2011 Toyota Camry

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT, THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED, AND THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS PERFORMED TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

I EXPERIENCED A SITUATION WITH BRAKE NO RESPONSES AFTER I STEP BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES AND FELT LIKE CAR ACCELERATING ON MAY 19TH, SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON A HIGHWAY WITH CAMRY 2011. IT WAS RAINING AND THE DEALER CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME IT COULD HAPPEN??. THE DEALER CHECKED THE DATA AND LET A FIELD TECHNICIAN CHECKED, THEN TOLD ME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO PUMP THE BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED, THE CAR SMARTLY LET THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED IN TO AVOID LOCKING THE WHEEL, WHICH IS THE REASON WHAT I WAS FEELING BRAKE DID NOT RESPONSE AND ACCELERATING. BUT I ACTED SO QUICKLY TO TURN THE CAR ONTO THE HIGHWAY CURB TO AVOID CRASH INTO THE FRONT CAR, AFTER SEVERAL DAYS CHECK THE DEALER CONFIRMED WITH ME THE CAMRY FUNCTIONED NOTHING WRONG AND IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE QUALITY RECALL REGARDING THE TOYOTA ACCELERATOR ISSUE! MAYBE IT IS TRUE, BUT AT LEAST THEY DID NOT CONVINCE ME WHY BRAKES SYSTEM DID NOT WORK ONCE ABS ENGAGED. I THINK THERE MUST BE A BUG IN THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE ABS SYSTEM CAUSING BRAKES NO PRESSURE NO RESPONSE AT ALL DURING THAT CRITICAL MOMENT. HOW DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG LIKE THAT IN MY CAMRY 2011 ?? *TR

2011 CAMRY WITH 27,373 MILES ENTERED TRAFFIC ON FWY AT 50+ MPH STARTED TO SHIMMY VIOLENTLY ENGULFING ME FROM ALL SIDES IT WAS IF CAR WAS POSSESSED. IN MY 61 YEARS I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THE RADIO CUT OUT I FELT PRESSURE WAVES AND NOISE THROUGHOUT THE CAR. I FOUND A GAS STATION JUST OFF FWY AND CHECKED THE TIRES SINCE THAT SEEMED THE LOGICAL CULPRIT, I FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. TO GET HOME I HAD TO DRIVE ABOUT ANOTHER 20 FWY MILES KEEPING CAR AT OR UNDER 60. I ARRIVED AT DEALER AND WAITED 3 1/2 HOURS BEFORE BEING SHOWN POSSIBLE PROBLEM. ALL 4 TIRES HAD WHAT HE REFERRED TO AS "CUPPING," ON THE INSIDE RIM. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE ENTIRE CAR TURNING INTO A FREAK-SHOW LIKE NOTHING I EVER EXPERIENCED. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO CHARGE ME FOR 4 NEW TIRES AT RETAIL. MECHANIC SAID TIRES LOOKED GOOD AND HAD 20,000 PLUS MILES LEFT. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO REPLACE, (IN MY OPINION), DEFECTED TIRES. TIRES WERE NOT OUT OF ALIGNMENT IF THEY WERE THEN THE DEALERSHIP IS AT FAULT SINCE THEY DID IT. I EXAMINED ALL 4 TIRES IN THE BAY WHILE IT WAS JACKED UP, NO EXCESSIVE WEAR SHOWED. WHO DO I SEE THAT WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY? THESE ARE BRIDGESTONE TIRES I THOUGHT WERE A SOLID BRAND. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND SEVERAL. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME IF THOSE 4 TIRES DECIDED THE PRESSURE WAS TOO MUCH AND BLEW SIMULTANEOUSLY, PROBABLY A HIDEOUS DEATH!? WIFE DRIVES THE CAR IT HERS. SHE HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. SHE CAN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR UNTIL VEHICLE IS WARMED UP AND EVEN THEN IT IS STIFF AND NOISY. ON A HILL THERE WAS NO GRAB IT WAS IF THE CAR HAD NO STOP IT LITERALLY TOOK BOTH FEET ONE ON BRAKE OTHER REVVING ENGINE TO KEEP FROM BACKING INTO A TRUCK. *TR

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 I JUST HAPPENED TO CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE OF THE TIRES (JUST BOUGHT A NEW TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE) WHEN I NOTICED A LARGE BULGE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. I TOOK IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER IN ROUND ROCK TX AS DIRECTED BY MY SERVICE ADVISOR. HE INDICATED THAT THE TIRE WAS PINCHED OR HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE THIS BULGE AND THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT REPLACE IT UNDER ITS ORIGINAL WARRANTY. HE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE FIRESTONE STORE NEXT DOOR AND SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD AND WOULD NOT REPLACE IT. NOW, MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A COMBINED 62 YEARS AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A NEW TIRE BLISTER LIKE THIS, GRANTED ALL THE TIRE THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONES WE PURCHASED WERE MICHELINS. LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THESE BRIDGESTONE OEM TIRES ON THE INTERNET. *TR

VIBRATION @ VARIOUS SPEEDS: 10/7/10 (MGE 16): PURCHASED (MISCONSTRUED VIBRATION FOR ROAD CONDITIONS). 10/8/10 (MGE 49) ALL SPEEDS, BROUGHT TO DEALER. PER DEALER: FLAT SPOTS ON TIRES DUE TO CAR SITTING TO LONG. SOLUTION: OVER-INFLATE & INSTRUCTED TO DRIVE. ALSO, DISC WERE OUT OF ROUND. 10/11 (MGE 89) DISCS SERVICED, VIBRATION STILL PRESENT. DEALER DENIES PRESENCE. 11/15 (MGE 975) DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES VIBRATION, TIRES REPLACED, VIBRATION STILL PRESENT @ HIGHWAY SPEEDS. 2/19/11 (MGE 5160) 5K MAINT., VIBRATION STILL PRESENT, CAR PULLING LEFT WHEN BRAKING/ACCELERATING. SERVICE REP CLAIMS TO HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR IN ADDITION TO MECHANIC. DENIED PRESENCE OF VIBRATION, EXACT QUOTE "IT DRIVES LIKE A CAMRY". 2/21/11: CAR HIT IN REAR DRIVER TIRE, WHEEL ASSEMBLY REPLACED, NEW RIM, NEW BUMPER NEEDED. NO CHANGE IN VIBRATION, STILL PRESENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. 7/12 (MGE 10127) 10K MAINT., VIBRATION STILL PRESENT. AGAIN DEALER DENIES PRESENCE OF VIBRATION. 11/4 (MGE 15355) 15K MAINT. ADVISED VIBRATION STILL PRESENT. AGAIN DEALER DENIES PRESENCE OF VIBRATION. 3/22/12 (MGE 19973) 20K MAINT., VIBRATION STILL PRESENT, NOW SEVERE PULSE WHEN BRAKING. PULSE ACKNOWLEDGED, ROTORS RESURFACED. AGAIN DEALER DENIES PRESENCE OF INITIAL VIBRATION. 06/8 (MGE 24949) VIBRATION NOW FELT AT LOWER SPEEDS DS 50+ W/ INCREASES INTENSITY WITH SPEEDS & @ 19-25 MPH. PER DEALER UNABLE TO VALIDATE LOW SPEED, BUT NOTED SLIGHT PULSE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER CALLED FACTORY REP. 6/10: DEALER ADVISED THEY WENT OVER CAR'S HX WITH REP, NO FURTHER ACTION, TIRES TOO WARN TO EVALUATE. (LF UNEVEN WEAR; OTHER 3 OK). INSTRUCTED TO BUY TIRES FOR EVAL. 6/12 (MGE 25087): CALLED TOYOTA; CASE # 1206120145. 6/13/12 TOYOTA REP ADVISED DO NOT WARRANTY TIRES, FACTORY REP CAN'T ASSESS W/DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. BUT, CALL DEALER TO SEE IF TEMP TIRES COULD BE USED FOR EVAL SINCE COMPLAINT WAS NOTED UPON TAKING OWNERSHIP. IMMEDIATE OPTIONS: WAIT FOR DEALER RESPONSE, BUY TIRES TO SEE IF THE VIBRATION IS PRESENT OR CONTACT BRIDGESTONE. *JB

1. DEFECTIVE CAR WAS DELIVERED BY TOYOTA & ITS DEALER TO ME (CUSTOMER). ----------- 2. CAR WAS NOT TESTED BY TOYOTA/DEALER ON TIRES & VIBRATION/SHAKING BEFORE DELIVERY TO CUSTOMER. ----------- 3. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA, THEN TOYOTA FOUND THE EVIDENCE THAT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. ----------- 4. BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE TIRES FITTED BY TOYOTA & NOT TESTED PROPERLY BY TOYOTA, DAMAGES HAPPENED ON THE OVERALL LIFE SPAN OF CAR - SUSPENSION & STEERING SYSTEMS. ----------- 5. CUSTOMER - DRIVING SAFETY WAS ALSO PUT ON HUGE RISK, AS UNTESTED CAR WAS DELIVERED BY TOYOTA. ----------- 6. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA, THEN TOYOTA FOUND THE EVIDENCE THAT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. ----------- 7. BY HAVING THAT DEFECT IN TIRES, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT OVERALL LIFE SPAN OF CAR'S SUSPENSION, STRUTS & STEERING SYSTEM HAS BEEN REDUCED, BECAUSE OF RUNNING WITH THIS VIBRATION & SHAKING. ----------- 8. WITH THIS EXISTING DEFECT IN CAR (IT WAS PRESENT BEFORE DELIVERY & COULDN'T BE FIXED BY TOYOTA SERVICE DEALER FOR 6-MONTHS), CUSTOMER'S COMFORT & DRIVING EXPERIENCE IS TOTALLY RUINED. TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DRIVING DISCOMFORT & THE SAFETY RISK OF CUSTOMER'S LIFE (WHILE DRIVING THE SHAKING & VIBRATING CAR). ----------- 9. NOW, AS YOUR SUPERVISOR OFFERED "ONE YEAR" OF EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS CAR. IT SHOWS THAT TOYOTA KNOW IT VERY WELL THAT CAR IS SO MUCH IMPACTED & NOW HAS SHORTEN THE LIFE SPAN OF CAR (BECAUSE OF THESE DAMAGED TIRES & IMPACTED PARTS IN THE CAR) SO TOYOTA IS ONLY OFFERING "ONE YEAR" OF EXTENDED SERVICE TO COVER UP THEIR MISTAKES / DEFECTS IN THEIR QUALITY. ============== - CAR'S SHAKING (VIBRATIONS AT BOTH - SLOW AND HIGHER SPEED), - IMPACTS/DAMAGES THE LIFE SPAN OF STEERING, SUSPENSION AND STRUTS, - TIRES NOT IN BALANCE (WHEEL BALANCING WAS NOT DONE BY TOYOTA). ============== *JS