2001 Toyota Camry engine and engine cooling problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT PART OF THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,500 . UPDATED 03/16/12*LJ UPDATED 06/04/12”

“WE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY CE IN 2000 AND WERE PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO US ABOUT 8 WEEKS AGO. ON JAN 22, WE WERE DRIVING ON I 15 FREEWAY SOUTH FROM LA BACK TO LAS VEGAS. ABOUT AFTER 30 MINUTES ON THE ROAD I HEARD SOMETHING SOUNDING LIKE A CRACK UNDER THE VEHICLE (LAST ONLY ABOUT ONE SECOND). I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE MIGHT HIT A ROCK UNDERNEATH AND SLOWED DOWN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. THEN IN ABOUT 3 MINUTES THE VEHICLE LOST THE POWER. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASH LIGHT AND PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE ROADSIDE. I COULD SEE THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING OUT BADLY. AFTER LOTS OF HASSLES THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CROWN TOYOTA DEALER SHOP IN ONTARIO. THE NEXT DAY MORNING THEIR SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO TELL ME THAT NOTHING INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HIT A ROCK SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE. TO THE BEST OF HIS JUDGMENT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED FROM INSIDE. HE SAID SOMETHING FROM INSIDE OF ENGINE COULD FALL DOWN AND KNOCKED THE ENGINE THAT CAUSED THE LEAKING. SOON AFTER THAT MY INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED MY CLAIM STATING THAT THEY TALKED TO THE CROWN TOYOTA DEALER SHOP AND CONCLUDED…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SOLARA V6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS OIL SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED POLLUTION AND AN ENGINE FIRE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $8,000. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000. UPDATED 03/15/11*LJ UPDATED 10/12/11”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BRAKING FROM 3 MPH IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED OFF THE ROADWAY AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE EGR VALVE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND IT RECURRED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES FOLLOWING REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 119,000.”

“WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN WITH WATER STANDING ON ROAD, A/C FAILS. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE SO FAR. DEALER INDICATED THAT SUCH FAILURE WAS NORMAL WHEN WATER GETS ON BELT AND BELT SLIPS. NO REPAIR MADE. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE SEEN THIS FAILURE MANY TIMES BEFORE. FAILURE RESULTS IN RAPID AND UNEXPECTED CONDENSATION ON WINDSHIELD AND OTHER WINDOWS WITH LOSS OF VISIBILITY DURING HEAVY RAIN), CAUSING A HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION. DEALER STATES THAT THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. *TR”

“MY 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY STARTED DEVELOPING A PROBLEM MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, WHERE IT WOULD START RUNNING ROUGH AND THEN STALL--OR SOMETIMES STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. IF THE CAR STALLS OR COMES CLOSE TO STALLING THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS ONLY BEEN ABLE TO RESET THE ENGINE LIGHT. RECENTLY THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THAT HAS NOT HELPED THE RUNNING ROUGH/STALLING PROBLEM. THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN ROUGH OR STALL IF IT HAS GONE ABOVE 4000 RPMS ,AND WE CAN MODERATE THE INSTANCES OF A PROBLEM BY AVOIDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. MY FEAR IS THAT THE CAR WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR”