1999 Toyota Camry suspension problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH THERE WAS AN UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE SUSPENSION STABILIZER BAR HAD FAILED. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE STABILIZER BAR, STRUTS AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN TWO YEARS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE MOTOR MOUNTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS OTHER UNKNOWN COMPONENTS WITHIN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”

“1999 TOYOTA CAMRY SOON AFTER WE PURCHASED OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY MY WIFE AND I NOTICED THAT EVERY TIME WE WENT OVER THE SPEED BUMPS IN OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WE WOULD HEAR A NOISE - A CLICK/CLACK AT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE - NOT LOUD BUT DISTINCT. I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER - STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA AND DESCRIBED THE ISSUE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER & REQUESTING AN APPOINTMENT. HE ASSURED ME THAT THIS IS SIMPLY THE BRAKES THAT ARE "BEING SEATED" AND NOT AN ISSUE. THE NOISE CONTINUED AND BECAME LOUDER WITH TIME. AS THIS POINT WE WERE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MELODY TOYOTA AND ASKED THE MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AS THE NOISE WAS MUCH LOUDER AND OCCURRED WHENEVER WE GO OVER ANY POTHOLE ETC, NOT ONLY BUMPS.. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THIS WAS A BROKEN STRUT ARM OR STABILIZER ARM. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A WARRANTY AS I HAD COMPLAINED TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD A FEW THOUSAND MILES. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE IS NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON THIS ITEM. I ASKED IF THE ISSUE WAS COMMON AND THE MILEAGE AND HE RESPONDED I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE ON A NUMBER OF CAMRY'S - THE MILEAGE IS IRRESPECTIVE - LOW MILES OR HIGH. I…”

“A RATTLING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE CAR. ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT INCLUDING REPLACING ALL STRUTS. NOISE HAS BEEN NOTICEABLE SINCE THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. MUCH MONEY WASTED ON INEFFECTIVE REPAIRS. RATTLE CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. *TR”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLANKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED A PERSISTENT CLANKING SOUND WAS NOTED IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED STRUT WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE CAR AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THE TOYOTA DEALERS WERE AWARE OF THE DEFECT WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE STRUT MOUNT DESIGN. HOWEVER, REPAIRS WERE AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE, NOT THE DEALERS. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $400. A CALL TO TOYOTA FAILED TO OBTAIN ANY INFORMATION REGARDING SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. *AK”

“THE SUSPENSION ON THE CAR IS VERY NOISY. THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAKING LIKE NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY BUMP. I BELIEVE THAT THE CAR NEEDS NEW STRUTS AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 48,000 MILES ON IT. *JB”

“MY 1999 CAMRY HAS SQUEALING SOUND IN THE FRONT END AND ITS STRUT MOUNTS ARE BAD FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT REACHED 50000 MILES. I NEVER IMAGINED SUCH A PROBLEM WITH CAMRY. IT WAS NOT LIKE PEOPLE SAID THAT CAMRY HAD VERY GOOD RECORDS. MY CAR HAS MANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT SUCH AS ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND OFF AND NEVER SOLVED. I PAID $99 ONCE FOR THE CHECKING AND DEALERS PAID MANY TIMES. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT AND THE BRAKE CAN NOT STOP CAR FAST ENOUGH THAT CONTRIBUTED A ACCIDENT IN 2001. THE DOOR SIDE TRIM HAS BEEN OFF THE LINE AND LOOKS UGLY, ETC. I FEEL A LOT OF HEADACHE WITH IT. *JB”