1998 Toyota Camry Complaint Log

BACK SEAT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. OCCURRED JUST AFTER 60,000 MILES AND DEALER SAID NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW 109,672. *JB

WATER LEAKS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR FLOOR WHEN RAIN OR CAR WASH. DEALER SAID THE SUNROOF 'S DRAINAGE WAS BLOCKED BY THE DEBRIS THE CAUSE THE LEAKS. BUT I HARDLY OPEN THE SUNROOF AND WHY THE TOP IS NOT WET JUST THE FLOOR. THEY CAN'T ANSWER. WHAT THEY KNOW IS ITS NOT COVER BY THE WARRANTY AND CHARGED ME $600 TO FIXED EVERYTHING> (TIRESIZE: 1957014)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 1957014 )

WHEN BRAKING THE CAR MAKE'S A LOUD PLANE NOISE AND A CLICKING NOISE. *AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE RAN OVER A BUMP/POTHOLE, ETC., IT CAUSED HARD BANGING NOISE UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER SAYS STRUT PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER DUE TO THE PROBLEM BEING NATIONWIDE. *SLC

IDLE AIR CONTROL (IAC) VALVE HAS FAILED 2 TIMES AND HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AT TOYOTA OF HUNTINGTON BEACH. FIRST TIME ON 3/23/2001 AND SECOND TIME ON 1/17/2002. IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS OF PAST FAILURES STARTING TO APPEAR AGAIN, AS OF ABOUT 10/1/2002. DT

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN APPLYE. VEHICLE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 01V012000. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT COOPERATE IN SERVICING VEHICLE. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT ANOTHER DEALER. *YH

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 01V012000/ THROTTLE CABLE, AND TRIED TO HAVE SERVICE PERFORMED BY DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF SAID RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK AT FIRST START, NOT AFTER VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP. HAS TO PRESS HARD TO GET PEDAL TO UNSTICK. DEALER WAS NOT CONCERNED WHEN TOLD ABOUT IT.*AK

01 V 012 000/ACCELERATOR CABLE: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PARKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO TAKE OFF INTO A FIELD AREA, RAN INTO VARIOUS THINGS BEFORE HITTING A WALL. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND BRAKES MADE NOISE, LIKE GRINDING METAL TO METAL. DEALER HAD SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS FROM MANUFACTURER WHERE ROTORS WERE BUILT TOO CLOSELY TO VEHICLE BODY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES BUT DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. CONSUMER THEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, RPMS FINALLY WENT DOWN AND ENGINE STOPPED REVVING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING COULD SMELL SMOKE, AND REAR SPEAKERS DID TURN OFF. THEN, COULD SEE SMOKE COMING FROM RADIO, A SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURRED. *AK

THE SUSPENSION OF MY 1998 CAMRY LE HAS BEEN HAVING NOISES WHEN PASS THE SPEED HUMPS FOR TWO YEARS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE HEARD SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL YET. IT MAKE ME VERY CONCERNED. *NLM

ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED "T" BONED TOYOTA ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, SIDE DOOR AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. JAWS OF LIFE HAD TO BE USED TO EXTRACT DRIVER OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK

ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK. *AK

SIDEWALL COMPLETELY DISENTERGRATED AT 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE. ROTATED/BALANCED/GOOD TREAD REMAINING. NO CUT / PUNCTURE. DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ACRW2W5377 TIRESIZE: P195/70R14)

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *MR *NLM

STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING ON DRY, CLEAR, DAY. CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT, WENT RIGHT, THAN HEAD ON WITH ONCOMING VEHICLE. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION STARTED RATTLING AT AROUND 40,000 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THE PROBLEM AND REPAIRED THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS AT A COST TO ME OF $342.00. TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. I KNOW FROM NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND CONSUMER REPORTS DATA THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOWEVER, TOYOTA REFUSES TO COVER AS I AM OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT. *AK

DASHBOARD TROUBLE LIGHTS -- BULB OUT, CHECK ENGINE, REVERSE INDICATOR ON GEAR SELECTOR ( WHILE IN PARK OR ANY OTHER SETTING) CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LICENSED MECHANIC WHOM I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS. HE EXAMINED CAR AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WIRING HARNESS IN THE TRUNK ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TRUNK HINGE HAD BEEN STRETCHING TO THE POINT WHERE THE WIRES WERE TEARING, MELTING THE INSULATION, POPING FUSES, AND SHORTING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUITS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AFTER THE REPAIR AND I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THEIR FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMED NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH INCIDENT EVER HAPPENING. *AK

FAILURE OF MANUAL CLUTCH, WARRANTY COVERAGE DECLINED, WITH 40+YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH MANUL TRANSMISSIONS WITHOUT A PROBLEM, TRADING IN (3RD TOYOTA)1968 TOYOTA CAMRY, MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 120,000+MILES EXPERIENCING NO PROBLEMS,, AFTER JUNE/000 30,000 CHECK-UP FINDING NO TRNSMISSION PROBLEMS, DEALER DECLINED APPLYING WARANTY-CONCLUSION OF DEALER, I AM A LOUZY DRIVER.*AK

TRAVELLING THE FREEWAY, I NEEDED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BUT WHEN I STARTED TO MOVE MY RIGHT FOOT, SOMETHING HELD IT IN PLACE. I LIFTED MY RIGHT FOOT AND PROCEEDED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE PEDAL WOULD NOT MOVE. I TWO-FOOTED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HEARD SOMETHING CRACK AFTERWHICH THE PEDAL STARTED TO MOVE AND I RGAINED THE USE OF MY BRAKES. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED A PLASTIC DUCT WEDGED BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FLOOR BOARD. THE DUCT WAS PART OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM WHICH HAD FALLEN OFF AND WEDGED BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FLOOR BOARD.*AK

INSURED TRIED TO START VEHICLE BUT IT WOULDN'T START, LIFTED HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, 01-6209-199. *JG

BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE CORRODED/PITTED. REPAIRS BEING MADE AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. *AK THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO THE PROBLEM ( BRAKE ROTORS CORRODING). *YH

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITION WHEN WINDOWS STARTED TO FOG, CONSUMER NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT BLINKING AND IT WAS NOT WORKING, CONSUMER HAD POOR VISION DUE TO THE RAIN AND FOGGED WINDOWS. *SLC

DEALER WANTS 80$ TO TELL US IF GAS TANK PURGE VALVE IS UNDER WARRENTY OR NOT. ALSO DEALER STATES THAT DOOR HANDLE CLIP BREAKING IS A COMMON PROBLEM.

WHILE PARKING WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES . WHEN CONSUMER EASED OFF THE BRAKES VEHICLE TOOK OFF. *AK

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH 2 CHILDREN & LUGGAGE CAR "BOTTOM OUTS" WHEN GOING OVER HIGHWAY DIPS. *AK

INSURED WAS DRIVING AND PULLED INTO DRIVE WAY, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, WHEN SHE OPENED THE HOOD AND TOWARD THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. CLAIM NUMBER 13-7008-586. *YH

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND SEATBELT RETRACTOR FAILED. SEAT BELT CAME APART AND WON'T GO BACK IN PLACE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

REAR PASSENGER'S WHEEL CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE INSURED NOTICED HEAT BEING GENERATED FROM THE BRAKES, THE INSURED THEN PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. CLAIM #05-4482-577.*YD

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL/REAR END COLLISION AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. INSPECTOR FROM TOYOTA SAID THAT AIG BAGS WORKED AS THEY WERE DESIGNED TO. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING INSURED FIRST NOTICED SMOKE AND IT APPEARS THAT FIRE BEGAN IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THEN LOST CONTROL OF BRAKES. CLAIM # 33-0210-256. *YD

(04-1215-119) INSURED'S VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *JG

ENGINE CUTS OFF, BAD ECU

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON A STEERING PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK AT IT.*AK

DEFECTIVE FRONT & REAR STRUTS. DEALER HAS ADDED STRUT PLATES & REPLACED ALL 4 STRUTS. CAUSED FRONT TIRES TO FAIL @ 12,000 MI. STRUTS ARE LOOSE & RATTLE. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A "DESIGN DEFECT" OF THE 1998-1999 CAMRY. MULTIPLE TSB'S AND COMPLAINTS EXIST FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER SAID HE HAS A ONE MONTH LEAD TIME ON ORDERING FRONT STRUT PLATES SINCE SO MANY VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. TOYOTA USES THE STRUT PLATES AS A QUICK FIX INSTEAD OF REDESIGNING THE SUSPENSION. NO REAL SOLUTION EXISTS FOR PROBLEM DUE TO DESIGN LIMITATIONS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

STEERING COLUMN VIBRATES AFTER BEING REPAIRED IN RECALL. DEALER WILL NOT INSPECT IT AGAIN. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE STRUT IS VERY LOOSE WHICH MAY CAUSE THE STRUT TO COME OFF, AND CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THERE IS TSB BULLETIN ON THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CAR WENT DEAD AND BRAKES STARTED TO FAIL, THIS WAS A VERY BUSY ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. HE SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY, REPLACED BATTERY. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE MILEAGE DISAPPEARED, AND CAR WENT DEAD AGAIN. CONSUMER TOOK CAR BACK TO TOYOTA. *AK

CAR VEERS TO THE LEFT FOR NO REASON. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG, BUT SAID VEHICLE NEEDS NEW TIRES. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS UNDER SNOWY AND FREEZING CONDITIONS WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE OVER BUMPS IN PAVEMENT. HAD REPLACED ON 1/17/00 AT COST TO ME OF $132.XX PLUS 1 1/2 HOURS LABOR. THE PARTS IN QUESTION ARE THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTS. TOYOTA MUST ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS, AS THEY ACCELERATE THE WEAR OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND PROVIDE UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. *AK

A CLIP WITHIN THE DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY BROKE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TO OPEN DOORS. *AK *ML

BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY EVEN THOUGH A BRAKE KIT WAS INSTALLED AT 4,000 MILES. NEW MASTER CYLINDER WAS INSTALLED AS WELL. AT TIMES BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND CAR DOES NOT STOP. SUDDENLY LOUD NOISE HAPPENS AND CAR JERKS AND STOPS. ALL STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND SOLVED CRUNCHING NOISES. RELAY SWITCH INSTALLED TO SOLVE LOCK PROBLEM. CAR IS FALLING APART BEFORE MY EYES!!

JUST BEFORE 30,000 MILES MY RIGHT FONT SUSPENSION BEGAN TO RATTLE OCCASIONALLY. THE CAR NOW HAS 93,000 MILES AND THE RATTLE IS STILL HEARD NOW AND THEN. NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE SHOP HAVE NOT TURNED UP ANY CAUSE. *JB

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 35 MPH DURING WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOYED. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FRACTURE OF STERNUM.*AK

BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING. *AK