Problems with 2002 Toyota Camry ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota camry. the contact stated that the engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. she stated that there was a faulty charcoal canister that needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 82,630. updated 07/15/08 *bf updated *jb 07/15/08

My 2002 camry began "lurching" approx. 2 years ago. we have taken it for service 5 times, to no avail. we replaced spark plugs, a sensor and were told by one dealer that it was jumping from cylinder to cylinder, but they could not find the source of the problem. two other visits to 2 separate dealers were unsuccessful in experiencing the problem during test drives. they even had a regional manager come and check it out. they said they have never seen this problem before and could not diagnose it. it happens inconsistently when cruising at lower speeds and again at higher speeds. sometimes it is worse than others and then it goes days without happening. i am now concerned that it may be a safety issue connected to the gas pedal and would like to know what the problem is and have it corrected. i have also experienced issues when braking when going downhill on a bumpy surface. this has happened since i had the car. when i reported it to the dealer, they told me it was just the way the disc brakes work, but it was scary - feels like you don't have control over the car. we have been loyal toyota owners for many years due to their history of quality, reliable cars, but have concerns now. please let me know what can be done to help us with these issues. thank you. approx. incident dates below are not accurate. it has been an ongoing problem for 2 or 3 years. *tr

At about 105,000 miles on my 2002 camry v6, the car experienced hesitating driving while driven at speeds above 40 mph when removing slightly the foot from the throttle pedal. the car is bucking backward and forward for indefinite time until the throttle pedal is fully depressed or fully pressed. this is an unsafe situation since on the highway the speed cannot be decreased or increased any time. notified dealer and told that this cannot be identified since there is no error code generated (no check engine light on). replaced all spark plugs at 108,000 miles on aug 24, 2007. problem not solved. spouse noticed increased bucking while driving down hill. went back to the dealer. performed test drive with technician in the car and the diagnose system hooked to the car's computer. detected some misfires on cylinders 5 and 6. replaced solenoid ignition packs for cylinder 5 & 6 and test drove again. problem not solved. technician concluded that fuel injectors are clogged. performed fuel injectors purge (cleaning). problem not solved. technician recommended to replace all fuel injectors and solenoid ignition packs. car was maintained properly during the ownership. oil & filter changed every 3000 miles, replaced air filter every 30,000 miles, replaced timing belt and belt tensioners at 87,000 miles, replaced water pump at 87,000 miles, flushed transmission fluid at 87,000 miles. from reading various customers complaints, it appears to be a transmission problem but dealer did not mention anything about it. *jb

2002 toyota camry, stalls as coming to a stop or slowing down for traffic, turning or someone pulling in front of me in traffic. car will not start for 20 minutes. when trying to start car before 20 minutes it turns over but not start or has a hard time starting and sputters till i can pull over off the street and stalls in a parking lot. when i wait the full 20 plus minutes the car starts as if never had a problem. by the time i get to the dealer or another repair shop they can not find anything wrong or say it has to do with the emissions control and they do not guarantee that may be that problem & i may have to bring the car back in & i will not be refunded my money & will have to pay more out of the pocket. this has been going on for 2 years. it is worse in the heat & humidity (happens more often). *tr

Oil sludge build up resulting in potential for engine seizure and fire. *tr

Toyota camry le 2.4 l winter weather cause to vvt on auto to fail and stall engine. stalled engine caused lost of controls, steering, brakes, etc..parts replaced were oxygen sensors, cat.convertor, etc.. the vvt is variable valve timing control along with ocm, pcm, throttle sensor, mass air sensor which regulates the engine performance. *tr

I purchased my car in 2001, used with 17k miles, form toyota of durham. i have 105k miles now on it. i kept the routine oil change and had sluggish oil problems every time i got my oil changed. there was no documented oil sluggish problem from toyota. my vehicle is clicking with a strange sound. i had it looked at and the mechanic determined the timing belt is going. but he advised me to take it to the dealership where i purchased it. i did and they told me that it was the engine. i need a new engine. a new engine, no way. how is it that a toyota camry with barely 100k miles need a new engine and nothing is said to be wrong with this vehicle. i have owned toyota and lexus models for a long time now and have yet to deal with such shame in their models. i am really disappointed at this mess of a car. surely, we know that there are something that need to be done at a certain time but why is it that a new engine would be required? i am really not going to be the best person promoting toyota cars in the future. i had plans on looking into the toyota sienna for my family. but the odyssey is looking much better now. *jb

