1999 Toyota Camry Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH THERE WAS AN UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE SUSPENSION STABILIZER BAR HAD FAILED. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE STABILIZER BAR, STRUTS AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN TWO YEARS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE MOTOR MOUNTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS OTHER UNKNOWN COMPONENTS WITHIN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLANKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED A PERSISTENT CLANKING SOUND WAS NOTED IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED STRUT WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE CAR AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THE TOYOTA DEALERS WERE AWARE OF THE DEFECT WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE STRUT MOUNT DESIGN. HOWEVER, REPAIRS WERE AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE, NOT THE DEALERS. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $400. A CALL TO TOYOTA FAILED TO OBTAIN ANY INFORMATION REGARDING SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE STRUT PLATES WERE MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THE STRUT PLATES SHOULD BE REPLACED. *AK

1999 TOYOTA CAMRY SOON AFTER WE PURCHASED OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY MY WIFE AND I NOTICED THAT EVERY TIME WE WENT OVER THE SPEED BUMPS IN OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WE WOULD HEAR A NOISE - A CLICK/CLACK AT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE - NOT LOUD BUT DISTINCT. I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER - STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA AND DESCRIBED THE ISSUE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER & REQUESTING AN APPOINTMENT. HE ASSURED ME THAT THIS IS SIMPLY THE BRAKES THAT ARE "BEING SEATED" AND NOT AN ISSUE. THE NOISE CONTINUED AND BECAME LOUDER WITH TIME. AS THIS POINT WE WERE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MELODY TOYOTA AND ASKED THE MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AS THE NOISE WAS MUCH LOUDER AND OCCURRED WHENEVER WE GO OVER ANY POTHOLE ETC, NOT ONLY BUMPS.. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THIS WAS A BROKEN STRUT ARM OR STABILIZER ARM. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A WARRANTY AS I HAD COMPLAINED TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD A FEW THOUSAND MILES. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE IS NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON THIS ITEM. I ASKED IF THE ISSUE WAS COMMON AND THE MILEAGE AND HE RESPONDED I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE ON A NUMBER OF CAMRY'S - THE MILEAGE IS IRRESPECTIVE - LOW MILES OR HIGH. I HAVE NOT HAD THE ISSUE RESOLVED AS HE STATED IT WOULD NOT HURT THE CAR. PER THE MECHANIC THERE MUST BE TONS OF CARS THAT HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE REPAIRED. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS WELL. *TR

THE SUSPENSION ON THE CAR IS VERY NOISY. THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAKING LIKE NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY BUMP. I BELIEVE THAT THE CAR NEEDS NEW STRUTS AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 48,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

THE SUSPENSION ON MY 99 TOYOTA SOLARA IS VERY NOISY. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY MADE A NOTE OF IT, BUT THAT WAS ALL THEY WOULD DO. THE CAR HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES ON IT MUCH OF IT HIGHWAY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. *NM

MY 1999 CAMRY (52K MILE) SEDAN WAS IN FOR SERVICE AND I ASKED THAT CLUNKING AND SQWEEK IN THE FRONT END BE CHECKED. AFTER DRIVING IT, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RUBBER TOP MOUNTS ON THE MACPHERSON STRUTS WERE SPLIT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY HAD REPLACED A LOT OF THEM. IT COST APPROXIMATELY $350. I HAVE OWNED 9 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES IN THE PAST 18 YEARS AND THIS HAS NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE. I THINK TOYOTA IS TRYING TO GET BY WITHOUT FIXING THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE CLASSIFIED AS A DEFECT. THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED.

MY CAMRY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS FALLING APART! THE SCREWS HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE DOORS THREE TIME AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS ONLY SOLUTION IS TO PUT SILICONE IN THE SCREW HOLES WHICH NOW CAUSES THE THE DOORS TO SQUEAK. THE CAR IS DRAGGING THE GROUND AS A RESULT OF POOR STRUTS. I CONTINUE TO GET THE RUN AROUND WITH THE MANUFACTURE. *NLM

APRIL 30, 2003 ON SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2003 - MY 1999 TOYOTA 2.2L 4CYL CAMRY LE VIN NUMBER [XXX] CEASED TO OPERATE AT JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE ENGINE WITH A VERY LOUD NOISE (SUCH HAS GEARS UNDER PRESSURE THAT JUST GAVE WAY) STOPPED ABRUPTLY WHILE SMOKE CAME OUT AND THE OIL SPILLED ALL OVER THE PLACE. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED BACK TO ROCKLAND TOYOTA THE NEXT DAY I LATER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SIZED HOLE ON THE ENGINE AND WAS SHOWN BROKEN THE PIECES. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT ROCKLAND TOYOTA SINCE ITS PURCHASE FROM TOYOTA NORTH (ALL BASED IN NEW YORK). MY CAMRY HAS HAD SYMPTOMS RELATING TO OIL SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. PERSISTENT DRIFTING/PULLING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, UNEVEN WEAR OF TIRES WITH NEED FOR EARLY REPLACEMENT, PREMATURE BRAKE COMPONENT WEAR, INCLUDING REAR BRAKE DRUMS, AND VIBRATIONS, ESP. AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH SINCE ITS PURCHASE IN 1999. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE STRUTS HAVE GONE BAD IN MY 99 TOYOTA SOLARA. I'VE CHECKED MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE NET AND A LOT OF SOLARA OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS. I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX THIS. IT SEEMS TO BE A TOYOTA DEFECT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.*JB

MY 1999 CAMRY HAS SQUEALING SOUND IN THE FRONT END AND ITS STRUT MOUNTS ARE BAD FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT REACHED 50000 MILES. I NEVER IMAGINED SUCH A PROBLEM WITH CAMRY. IT WAS NOT LIKE PEOPLE SAID THAT CAMRY HAD VERY GOOD RECORDS. MY CAR HAS MANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT SUCH AS ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND OFF AND NEVER SOLVED. I PAID $99 ONCE FOR THE CHECKING AND DEALERS PAID MANY TIMES. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT AND THE BRAKE CAN NOT STOP CAR FAST ENOUGH THAT CONTRIBUTED A ACCIDENT IN 2001. THE DOOR SIDE TRIM HAS BEEN OFF THE LINE AND LOOKS UGLY, ETC. I FEEL A LOT OF HEADACHE WITH IT. *JB

FRONT STRUT FAILURE ON XLE V6 CAMRY. NOISE BEGAN AROUND 32,000 MILES. STRUT PLATES REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE AT 42,000 MILES AND ALL FOUR STRUTS THEN REPLACED AGAIN AT OWNER EXPENSE AT 59,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND REFUSED ASSISTANCE "IN THIS CASE." INDICATION FROM OTHER REPORTS ON NET AND MANUFACTURERS' KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM THAT THIS WAS, INDEED, A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL YEAR AND STYLE OF CAMRY.

IT APPEARS THAT A GOOD PORTION OF CAMRY AND SOLARA (BOTH CARS SHARE SAME PLATFORM) OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING A CLUNKING NOISE THAT OCCURS IN THE FRONT. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR NHTSA TO EXTEND THE POWER OF CONSUMERS TO GET TOYOTA TO ADMIT TO ITS FAULT, AND TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY? TSB#: SU00299 TSB#: 012199 TSB#: SU00100 GIVEN THAT THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF 1997-2001 CAMRY'S SOLD, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THERE ARE MANY FRUSTRATED OWNERS WHO WISH TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED AT THE EXPENSE OF TOYOTA MOTOR SALES. SOME OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM EARLY, WITHIN THE 3YR/36K MI. WARRANTY PERIOD, WHILE OTHERS ARE LEFT IN THE COLD TO PAY ABOUT $300 TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND NOT PRIMARILY WEAR AND TEAR, I BELIEVE TOYOTA MOTORS CORPORATION HAS THE OBLIGATION TO EXTEND ITS WARRANTY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES CAN THE NHTSA DO TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AGAINST DESIGN FLAWS AND DEFECTS SUCH AS THIS ONE? *NLM

MCPHERSON STRUT UPPER BUSHING IS LOOSE AND MAKES LOUD SOUNDS WHEN GOING OVER MOST BUMPS. APPEARS THE UPPER MOUNT OPENING IS TOO LARGE AND ALLOWS THE STRUT TO MOVE AROUND. DEALER QUOTES $585.00 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT STRUTS. THIS SEEMS A DEFECT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED A RATTLE WHILE DRIVING. NOTIFIED DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT STRUT ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ALL 4 STRUTS ARE LEAKING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER'S ESTIMATED COST IS $1700.00. THE CAR HAS 56K MILES (80% FREEWAY)

LETTER AND ATTACHMENTS FORTHCOMING VIA US MAIL. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

VEHICLE HAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, IT'S TAKEN IN APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES TO BE ADJUSTED. FRONT ALIGNMENT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE ALWAYS GOES BAD FIRST, THEN ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALER THINKS IT'S CONSUMERS DRIVING, AND DOES NOT SEE IT AS A PROBLEM. *AK

A RATTLING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE CAR. ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT INCLUDING REPLACING ALL STRUTS. NOISE HAS BEEN NOTICEABLE SINCE THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. MUCH MONEY WASTED ON INEFFECTIVE REPAIRS. RATTLE CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. *TR

STRUTS HAVE A DIMINISHED CAPACITY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOUNCE. NOISE DIES DOWN WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND BOTTOMS OUT . DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK