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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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  • andy1919andy1919 Member Posts: 2
    Folks,

    Thanks for your help.

    I neglected to mention that I have ABS...

    Bob as ABS is standard on all XLE's you've helped confirm the self test mentioned by Andre and the dealership.

    Thanks again...outside of the chipping paint (and lets see where this goes), the '02 Camry has been fantastic...

    Andy
  • rubicon52rubicon52 Member Posts: 191
    I also have the brake thunk. It occurs the first time I use the brakes after backing out of the drive way. I believe it's the self adjustment mechanism on the brakes. Going in reverse actuates the self adjustment so there is a thunk the first time you use the brakes going forward. Not only is this not a problem. It indicates that the brakes are self adjusting as designed.
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    the self adjustment movement or adjust is so small it will not cause clunking.
    something else is doing it. all cars have self adjusters and they don't clunk.
  • annrussannruss Member Posts: 1
    Bought the car last Sept. 17th, 2001. Have 9500 miles on car. Every since I owned the car the trasmission jerks or hesitates when I am going along at 40 or more MPH. Yesterday it done this over a 10 times.
    Had the car back to dealers at least 3 times,they took it out for test and said everything was OK. Is anyone else having simular problems?
  • mandarinomandarino Member Posts: 9
    both my neighboors have late 90s camrys. Both experienced the same problem. Their cars would not turn off and then the starter would begin smoking and in one case caught fire. Has anyone heard of this? Is this problem wide spread? Has Toyota had a recall?

    Mike M Thanks
  • mandarinomandarino Member Posts: 9
    both my neighboors have late 90s camrys. Both experienced the same problem. Their cars would not turn off and then the starter would begin smoking and in one case caught fire. Has anyone heard of this? Is this problem wide spread? Has Toyota had a recall?

    Mike M Thanks
  • mandarinomandarino Member Posts: 9
    both my neighboors have late 90s camrys. Both experienced the same problem. Their cars would not turn off and then the starter would begin smoking and in one case caught fire. Has anyone heard of this? Is this problem wide spread? Has Toyota had a recall?

    Mike M Thanks
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Check this page for the link to NHTSA.

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • petrnycpetrnyc Member Posts: 47
    Such Toyota problems is only an indication what Toyota thinks of us poor shmucks vs. the Lexus-privileged. It is a misguided notion on the part of both dealers and manufacturers (as well as consumers) that since you didn't pay for a Lexus you get Toyota-Customer-Service- treatment !

    The Japanese would never stand for such poor quality product/service. My friends from Tokyo have to laugh at us that we are willing to pay higher prices for a Toyota renamed as Lexus just so that quality and service is up to par. Even the basic Echo/Corolla quality in Japan must meet average consumer's expectation. And I agree, whether you pay $10,000 or $40,000 for Japanese vehicle certain standards in quality must be maintained.
  • everydayeveryday Member Posts: 53
    My 2000 Camry LE has suffered from bad paint problems since the day I got it. It was a nice shiny black then. I believe it will be 50 percent bare metal in another 3 years. God, I would be happy if I had only simple chipping problems, others have reported here. My paint job is so bad, that it is deteriating and peeling off in spots. I don't know if it was caused by some chemical or what. But in spots, something seem to be eating away at the paint. First, it turns dull, then you see a fine cracks, and then small chips come off exposing the primer or metal. I've seen almost anything cause this scenario, from dew on tree leaves to bird droppings. I have to wash and wax my car every week to stay ahead of it. And I don't think it's the wax, I've tried everyone on the market, same problem. I just have to say if there's nothing wrong with the paint, then this would have to be the weakest paint I have ever seen on a car. Hell, the Dutch Boy paint I have on my house is tougher than this! Do you think Toyota warranty covers this? No matter, I think this will be the last Toyota I buy, 20 grand for this mess?...never again.
  • mjday1972mjday1972 Member Posts: 77
    Have you talked to your dealer about it?
  • tonym182tonym182 Member Posts: 1
    Please contact your Toyota dealer's service manager to schedule an appointment with the DSPM-
    District Service and Parts Manager. If the paint is as bad as they claim it to be, than there is a good possibility that they will fix the problem for you, as the car has a warranty on corrosion and paint for 5 years-60k miles. Also, ask them what they recommend as far as paint protection goes, maybe they can suggest a superior product to coat your paint with.
  • kendrasuejoneskendrasuejones Member Posts: 15
    Would have the 'thump'(could feel and hear) first shift into drive after reversing from driveway. Service said this is normal for V6. My problem was with the brakes. Brakes failed, service checked out "everything okay." Then brakes started to sink to the floor at long stop light, service checked out said "all okay." I was terrified of driving it and asked regional rep to work with me toward an Avalon as I was not going to keep this car. Was offered an extended warranty instead hahahaha Took a $7,000 hit to get rid of it @1800 miles. Toyota makes a great car, but if you have problems you are on your own. Have had great Toyotas before, but after this fiasco will never have another one again. Also, gov't web site to check out consumer complaints, including Toyotas:
    www.nhtsa.dot.gov
  • curlyqcurlyq Member Posts: 54
    My 2000 Camry Solara suffers from excessive paint chipping, but not the way you describe it. When the district guy came out he was looking for specific signs of defects in the paint and traditional rock chips didn't make the cut. I agree, you should demand the district guy look at your car. I too agree, this will be my last Toyota!
  • petrnycpetrnyc Member Posts: 47
    Have you noticed how active this particular board is. Every time I log in this board appears on top of the active boards list. Oh what a feeling - Toyota !
  • krusty20874krusty20874 Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I were driving back from NY to MD this weekend when into about the 4th hour the A/C stopped working. We had it just below full blast the whole way. A few hours after we got home, she noticed that water was still dripping from underneath the car. When I started it up this morning, the A/C was working again. Any ideas?
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    did air stop blowing out?
    could have frozen due to low charge
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    would be freezing of the refigerant at the expansion orifice due to an improper oil:refrigerant mix, leading to warm air blowing out.

    Of course, as wain points out, it could also be freezing of the evaporator coils leading to blockage of air flow.

    If it continues to happen, a visit to the airconditioning shop with checking of pressures etc. may be required.
  • rsaligerrsaliger Member Posts: 6
    I have a 2002 Camry SE V6 and I experienced the same problem. I returned the car for the second time and they replaced the electronic control unit (ECU) and the car stopped hesitating at 40-45 mph. Since they couldn't find the problem the first time, the after effect now is there is a cluck in the transmission when I let off the gas and go to accelerate again @35-50mph. Again they can't seem to find the problem and say it is normal. 17,000 miles on it since Oct. Might just trade it now. Tired of messing with them.
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    You know dealerships don't need to replace ECU's anymore for the 2002 Camry.

    They can be basically be overwritten with the new code.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Yo guys (and girls, perhaps) I'm new to this thread, so thanks in advance. Our 2002 Camry has been absolutely awesome overall-much improved over the 97-01 gen.
    The ONLY problem I have with the car is deciphering which is the BEST maintenance interval for the car-there seem to be about 4. Ours is an LE 2.4 auto, so I am not concerned about sludge since that family of engines has never shown a high incidence. Currently, we are doing servicing every 5K miles, and are now at the 10K mark. The maintenance brouchure that accompanies the owners manual says that 5K or 7500 mile intervals are sufficient, but the dealer (naturally) wants the money, and recommends either every 3000 or 3750 miles, depending on which service shiester you talk to. Is every 5K really not good for the car- our oil looks clean to my untrained eye, and its a major inconvenience (as well as an added cost) to make extra trips to the dealer. If its worth it, thats a different story. I realize this may not be the MOST appropriate thread in which to pose my question, but it seems the most trafficked of the Camry ones on this "maintenance and repairs" boards.
    Again, thanks for you input.
    ~alpha
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    The best way to tell is to spend $15 to $20 for a oil analysis test.
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    I am interested in installing the Toyota brand mud flaps. They come only in grey. Has anyone installed these themselves? Is it easy? How do they look? Are they worth it.

    I am still interested in the 3M invisible nose guard mentioned several posts ago. Again, I am looking for pricing and general info as to what it looks like?

    Finally, We finally got some rain up our way in PA and I have found the rain drips in quite a bit when the door is opened. How do those rain guards work? What brand would I buy? What do they cost? Do the stay put? Do they create wind noise? How do they look?

    Any input is appreciated!!!
  • similtonsimilton Member Posts: 1
    Our 97 Camry recently threw/blew a rod (not sure of proper terminology) that put a hole right through the engine. The dealer insists that there was no sludge on the top of the engine and that the problem likely occurred because the car is 5 yrs. old with 120,000 miles. So, they refuse to cover it.
    I've been reading that a Camry is good for up to 200,000 miles with/ proper maintenance, which we have been doing and can fairly well document.
    A few questions...
    Is high mileage the really the most likely reason for the engine's failure?
    Can sludging cause our problem?
    Is sludging likely to occur internally?
    Should we get a second opinion from a Toyota dealer or an unaffiliated mechanic?
    thanks
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    The most common cause of rod bearing failure is lack of lubrication to the bearings. Possible causes: low oil level, restricted oil pump pickup screen, defective oil pump, contaminated oil.
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    Teenagers who never check the oil. neighbor kid got back from college, Honda - no oil showing at all on the dip stick
  • rsaligerrsaliger Member Posts: 6
    When the dealer changed the code on the ECU to stop the hesitation (which they fixed), can that be the reason now when I let off the gas and accelerate again (45-55mph) there is a "cluck" in the transmission (which feels like it is catching up and locking in)? It's as if the timing between transmission and engine been altered. This problem didn't start until I picked it up from the dealer when they fixed the hesitation. Thanks for your help in advance!
  • michaelm10michaelm10 Member Posts: 11
    My 2002 Camry XLE is equipped with the remote control trunk release. When activated the trunk only opens an inch or two and not two thirds of the way that my Honda Accord EX did. Toyota service tech advises that the trunk is only supposed to open an inch or two. Would much appreciate any input from other 2002 Camry owners with like equipment.
  • guevinjguevinj Member Posts: 15
    My '98 Camry's front suspension made the same creaking noise described in many of the posts here. At 26,000 miles, the dealer replaced the front upper strut mounts, as described in a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), under warranty. My car now has 37,000 miles on it, and the same creaking/groaning noise is back. It's especially noticeable when I go over speed bumps. When I press down on the front corners of the car, it creaks like an old taxicab.

    I just had the car in for service at the same dealer who had done the work. They said the front struts looked fine, were not leaking, and they didn't hear any suspension noise on the test drive. I think they just don't want to pay for another set of front struts!! Could the replacement struts actually have gone bad after only 11,000 miles? The car is driven very gently. Has anyone else who has had their front struts replaced had this problem return? I'm thinking of bringing the car back to the dealer and insisting they fix this problem without cost, even though it's past the warranty! Am I crazy to expect this? Struts certainly should last longer than 11,000 miles, shouldn't they?!? What's the point of TSB's if they don't fix the problem? Or, could something else (i.e., bad shocks) be causing the creaking sound? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • ianfianf Member Posts: 1
    For the past 1.5 years my 97 Camry produces an annoying rattle from the front left&right at low speeds. At the 60K maintenance the Toyota service folks told me my brakes needed replacing. Replaced the brakes at Just Brakes a month ago but the rattle still persists. The car brakes just fine but Id love to get rid of the rattle, its just terribly annoying. Any suggestions???
    Thanks
  • 2002camry2002camry Member Posts: 20
    I recently purchased a 2002 Camry XLE V6. I love driving it. It's smooth and powerful. I've been hearing wind noise coming from the center pillar. It seems that whenever I get above 80km/h (50mph) I hear wind coming from what seems to be the adjustable shoulder belt mechanism. Anybody out there experiencing a similar thing. Solutions anyone????
  • 2002camry2002camry Member Posts: 20
    I recently purchased a 2002 Camry XLE V6. I love driving it. It's smooth and powerful. I've been hearing wind noise coming from the center pillar. It seems that whenever I get above 80km/h (50mph) I hear wind coming from what seems to be the adjustable shoulder belt mechanism. Anybody out there experiencing a similar thing. Solutions anyone????
  • yimin_dingyimin_ding Member Posts: 2
    Our 99 Camry had the same problem on left front strut. The dealer replaced the front upper strut mounts, but I noticed the noise still there. So I called next day and scheduled another check. This time they replaced whole set of left front strut under warranty, and the noise was gone. Now we are worrying about the right front strut since the warranty will expire soon.
  • yimin_dingyimin_ding Member Posts: 2
    FYI.

    Brakes - Pad Clicking Noise
    BRAKES
    BR004-00

    October 20, 2000

    Title:
    BRAKE PAD CLICKING NOISE

    Models:
    '90- '00 All Models

    Introduction
    A clicking type noise may be noticed when first applying the brakes after changing vehicle travel direction (Drive/Forward to Reverse, Reverse to Drive/Forward). This is a normal noise caused by the required brake pad-to-caliper clearances. When the direction of travel is changed, the brake pads may "shift" towards the new direction of travel. When the brake pad contacts the caliper, a clicking noise may be heard.

    To minimize this clicking noise, a disc brake caliper grease has been made available for use during brake service/maintenance operations. Under normal usage conditions this grease should be effective for a period of 6 months to 1 year.

