1993 Toyota Camry Engine Problems

CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376280

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

128,000 mi

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA CAMRY MODEL YEAR 1993 WAY BACK IN 1998. WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE SOMEONE HAS JUST TRADED IN THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER HAD NOT LOOK INTO IT AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN CLEAN YET. I BOUGHT IT CAUSE I NEEDED THE CAR SO BADLY AND TOYOTA IS A GOOD CAR AND THE PRICE WAS NOT SO BAD. BUT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR, THERE IS A SMELL COMING OUT OF THE HEATER WHICH MAKE ME CHOKE SOMETIMES AND THE ENGINE ALWAYS SMOKING WHEN WE DRIVE A LONG WAY AND STOP. THE SMOKE IS SO SMELLY AND I DID TRY TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER BEFORE TO LET THEN SEE THE PROBLEM. ALL THEY SAY IS THAT MAYBE I SPILLED SOME OIL AND IT IS BURNING, BUT ITS BEEN 5 YEARS AND ITS JUST THE SAME. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL OF ANYTHING FOR A 1993 TOYOTA CAMRY, ELECTRICAL WIRING OR ANY ENGINE PROBLEM THAT MAKE THE CAR SMOKE SO STRONG. WE HAVE TO STOP ON THE FREEWAY TO STOP THE SMOKING YESTERDAY AS IT IS SO BAD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10100316

Incident

Nov 21, 2004

I HAVE A 1993 TOYOTA CAMERY WITH LOW MILEAGE. IT STARTED STALLING ON ME EARLIER THIS MONTH. I TOOK IT INTO THE KINGS TOYOTA TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGES, A GENERAL SERVICE AND TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. THE DEALER SAID "68394 VEHICLE STALLS ENGINE IS SLUDGED UP, ENGINE NEEDS SERIOUS ATTENTION, ENGINE NEEDS DISASSEMBLED AND OVER HAULED" THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SLUDGING COULD BE CAUSED BY USING DIFFERENT OILS FOR MY OIL CHANGES OVER THE YEARS AND THAT THE COST WOULD BE AROUND $2000.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT IF I COULD SHOW HIM PROOF OF RECENT OIL CHANGES, HE WOULD SUBMIT IT TO TOYOTA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF THE CAR WAS 3-4 YEARS NEWER, TOYOTA WOULD PROBABLY COVER THE COSTS. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE FOR AN OLDER CAR, THEY THOUGHT TOYOTA MIGHT STILL COVER THE COST. WHEN I STARTED CALLING AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT 10 MINUTE OIL CHANGE PLACES TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECORDS ON MY IOL CHANGES, THEY TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WAS HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE I HAVE IN MY CAR AND I SHOULD CHECK INTO IT. I DO NOT KEEP MY RECORDS ON OIL CHANGES AND I MAY HAVE PROBLEMS SUPPLYING THE DEALER WITH ANY RECORDS. TOYOTA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINS AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT WITH OR WITHOUT MY OIL CHANGE RECORDS.

NHTSA ID

10070665

Incident

Aug 15, 2003

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE CALIPERS ON THE FRONT BRAKES TWICE. THE ROTORS ARE SO WARPED FROM ALL OF THE FRICTION HEAT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED SOON. THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR QUIT WORKING AND THEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER LOCK SWITCH AND THEN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW CONTROL STOPPED WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES AND HAS GONE OUT AGAIN JUST RECENTLY. THE POWER STEERING UNIT LEAKS OIL.

NHTSA ID

10070428

Incident

May 15, 2002

Mileage

101,000 mi

ENGINE BROKE A ROD BECAUSE SLUG DROPPED FROM TOP OF ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER OIL CHANGE. THIS KEPT OIL FROM CIRCULATING TO THE TOP PART OF THE ENGINE. MECHANIC SAID THIS IS BECOMING COMMON WITH TOYOTAS AND FORDS AFTER OIL CHANGES FROM JIFFY LUBES AND OTHER FRANCHISES BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY SHOT OIL IN THE ENGINES DURING OIL CHANGES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY PREVENTATIVE SOLUTIONS OR ANY RECOURSES FOR COMPENSATION. HENRY LARRYMORE

NHTSA ID

10069935

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

THE CAR HAS SUBSTANTIAL BLUE SMOKE AT START UP. MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR HAS A SLUDGE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE TOY V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT YOUR PRODUCTS AND ACTUALLY NOW OWN A LEXUS SC400, LAND CRUISER AND AN OLDER CAMRY WAGON (87) WITH 150,000 MILES. TOY HAS ALWAYS BUILT RELIABLE PRODUCTS THAT I CAN COUNT ON. HAS THIS CHANGED? WILL YOU ASSIST ME IN CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM? I HOPE YOU WILL, BECAUSE IF NOT, I WILL NO LONGER BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICE AND WILL LOOK TO OTHER CAR COMPANIES IN THE FUTURE.... THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA ID

10069853

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

THE ENGINE FAILED ON MY 1993 V6 3.0L CAMRY WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES, DUE TO ELECTROLYSIS ON THE CYLINDERS AND RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ENGINE BLOCK. MY SECOND OPINION MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS IS THE SAME V6 ENGINE THAT WAS USED IN TOYOTA TRUCKS IN THE EARLY 90'S THAT HAD HEAD GASKET DEFECTS THAT LED TO THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA RECALLED AND REPLACED THESE GASKETS AND FIXED ANY RESULTING DAMAGE. TOYOTA OF SANTA BARBARA (WHERE I REGULARLY HAVE THIS CAR SERVICED) CLAIMS THAT THE SERVICE/PARTS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IF NOT, WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE, GIVEN THAT IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM? DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *LA

NHTSA ID

10047564

Incident

Nov 17, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

OUR CAMRY RAN FINE UNTIL FIRESTONE DID A RADIATOR FLUSH/OIL CHANGE ETC. THEY USED RECYCLED ANTIFREEZE. 8 DAYS LATER OUR WATER PUMP/TIMING BELT/RADIATOR CRACKED/HEAD GASKETS BLEW. THERE WAS NO WATER/FLUID EVIDENCE AT BREAKDOWN. MECHANIC THINKS FIRESTONE DID IMPROPER FILL/DID NOT FILL RADIATOR. FIRESTONE SAYS HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT. AGAIN NO FLUID IN RADIATOR AT ALL, NOTHING ON ROAD. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP!!! WE TRAVELED ABOUT 800 MILES IN 8 DAYS FOLLOWING FIRESTONE'S WORK. NO TEMP. LIGHT WENT ON. *PH

NHTSA ID

10038862

Incident

Aug 20, 2003

Mileage

120,000 mi

OIL/FLUID LEAKS FROM FOUR SPOTS (TRANSMISSION AREA, VALVE COVER GASKETS, POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK & PINION) MYSTERIOUSLY OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME AND ALMOST SET THE VEHICLE ABLAZED WHEN THE OIL DRIPPED ONTO EXHAUST PIPE JUST BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR DEALERS SERVICEMAN ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY LONGER UNTIL IT IS FIXED BECAUSE IT WILL SURELY BE ON FIRE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010143

Incident

Jan 21, 2003

Mileage

133,017 mi

CONSUMER STATED ENGINE HAD TOO MANY LEAKS. *YH

NHTSA ID

564429

THERE IS A PERSISTENT OIL LEAK PROBLEM THAT BEGAN AT 89000 MILES AND IS UNFIXABLE. THE VALVE COVER, OIL PAN, AND OIL FILTER GASKETS WERE REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 93000 MILES AND 9000 MILES LATER PROBLEM HAS RETURNED, PLUS THERE IS A SMOKE SMELL PERMEATING THE CAR CABIN. YD

NHTSA ID

785724

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A WET HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH NMOTOR JUST STOPPED, AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL MOTOR STOPPED. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND. *AK

NHTSA ID

885373

Incident

Mar 29, 2001

TOYOTA CLAIMS ENGINE FAILUE WAS DUE TO SLUDGE FORMATION IN THE ENGINE. THEY POINT TO NEGLECTED OIL CHANGES WHICH IS UNTRUE. I AM SPECULATING SLUDGE WAS CAUSED BY WATER IN THE OIL /HIGH TEMPERATURE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF EITHER THAT I KNOW OF. THE CAR WAS TRADED IN AT THOMPSON TOYOTA, EDGE WATER, MD. I NO LONGER RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE CAR

NHTSA ID

738692

Incident

Nov 16, 1999

THIS YEAR OF CAMRY WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT. SINCE THIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE A WARNING LIGHT OR AUDIBLE ALARM, AND SINCE THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL AUTOMATICALLY TO COMPENSATE FOR LOST POWER, THIS CAR COULD OVERHEAT AND CATCH ON FIRE BEFORE THE DRIVER WOULD KNOW IT WAS OVERHEATING. THIS AND THE FACT THAT TOYOTA'S RADIATOR IS MADE OF PLASTIC (DEALERS WILL NOT REPLACE THEM WITH AN OEM PART), LENDS TO MY EXPERIENCE OF THE CAR OVERHEATING AND THE ENGINE SELF DESTRUCTING (A $4500 PART, NEW) - I SPENT $3480 FOR A USED ENGINE. I FEEL THAT A MISSING WARNING LIGHT IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND THE CAR SHOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE.

