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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.
If ANY engine develops a sludge problem, the prime causes are either (Or both)--- Improper oil change intervals, or driving habits which don't allow proper warmups. These causes are owner generated, not the fault of the car's manufacturer.
Good gracious Ma'am, get a life!
Sounds like you have done a good job and treated the problem in a very well organized and educated manner, did your research and got the TSB #.
I think every one should do their homework before hand. Not all the dealers are so patient and straight forward. And some mechanics will often give you the run around. Your method saved them time/money and yours. Good job!
I am not very impressed with Toyota thus far. My previous car was a Subaru outback that I put 75,000 miles on and only had it into the service department for regular maintainence. I thought I was buying a better car.
They paid $18,250 for a 2001 CE with automatic, value package (air, cruise and power package), and floormats. It was a good deal but they could have bought another Buick Century (they've owned 92 and 95 models and I have an 88) for $17,800 with a V6 and the same cruise/AC/power package.
What bothers me the most is they got that hideous "don't look at me, I'm not important" gold color, I think it is called cashmere beige. Unreal. I figured they'd get some kind of blue or white, seeing that since 1982 they've only owned blue and white cars (except for a maroon Reliant my Dad bought and owned for 6 months to get back and forth before they bought the '92 Century).
Only good thing that came out of this is my Dad gets to drive the '95 and the '92 goes to my sister who wrecked her boyfriend's '87 Accord with 200K-plus. I think it's her fault my parents rushed into this decision to buy this value-filled, gonna last forever, I'm never going to get to fix stuff on my Mom's car ever again, Camry.
I'm bitter, but I know they'll drive it for 10 years plus and not have any problems.
Or will they?
My question which actually has some use in this forum is about these strut mounts. My mother is really picky about things like this and I need to know if the 2001 models are affected or just the 97-98's. Also how often do you nice gentle drivers have to replace your rotors? I see in many GM forums the need to replace them at every 15K-20K. Do Camries do that? I never had to replace the ones in the Centuries, maybe this is the way my parents drive.
Oh yes, the last question, I promise, my parents always averaged the EPA highway figure in mixed driving. The EPA figures for both their Centuries were 24/31mpg. The Camry gets 23/32. Hopefully they can continue this trend and get 30-32mpg from the Camry. My Mom drives 20 miles each way every day to MCL and the mall in little to no traffic, plus church and weekend driving, for a total of 250 miles a week. Anyone have the same driving schedule and a "feather" foot? What kind of mileage do you get?
Happy with the gas mileage.
Oh, if anybody remembers still, the wind noise is still there.
The previous new car that I owned, a '90 Mercury Sable, showed some brake pulsation before 20,000 miles, getting progressively worse till the front rotors had to be replaced at 64,000 miles. The replacements lasted longer, but they started to exhibit the same problems before I sold the car at 135,000 miles.
I'd never buy that cashmere beige color either -- I hate brown or tan cars.
MPG: If they can get 24/31 out of a century, I'm sure they'll do much better with the 4 banger camry. All of my Camrys have been V6's, and I average about 27ish and I'm pretty floggy. I've gotten upto 36 on long trips, and this is a engine pushing close to 200hp running 75-80mph steadily. Right now, my wife is still driving our 92 model V6 with 175K miles to work and back. Warms up 10 minutes in the morning, drives 10 miles to work and back and she averages 22mpg.
Rotors: My 92 went 80K miles on front pads, turned rotors at that time also (barely needed it). Replaced front pads again at 150K miles and replaced rotors at that time as they were too thin to turn again. The 97 required front pads and a turn at 74K miles, the rotors actually pulsated a bit during high-speed braking.
I hate the gold color too. I swore my next vehicle would be silver, and I just bought a dark red/burgandy Jeep, go figure. Wife wants an Avalon, and I swear it's gonna be silver!
According to 1999 CR the Lumina was rated beter than average and the camry was rated much better than average. I think the camry and the Lumina are both average cars nothing , the Lumina is a 6 passenger car with a much larger trunk than the the camry, According to the 1999 CR scored a little better on the crash test.
I now have 26000 mi on the Lumina and it has never been back for any repair, and from what I am reading in this forum it seems a lot of camry's are having problems, so my point is I can't understand why camry is one of the best selling cars in america when it cost so much more than like my Lumina ($8000+ more), I know a Toyota has a better resale but if you take $8000 and invest it, you can double your money in 5 yr.s or less, so you tell me which is more cost efficent...