    Applicable Vehicles
    1990 - 2000 model year Toyota vehicles, all models.
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    ...coming from the car stereo area...quiet sometimes rattles others. Anyone else have this and/or a solution?

    (Also have vibrations at ears level by seat belt adjusters on doors)
  • 2002camry2002camry Member Posts: 20
    I have a 2002 Camry XLE also and my trunk opens approx. 8-10inches using the remote or my keys. I think the amount it opens depends on the two cross spring that I see near the rear or the trunk. But I'm only guessing.
  • rbrooks3rbrooks3 Member Posts: 174
    My friend has a 1997 XLE and I am at a loss to help him. He recently, only twice, has found water, about 1/4-1/2" deep in the rear passenger side footwell. The water is clear.

    We assume it is either coming in from the moon roof or the drains for it. But we can't find the leak. Putting water over the car does not make any water we can see come in the car. Once again, let me say the water is only in the rear passenger's side.

    Does anyone know where the drains are for the moon roof?

    Thanks,

    Ron Brooks
  • rogerberkowitzrogerberkowitz Member Posts: 31
    Love my 94 Camry, 93,000 miles problem free. OK, 2 minor problems that I'm looking for advice on. First is the antenna does not completely extend when switching on the radio, and reception is hurting because of it. Second is the ABS light is on and they don't work. Is that worth getting fixed, and if so, by whom?
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    You're in for some expensive repairs.

    New antenna mast and motor. Ouch

    ABS, get it fixed...may prevent an accident.
  • jdeibjdeib Member Posts: 70
    The Antenna Mast needs to be replaced. I think every Camry from that era that had the power antenna had this problem. I had the same problem on my '92 about three years ago, and the Toyota dealer charge to replace the antenna was about $65.

    I don't know about your ABS, but with my '92(non-ABS), the brake light kept lighting up when I would go around curves. It turned out that my brake fluid was a bit low, and the sensor would trigger when the fluid would slosh around on the curves. Hopefully it's that simple.

    Good luck.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Ours broke and could never get it fixed right. My advise, get a regular antenna and leave it at that! The dealer here in south florida wanted a ridiculous price for the work, so just got the whip kind. A lot cheaper and radio worked fine!

    The Sandman :-)
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    made by Harada
    pep boys sells them for $19
    same as OE
    take out the old one put in the new one (may have to open the "case" in the trunk if a piece is broken off
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    ...coming from the car stereo area...quiet sometimes rattles others. Other rattles in each door at ear level....car made in May...Anyone else have this and/or a solution?
  • vistor66vistor66 Member Posts: 3
    Hi folks,
    I just bought a XLE 4 cyl. with side air bag option. I don't see the heated side mirror option, which I though is standard for XLE. any idea?
  • jtan3jtan3 Member Posts: 6
    Hi folks,

    I have a Camry LE 1999 model. Just in this two months, I have got 3 engine problem warning from my car. After checking with the dealer service center. Here what they found and fixed:
    1) Engine Control unit Replaced (covered)
    2) Air fuel sensor replaced
    3) Oxygen sensor replaced (2 & 3 are not covered after 3 years and I bought the car 3year+ ago)
    I wonder if this are common problem in Camry? 3 replacement in 2 months doesn't reflect Toyota is a reliable car to me.
    Any comments or suggestions above?
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    The air-fuel sensor is the oxygen sensor.

    Something I like to know, is what codes did the OBDII computer spat out.
  • daveqdaveq Member Posts: 20
    Heated side mirror is standard on XLE
  • john345john345 Member Posts: 6
    I had a similar rattle around the stereo in my 2002 SE. It sounded to me like a loose wire or something similar. The dealer just removed the trim piece around the stereo, checked for anything loose, and reinstalled the trim. It hasn't rattled since. Around the doors, I don't know if this is what you're hearing but you might try a little silicone spray on the rubber weatherstripping around the door. I heard a little rubbing, creaking sound around the doors sometimes and using the spray fixed that problem.
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    AT it's oil change I'll have the dealer pop the trim, perhaps something is loose. The door rattle sounds about the same...like something behind a piece of plastic vibrating....I'll try the silicon though...who knows....

    It's a shame and embarassing to have these cheapie noises in an otherwise finely crafted automobile.
  • jtan3jtan3 Member Posts: 6
    Hi 8u6hfd

    According to the description in my invoices:
    The code found were:
    1) P0136 - Oxygen Sensor Part# 8946506020
    2) P0171 - Air Fuel Sensor Part# 8946733011

    Are you sure Air-fuel is oxygen sensor?
This discussion has been closed.

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