2006 Toyota Camry

I WAS TRAVELING SW AROUND 35MPH AND ENTERED AN INTERSECTION WITH THE GREEN LIGHT. ANOTHER (UNLICENSED) DRIVER ALSO TRAVELING AT THE SAME SPEED ENTERED THE INTERSECTION TRAVELING NE, HIS LIGHT WAS RED, BUT HE RAN IT. MY FRONT END IMPACTED HIS DRIVERS SIDE (NEAR THE FRONT TIRE) BOTH OF HIS AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, YET NEITHER OF MINE DID. MY FRONT END (FRAME) BENT LIKE A V-SHAPE, AND FLUID FROM THE RADIATOR DRAINED ONTO THE HOT ENGINE. I HAD TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE CAR BY THE LOCAL EMT AND WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO EMERGENCY. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT WOULD LOVE TO SHARE ESPECIALLY TOYOTA, SO THEY CAN EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THE AIR BAGS FAILED, AND PUT ME INTO WHAT IS GOING TO BE MONTHS OF THERAPY. *TR

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA CAMRY 2006 FROM MAPLE HILL AUTO GROUP IN KALAMAZOO, MI IN MARCH OF 2011. THE CAR HAD 49,202 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. WHEN I TEST DROVE IT, I NOTICED THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I EXPRESSED CONCERN TO THE SALESMAN WHO INDICATED "OH, THAT'S JUST A SENSOR ISSUE, THAT CAN BE FIXED QUICKLY." I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH SOME RESERVATION ABOUT THE LIGHT. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THE LIGHT WAS OFF (THEY HAD TAKEN IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO FIX). EVERYTHING WAS FINE FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS IN AUGUST WHEN THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. I RETURNED IT TO MAPLE HILL AUTO AND WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT "THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT PART OF POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT BE FIXED. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD "TWEAK"IT AGAIN BUT IN EVIDENTLY THE ENTIRE FRONT SEAT MAY HAVE TO BE REMOVED AT A COST OF ABOUT $3000, WHICH OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE. SO THEY "TWEAKED" IT AGAIN AND IT WAS OKAY FOR A WHILE. NOW, JULY 2012, IT HAS COME BACK ON AGAIN. ON MY SALES AGREEMENT WITH MAPLE HILL AUTO IT STATES "DEALER WILL REPAIR AIR BAG LIGHT ISSUE." OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED. THE CAR ONLY HAD 49,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON ORIGINALLY. THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY FOR CAMRYS IS SUPPOSED TO BE 60,0000 MILES FOR THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN SCAMMED AND LIED TO BY THE DEALER WHO ONLY TOOK IT TO TOYOTA TO GET THE LIGHT TEMPORARILY OFF SO I WOULD BUY THE CAR. I BELIEVE THEY KNEW IT WAS A MORE SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE I BELIEVE TOYOTA TOLD THEM IT WOULD BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. NOW I FEEL STUCK AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE A SEAT AND I DON'T FEEL A 2006 CAMRY I PAID $12,350 FOR SHOULD HAVE THIS ISSUE. AREN'T THEY SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT SAFETY? NOW I AM FORCED TO DRIVE AROUND IN AN UNSAFE CAR, INCLUDING WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN. I THINK MAPLE HILL AUTO SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO MYSELF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INDICATOR WAS REPAIRED AFTER RESETTING THE AIR BAG MODULE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD MOVE THE SEATS THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECENT FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INSTRUCTED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE SENSOR REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,060. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEY FAILED. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GASOLINE STATION WHERE THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY DEFECTS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND SHE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000. UPDATED 08/15/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SYSTEM WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE RACK AND PINION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE RACK AND PINION BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION AND A YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

THERE IS AN APPARENT ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON THE 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY WHEN A MINOR IMPACT WITH A DEER COMPLETELY WIPES OUT THE BRAKING SYSTEM. AFTER IMPACT WITH THE DEER, USE OF THE BRAKE SENT THE CAR INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SIDEWAYS SLIDE. UTILIZING EVERY DEFENSIVE DRIVING TECHNIQUE I COULD, I RECOVERED THE CAR TO A FORWARD PATH ONLY TO TOUCH THE BRAKE AGAIN AND GO BACK INTO THE SIDEWAYS SLIDE. AFTER THREE FAILED ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE CAR THE FOURTH BRAKE ATTEMPT SENT THE CAR INTO A SPIN OUT AND SLUNG IT INTO THE DITCH. THE DAMAGE FROM THIS IMPACT TOTALED THE CAR AND WAS A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE FOR THE DRIVER. IT APPEARS THAT THE WIRING FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS IN THE WHEEL WELLS AND VULNERABLE TO MAJOR DAMAGE WITH A MINOR IMPACT. A BETTER PROTECTION OF THE WIRING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THE IMPACT WITH THE DEER MUST HAVE SHORTED THE WIRING TO THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WHEN I WENT TO REMOVE MY BELONGINGS FROM THE VEHICLE, IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH BOTH INSIDE AND OUT EVEN THOUGH THE TEMP WAS IN THE 30'S. I WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO GO UP IN FLAMES AT ANY MOMENT. WE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. PLEASE UTILIZE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP AVOID THIS SITUATION IN THE FUTURE. HAD THERE BEEN ANY OTHER VEHICULAR TRAFFIC THAT NIGHT I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THAT INCIDENT AND WITH OUT SOME PRIOR SNOW AND ICE DRIVING EXPERIENCE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE TREES WITH THE FIRST SLIDE. *TR

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN IN ORDER TO TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND STOP IN THE SPACE. I HAD ALREADY MADE A RIGHT TURN AND WAS MOST OF THE WAY INTO THE PARKING SPACE WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED JUMPING THE CURB, GOING DOWN INTO A 8 FT. DEEP DITCH AND COMING HALF WAY UP THE OTHER SIDE. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY, BOUGHT BRAND NEW, HAD ONLY 14,606 MILES AND DRIVEN 5 YEARS AND 11 MONTHS, WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW BATTERY. DEALER HOISTED IT AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE RUBBER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS (LOWER SUSPENSION) WERE TEARING AND THEREFORE, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE CONTROL ARMS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. . COST: $988.38 LESS 10% DISCOUNT. THE RUBBER BUSHING FLEXES UP AND GOWN WHEN THE CONTROL ARM MOVES AND IS SUBJECT TO AGE DETERIORATION AND DAMAGE FROM ROAD DEBRIS LIKE SALT, SNOW, ETC. THE BUSHING IS ONLY PARTIALLY SHIELDED BY THE CAR FRAME. IF THE BUSHING TEARS MORE, THE CONTROL ARM COULD FALL AND THE CAR WOULD LOSE STEERING ABILITY - A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I SAW THE SAME COMPLAINT FOR ANOTHER 2006 CAMRY AND 1996 CAMRY ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. I WROTE A LETTER TO TOYOTA ASKING IF THE RUBBER BUSHING ON THE NEW REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARMS I PURCHASED IS THE SAME POOR QUALITY AS THE ORIGINALS. ALSO, ARE THE NEW 2012 CAMRY'S EQUIPPED WITH SAME SHOCK CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS? I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA IN TORRANCE, CA DATED 12/12/11 SAYING THEY "REVIEWED AND DOCUMENTED" MY LETTER. WHEN I CALLED, THE TOYOTA QUALITY ASSURANCE CENTER, THE LADY SAID SHE HAS TO FIRST REVIEW MY COMPLAINT LETTER. AFTER 5 MINUTES SHE SAID SHE DID NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTROL ARM. DO NOT BUY ANY TOYOTA CAR WITHOUT FIRST PERSONALLY INSPECTING THE CONDITION OF BOTH CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS TOGETHER WITH THE MECHANIC HOLDING A FLASHLIGHT AND MIRROR, AT EVERY OIL CHANGE. MAKE THE SAME INSPECTION BEFORE THE 36,000/3 YEAR WARRANTY OR 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON REPLACEMENTS, EXPIRE! ANY INCIPIENT TEAR IS REASON FOR REPLACEMENT AT TOYOTA'S COST. A TINY TEAR SHOWS A LATENT DEFECT BECAUSE FRACTURE MECHANICS SAYS THE TEAR OR DEGRADATION OF THE RUBBER BUSHINGS WILL PROPAGATE. *TR UPDATED 04/07/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE CONTACT AS WELL AS A PASSENGER WAS INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE POLICE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN THE CRASH. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 54,000.

I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHEN DRIVING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD, SPEEDBUMPS, POTHOLES, ESPECIALLY AT SPEEDS OVER 45-55 MPH, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL THAT SOUNDS LIKE METAL-ON-METAL SUCH AS SOMETHING GRINDING ON THE ROTOR, ALMOST LIKE THE WHEEL IS COMING OFF. WHEN THIS SOUND OCCURS, THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK - WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, YOU GET A GRINDING NOISE SUCH AS THE NOISE YOU WOULD GET WHEN YOUR BRAKES ARE SO LOW THAT IT BEGINS GRINDING ON THE ROTOR. I TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM APPROXIMATELY 1-2 WEEKS AGO AND I HAD MY BRAKES REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY THREAT AS I HAVE TO GET OFF OF THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE THE STOPPING ABILITY OF THE CAR WAS SEVERELY COMPROMISED. THE PROBLEM OCCURS AT HIGH SPEEDS WHEN DRIVING OVER EXTREMELY MINOR BUMPS. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. *TR