Can you tell me where to download?
Thanks.
We used to keep them 140K miles, then 120K, finally we leveled at 100K because they very rarely needed expensive (read: <$200) repairs before that. Once the 100K mark though, we spent alot of money, mainly on transmissions.
A 4cyl camry is similar in performance to a V6 Lumina so realistic comparison would be a 4cyl to a 3.1L Lumina. The V6 Camry will spank a Lumina in performance, and a well equipped 4 banger Camry will run you around $20,000. That makes a $3000 difference comparing 2001 Camry prices to 1999 Lumina.
Then throw in the fact that the Camry is just plain nicer and the $$ difference is negligible. I've driven hundreds of Luminas and owned three Camrys, and really I can't compare the two. The Lumina just feels very cheaply built. Drive a lumina with 50K+ miles then drive my Camry with over 170K miles and you'll really see what I mean.
For business/profit maximization the Lumina is tops. But most people found them very raw and crummy. Part of our fleet program was to offer the vehicle to the person that had been driving it for a cheap price. Normally, these were 3 year old Luminas with at least 100K miles. The price would usually be $3000-$3500, and I only remember about 5-10 people ever buying their cars. Our fleet consisted of about 10% Taurus, 10% Intrepids, 10% others (high $$ cars for execs.) and the balance Luminas. When people found we had Intepids in our fleet, they all wanted one, but they cost us about an extra $1000 mainly just in up-front cost.
So I'm backing you up that the Lumina is by far the cheapest to run, but I'm a bit more into cars than that. I like to drive and find cars more than just transportation so money isn't the number one factor for me and 300,000 others every year. Of course if everyone had $2500 in credits for a Toyota I'm sure they'd sell even more.
And a large number of people only come to these sites to complain, that's why you see the problems. I don't think there is one forum here that you can't read about problems. The other catch is that over the years so many people have bought Camrys expecting a perfect vehicle. While they are pretty darned good, building over 300,000 a year there are going to be some problems here and there. Most of the complaints I see are pretty nit-picky IMHO.
Based on all the available data on Toyota camry's they do seem to be one of the most reliable cars in the world, however, cars are a terrible investment and I always compare several different cars before making a decision and the most important things I look for are:
1. Safety Data
2. Reliability
3. Size of car, I need to have a large car to fit my family and luggage into.
3. Cost of car
So, the Lumina was my choice, although it is a rather bland car (as is the Camry imo), for my out of pocket $13,400 well equiped (v-6 Automatic tranny all power & cd) vs. a 4 cyl. equaly equiped camry for $20,000. I am very happy with my choice, and am not implying the the Lumina is a better car, just more car for the money.
I am driving a 1998 Camry LE 4 cyl. Recently (about 20k miles) it has started making noise when driving on rough road. I don't have a good ear for these things, but it sounds like something is loose, but the sound doesn't seem to come from exactly the same place each time.
I don't get the sound when hitting a single bump, but it is always there when driving on cobblestones or a series of small bumps.
Is this the front strut problem I have read about or does someone have an idea what else it might be?
This is my 3rd Camry, and my worst experience. I buy for the reliability, but am beginning to wonder.
I'll agree, my 97 V6 is my third camry, and it's been the lowest quality of them. Mainly the strut rattle, the front seat sometimes feels loose, & I have a rattle that comes and goes behind the glove box. Kinda picky really for a piece of machinery, but I too was spoiled by nearly perfect past Camrys. My 92 has 170K miles and we still drive it. Feels tighter than the 97.
However, even the 97 has performed flawlessly in the drivetrain department. It broke 100K miles a week or so ago and I haven't had any type of repair work done. Oil changes, front pads, turned the rotors, replaced the spark plugs, on the 3rd set of tires. I'll also add that I paid only $1000 more for my 97 model than I did my less equipped 92 so there are some obvious cost savings going on.
Since the camry will use a 2.4L engine, and the Highlander is based on the Camry (arriving only 3-4 months ahead of the Camry), I think it's more than just coinsidence. I'm now 90% sure that the 4 cylinder engine will be one found on the new Camry. The V6 might be a different story.
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
Will there be a new Lexus ES300? I'm thinking of either buying a Carry XLS V6, Avalon XLS or Lexus ES300. Now, that I know that there is a new & hopefully better looking Carry in 2002....I'm going to wait!
coos
This is my first Camry that I've ever owned. Any good or bad reports to look for would be helpful. Thanks!