NHTSA ID

731306

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND AFTER HE WAS ALMOST FINISHED PUTTING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER, A CUSOTMER OF HIS WHO OWNS A 1993 TOYOTA HI LUX TRUCK TOLD HIM THAT THE HEAD GASKETS IN HIS TRUCK WERE RECALLED AND THAT THE TOYOTA SERVICE STATION TOOK CARE OF IT. HE ALSO HAD A V6 ENGINE IN HIS TRUCK, THE SAME AS MINE. IF HIS ENGINE IS THE SAME AS MINE, I'M WONDERING IF WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE THE ENGINE COMPONENTS OF MY CAR WERE ALSO . *AK

NHTSA ID

721523

Incident

Apr 2, 2000

CONSUMER WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE, THERE WAS A FRONT SIDE LIGHT OUT. DEALER CHANGED LIGHT AND CHANGED THE OIL. WHEN CONSUMER PICKED UP CAR THERE WERE NO TAIL LIGHTS. DEALER SAID ALL BULBS BLEW OUT. CONSUMER THINKS MECHANIC MAY HAVE BLOWN OUT THE BULBS. ALSO, MECHANIC SAID THAT CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW OIL PAN. *AK

NHTSA ID

856708

Incident

Jan 18, 2000

ENGINE OVERHEATED AND BLEW A HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

856544

Incident

Jan 15, 2000

THE DEFECTIVE RELAY LOCATED IN THE TRUNK AREA CAUSED THE TAILLIGHTS TO GO OUT. ALSO, PROBLEMS WITH OIL PAN BOLT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

855419

Incident

Jan 17, 2000

OBVIOUS PROBLEM W/ TOYOTA V6 ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FROM 88' OR NEWER. *AK

NHTSA ID

717826

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED, IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RINGS, AND VALVES, WE HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE BATTERY MOVED AROUND UNDER THE HOOS, THE LEAD WAS EXPOSED, THE REAR SIDE WINDOW FROZE IN THE DOWN POSITION, WENT UP AND THE FROZE AGIN, HAD TO DISBAN, THE AUTOMATIC TRANS. HAS TO BE REPLACED $2500.00, THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, IF WE STOP IT WON'T GO ANY FARTHER. IF WE STOP TURN OFF THE CAR AND WAIT A MIN. IT WILL START AND GO UNTIL YOU HAVE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN, THEN YOU STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE EXHAUST IS CLOGGED AND FUMES ARE MOVING INTO THE PASSENGER AREA.

NHTSA ID

713864

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A "SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN" FOR V6 TRUCKS MADE FROM 90 TO 94 AND EARLY 95. THE NOTICE I HAVE READ STATES THAT ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS MAY LEAK AND TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE GASKETS AND RESULTING DAMAGE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. MY 1993 V6 CAMRY HAS THIS PROBLEM. I JUST CAME BACK FROM THE DEALER AND HAVE A CONFIRMED STATEMENT THAT I HAVE A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AND MAYBE HEAD DAMAGE. I AM WONDERING IF THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDES THE V6 IN MY CAMRY AS IT IS THE SAME ENGINE USED IN THE TRUCKS. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WILL GET ACCURATE INFO BY TALKING WITH THE DEALER SO I'M CONTACTING YOU. IF MY CAR IS EXCLUDED, COULD YOU FIND OUT WHY GIVEN I HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE SAME ENGINE. ARE THERE OTHER V6 CAMRY OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A PROMPT ANSWER AS I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE IT OVERHEATS AND I DON'T WANT TO DO FURTHER DAMAGE. THANK YOU. PS: IS THERE ANOTHER CONSUMER GROUP I COULD CONTACT AS I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT TOYOTA ISN'T AS RELIABLE AS WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE. THANKS AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

710472

#6 CONNECTING ROD CAP CAME OFF OF #6 CONNECTING ROD; CONNECTING ROD BOLTS AND NUTS APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED; ROD WENT THROUGH SIDE OF BLOCK RUINING BLOCK, CRANKSHAFT, AND #5 AND #6 CONNECTING RODS.

NHTSA ID

708354

Incident

Dec 27, 1998

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

707345

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED LEAKAGE AND FAILURE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR O-RING. MJS

NHTSA ID

545509

Incident

May 14, 1997

I GOT FIRST MISTAKE TO SEND YOU AS SECOND SEND YOU BETTER RIGHT AND TOYOTA OF SEATTLE WAS NOT REPAIR THAT NEEDS VALVE GASKET LEAKING AND HISTORY OF YEARS. SERVICE REPAIR REFUSED IT, AND HOPE YOU INVESTIGATE TOYOTA OF SEATTLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

705959

Incident

Apr 22, 1999