1998 Toyota Camry Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER COULD STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP OR TO SLOWDOWN VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES WON'T WORK, AND MAKE NOISE L GRINDING METAL TO METAL NOISE. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURY. YH

RIGHT FRONT STRUT FAILURE CAUSING FRONT END NOISE. YH

FIRST INCIDENT, ENTERING HIGHWAY ON RAMP AND TIRE BLEW UP. SECOND INCIDENT, DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY NOTICED AN UNEVEN RIDE AND REAR NOISE. TOOK TO TOYOTA, SENT TO TIRE KINGDOM AND CHARGED $46 FOR REPLACEMENT.GOT OFF AND CHECKED, FOUND BUBBLE, TOOK TO TOYOTA, SENT TO PAN AMERICAN TIRE CHARGED $60 FOR REPLACEMENT. THIRD TIME UNEVEN RIDE, LOUD ROAD NOISE ON HIGHWAY, FOUND BUBBLE.WILL TAKE TO TOYOTA. ALL THREE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT CAME WITH CAR, SAME BATCH. CONCERNED FOR SAFETY AND DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO BE CHARGED FOR MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WOULD LIKE REFUND AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THANK YOU.( DOT NUMBER: ACRW2W5297 TIRE SIZE: 195X70R14 )

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE TOOK OFF ABOUT A MILE PER HOUR, CRASHING INTO A WALL. CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, ALSO AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

CLAIM NUMBER 32-V073-594 - AS CONSUMER WAS LEAVING MOBILE STATION TO HAVE VEHICLE SERVICE FOR AN OIL CHANGE, VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE; THE OIL FILTER WAS MISSING AND IT WAS NOT ATTACHED TO ENGINE PRIOR TO THE FIRE, EXAMINATION OF THE FLAME PATTERNS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OIL FROM THE MISSING OIL FILTER SPRAYED ONTO THE ENGINE PIPE AND IGNITED CAUSING A FIRE. *TT

STEERING COLUNM PULLS TO RIGHT AND VIBRATES AT 70MPH FUMES FROM ENGINE GO THROUGH VENTS INTO CAR CAUSE HEADACHES AND UPSET STOMACH. BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN STOPPING LOUND NOISE. *AK

IN A PARKING LOT GETTING READY TO PULL ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY BRAKES FAILED, AND VEHICLE SLID INTO THE HIGHWAY. CONTACTED DEALER WHO COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. LET SISTER DRIVE IT, AND SHE HEARD GRINDING NOISE. ALSO COULD FEEL IT UNDER THE PEDAL. HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED, AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUED. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONS. YH

BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA (NO COST TO ME ) BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. BUT THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS SINCE DAY ONE: ELECTRIC SHOCK WHEN TOUCHING DOOR ON THE WAY OUT AFTER TURNING ENGINE OFF. WHEN TURNING ENGINE OFF.

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD ON, ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DRIVER. NLM

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION. ( 4 AIRBAGS 2 FRONTAL AND 2 SIDE). YH

ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAIL AT RANDOM. IF YOU ENTER THE CAR, CLOSE THE DOOR, AND LOCK THE CAR USING THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, YOU CANNOT UNLOCK THE CAR DOORS UNLESS THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION. THIS IS CLEARLY

CLAIM NUMBER - 25-5305-204 - WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 60 MPH, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE, CONSUMER PULLED TO RIGHT SHOULDER, EXITED VEHICLE AND SMOKE GOT INTENSE, TWO MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *TT

WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THERE IS A SHARP CORNER OF THE DOOR THAT WHEN CLOSING HITS AND INJURES HER LEG. *AK *YC

STEERING WHEEL SHOOK ABOUT 2-3 TIME VIOLENTLY FOR A FEW SECONDS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. HAD TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. WHILE DRIVING HEARD THUMPING NOISES AND SMOKE FROM FRONT LEFT TIRE. TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. DEALER'S CONCLUSION OF BRAKE FLUID CONTAMINATION AND REPAIRS TO THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM COSTING APPROX. $3,200. CONTACTED INSURANCE COMPANY, WHO SUPPOSEDLY ANALYZED THE BRAKE FLUID FOR CONTAMINATION, BUT DIDN'T FIND ANY. INSURANCE COMPANY BLAMES THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE ON MANUFACTURING DEFECT. HELP!!!

FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE OVER BUMPS. THE DEALER THAT I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT TODAY, CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE STATES THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE STRUT MOUNTING BRACKETS. HE HAD OVER 14 SETS ON BACK ORDER TODAY. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT THEY ARE HAVING AND YOU ARE RECEIVING TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT A RECALL MIGHT HAPPEN. THE COST TO CORRECT WOULD BE INEXCESS OF $300. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *AK

CONSUMER WAS BRAKNG AT A STOP SIGN ENGINE STARTED RIVVING, AND VEHICLE STARTED MOVING THROUGH INTERSECTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE THEN, LAST TIME WAS ON APRIL 27, 2001. TOYOTA DEALER BELIEVED CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF BRAKE. *AK

BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. ALSO, HAD TSB STATING BRAKE PADS HAD TOO MUCH METALLIC CONTENTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD ROTORS REPAIRED, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS KEPT WEARING PREMATURELY.*AK AFTER CONSUMER HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED,THE FRONT BRAKES STILL GROAN. *JG

INSURED STATED THAT WHILE TOW TRUCK WAS PUTTING THE VEHICLE ON THE FLAT BED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE TOW TRUCK, THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS A SJORT CIRCUIT. CLAIM NUMBER 75-A137-314. *YH

1998 TOYOTA CAMRY FAILED BRAKING SYSTEM *GR THE CONSUMER STATED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, NEW BRAKES HAD TO BE INSTALLED EVERY YEAR AND EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, SOUNDS LIKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. AFTER REPAIR WORK WAS PERFORMED, ABS LIGHT CAME ON & VEHICLE WOULD SKID WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. BRAKES HAD BEEN MODIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATE THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS ON THE INCLINE POSSITION CONSUME IS UNABLE TO PULL THE SEAT BELT OUT BECAUSE IT'S LOCK UP AND THIS ONLY ON THAT POSSITION.

WHEN PARKED OR DRIVING ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, OR IF FRONT OF VEHICLE IS HIGHER THAN REAR, SEAT BELTS CANNOT BE PULLED. VEHICLE MUST BE ON LEVEL GROUND. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAMRY TRAVELING E/B ON 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY. LATE MODEL BUICK SKYLARK TRAVELING W/B TURNED LEFT AT CROSSOVER INTO PATH OF CAMRY. IMPACT AT 45 MPH. MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO BOTH DOORS OF BUICK. BUICK WAS PUSHED INTO CONCRETE FILLED STEEL POST DOING MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO LEFT SIDE OF CAR AND BENDING POST ABOUT 20-30 DEGREES. THERE WAS NO BRAKING BY CAMRY DRIVER. MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE-- SHOULD CAMRY AIRBAG HAVE EMPLOYED? *AK

STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING IN CLEAR, DRY, MIDDAY WEATHER ON I-695 IN BALTIMORE. CAR WOBBLED RIGHT THEN LEFT. DRIVER TRIED TO COMPENSATE, BUT CAR RADICALLY OVERSTEERED AT FIRST. THEN, ON ITS OWN, THE CAR SHARPLY VEERED LEFT ACROSS HIGHWAY INTO CONCRETE WALL. SKID MARKS SHOWED CAR TRAVELING IN DIRECTION OF WHEELS, I.E. NO LATERAL SKID MARKS, SO WHEELS WERE TURNED TO LEFT IN SPITE OF ATTEMPTS TO TURN RIGHT. WE ARE TEMPORARILY HOLDING THE CAR FOR YOUR POSSIBLE INVESTIGATION. PLEASE NOTIFY ASAP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON UNEXPECTEDLY, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH ABS SYSTEM. ALSO WHILE BRAKING, THERE IS A NOISE, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM BRAKING SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND SHOES AND ROTATED ROTORS TWO TIMES. NOISE IS STILL PRESENT, AND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT OPERATION OF BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. *AK

CAR CAME TO FULL STOP AND WITH FOOT ON BRAKES THE CAR MADE A GRINDING NOISE, AND THEN VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD .CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER.BEEN HAVING BRAKES PROBLEM SINCE MILEAGE AT 217. *AK

I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR READING, WHEN I PRESSED THE DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE ARMREST THE DOOR WOULDN'T UNLOCK. THE ONLY WAY THE DOOR COULD BE UNLOCKED WAS TO USE THE REMOTE KEY. IF A CHILD WERE LOCKED IN THE CAR ON A HOT DAY THE CHILD WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR.THIS CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN KENTUCKY. *AK

CLAIM NUMBER 11-3281-203 - EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE BATTERY WHICH EXPLODED CAUSING AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, THE ORIGINAL BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITH A SEARS DIE HARD WHICH WAS THE BATTERY THAT EXPLODED. *TT

WHILE DRIVING DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGERS SIDE SEATBELTS BECAME LOCKED INTERMITTENTLY. THIS ALSO HAPPENED UPON ENTERING THE CAR.DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

PULLING VERY SLOWLY INTO A PARKING SPACE, I SCRAPED THE METAL AROUND THE WHEEL OPENING OF THE CAR NEXT TO ME. HE HAD PAINT MARKS BUT THE SIDE FRONT DRIVER'S BUMPER WAS COMPLETELY SMASHED.