I was sitting at a red light waiting to turn left. i suddenly heard my engine rev and looked at the dash. the rpm's were all the way over to the right. my car lurched forward, hard, and hit a lincoln navigator in front of me. i pressed the brake as hard as i could, with both feet, to try and stop, but ultimately had to turn the car off to stop it from moving forward. i am now waiting for an investigation, which they have told me could take up to 30 days. i was told that if they determined that it was a mechanical failure, they have another 30 days to fix it. i am in sales and use my car all day, every day. they weren't very concerned about it. *nm

On thursday, april 27, 2006, my 2002 toyota camry had unintended acceleration at the sherton palo alto. when entering he parking lot, the car accelerated with engine racing and crashed through the parking lot barrier. the hotel graciously repaired the barrier at their expense. this incident has not been reported previously. this in the only incident to date. a second safety issue is the transmission "lurch" my car has. i tried to have it corrected by toyota, but they refused, saying that it would be too costly for toyota to fix the transmission problem. went to mediation who agreed with toyota. the problem continues. *tr

The 2002 toyota camry, purchased used from ray brandt toyota in august of last year, completely shut down while my mother was driving at highway speeds this past monday. she barely missed a head-on collision, because she was unable to control the car without power steering. i advised her to bring the camry immediately to ray brandt toyota?? s service department. she turned it over to them that same afternoon. the next day a service technician was able to duplicate the problem in the shop. even with the problem occurring at the shop, the technicians were unable to locate the cause that day. yesterday, sheila, a ray brandt toyota service representative, assured me that they had solved this type of intermittent problem before. i asked if the diagnostic cost would run into the thousands of dollars. she said $300 would most likely be enough to pay for the diagnostic time to determine the cause. she added that she would be calling me with the resolution today. today, at approximately 12:45 pm i went in person to the service department. i spoke to another ray brandt toyota customer service representative named mike. i asked him had ray brandt toyota solved this type of problem before. mike stated that yes they had although it took 2 weeks and cost $850. mike told me to be patient; give ray brandt toyota time to fix it. later this afternoon sheila told my mother that there was nothing ray brandt toyota??s service could do to determine the cause of the problem. this was, of course a direct contradiction to what she stated to me yesterday. my mother then again expressed her concern that the car was a death trap. sheila agreed that the car was, in fact, not safe to drive. she nevertheless told my mother to come pick the car up. doing that to my mother was despicable. *nm

With no warning or previous problems, while driving at 60 mph, the 4 cylinder engine in my 2002 toyota camry. i am a 78 year old woman and i was unable to control the car with no power. i just barely avoided a head-on collision. this happened 5 more times in quick succession before i could drive immediately back to my home. i brought the car back to ray brandt toyota of metairie 504-464-4500. told them of the problem and the potential for a serious accident, due to the car shutting down while driving. the dealers service department has had the car for a day, duplicated the problem, but claim they can find no reason for this to happen. i do not want to die in a fatal accident caused by the engine shutting down and if they cannot locate the cause of this problem, i will get rid of the car and never purchase another toyota. please help. *jb

During a 60,000 mile check-up at my service station, it was discovered that i needed a new "flex pipe assembly" (manifold exhaust pipe and catalytic converter combined). the mechanic said that he has seen the same problem on many 2002 toyota camry le's. the part alone cost me $900 and $100 in labor to install. toyota told me that this part is not on recall list. i approved the replacement by my mechanic who told me that i should file a complaint. *nm

I was coming home one day and my check engine light came on. i immediately took my car to the dealer and they told me it was the o2 sensor going bad. i wanted a second opinion so i took my car to another dealer who told me it was the catalytic converter. i was very concern by these two different answers, so i went to a third dealer who told me it was indeed the o2 sensor. after having that replaced, within 2 months the light was back on again. *nm

I have a 2002 toyota camry with 42,608 miles. the check engine light went on yesterday. today i had the charcoal canister, hose and vacuum sealed valve replaced at great cost. now i have read that this was a problem with the 96-98 camry's and that the epa required toyota to extend the emissions warranty to 14/150000. *jb

At approximately 90,000 miles, the vehicle check engine light came on. checking with toyota dealer, they indicated the catalytic converter must be replaced. they futher indictated that there is a nationwide backorder for this item and they already have 10 vehicles on the waiting list at their dealership. i believe, from this information, that this must be a problem that is a result of a design defect and therefore should be resolved by toyota.

While driving 80 mph vehicle stalled. consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the battery was replaced but the toyota dealership refused to reimburse the towing cost. they won't pay for the 7 miles towing charge because the vehicle was not towed to the nearest dealer. *bf

During a regular maintenance check, it was discovered the engine had a crack in the engine block. the consumer made contact with the manufacturer and they will be replacing the engine. *jb. toyota has corrected the problem in the new models of camry.*ak

While driving check engine light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the sensor needed to be replaced. *ak

My vehicle, a vintage 1965 pontiac catalina hardtop coupe was parked in the driveway at my friend's residence at 1271 n.e. 207th street when at around 4:50 p.m. it was struck by a 2002 toyota camry sedan driven by a mrs. una elizabeth tucker of port st. lucie, fl. the toyotas was on the next door neighbors driveway. according to her, she was trying to get out of her driveway when she claims her car started smoking and suddenly bolted. her vehicle smashed onto my car with such force.. that it moved it and pushed it against a van that was parked next to it. my car's front fenders where smashed, making the front wheels immobile. the left front bumper bent under, left fron headlight assembly smashed, unable to open hood, possible front suspension damage, unknown damage to engine. hsmv crash report number 4464507 miami dade county. *ak

Driver side window did not roll smoothly. squeaked but was only fixed after taking the car a dealer a third time. sputtering/rattling sound seems to be coming from the engine when the car is idle or upon cold start. sound gets progressively louder. dealer claims that no sounds were heard. car also hesitates when responding to acceleration. in researching for answers, i found that the driver's side airbag has a recall. i was in disbelief when i found that no efforts were made in contacting me about an airbag recall! i feel utterly disappointed. i'd come from a "honda" family and decided to give toyota a try. i have learnt my lesson now that buying a brand new toyota means having to check up on recalls and problems.*ak

While parked vehicle was started and engine roared and surged forward. consumer had to use extreme force to keep the vehicle from moving. also, when air conditioner was on and turned off and back on again there was a foul odor coming from the vents. *ak

I own a 2002 toyota camry with bridgestone tires which were on the car when we purchased it in fall of 2002. we have taken the car into dealership, high country toyota in scottsboro, al, 3 times and phoned our sales representative approximately 6 times for 3 problems. #1 - rattling - which we were told on the first visit to dealer it was the catalytic converter heat shield cover and they had fixed it by bending it out. it's rattling again, now. #2 - smell of sulfer/rotten eggs - which we were told they could not recreate the problem, so they have no idea what it could be. it still smells! #3 - my husband took the car to wal-mart to have the oil changed and the tires balanced and rotated because we noticed alot of wear on the outside of the tires and the steering wheel was vibrating when driving. my husband was paged back to the automotive section by an employee to see the tires himself before they took them all off the car and to warn my husband about driving on the tires if we didn't replace them immediately. my husband said the inside of the tires were showing the wires from severe wearing. my husband took the car to the dealer where we purchased it to have them inspect the front end for damage that could cause the tires to wear in such a way so quickly. our vehicle is 1 yr. old with 30,000 miles on it. he was told it was ok, but the tires on the car at time of purchase weren't meant to last very long, anyway. he took the car to a local - trusted - tire company and had the tires replaced. we have been told that our dealer isn't aware of any recalls and/or complaints on any of these issues, but after researching the internet, i have come across more than enough complaints to make me wonder if i've made a huge/costly mistake in trusting the toyota name and past reputation, especially with 3 children who were put at risk and a monthly car payment!*ak

My car's check engine light would come on and my son would check the code (po420) then send me to the dealer. i took this car to two different dealers during this time. the first time the light came on i was out of town and took the car to a local dealer who changed a sensor connected to the exhaust system. the next time to light came on i took the car to a dealer in my area and they told me that it was a bad sensor (same one that had just been changed) after i told them that sensor had already been replaced they came back and told me that it was a different sensor. i left this dealer and shortly after the check engine light was on again and i went back to the second dealer who said that the computer needed to be reprogrammed. this problem has been on going for about four years, during which time my car was under warranty and the first service bulletin on this problem was issued on may 24, 2004 and the second on july 27, 2004. now that the car is not under warranty i have found out about these service bulletins. i intend to take this issue up with toyota as this should have been repaired back in 2004. *nm

The transmission was not working properly. the vehicle would shift harshly into drive when the engine was cold but when warmed up the vehicle drove smoothly. the steering wheel hummed when turned while driving 45 mph. it was later determined that a bushing for the steering shaft needed to be lubricated. the upper and lower belt molding around the driver's door came off. a faulty charcoal canister caused the check engine light to illuminate. *ak *nlm

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning engine check light appeared on the dashboard. *ak

2002 xle camry oil and filter has been changed every 3000-3500 miles. at the first 3000 mark a small amount of metallic metal was found in the oil. at the 9000 mark oil and filter change (third oil change) a larger amount of metallic metal was found in the oil. between the third oil and filter change there was no evidence of metal until the oil change that was done at 18145 miles. more metal is found in the oil at the 18145 mile oil and filter change. *nlm

The vehicle tail pipe had a sharp edge which cut the consumer finger while he was washing his vehicle. the consumer received a stitch to close the cut. *mr *scc *nlm

I have a 2002 toyota camry, auto, 4 cyls. the car has a surge like movement when i try to pull out of stop, reduce speed then reaccelerate and press the gas pedal after turning the car at an intersection. when the car accelerates, it increase speed initially, then loose power for a second, after that regain speed. the car also abruptly reduces speed when cruising between 40 and 60 mph if i release the gas just a little.

Car emits an strong odor of rotten eggs (sulfur dioxide) through the interior vent system. this condition is documented in toyota tsb eg003-03 dated 2/24/03. although they acknowledge the condition, they say it is the fault of the gasoline. i have tried many different brands and my neighbors cars do not exhibit this smell. sulfur dioxide is especially dangerous to people with respiratory conditions such as my daughter who has asthma. her condition has become worse this winter because (we think) of her contact with this car. toyota has said that the condition is not covered in their warranty and they refuse to fix it. *nlm

Since i purchased this car it has been problems, first it was the brakes vibrating, took it in and right away the dealer knew what it was without me even explaining it to him, they fixed that in 2 trips. then it was the rotten egg smell, they could not find anything wrong.(then why does my car stink when i try to get power out of the engine?) then it was the knocking and pinging in the engine, (i was told that they could not duplicate the problem, but my octane level was low to upgrade my gas. the manufacturers provided owners manual states 87 octane gas or higher, i already use 89 octane and have since the day i bought the car, so why should i have to spend money on higher priced gas when the car is only 1 year old and the engine should not make any noises. now it is the tires and alignment the alignment is completely off that the tires are destroyed with only 17,250 miles on them, yet the car shows no sign of the alignment being off, it drives straight stays in one lane and the steering wheel is even straight, so how after one year with low miles is the alignment off and the tires are destroyed, and why was it unnoticed when i had my tires balanced and rotated 2 months earlier at 15,000 miles? by the same dealership! i feel that this car has alot of problems that the manufacturer does not want to address, look at how many other people are having the same problems, and we are all told that it is wear and tear or that there is no problem at all, well then why are we all having the same problems? i called toyota's main office logged a complaint and was told that someone would get back to me, it has been 3 days now and not one call has come my way! i feel that i should not have to pay for the repairs to this car since it is a nation wide problem, especially since it is a $27000.00 car that has depreciated in value by more than $7000.00 in less than one year, what happened to toyota's retaining there value? i wish everybody much luck with their issues. *nlm

