1999 Toyota Camry Electrical System Problems

I TURNED ON REAR DEFROST AND WITHIN FEW SECONDS BACK SEAT WAS ON FIRE. WINDOW BURNT SEAT AND SEAT BELT ALSO BURNED HAND. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL CAUSE. I FIGURED A FUSE WOULD BLOW PRIOR TO A FIRE INSIDE CAR. HAD I BEEN ON FWY I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN LUCKY GAS TANK IS INCHES BELOW FIRE .

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE GAS CAP. OUR MECHANIC HAS TRIED MANY SOLUTIONS TO REPAIR THIS AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LATER, WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE - THE EVAPORATION VAPOR CANISTER. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PIECE WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT AGAINST TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA LOST. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY OVER $400 FOR A PART SO THAT IT PASSES INSPECTION. ESPECIALLY WHEN TOYOTA KNEW THIS PART WAS A PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART.

1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 4CYL STARTER FAILED TO DISENGAGE FROM FLYWHEEL CAUSING FIRE. THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING BURNING IT OUT AND ALSO BURNING THE POSITIVE CABLE TO THE BATTERY. DAMAGE TO THE BATTERY IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. I WAS SITTING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE RADIO AND THE AIR ON WHEN I OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO COME INTO THE CAR THRU THE AIR CONDITIONING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF BUT THE SMOKE CONTINUED AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED. AFTER LOOKING AT THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE POSTINGS. I HAVE NOT SEEN A RECALL ON THIS. IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. MY INSURER SAID THAT MY CLAIM WILL BE DENIED DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO HE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL ON THE MORNING OF 3/28/2012, WHEN OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. MY DAUGHTER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS SHE COULD BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE'S RPM'S WENT TO THE MAXIMUM. THE CAR AT THAT POINT MUST HAVE BLOWN A PISTON ROD OR VALVE, OIL WAS SPRAYING INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO BUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF IT WOULD RELEASE. THE CAR WAS STALLED ON A MAIN STREET WITH EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON. SHE AGAIN TRIED TO START THE CAR AND RPM'S WENT TO THE MAX AND THE AT THAT POINT SMOKE STARTED RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SEVERAL PEOPLE CAME TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TRIED TO HELP TRAFFIC MOVE AROUND THE VEHICLE. I ARRIVED AT MY DAUGHTERS LOCATION AND WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS PUSHED THE CAR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET INTO A RESIDENTIAL DRIVE WAY. I HAVE NOW TOWED THE CAR BACK TO MY HOME AND NEED HELP TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THIS FAILURE WAS. I AM VERY RELUCTANT TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. AS I REVIEW OTHER VEHICLE ACCELERATION COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, I WANT OTHER 1999 CAMRY OWNERS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS TYPE OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM CAN AND DOES OCCUR. WE ARE VERY LUCKY OUR DAUGHTER DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES OR CAUSE ANY DEATHS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FINAL MILEAGE IS AT AROUND 162,000. *TR

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS THE GAS CAP. OUR MECHANIC HAS TRIED MANY SOLUTIONS TO REPAIR THIS AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LATER, WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE - THE EVAPORATION VAPOR CANISTER. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PIECE WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT AGAINST TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA LOST. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY OVER $400 FOR A PART SO THAT IT PASSES INSPECTION. ESPECIALLY WHEN TOYOTA KNEW THIS PART WAS A PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART.

WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE RADIO BEGAN SKIPPING SIMILAR TO A SCRATCHED CD WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE RADIO WAS TUNED TO FM, NOT PLAYING A CD. THE SAME SOUND WAS HEARD FOUR MONTHS EARLIER, BUT NOT SINCE THEN. SUDDENLY THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND PULLED ONTO A SIDE STREET, WHERE SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE ESCALATED AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR WAS CONSUMED. CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

OUR SON WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 CAMRY ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE-CHECK ENGINE, CHECK OIL, CHECK TIRES. THEN THERE WAS A DING SOUND AND A LOUD POP. THE CAR SHUT OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND EXITED THE CAR. AS HE WENT TO OPEN THE HOOD HE REALIZED IT WAS ON FIRE. HE CALLED 911. THE RESPONDING STATE TROOPER TRIED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BUT COULDN'T. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED. WE HAVE PROPERLY MAINTAINED OUR CAMRY AT OUR LOCAL GARAGE, WHO HAS THE RECORDS ON FILE. LUCKILY ONLY OBJECTS WERE LOST, OUR SON IS FINE. *TR

