1996 Toyota Camry Engine Problems

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 1996 CAMRY VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING SHE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. LATER LEARNED FROM TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH HER VEHICLE WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE. THE MECHANIC PERFORMING THE OIL CHANGE STATED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE WAS MOTOR FAILURE, HOWEVER SHE STATES OTHERWISE. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND NOW THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN STARTED, SOUNDS LIKE A TRACTOR, AND SHE SMELLS DIESEL FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 14,000.

CAR CONTINUTES TO STALL WHEN AT A STOP AND SLOWLY IDLING REPETITIVELY. CREATES DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR EXAMPLE WHEN LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND CAR WON'T GO! TOLD IDLE AIR VALVE WHICH I SEE IN DOING RESEARCH SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. EXPENSIVE REPAIR. PERHAPS A RECALL WOULD BE IN ORDER?*AK

THE OIL PASSAGE WAS TOO NARROW, NOT LETTING OIL INTO THE CRANK SHAFT. THIS CAUSED A ROD TO BLOW THROUGH THE BLOCK, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL AND NO LONGER TO OPERATE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH A USED MOTOR, TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP AND CAP ROTOR WIRES. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT DO ANYTHING. *TT

1.) THE BLACK PAINT ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS WORN OFF, EXPOSING A BRIGHT METALLIC SURFACE WHICH REFLECTS SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES.; 2.) HAVING ONLY 37,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE EXHUAST SYSTEM IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT!!!*AK

DT: SINCE SEPTEMBER 2004 CONSUME HAS BEEN INHALING SULFUR FUMES ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SMELL WAS SO GREAT THAT IT MAD. DAUGHTER PHYSICALLY ILL. TWO CONVERTERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH NO SUCCESS. DEALER SAID TO CHANGE GAS BRANDS, TSB INDICATED LARGE AMOUNTS OF SULFUR IN GAS. VEHICLE WAS IN A FLOOD, DEALER STATED OTHER VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT IN FLOOD WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

4 CYLINDER ENGINE HAS STARTING PROBLEMS WHEN COLD. IT TAKES ABOUT THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS TO START (STALLS A LOT.) TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT "PROBABLY" NEEDED A TIMING BELT. $1200 LATER AND THE CAR WAS GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. THE STALLING PROBLEM IS BACK. TOYOTA SAID IT CANNOT DIAGNOSE IF THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. NO CODES SET AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IT IS BECOMING FUSTRATING THOUGH.*AK

AIR FUEL SENSOR FAILED. AS A RESULT THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PART IS NOT ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED BY ANYONE INCLUDING A MECHANIC, AND THERE WAS NO WAY OF CHECKING UNLESS THE PART FAILED. *AK

FAILURE TO PASS SMOG TEST. MY 1996 CAMRY HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY, MOSTLY BY DEALER. HAD ITS 60,000 MILE SERVICE IN AUGUST LAST YEAR BY TOYOTA (AND 45,000 SERVICE IN 02). FAILED THE SMOG TEST AT 70,271 MILES. TOYOTA DEALER THEN DID INVESTIGATION (SAID FAILING HC READING SLIGHTLY OVER LIMIT). CHECK 02-SS SIGNAL ON BOTH SENSOR AND PCV VALVE. THEY ALSO SAID THEY "REMOVED AND CLEAN MASS AIR FLOW AND PCV SYSTEM". JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT THE CAR DIDN'T PASS THE SMOG CHECK, WHEN TOYOTA HAS BEEN MAINTAINING CAR, AND WHEN THE CAR REALLY ISN'T THAT OLD (WITH NO MODIFICATIONS). *NM

SEVERAL PROBLEMS:FAULTY INTERIOR LIGHTING,POWER ANTENNA,BRAKE NOISE,FAULTY POWER WINDOWS,MAIN REAR SEAL LEAK

COMPLAIN I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO THE BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE BEFORE 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE AS THEIR CAMRY 1997-2001 MODELS, WHICH TOYOTA AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THOSE ENGINES. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND IT WAS PRODUCED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1996 MODEL, TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING IT. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT THE FAILURE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ENGINES AS A RESULT OF A BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTABLE ONLY TO THE FACT THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE. AS SUCH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND NOT OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

COMPLAIN I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO THE BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE BEFORE 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE AS THEIR CAMRY 1997-2001 MODELS, WHICH TOYOTA AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THOSE ENGINES. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND IT WAS PRODUCED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1996 MODEL, TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING IT. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT THE FAILURE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ENGINES AS A RESULT OF A BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTABLE ONLY TO THE FACT THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE. AS SUCH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND NOT OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. PETER XU. *NLM

AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IN MARCH 2002, ALL OIL CHANGES WERE PERFORMED BY ME. THE PREVIOUS OWNER IS A FRIEND, AND I KNOW THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED VERY WELL (APPEARANCE OF THE CAR ALSO REFLECTS THIS). IN EARLY MAY 2003, WITH MY WIFE DRIVING, THE CAR THREW #1 PISTON ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK. THE ENGINE STILL HAD AMPLE OIL, AND ONLY HAD 1500 MILES AFTER AN OIL CHANGE (I CHANGE THE OIL BETWEEN 3-4000 MILES, RELIGOUSLY). THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE TO EXPECT FROM A WELL MAINTAINED CAR, AND AFTER PULLING THE MOTOR OUT, I NOTICED SLUDGE ALL OVER THE OIL PAN, VALVE COVERS, AND ON VARIOUS ENGINE COMPONENTS.

ENGINE SEIZURE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. *NLM

TOOK CAMRY TO DEALER (WORLD TOYOTA) DISCOVERED ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM, ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, CANNOT RE-BUILD.. NOTIFIED CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE AT TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE. STILL HAVE NOT RESOLVED ISSUE.

IDLE PROBLEM. TAKEN TO MECHANIC TWICE. HAVE REPLACED ISC VALVE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR SINCE 1996 (TWICE IN 1997 AND 1998), IN THE LAST YEAR CAR HAS STALLED WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO COMPLETE ENGINE SHUTDOWN IN MIDDLE OF ROADWAY. ENGINE TAKES A FEW TRIES TO START AGAIN.

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BOOM NOISE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN AND HAD 2 LARGE HOLES IN IT. *NLM

AS OF THIS WEEK THE FLEX PIPE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DETERMINED TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. THIS CAUSED EXHAUST GASES TO BE EMITTED UNDER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS PART WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE CONVERTER BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT THE PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY IS A SINGLE ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO THE MALFUNCTIONING "FLEX PIPE".

MY 1996 CAMRY WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A MAJOR SLUDGE PROBLEM REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING MY ENGINE UNDER THE "SPECIAL POLICY" REPAIR PROGRAM THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. TOYOTA DID NOT DISPUTE THAT IT WAS THE SAME ENGINE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM - INSTEAD, THE RIDICULOUS AND TOTALLY ILLOGICAL REASON THEY GAVE WAS THAT THEIR "SPECIAL POLICY" REPAIR PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINES MANUFACTURED DURING AN ARBITRARY TIME PERIOD AND THE ENGINE IN MY CAMRY FELL OUTSIDE THAT PERIOD BY TWO MONTHS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE FIXING SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES BUT NOT OTHERS.

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM. IN RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, TOYOTA AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THOSE ENGINES IN THEIR 1997-2001 MODELS. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND IT WAS PRODUCED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1996 MODEL TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING IT. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT THE FAILURE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ENGINES AS A RESULT OF A BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTABLE ONLY TO THE FACT THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE. AS SUCH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND NOT OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. GARY LEVINE. *NLM