Problem with 2007 Camry

[sumonc]

I bought my 2007 Camry in Jan 2007. In June I started hearing a distinct clicking noise from the front passenger side pillar. I reported this to the dealer and had to go back to the dealer a total of 4 times. Out of these 4 attempts to fix the car, FTS was involved in the last 3 attempts. Now, the problem is occurring yet again.

This time, I have taken the case to NCDS and asked for replacement of the car by a new car. I would like to know about how the arbitration process works and what are the typical success rates in cases like this.

How has the experience with NCDS been? Clearly, under the Connecticut Lemon Law, my case meets the minimum number of attempts required (4) to fix the car before it can be taken up under the Lemon Law. What are my chances for getting a replacement for the car?

I am VERY doubtful that you qualify for arbitration due to the lemon laws of Connecticut, to even be eligible you need to meet ALL of the following requirements:

• You must own or lease a new vehicle that does not conform to the manufacturer's warranty.

• The vehicle must have substantial defects affecting its use, safety, or value.

• The vehicle must have undergone at least four repair attempts.

• The vehicle must be within the first two years of its original delivery date to the owner or within the first 24,000 miles on the odometer (whichever period ends first).

In my personal opinion, and also being a 2nd year law student at the University of Denver (corporate and securities law though), it doesn't sound like you qualify for one main reason: the vehicle must have SUBSTANTIAL defects affecting its use, safety, or value. From what you have posted it doesn't sound like you have ANY substantial defects, just a clicking sound. Personally, if this would go to arbitration, I believe you would not win the outcome.

You can take what I say with a grain of salt, but I am pretty confident that is what will happen. You said you have already taken your case to the NCDS, but, have they decided to move forward with it or have you even received work that this will move into arbitration?

For more information on the lemon laws of Connecticut, please visit: http://www.carlemon.com/lemon/CT_LemonGuide.html

[CharmCityES]

so youre seeking lemon law for a squeaking noise in your interior?
god help us if so, then we all have lemons

it gets cold. plastic contracts/expands in cold weather and with the heat on, and the plastic rubs against other plastic. hence noises.
my camry does it. my moms solara too...hell my uncles 90k lexus LS460L does it

[importcars]

look at the bright side.. its distant :]

turn ur radio up.. put your windows down.. oh! i know!

WEAR EAR PLUGS!! :]

[sumonc]

Originally Posted by Evan215

I am VERY doubtful that you qualify for arbitration due to the lemon laws of Connecticut, to even be eligible you need to meet ALL of the following requirements:

• You must own or lease a new vehicle that does not conform to the manufacturer's warranty.

• The vehicle must have substantial defects affecting its use, safety, or value.

• The vehicle must have undergone at least four repair attempts.

• The vehicle must be within the first two years of its original delivery date to the owner or within the first 24,000 miles on the odometer (whichever period ends first).

In my personal opinion, and also being a 2nd year law student at the University of Denver (corporate and securities law though), it doesn't sound like you qualify for one main reason: the vehicle must have SUBSTANTIAL defects affecting its use, safety, or value. From what you have posted it doesn't sound like you have ANY substantial defects, just a clicking sound. Personally, if this would go to arbitration, I believe you would not win the outcome.

You can take what I say with a grain of salt, but I am pretty confident that is what will happen. You said you have already taken your case to the NCDS, but, have they decided to move forward with it or have you even received work that this will move into arbitration?

For more information on the lemon laws of Connecticut, please visit: http://www.carlemon.com/lemon/CT_LemonGuide.html

NCDS has reviewed my case and they have confirmed that my case qualifies for arbitration. Yes, I am skeptical about the outcome.

In case of a minor problem that I am facing, am I expected to keep running to the dealer again and again? Is there not going to be an end to this nonsense?

[sumonc]

Originally Posted by CorCamrySE

so youre seeking lemon law for a squeaking noise in your interior?
god help us if so, then we all have lemons

it gets cold. plastic contracts/expands in cold weather and with the heat on, and the plastic rubs against other plastic. hence noises.
my camry does it. my moms solara too...hell my uncles 90k lexus LS460L does it

Dude, the problem that I am facing is an "all weather problem". Exactly same noise is happening in summer and winter. During the 4th service attempt, Toyota even put 3M Duramix compound to stop the noise from happening but as evident, the woe continues.

Yes, at first, I too thought that the noise is a simple outcome of expansion and contraction but given the distinct nature of the noise, I am convinced that it is due to a manufacturing defect and not caused by simple natural reasons.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

I have a ton of squeaks that happen in both the summer and the winter, and honestly I couldn't care really, they are squeaks, not safety defects. If they were affecting the use or safety of the car, that would be an entirely different story.

This sounds like a complete waste of time and money to me and why the NCDS even accepted your case is beyond me. But anyways...

Since the NCDS has taken on your case, good luck. You have a very hard case to prove, and I am doubtful that most lemon law attorneys could even pull this one off. You will be very lucky if you win your case.

[summerwind]

Don't know if relates to your problem but similar noises have been contributed to the door not being adjusted properly.

Try having someone press outward on the door while you drive to see if it stops the noise. If it does the dealer needs to adjust the door.

[thoots]

No way in freaking hell would any arbitrator rule that a persistent interior noise would merit a lemon law vehicle replacement. For crying out loud, get some kind of cushioning material, cover the whole damn inside of that pillar with it if you have to, and move on with your life!

Conversely, should an arbitrator actually reach the abominable conclusion that anybody owes you (or anyone else seeking a lemon law replacement for interior noises) a new car, then I would absolutely expect that dealers must be building a database of malcontents to whom they will never, ever sell a vehicle, and instead they will escort these people off of their premises, should any of them ever set foot on one of their lots.

Sure, I hate rattles and noises as much as anyone, but you don't get lemon law replacements for interior noises. No companies could possibly afford to manufacture motor vehicles if frivolous cases like this were allowed to succeed.

The word is "ridiculous."

[atirevold]

Originally Posted by sumonc

NCDS has reviewed my case and they have confirmed that my case qualifies for arbitration. Yes, I am skeptical about the outcome.

In case of a minor problem that I am facing, am I expected to keep running to the dealer again and again? Is there not going to be an end to this nonsense?

Look on the bright side, at least you don't have the tranny flare problem that has had me going back and forth to the dealer and they can't seem to fix it. I'd take an interior squeak any day over that.