Consumer took vehicle' to dealer for an oil change, and since then the vehicle emitted gray smoke. dealer determined that transmission needed to be replaced. consumer took vehicle to an independent mechanic, who replaced corroded spark plug wires, and gave the vehicle a tune up. also the mechanic determined that smoke came from a defective valve seal or rings . *ak it was finally determined that the transmission was not the problem it was the engine which needed to be replaced. *jb

At 1,500 miles the check engine light went on. i brought the car to the dealer on november 8, 2002 and was told that nothing was wrong with the car and they reset the computer. the car was fine until i arrived at home and the check engine light was on again. i brought the car to the dealer on november 11th and they said they didn't know what was wrong with the car. they were going to remove the transmission but needed a part. it is now november 25th and the part still hasn't arrived and the car hasn't been repaired.

There is a strong sulfur/rotten egg smell emitted by the vehicle whether i drive for along time or not. service folks over phone indicated that it was just a "new car" syndrome and would go away shortly. 11,000 miles later it has not gone away. i live in atlanta where we have low sulfur content fuel and it should not be the cause of the problem. on short trips, the entire outside around the car stinks like a sewer when i stop. at traffic lights, the smell is really bad. i can not use the fresh air circulation because of the smell. seems like the pcv system may not be working right, but there are no mils on indicating a problem. if there is a circulation problem which includes the exhaust system there could be a significant co issue that we wouldn't be aware of until it is too late. please help get to the bottom of this. *ak

My 2002 toyota camry v6 xle has had a problem with stuttering as though the transmission, engine or computer is not working properly. four different toyota dealerships have looked at the car and their only statement is that if the engine light doesn't come on, they can't diagnose the problem. a now independent, former toyota mechanic did observe the problem and can't diagnose the problem with a computer. i was treated with arrogant denial by customer service at toyota and they blackmarked me on their system-wide computer history. i did learn that one problem was a recall publication 3 months before i bought my car that said the computer needed reprogrammed. none of these dealerships knew this and toyota's "roman" in customer service denied me any reimbursement about the reprogramming even though i was complaining about the engine stuttering or missing since about one month after new purchase to the present. this is the company denial and arrogance that the congress and investigators are coming up against. toyota just won't accept that there is a problem with my car that has persisted since a month after november 2002 purchase. now i get emails calling me "friend" from them wanting my business and service. i just want my car to run correctly and fear that my transmission, engine or computer program is a forerunner of the problems coming to light lately before congress. *tr

While traveling on indian head highway, consumer swerved to avoid a deer, instead swerved to the right/lost control and hit a guard rail. upon impact, front air bags failed to deploy, driver suffered injuries, and vehicle was demolished. in addition, there was a sulfur-like or rotton egg odor coming from exhaust system. also, brought vehicle to dealer for following problems: poor alignment/engine check light/fuel injector/ spark plugs, mirrors, and structural defects *ak

Consumer enter the parked vehicle turned on ignition and consumer states' vehicle took off, consumer tried to stop vehicle would not stop, vehicle came to a stop after hitting a fire plug. please provide any further information ts

Every since the purchase of my new camry, the car has emitted a sulfur/rotten egg smell. the smell comes from the rear passenger side of the car and, when the defroster is on, it sucks the terrible smell right into the interior of the vehicle. (note to nhtsa: you have several complaints already listed about this problem under both "catalytic converter," "exhaust system," and "defroster"...they are all the same thing.) i have taken the car to the dealership on several occasions. they have told me: 1) that it is the catalytic converter, 2) that it happens in about 70 of every 3,000+ cars produced, 3) that i should try a new gasoline and 4) that it will go away at around 6,000 miles. i have tried several new gasolines and am currently at 5,000 miles with no change to the smell. i will take my car into the shop two more times for the same complaint and then will attempt to invoke the lemon law in oregon.

Car produces a horrible rotten egg smell while sitting in traffic. dt

Have very serious concerns with brake system on my car. brakes repaired on numerous occasions . consumer feel this problem could lead to a serious automobile accident if not corrected. *bf nar *jls the rear brakes were noisy and made a grinding sound. the front brakes vibrated, the consumer replaced the front brake pads and rotors. the consumer stated that the trunk flaps and clips were installed to fix the problem. the left front door kick panel came loose. bond pak primer applied to fix the problem. the consumer stated that the vehicle shimmies when driving at high speeds. vehicle front wheels out of balance. the problem was not with the wheel balance but with the brakes. rotors where warped. the consumer stated that the moon roof does not open smoothly it jolts and shakes the car roof. the consumer smelled a rotten egg smell when the heater and air conditioner was used. the consumer was told that it was burning sulfur and it would diminish at 25000 miles. 35000 miles the smell was still there. *tc the rear view defogger was replaced.

Tail pipe is too low to the ground.*ak

Rotten egg smell inside vehicle cab since i leased it , been in shop 5 times they asked me to do things like put blue planet gas in it and drive it for along time none of this seem to work last time was they swaped the computer system and converters from another 2002 camry and the gas smell is still there. i have tried everything..the smell is to the point where it makes my daughter and i have headaches. at one point i had toyota tell me there was nothing they could do for me....im not sure if my car has a defect due to some other reason it seems funny to me that they just dont know whats wrong with this car.there is also a clunking sound in the sterring they told me it was normal too? not sure about whats going on .....and thought someone else like you guys should know about it. thanks tammy cole. *ak

I have a 2002 toyota camry xle, since i got the car new it started to lunge several times while sitting at stop lights/signs. i went to two different toyota dealers and was told that the car is running as manufactured. i said this can cause an accident. they said nothing was wrong. also, since i bought the car new it wants to stall when coming to a stop. again, no dealer will help. something is wrong but the dealers won't help. i do not have time to keep running to dealers, that is why i bought a new car. there is a definite problem with these cars. as times goes by, it's getting worse, especially in warm weather conditions.

A strange odor was coming into cab of vehicle. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer stated it was carbon monoxide. consumer stated that sunroof was vacuuming fumes back into vehicle. please provide any further information.*ak

There is a very strong rotten egg/sulpher odor emitted from the exhaust whether the vehicle is driven a short or long distance. i was told by the dealer that the odor was caused by high sulpher content in the gasoline that i was putting in the car and that i should try different brands of gasoline to see which one caused the least odor. i have tried 3 different brands and the odor is still the same. i have talked to the dealer twice about the problem and was told that there was nothing that they could do about it since it was the gasoline that is causing the problem. i strongly believe there is a problem with theh engine or the exhaust system and that either the dealer/manufacturer does not know how to fix the problem or refuses to admit that there is a problem.*ak

Consumer states while driving occasionally white smoke exits the exhaust. consumer states dealer has been contacted. please provide any further information. mr

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

Terrible smell from heat/air vents,kids have asthma and can't stand the smell, toyota dealer just sprayed vents and poured freshner in outside vent, problem kept coming back and pollen filter kept plugging, nothing done to correct it, now in 2005 my water pump went bad. i know that the smell is some kind of mildew or mold from something not being fixed, which could lead to severe health conditions!

Exhaust system is designed too close to ground and may causes a potential fire, making contact with debris. dealer and manfucturer were notified. *ak *yh

While operating my vehicle on a highway, i was startled when an object suddenly fell/dropped onto my ankle/foot from under the vehicle's dash. this incident almost caused me to lose control of the vehicle. when i took the vehicle back to the selling dealership, i was informed that object which fell off was the "driver's side air flow duct." further informed that piece fell off because a clip(s) was either not installed during assembly or, clip fell off during operation of vehicle prior to my incident. note: still awaiting for special order part (clip) to arrive at dealership.

While driving, vehicle intermittently pulls back and shifts to a lower gear. and the rpm abruptly goes from 2100 rpm to 1900 rpm and back again. dealer could not find a problem. *tt