DESPITE BEING REGULARLY MAINTAINED, VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF, NOT ABUSED, AND LESS THAN AVERAGE USE (AVERAGE 6700 MI/YR), THIS TOYOTA CAMRY (PURCHASED NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA) HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY FOR LONG. THE FACTORY-INSTALLED CD/CASSETTE/RADIO SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, AND NOW THE CD PLAYER PART YET AGAIN DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. AT ONLY ABOUT 10000 MILES, THE AIR FLOW RATIO SENSOR AND MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEN THERE IS THE FACT THAT ABOUT 95% OF THE TIME, THE CAR WILL NOT START WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING DEPRESSED AND HELD FOR 1 MIN, AND EVEN THEN THE ENGINE ALWAYS SOUNDS WEAK AND ONLY REACHES ABOUT 500 RPM UNTIL PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE ODOMETER READ 16603 MILES. THAT WAS WHEN THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS FIRST REPLACED. THE SITUATION SEEMED TO IMPROVE, UNTIL 34800 MILES, WHEN THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH IT NOT STARTING AND BEING VERY WEAK RESUMED. AT 35394 MILES THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS REPLACED FOR A 2ND TIME. AT 47000 MILES THE SAME PROBLEMS RESUMED. AT 49180 MILES, THE CAR WOULD (AS USUAL) NOT START UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED FOR 1 MIN. THEN IT RAN AT ONLY 500 RPM. AS IT WAS THEN BEING DRIVEN OUT OF AN ALLEY, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SPONTANEOUSLY BOOSTED TO 1200 RPM, NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION. THIS TYPE OF IMPETUOUS ACCELERATION STARTED FREQUENTLY OCCURRING. TOYOTA REFUSED TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM, ONLY SAYING TO USE PREMIUM GASOLINE, WHICH PROVED TO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NOW THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE CAR HAS COLLAPSED THREE TIMES AT 72173 MI, 75009 MI, AND TODAY (2010-03-11) AT 75024 MI. THE DISHONESTY OF TOYOTA PERSONNEL IS SEEN IN ITS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND EARLIER IN FRAUDULENTLY CANCELING THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT WAS PART OF THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE CAR WAS PAID FOR AND ITS REFUSAL TO RESPOND TO WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. *TR

MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN I SET IT TO OVER 50MPH AND THEN TRY TO TURN IT OFF, MY PEDAL STICKS A LITTLE AND ACTS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO RELEASE. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS THE BURNING OF OIL SMELL THAT COMES WITH THE PEDAL STICKING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE ONLY THINGS THEY FOUND WAS A LOOSE HOSE. IT WAS RETIGHTEND. I AM ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL PARTS ON MY REAR VIEW MIRRORS. THEY ARE ALL OPPOSITES. UP IS DOWN RIGHT IS LEFT ETC. I HAD GOTTEN A VEHICLE CAR FACTS ON THE CAR AND ONLY ONE OWNER AND REAR ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED. ALSO I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED MY FRONT TWO TIRES WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASE AND IT MAKES A SCRAPING NOISE WHENEVER THE CAR IS IN MOTION. *TR

1999 CAMRY BATTERY KEPT DYING. THEN ONE DAY, THE CAR STOPPED WORKING DURING DRIVING, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, I SAW THAT THE CABLES AND BATTERY HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED. OLD PARTS WERE DISCARDED. *TR

ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 13, 2007 MY WIFE DROVE OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 20 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE TO A GOVERNMENT FACILITY WHERE SHE VOLUNTEERS AS AN INCOME TAX PREPARER FOR THE IRS THROUGH THE CITY OF PHOENIX. AS SHE WAS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE BUILDING THE CAR STALLED BUT SHE MANAGED TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN WITH THE GEAR SHIFT IN NEUTRAL AND PROCEEDED INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE THE CAR STALLED TWICE AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING SLOT AND SHE WENT INTO WORK. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES MY WIFE WAS CALLED OUT TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE SHE WITNESSED THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHING A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE CAMRY. THE FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND MELTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE. A PHOENIX POLICE OFFICER WAS PARKED IN THE LOT PRIOR TO THE FIRE AND TOOK A STATEMENT FROM MY WIFE AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR RESIDENCE. THE CAMRY HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS RUNNING IN GOOD CONDITION BEFORE THE FIRE. I HAD ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE A FEW MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR; THE DRIVER DOOR PUSH BUTTON LOCK, THE STEREO AND THE PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR WERE INTERMITTENT. NO OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAMRY WAS PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEALER IN AUGUST OF 2002 AS A TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. THIS DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ENGINE GEL, THE SECURE KEY LOCK AND WIRING HARNESS DEFECTS IN THE VEHICLE. WE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND SIMILAR CASES OF ENGINE FIRES IN 1999 CAMRYS THAT STARTED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SOME WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. WE ONLY HAD LIABILITY COVERAGE ON OUR CAMRY. WE ARE DOWN TO ONE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE SUFFERED A TOTAL LOSS. *NM

THE WIRING HARNESS POWERING SEVERAL REAR MOUNTED LIGHTS SEVERED COMPLETELY FROM ITS MASTER CABLE. THIS HARNESS RUNS ALONG THE LEFT HINGE OF THE TRUNK LID. THE RESULT IS THAT I LOST MY TAIL LIGHTS, REAR SIDE MARKER LIGHTS, BACKUP LIGHTS AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE INASMUCH AS I AM SUBJECT TO A CITATION FOR VIOLATION OF SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. I DON'T MIND REPLACING CONSUMABLE ITEMS, BUT A WIRING HARNESS SHOULD NOT FAIL IN NORMAL USE, ESPECIALLY IF IT AFFECTS SAFETY LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. REFERENCE # FOR MY COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA: 200601100356. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER PARKED VEHICLE AND PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND LATER STOPPED ON ITS OWN. A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTERWARDS, SHE INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THE BATTERY CABLES MELTED BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A DEALER. THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. *AK

SHIFTED (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) INTO REVERSE. FUSE BLEW. POWER WINDOWS AND ALL DASHBOARD GAUGES STOPPED FUNCTIONING. WIRING HARNESS, AT THE HINGE, IN THE TRUNK HAD TO BE REPAIRED. *JB

MY LATE 1999 TOYOTA ECHO WAS PARKED AFTER A SHORT DRIVE. TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND A LARGE AREA OF MY HOME WAS BURNED. I AND MY NIECE WERE ASLEEP UPSTAIRS. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE SMELL OF SMOKE WOKE US. WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE CAR, A COLUMN OF WHITE FIRE WAS SHOOTING UP THROUGH THE WINDSCREEN TO THE CEILING 11 FEET ABOVE. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE CENTER OF THE CONSOLE/DASH AREA. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO FLAMES AROUND OR UNDER THE CAR. JUST THE COLUMN OF FLAME FROM THE CENTER. THE HORN WAS SOUNDING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN 10 MINUTES AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE WAS SEATED IN THE CENTRAL DASH AREA. THE KEYS WERE BESIDE BY BED. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS AND THERE WERE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE CAR. WHEN TOYOTA WERE NOTIFIED, THEY SENT INVESTIGATORS TO LOOK FOR A RELAY NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. THE RESULTS OF MY INSURANCE', TOYOTA'S AND AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR'S INVESTIGATIONS WERE (AS RELAYED TO ME BY PHONE) UNSPECIFIED FIRE STARTING IN THE DASH. *JB

SIGNAL LIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS DEFECTED (WON'T FLASH). REPLACE FUSES AND UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL PART (DON'T KNOW THE CORRECT NAME) SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WORK FOR MAYBE TWO WEEKS, THEN STOP. MECHANIC STATED ITS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; ALSO HEAR LIKE A FRYING NOISE WHEN USING SIGNALS AND SOMETIMES WHEN JUST DRIVING. INSIDE CAR LIGHT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO. REPLACE WITH RECOMMENDED FUSE AND WORKS FOR A DAY AND STOPS. *NM

VEHICLE DID NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS PULLED OUT THE IGNITION SWITCH. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE SWITCH BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY TURNED OFF. CONSUMER WILL NOTIFY MANUFACTURER.*AK *JB

A 1999 GREEN TOYOTA CAMPRY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ITS OWNER WAS DRIVING IT. THE OWNER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AT THE LEFT REAR CORNER CLOSEST TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR DIED IN PLACE A CAUGHT FIRE. *AK

ON AUG 10, 2004 MY SISTER WAS DRIVING HER 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN IT INEXPLICABLY DROVE OFF THE W. BOUND LANES OF IL I '74' AT MI MARKER 115. IT TRAVELED 921 FT CROSSING THE MEDIAN, I '74' E. BOUND LANES, UP A HILL, EVENTUALLY STRIKING A TREE WHERE THE CAR BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES, BURNING MY SISTER TO DEATH. A WITNESS STATEMENT BY A SEMI TRUCK DRIVER STATED THAT HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. I ATTENDED THE CORONER'S INQUEST WHERE THE FACTUAL MATTERS WERE PRESENTED INCLUDING A TOXICOLOGY REPORT. HER DEATH WAS RULED AN "ACCIDENT". *TR

AFTER RETURNING FROM A ROAD TRIP CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRANK NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE VENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. *AK