light up is Drive and the shift indicator shows what gear it is in. Unless you are a purist and must have this (normally I am) but the cost far exceeds any benefit.
  • rajohnson1rajohnson1 Member Posts: 12
    Thanks to alcan for the information about the heater blower resistor. I, too, had the same problem with my heat and A/C not working on low speeds. First the lowest speed went out, and then I lost the second speed a few months later. I was just going to live with the two highest speeds, because I didn't want to pay a dealer to diagnose and fix the problem. When I saw your post about this, I knew that I had the same problem.

    I bought the blower resistor at a Toyota dealership for $50. It was probably overpriced, but I wasn't sure I would find such a part anywhere but a Toyota dealer. Anyway, I installed it and my fan now works on all 4 speeds.

    I did have a problem finding the old resistor, however. Your post said that it was under ther hood, close to the blower motor. Mine was inside the car, under the glove compartment, against the firewall, approximately where a passenger would have his right foot. I had to remove one under-dash panel to get to it, but I went crazy removing almost everything else inside the car before I found it. I removed the glove box, the radio (and dash trim around the radio), and even the console that surrounds the gear shift lever! I was sure that it was somewhere in the center part of the car, but I finally found it way over to the right side. Oh well, at least I found it and saved a few bucks, and had a chance to clean my center console in the process (it tends to collect a lot of crumbs from my morning bagels).
  • rajohnson1rajohnson1 Member Posts: 12
    Just this past week, I started having a problem with my 1991 Camry while driving at high speeds (around 70 mph). When I accelerate, the front end vibrates more than normal. If I let off the gas, the vibration stops, even though I might still be doing 70, so I don't think it is a front-end problem. I think the problem is with the engine, but I'm not sure what it could be. It does this also at lower speeds, like around 60, if I try to maintain speed going uphill. There is no noticeable vibration when there is no excessive stress on the engine, like going downhill at any speed.

    My car has 215,000 miles, which could have something to do with it. Any ideas?
  • sranger94sranger94 Member Posts: 18
    Rajohnson1,

    You may want to have the engine mounts checked. Given the mileage on the vehicle and its age, engine mounts do wear out which will cause vibrations at certain engine speeds. Good luck.
  • alpanianalpanian Member Posts: 9
    Hello everyone. I have a 98 Camry with 65K on it. Because I was on vacation for 4 weeks over christmas and new year's, my car had to sit outside through the cold weather of Ohio. When I returned and started the car, everything was running fine except for the radio and cd player. This is the original toyota stereo system. There is absolutely no power to the tape/radio deck, but when I press on the cd eject button, I can hear the motors work. I wonder if a wire may have come loose in the back. What could I do to check this? I am afraid that the dealer will charge me way too much for a minor problem.

    Thanks for any help.
  • kaleemkaleem Member Posts: 3
    I bought the used camary 98 xle around 12700 miles .While doing a parallel parking i heard some clank noise either from turning wheel or applying brakes the noise is not that loud.I did 15000 miles service at east coast toyota rutherford new jersey but i still get the noise.Does all 98 camary has same problem.
  • kaleemkaleem Member Posts: 3
    i did a wheel alignment at sears and wheel balance at east coast toyota rutherford new jersey
    my car still pulls to left .At high speed above 60 mph i feel tire wobbling.I took my car to sears twice and they say the alignment is perfect as per dealer specification.Can any body give me a feed back on this.I took the car to dealer for 15000 service and they did wheel balancing and they did not mention any problem with the tire rod
    pls help me ...
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