1998 Toyota Camry

PROBLEMS WITH REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMING OUT GOING OVER DIPS, BUMPS, ETC. HAVE BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED OVER TIME. ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY PASSENGERS, EVEN ONE SMALL CHILD, IN REAR SEAT, THE CAR BOTTOMS OUT AND SCRAPES THE STREET SURFACE. EVEN BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED, CAUSES THE REAR TO BOTTOM OUT AND SCRAPE THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, IT WILL BOTTOM OUT ON SLIGHTLY ROUGH ROAD. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT THEY HAVE ADVISED US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION BUT INSIST THAT TOYOTA BUILT THE CAR WITH A SOFT SUSPENSION FOR A SOFT RIDE. THE RESULT IS A CAR THAT BOTTOMS OUT CONTINOUSLY IF YOU HAVE ANY PASSENGERS IN THE REAR OF THE COMPARTMENT OR A LOAD IN THE TRUNK.*AK

ON 2/9/2002 DRIVING ON THE 55 CLOSE TO THE 91 FREEWAY WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. WE BARELY HAD TIME TO PARK IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE BRAKES WERE ALREADY BURNING SO WE HAD TO COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP.WE RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR FOR IT WAS ALREADY IGNITED WITH FLAMES WHEN WE GOT TO ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD STOPPED TO HELP US THE CAR BLEW UP LEAVING THE FRAME ONLY ORANGE COUNTY FIRE DEPT ASSISTED US .AND DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. WE THEN CONTACTED TOYOTA WHO THEN SAID IT WAS OUR FAULT AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE CAR.THECAR WAS AND STILL IS UNDER WARRANTY WHICH EXPIRES ON 4/16/2004 UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE TOYOTA SOLD US LOJACK THEFT SYSTEM 2 DAYS LATER THEY CAME OUT TO OUR HOUSE AND INSTALLED IT THE ONLY MAINTENANCE DONE ON THIS CAR WAS LOJACK AND MY BROTHER ADDED 1/2 QUART OF OIL NO MAINTENANCE WAS NEEDED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 318076 MILES ON IT AND IT HAD 40100 AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT ,THAT I AM FOR NOT HAVING PROPER MAINTENACE DONE TO THE CAR AND IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR DESIGN THEREFORE THEY SAY THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE WHOLE BILL WHICH I FEEL AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE WRONG IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY NEEDED TO CHECK OUT THE FACTS BEFORE LEAVING ME WITHOUT A CAR AND NOW A BAD DEBT. I TOLD THEM I STILL HAD THE PAYMENTS PUT UP AND WAS WILLING TO DELIVER THE PAYMENTS IF THEY COMPENSATED ME WITH ANOTHER CAR OR JUST MAKE ME SEE WHERE IT IS MY FAULT. PLEASE ADVISE AND LET ME KNOW SOMETHING SOON FOR THEY WANT TO SUE ME FOR THIS I NEED HELP THANK YOU SO MUCH YOLANDA GAMBOA 9123 ADMIRALTY AVE RIVERSIDE, CA.92503 909-689-9805. *AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS EXCESSIVELY SHAKY. IT VIBRATED AND MADE A LOT OF NOISE WHEN GOING OVER A ROUGH ROAD. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT AT THE NHTSA WEB SITE, THERE ARE 52 REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY MODEL. I HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED AT A DEALERSHIP IN LOUISIANA. THEY REPLACED THE STRUT MOUNTS ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION AT A COST OF $420.82. THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL BY TOYOTA. IT IS MY WISH THAT TOYOTA BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE '98 CAMRY.*AK