Before I run to the dealer, I wanted to know other people's experiences with the remote entry -- is there a misprint in the manual, or a glitch with my car? Thanks....
i assume your keyless entry was an option added on at the factory-- it was listed on the window sticker....and not an aftermarket entry added on by the dealer or non-toyota firm.
So far that has been an excellent suggestion. My recommendation to the dealer when next they talk to Kentucky or Japan is to remind toyota that economy is what they do best and get the gas mileage figures up and forget the dumb SUV' and V-6 engines you don't need ham anyway. Toyota is an excellent product although I detect more defensiveness from their dealers
than is justified.
I have owned this '97 I4 Camry LE for 3.5 year with 25k miles, bought it new. Super quiet and smooth. Problems:
1) glove box lock rattles;
2) parking brake handle rattles;
3) rattles somewhere I can not locate;
4) bottoms out;
5) sometimes driver's seat noise;
6) excessive wear of outer shoulder of front right tire (General tires).
I gues I am picky. Nothing major, except (6), which I am a little concerned at. I think I need to switch to Michelin also.
Good luck.
Took in tonight & had left side serviced. Don't know if they changed entire strut assembly or just supports, but they called and said "noise is gone in left side, but right now needs to be fixed". Again, because they're "nice guys", no charge for fixing the other side, but gotta wait for parts to be ordered. Went and picked it up, and it sounds silent and feels pretty tight. But, they told me I'll need an alignment when both sides are done, and they can't "give everything away", so I'll have to pay for that.
What do y'all who've had work done by mentioning the TSBs have to say? Get tough and demand a free alignment, or be glad that they're fixing the major problem? Appreciate the help!
Looking to buy another one. Our 2K Solara has been a good car and we'll probably keep it for a few more years. But, I have to admit, it has not been the quality car that our '94 XLE and '97 XLE have been.
I don't know if that's because of the quality coming out of Canada or what. But this Solara has more rattles than a nursery ward.
The overall performance is fine, but a quiet car should be quiet.
Two dealers said that they would try to fix them, but they might cause as many rattles as they can fix. Our other 2 Camrys are much older, but virtually rattle free.
So if anyone has any info on the new look 2002 Carry let me know.
Hey, Cliffy, how you been?
Sears also sells Goodyear Weatherhandler LST-shaped for $63, which is UTQG560AB, What is its equavalent comparing to the tires from www.tirerack.com?
Tirerack sells X-one for $73, which is UTQG620AB, BFGoodrich Control T/A M65 for $50, which is UTQG500AB. Sum's sells X-ones for over $100, too expensive.
Also, if we buy from Tirerack, will the local tire shop mount for us?
Thanks,
Sha
as for the 2002 camry, only thing i read was engine was to be 100000 mile warranty, and i think the 4 cylinder gets more horsepower...i did a websearch and didn't come up with anything more.
The $95.00 includes mounting and balancing and everything per tire.
I'm trying to decide between buying a new Camry LE and a Jetta GLS. Any insights?
Thanks
Thanks and happy motoring,
Sha,
I've had three Camrys, and the 97 (same body style has yours) is terrible in the snow. I have a 92 and a 97 presently (both V6's).
Two years ago, both cars had identical tires (dunlop D60A2's), and the tread was better on the 97. I was driving the 92 and my wife was driving the 97. When I came home the 97 was sitting at the bottom of the driveway, but I drove mine right to the house without slipping. Thinking my wife had a driving problem, I walked down to bring her car up. It wouldn't make it up the first hill, which is half as steep as the second. I eventually got 3/4 the way up and the car came sliding down sideways and over a small bank.
She won't drive the 97 anymore and didn't like it to begin with. Even on straight snow covered roads it felt like it was sliding 4 different directions. Anyway, I've switched those tires to "S" rated tires and the car performs better in the slick stuff. Still not as good as my older ones, but good enough. If you have a V6, it comes standard with "H" rated tires which perform better (handling) than the "S". That car is driven 90% highway so it wasn't that bad to switch to "S" rated tires. Steering feels a bit sloppy compared to the "H" tires, but that's about it. Plus the "S" rated tires will last 2 or 3 times longer.
I posted several times about the snow issue a few years ago, and not many agreed with me but most were 4 bangers which have smaller/less performance oriented tires. You didn't say what engine you had but you obviously have the same problem I did.