1997 Toyota Camry Electrical System Problems

In January my starter caught on fire while driving down the road, and again in April causing me to lose days of work. Caused positive cable to battery to melt.

MY CAR MADE A WINING NOISE AND THEN A LOUD POP. I MANAGED TO GET IT OFF RT 40 AND INTO A PARKING LOT. THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND THERE WAS SEVERE SMOKE. I DID ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW HALF WAY AND THEN SHUT CAR OFF TRIED THE UNLOCK BUTTON AND IT DID NOT WORK. I THEN CRAWLED OUT THE WINDOW AND RAN THE CAR IGNITED AND CONTINUOUSLY BURNED UP?

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED, LEAVING ME STRANDED ONCE AGAIN. MANAGED TO GET A FRIEND TO GET A REPLACEMENT PART FOR ME BUT NOW I CANNOT GET IT INSTALLED. THE KEY HAS TO BE IN THE ACC POSITION FOR IT TO GO IN BUT THE TAB THAT IT SLIDES INTO DOESN'T LINE UP. I HAVE BEEN A FAITHFUL TOYOTA CUSTOMER FOR 3 DECADES BUT THIS IS BEYOND FRUSTRATING! *TR

DRIVING DOWN BELTWAY HEARD A POP AND THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE. 911 WAS CALLED FIRE DEPT GOT THERE BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO SAVE CAR. DRIVER GOT OUT SAFELY. *TR

I OWN A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 194,000 MILES. LAST WEEK IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. I PULLED INTO THE OFFICE PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND REMOVED THE KEY. THE STARTER CONTINUED TO TRY TO START THE CAR. I TRIED TO STALL IT OUT BY LETTING OUT THE CLUTCH, BUT IT JUST CONTINUED TO TRY TO START. I THEN PUT THE KEY BACK IN TURNED ON THE IGNITION AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. I THEN RAN INTO THE OFFICE TO GET A TOOL TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED THE STARTER QUIT, BUT BY THEN THE SOLENOID WAS SO OVERHEATED IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND BURN. LUCKILY WE HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON HAND. THE DEALER HAS ONLY SAID THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE STARTER. I THOUGHT VEHICLES HAD A FAIL SAFE MEASURE THAT WOULD TERMINATE THE POWER SUPPLY TO THE STARTER ONCE THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH A KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED, AND A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, THEN TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY AUTOMOBILE SUSTAINED A FULL FRONTAL IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 30 MPH BUT THE SAFETY AIRBAGS DID NOT ACTIVATE OR INFLATE. *AK

TRUNK HINGES ARE CUTTING INTO THE WIRE HARNNESS FOR THE TAIL LIGHTS AND REVERSE LIGHTS. FUSES FOR THE REVERSE LIGHTS AND SPEEDOMETER HAVE BLOWEN OUT SEVERAL TIMES WHEN CAR IS PUT IN REVERSE. DEALER NOT NOTIFIED. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY FURTHER INFOMATION OR ADVICE ON THIS PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. NO FIRE WAS REPORTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, OPENED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. *AK

WHEN THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE TRIED TO START UP ON ITS OWN AND THEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *NLM

FUSE THAT CONTROLS THE BRAKE LIGHT/ REVERSE LIGHTS AND SPEEDOMETER HAS BLOWEN OUT SEVERAL TIMES, CAUSING VEHICLE PARTS TO NOT WORK. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO FIND OUT WHY FLUID LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, DEALER STATED THAT THERE COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SHORTLY AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, TOYOTA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS. *AK

INADEQUTE STRAIN RELIEF ON CABLE LEADING FROM CHASSIS TO TRUNK LID ALLOWED/CAUSED EXCESSIVE STRAIN ON WIRES LEADING TO MULTIPLE INSULATION FAILURES. FURTHERMORE, SOME STRANDS OF AT LEAST ONE WIRE BROKE, PROTRUDED, AND POSSIBLY SHORTED TO ANOTHER WIRE CAUSING THE FUSE FOR THAT CIRCUIT TO BLOW. THIS CAUSED THE TAIL LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, AND PARKING LIGHTS TO BE OFF, A SAFETY HAZARD FOR NIGHT /DUSK/DAWN DRIVING CONDITIONS. I AM REPORTING THIS ON BEHALF OF MY FATHER WHO IS THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE BEING CC'D ON ANY CORRESPONDENCE AT EDSCARGOT@AOL.COM

THIS IS SECOND FAILURE AFTER 9,000 MILES ON REPLACEMENT,IT HAPPENED AT START UP IN GARAGE, GREAT DEAL OF SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD, INDICATING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, FORTUNATELY, IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE DRIVEN, IT WOULD OBSCURED VISION OF DRIVER,THUS CAUSING ACCIDENT, TOYOTA NOTIFIED, COULD CARE LESS!*AK

MY TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I HAD THEM REPLACED. LESS THAN SIX MOTHS LATER THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. ONE OF MY ELECTRIC LOCKS NO LONGER WORKS. THE DOOR DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. THE DEALER FIXED IT, AND THEN THE LOCK ASSEMBLY WENT BAD A MONTH LATER. MY LICENSE PLATE LIGHT NO LONGER WORKS, IT S NOT THE BULB. THE SHIFTER LIGHT WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WENT OUT. MY ALARM SYSTEM WILL NOT BEEP TO CONFIRM ITS OPERATING. I WAS CHARGED TO HAVE IT RESET AND IT WENT BAD LESS THAN SIX MONTHS LATER. NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH A POPPING NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD BEFORE THE VEHICLE FILLED UP WITH SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

SPARK PLUG LOOSE, REPAIRS WERE DONE. *YC

RECALL WORK WAS TO BE COMPLETED ON THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID, HOWEVER VEHICLE ROLLED INTO DITCH DUE TO INCOMPLETED SERVICE.