IN 18 MONTHS 8 ALIGNMENTS AND 3 SETS OF TIRES AND THE CAR STILL VIBRATES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH A TRUCK PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FELL OUT AND DIDN'T INFLATE. *AK *ML

ROTORS /PADS OVERHEATED, HAS TO CHANGE THEM EVERY 8000 MILES. *AK

I BEGAN COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS WITHIN DAYS OF LEASING THE CAR. I KEPT BEING TOLD THAT THE GRINDING NOISES WERE NORMAL FOR TOYOTA. FINALLY AT 11,000 MILES THEY EXAMINED THE BRAKES AND DISCOVERED THEY HAD GROUND DOWN INTO THE ROTORS. THEY SAID THAT THE BRAKES WERE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I MUST PAY. I PROTESTED, WITH NO SUCCESS. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDANT AND HAD IT REPAIRED FOR HALF THE MONEY TOYOTA WANTED. BETWEEN THEN AND NOW I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES FAIL 4 MORE TIMES. TWICE THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE REAR DRUMS ONCE, ALL THROUGH TOYOTA. THE LAST TIME, AFTER BEING TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, I PERSISTED AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE PUSH ROD IN THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED AND JUST 6,000 MILES LATER THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS FAILING AGAIN. THE FACTORY REP. SHOWED MY FATHER THAT THE SYSTEM HAS OVERHEATED AND SCORED THE ROTORS AND DRUMS. THE PADS HAD LITTLE LEFT ON THEM. TOYOTA SAID THE SYSTEM CHECKS OUT FINE AND IT'S MY PROBLEM. 5 BRAKE JOBS IN 30,000 MILES, SOMETHING IS WRONG. PLEASE HELP!

BRAKE FAILURE. NO FURTHER DETAILS GIVEN.

(35-W173-913) INSURED HAD JUST STARTED VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN SMOKING AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM STATES SUBROGATION RECOVERY AGAINST FIRESTONE FOR A BAD OIL FILTER THAT CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE. *JG

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY,CAUSING HER TO SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURIES. *AK

THE BRAKES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WORE OUT AT 15000 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 CAMRY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES MORE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKES THAN TO THE BACK BRAKES, CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DEVELOPED A LEAK BEFORE IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SERVICING DEALER AT 19000 MILES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE STEERING AND CONTROL PROBLEMS. *AK

BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. *YC

WHILE INSURED WAS DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE STATED CAUSE OF FIRE WAS A LOOSE OIL FILTER CLAIM # 30-V068-383. *YD

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CAUSED BOLT TO COME LOOSE FROM DRIVER'S SEATBELT ASSEMBLY WHILE MAKING AN ABRUPT STOP.

OUR 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS WHAT WE HAVE CALLED A "STICKY" GAS PEDAL, BUT IT HASN'T GOTTEN "STUCK". THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN OUR MINDS WAS THE AGGRAVATION OF THE "STICKINESS" WHILE DRIVING. NOW I AM WONDERING IF WE SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD IT CHANGED YEARS AGO. I JUST ASSUMED WE COULD PULL OVER SAFELY IF IT WERE TO BECOME STUCK WHILE DRIVING. COULD THIS BE A PART OF THE SAME ISSUE THEY ARE HAVING WITH THE NEWER CARS? WHAT ACTION SHOULD WE TAKE, IF ANY? *TR

REAR SUSPENSION ISSUE THAT ALLOWS THE CAR TO BOTTOM OUT OVER SMALL BUMPS AND A CONSTANT BUMPING NOISE. THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE TIME INCIDENT. *TR

THE FRONT STRUT IS DEFECTIVE. YH

GOOD YEAR 195/70R14 TIRE FAILED. MJS

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE HOOD, AND WHEN PULLED OVER, THE HOOD WAS POPPED OPEN. BURST OF FLAMES CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD THAT WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK