New to TN Camry Owner

[sinuhe42]

Hello from N. Alabama. I'm Ed. Have a '95 Camry LE 2.2 Auto bought new. Has 120K miles going in for 60K service interval soon. But having rear suspension noise gremlins over the past year that obviously are afflicting so many other Gen 3 owners.

I posted a thread related to that issue today (11/26/08), but add the content here for repitition. My wife and I have enjoyed this car immensely and might consider a new Camry next spring or maybe downsize to the Corolla. Would like to keep the '95 in good shape until then, but not by spending an arm and a leg. Your feedback on the problem much appreciated.

I have read most, if not all, the Gen 3 articles addressing rear suspension noise ("clunking"). There are several areas of concern. But there does not seem to be any foolproof way to pinpoint the source of the noise. The cost of working through every repair option, as one forum participant wound up doing, is far too costly. And for an aging DIYer like me, some repair options are out of the question for my deteriorating body.

Two variables not discussed adequately or presented for consideration are the effect of temperature and non-straightline driving response.

1. My rear suspension noise only shows up in the colder months (of N. Alabama). Why would temperature effect the source of the noise and which component and/or assembly would most likely respond to the colder temperature range?

2. When in a slight curve or lane change and encountering a pavement irregularity or bump, there is a slight "hop" or "judder" of the rear. Which component, in a deteriorated condition, transmit this type of movement?

Thanks for feedback/thoughts.

[Chris Tacoma]

Hello Ed and welcome to the forum Sometimes it is extremely difficult to actually pinpoint a problem. As a DIYer like yourself I personally tend to start with the least expensive route when troubleshooting a problem. If you don't have a repair manual I would recommend getting one . In any case I hope you find the answers your looking for.