Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
But also keep in mind that the problem may NOT be the sway bar bushing. When you take the car to the shop, you should just describe the symptoms in as much detail as possible and let them figure out what the cause is.
Getting Some Lemon-Aid From Your Lemon Maker
It wouldn't surprise me that rentals aren't covered for relatively minor issues like rattles where the car wouldn't have to be kept overnight. Is this a Toyota extended warranty or one supplied by an aftermarket company?
Could you arrange for a friend or co-worker to pick you up when you leave the car for service? Does the dealer offer a free shuttle service to in-town locations?
I thought if the rental is free, why not use it instead of bothering friends to pick me up.
the rattling is not biggie, but i wouldn't expect a 10 day old car has this.
Hope this helps.
Ken
The transmission fluid on 2004 and 05 models does not have to be changed at all if your car is not used under Toyota's "Special Operating Conditions." See your owner's and maintenance manuals for more information. If you don't have the manuals, ask a Toyota dealer, but be firm and make sure they give you the factory recommendations.
is when you leave the car under the sun for sometime and when you want to use the a/c after starting specially noon time a/c does not work but the compressor again is engaged ,Icould not figure out who controls this trouble some sensor?
thermostat?? bring to one A/C shop but could not find as well the problem.
Traveling in the long distance a/c works little bit longer than in city driving .
Needs help disperately
since you admit to not knowing much about cars, my sincere suggestion would be to look in the glove box for an owner's manual for the vehicle and if you find it, take some time in a quiet place to read it cover to cover.
since your 2000 is used and the owner's manual may be absent from the vehicle, i'd recommend that if it cannot be located, hat you either contact the manufacturer or you perform a google search to see where you might purchase one for a reasonable price.
some people may believe it isn't necessary to read their manual and perhaps only consult it when there seems to be a problem...
to fully understand your vehicle and to be prepared for signs of trouble, you can't go wrong thoroughly familiarizing yourself with the purpose behind each dash indicator, the recommended maintenance intervals, location of various fluids, etc.
an owner's manual isn't expensive, and reading it could save you many multiples of its cost over the period of your ownership. consider also that your safety and the safety of your passengers may come down to your recognition of a problem, or proper maintenance of your vehicle based on what you learn from the book.
It that light ever comes on while driving (not on startup), you had best stop the engine as soon as possible or you will be looking at an engine replacement!
It smokes for a few seconds (out the tailpipe) at startup.
Large light blue/white cloud that has dissipated by the time she backs out of the garage.
Why is it doing this?
Thank you very much, you fellers seem nice and smart.
Another questions is whether I need to use anti-seize. Some sources suggest it is a bad idea because it would mess up the torque.
I am new to maintenance. Any help is appreciated.
Use the spark plug manufacturer's specs.
"Another questions is whether I need to use anti-seize."
Absolutely not.
Regards,
LMA52
Unless it's a tapered seat plug.
"Most plug mfrs. recommend about 1 to 1-1/4 past hand tight (zero clearance, or when the gasket first touches the metal seat)."
Which would guarantee the plug would snap or pull the threads out of the cylinder head.
"I would also use anti-seize (small amount enough to lightly and evenly coat the threads) as it will be easy to remove the plug later."
Most vehicle manufacturers specifiy no coatings on plug threads because it can adversely affect the heat transfer characteristics of the plug, causing it to run hot and promote pre-ignition. Most times a stuck plug isn't caused by thread bind, it's caused by carbon buildup on the end of the plug threads protruding into the combustion chamber. A dose of combustion chamber deposit cleaner such as GM Top Engine Cleaner takes care of it. Weekend warriors and hacks like to use anti-sieze on the threads based on the mistaken assumption that it'll make removal easer later on.
Here's a quote from the '99 GM G Platform manual:
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, do not use supplemental coatings (paints, greases, or corrosion inhibitors) on threaded fasteners or components, or fastener joint interfaces. Generally, such coatings adversely affect the fastener or component torque and clamping force, and may damage the fastener/component.
Toyota's own spec for the spark plug torque (I had a '97 Camry 4-cylinder) was 13 ft-lbs. Obviously, if you go with the lower end of the Denso recommendation (15 ft-lbs.), it won't be much different.
I had the problem happen twice on my '97 Camry, the first time at 57K miles (repaired under warranty) and again at 102K miles (did not repair, sold with disclosure on eBay at 111K miles).
Oil in the top of the engine (under the valve cover) seeps down through the worn, hardened valve stem seals into the cylinders overnight. When you start the car in the morning, the oil is burned, resulting in the blue cloud.
If your car is out of warranty (5 years / 60K miles), isn't noticeably consuming oil, and doesn't smoke at other times, I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think you'll have a problem with emissions testing at this point (if you have such testing).
And I thought Toyota had solved this problem with the new engine!
DRL off: no lights at all (not recommended)
DRL: only the daytime running lights are illuminated when engine running and parking brake off. The DRLs are the high beams operating at a lower intensity.
Parking lights: DRLs plus parking lights and taillights are illuminated
Headlights: Headlights plus parking lights and taillights are illuminated (DRLs are off). Normal high beams are selected by pushing lever away from you.
If you leave the switch in the headlights-on position when you exit the car and remove the key, all lights will automatically turn off after 30 seconds (but seems forever). You should not do this if the car is to be left for more than a week (could run down the battery).
Anyone had a similar problem, or have any insight in what it maybe?
Other than that I have no porblem with the car what so ever. It runs great. As long as I let off the gas just a bit before redline I can avoid the problem. It only has 105,000 on it. Please help me.
If I may ask, why are you revving an automatic to redline?
Seems to me the easiest solution is to do what you've been doing - ease off the gas before redline.
Beyond that, I do not know what may be causing this problem.
Be careful when you remove the plastic clips going to the rear plug wires from the coils as they break easily.
My Camry is only about a month old and I've got around 1200 miles on it. I noticed just the past few weeks that there has been this rattling/tapping/rubbing sounds coming from the driver's side back seat area. I am sure the noise was not there when I first drove it home. I've checked to make sure the seat is properly closed, I've moved stuff out from the trunk, I also checked the safety belt and make sure nothing's rubbing. It is the weirdest thing. Very annoying as well because once I notice it, I can't seem to hear anything else!
Any idea why the noise is happening? Has it happen to anyone else? I'm trying to make an appointment with the dealer and I just hope they can hear it too!
Thank you for any insights!
Be prepared for "that's normal," "they all do that," or "I don't hear anything."
Maybe before you see the dealer, you could try driving with the left or both rear seats flipped down to see if you still get the noise. Also, have you checked as to whether the spare tire or the board just above the spare that holds the tire changing tools is tight? At the same time, you may want to see if the jack is tight (under a small cover in the right side of the trunk). Your owner's manual explains how to tighten everything.
Thank you for your response. After posting this I saw the Camry rattles board and read through other's sad experience. I had to cancel my appointment with the dealer because the noises stopped (typical) and right after I cancelled it, it's starting a little again. I will definitely check out your suggestions this weekend. Hopefully, it's just a little matter of something being loose.
Again, thank you for your time!
that's a sign that your engine is cooked (worn rings/pistons/cylinders).
My guess is you ran it sometime on either low oil, old oil, low coolant, leaky coolant, bad water pump, bad oil pump. It only has to overheat once and the engine becomes toast. It will probably run for awhile but will likely fail smog inspection before it dies completely.
trade it in....I would feel bad selling such a car to an individual myself.
for your next car, change your oil every 3,000 miles or 6 months, whichever is sooner, and check it every fillup (in case of leaks). Sometimes the stuff gets bad (dark, loses viscosity) even before then.
Also, cars don't generally need oil changes every 3000 miles anymore. Check your owner's manual.
ABS was standard on XLE models of the '04 Camry.
I'd strongly recommend getting side airbags. All '02-'05 Camrys without side airbags rate poorly in the IIHS's side impact tests. In fact, there is no car tested by IIHS which has scored above poor in these tests when side airbags have not been present. (A couple of small SUVs earned marginal ratings without side airbags.)
Side airbags cannot be retrofitted.
Why not buy a new '05 or '06 Camry and get the side airbags? If you get a lesser model (SE, LE, or Standard), maybe you won't even have to pay much more.
I think you ought to get a second opinion before shelling out that much money.
But back to the original topic, if the IIHS has scored almost *every* car as poor w/o the side bags, don't you think that is something where 1) their standards are too high (any idea on what their criteria is for "passing"? I mean, there are plenty of accidents and ppl in the back seat do walk away from a total wreck) and 2) shouldn't these be standard?
Thanks again for your time--yout input is excellent!
The charcoal canister is part of the evaporative emissions system. It stores fuel vapors to later use them to assist in powering the car. This can in fact get used up but usually triggers a check engine light that says evaporative emissions system (PO441) or something like that. If you have no check engine light you probably don't need a new canister. The part itself is approx $300 and the work could take 1 or 2 hours, so 450 isn't all that crazy.