1998 Toyota Camry

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH AND HIGHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND BECOME EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DEALER HOWEVER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH HIS SAFETY WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE HE POTENTIALLY COULD NOT CONTROL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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

TOYOTA CUSTOMER AND OWNER WITH UNFORTUNATE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR DRIVEN NORMALLY IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF THE DAY AS AN ELDER. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE OIL LEAKS, THE FLOORMAT INTERFERES WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND STICKS, INTERFERING WITH BRAKING EXPERIENCED RECENTLY ON THE NY-CT HIGHWAY. I PAID TO REPAIR THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND OIL LEAKS AND STILL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS INDICATED FOR EXAMPLE BY THE DASHBOARD WHICH IS CONTINUOUSLY LIT UP, I.E. IS STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I WROTE TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC. 19001 SOUTH WESTERN AVE. DEPT. WC11 TORRANCE, CA 90501 CC: NANCY FEIN, VP CUSTOMER SERVICE TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA INC., PO BOX 10054 TOLDEO OHIO 43682-4419. *TR

1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING A CRASH. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IN THE SECONDS THE VEHICLE LEFT THE STREET, IT JUMPED THE CURB, RAN OVER A SMALL TREE TRUNK, CROSSED TWO DRIVEWAYS AND HIT A 25 YEAR OLD DOGWOOD HEAD-ON. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY THE TREE BEING UPROOTED BECAUSE THE SOIL WAS SATURATED FROM THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS. THE TRESS AND BRANCHES DESTROYED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST AFTER IT HIT THE SECOND DOGWOOD TREE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS INTACT, HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB UPDATED 03/24/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE CRASH AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 127000.

OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHERE THE ACCELERATOR ON MY 98 CAMRY BECOMES HARD TO DEPRESS AFTER SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT/SIGN. TAPPING THE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES FINALLY ALLOWS THE PEDAL TO RELEASE. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES CAUSE THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS ONLY AFTER COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION, BUT SUSPECT THAT MAY BE NEXT. *TR