1993 Toyota Camry

WHILE TURNING A CORNER, ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG ONLY DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER CLAIMS THAT THE AIR BAG WAS EMITTED A BLUE SMOKE. ALSO THE AIR BAG DID CAUSE BURNS TO BOTH ARMS, REMOVING SKIN FROM ONE. THE CONSUMER WAS CITED BY THE RESPONDING OFFICER. * NM

ACCELERATING AT A HIGH RATE WHILE IN REVERSE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *PH ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE SHOT BACK AT A VERY HIGH RATE. THERE WERE SUSPICIONS THAT AN ALARM COMPANY DISABLED THE RELAY DEVICE THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND NO PROBLEM. *SC *JB

I HAVE A 1993 TOYOTA CAMERY WITH LOW MILEAGE. IT STARTED STALLING ON ME EARLIER THIS MONTH. I TOOK IT INTO THE KINGS TOYOTA TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGES, A GENERAL SERVICE AND TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. THE DEALER SAID "68394 VEHICLE STALLS ENGINE IS SLUDGED UP, ENGINE NEEDS SERIOUS ATTENTION, ENGINE NEEDS DISASSEMBLED AND OVER HAULED" THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SLUDGING COULD BE CAUSED BY USING DIFFERENT OILS FOR MY OIL CHANGES OVER THE YEARS AND THAT THE COST WOULD BE AROUND $2000.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT IF I COULD SHOW HIM PROOF OF RECENT OIL CHANGES, HE WOULD SUBMIT IT TO TOYOTA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF THE CAR WAS 3-4 YEARS NEWER, TOYOTA WOULD PROBABLY COVER THE COSTS. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE FOR AN OLDER CAR, THEY THOUGHT TOYOTA MIGHT STILL COVER THE COST. WHEN I STARTED CALLING AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT 10 MINUTE OIL CHANGE PLACES TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECORDS ON MY IOL CHANGES, THEY TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WAS HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE I HAVE IN MY CAR AND I SHOULD CHECK INTO IT. I DO NOT KEEP MY RECORDS ON OIL CHANGES AND I MAY HAVE PROBLEMS SUPPLYING THE DEALER WITH ANY RECORDS. TOYOTA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINS AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT WITH OR WITHOUT MY OIL CHANGE RECORDS.

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE CALIPERS ON THE FRONT BRAKES TWICE. THE ROTORS ARE SO WARPED FROM ALL OF THE FRICTION HEAT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED SOON. THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR QUIT WORKING AND THEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER LOCK SWITCH AND THEN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW CONTROL STOPPED WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES AND HAS GONE OUT AGAIN JUST RECENTLY. THE POWER STEERING UNIT LEAKS OIL.

ENGINE BROKE A ROD BECAUSE SLUG DROPPED FROM TOP OF ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER OIL CHANGE. THIS KEPT OIL FROM CIRCULATING TO THE TOP PART OF THE ENGINE. MECHANIC SAID THIS IS BECOMING COMMON WITH TOYOTAS AND FORDS AFTER OIL CHANGES FROM JIFFY LUBES AND OTHER FRANCHISES BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY SHOT OIL IN THE ENGINES DURING OIL CHANGES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY PREVENTATIVE SOLUTIONS OR ANY RECOURSES FOR COMPENSATION. HENRY LARRYMORE

THE CAR HAS SUBSTANTIAL BLUE SMOKE AT START UP. MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR HAS A SLUDGE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE TOY V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT YOUR PRODUCTS AND ACTUALLY NOW OWN A LEXUS SC400, LAND CRUISER AND AN OLDER CAMRY WAGON (87) WITH 150,000 MILES. TOY HAS ALWAYS BUILT RELIABLE PRODUCTS THAT I CAN COUNT ON. HAS THIS CHANGED? WILL YOU ASSIST ME IN CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM? I HOPE YOU WILL, BECAUSE IF NOT, I WILL NO LONGER BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICE AND WILL LOOK TO OTHER CAR COMPANIES IN THE FUTURE.... THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

THE ENGINE FAILED ON MY 1993 V6 3.0L CAMRY WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES, DUE TO ELECTROLYSIS ON THE CYLINDERS AND RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ENGINE BLOCK. MY SECOND OPINION MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS IS THE SAME V6 ENGINE THAT WAS USED IN TOYOTA TRUCKS IN THE EARLY 90'S THAT HAD HEAD GASKET DEFECTS THAT LED TO THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA RECALLED AND REPLACED THESE GASKETS AND FIXED ANY RESULTING DAMAGE. TOYOTA OF SANTA BARBARA (WHERE I REGULARLY HAVE THIS CAR SERVICED) CLAIMS THAT THE SERVICE/PARTS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IF NOT, WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE, GIVEN THAT IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM? DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *LA