2003 Camry 2.4 litre 4 cyl-manufacturing problems

1849 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Gordon-Aussie, Jun 3, 2004

Gordon-Aussie

Discussion Starter · May 31, 2004

GDay from Australia. I bought a new December 2003 Camry here in Australia. My neighbours bought the same car, just a different colour. Their car is a DREAM, mine is a bucket of bolts.

Has anyone heard of problems with shock absorbers, exhaust components hitting the body or suspension parts and causing the car to 'buzz', very poor fuel economy, clunking from the steering, a sucking noise from the engine like a manifold is loose or there's a hole in the headers, grinding noises from the brakes, loud cracking noises from the dashboard/windscreen area, excessive wind noise around the doors and mirrors, really rough idling when the airconditioning is engaged and compressor operating, car pulling to one side even though the specs say everything is OK, whine from the auto gearbox when changing from 2nd to 3rd especially, brake failure after one hard high speed braking effort?

I am about ready to drive the car through the Dealers front door in anger and frustration and need to know if anyone lese has had similar problems. ALSO **** If anyone knows any other sites on the WEB where I might get more information about these problems.

Thanks to all from Downunder....

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Wibbit

· #2 · May 31, 2004

a few people i know have bought the new avalon based camrys but absolutely no complaints from them. sounds pretty bad! take it back to the dealer straight away... id be under warranty still so its their problem.

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jaguar

· #3 · May 31, 2004

sounds like a monday-made car..

dealership should fix it all !, have you talked to them yet ?

let us know how that turns out

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Gordon-Aussie

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 1, 2004

Thanks for your replies. 2 dealers, the selling dealer and another dealer who did some service work and Toyota Australia are now involved and ALL are denying there's anything wrong with the car. I need to find people who have had similar problems so I can point out to these folks that I am not alone in my complaints.

Thanks

Gordon

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JSVH

· #5 · Jun 1, 2004

Why do you need to find other cars with your problems to prove YOUR car has problems? Sounds like they are just avoiding the issue to me. All of your problems should be fixed by Toyota under warranty. I dont know if you have a simmilar low down under, but here in the U.S. we have a "lemon law". The dealership has to give you a new car if you take it in three times to fix the same problem.

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jaguar

· #6 · Jun 1, 2004 (Edited)

okay, this is what you do,
next time they keep an open house, park your car in front of your selling dealer and print sheets saying your car has 'this problem and this dealer won't do anything about it' and put them behind your windshield and other windows, make it flashy, red and pink work well

it'll take some guts, i agree, but watch your dealer's face when ppl will be checking out your camry...

using this method, it'll be fixed within 5 minutes

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Admiral93

· #7 · Jun 1, 2004

I dont know what they are called in Aus, but in the US we sometimes call that a lemon. A fluke in the production process. Every so often one horrible car out of millions comes off the line and is full of problems. Toyota's customer service in the US isn't great, it doesnt sound any better in the southern hemisphere. American makes tend of have better customer service, but that's b/c American cars have a lot more problems than Japanese cars tend to

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Gordon-Aussie

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 1, 2004

I need other cars to compare as the people from Toyota keep saying that my car operates as normal. It does not, and as such, needs to be A-B compared, within 60 seconds, with a car that performs beautifully, such as my neighbours. Only then is it glaringly obvious that my car is a dog!

They are delivering a loaner car this Friday and taking my car away for 2 days to check it out with representatives from Toyota State Office Technical Area. Fingers crossed, or its off to Court.

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migoreng

· #9 · Jun 2, 2004

i have a 2003 camry sportivo auto 2.4l bought in may 2003 1 year ago...
i live in sydney.

there was leaking coolant down the bottom of the engine block? 3 months ago...took 5 days to fix
2 days later faulty radiator cap which spilt all over my radiator.
those were the biggest problems...
i go 450km until i really have to fill up...its pointing at empty...

so like 14L/100km
but i drive it hard once in a while so i might be able to do 500km on a tank
no problems with my suspension...
driving is still quiet...no weird noises under hard cornering...and understeer

the handbrake makes a clunking sound when you pull it even when the car is rolling even slow...i don't handbrake it anyway

cabin noise is good. no unsual noises...its quiet when sitting in the back seat...
no weird noises even when aircon is on...i leave air con to run max every few weeks...something about so it keeps the power.
the exhaust black 'coating' is flaking off to reveal a shiny metal...so wtf...lol
no problems with my brakes...still strong...ABS brakes has saved me skidding into the rear of other cars...
gear box shifting is smooth...no delays...no cracking noises...except when you park the car on the hill...and the P gear is holding the car more than the handbrake...so when you move from P to R it makes a clunking sound...best to park the car, use the handbrake only and put it in P.

i had headlight and bonnet protectors installed...the 4 clips that go onto the bonnet...2 on each side have no tape under them...they were installed wrong by someone...it has left 4 black marks on my bonnet...and 2 dents where the metal support bolts onto the grill...no tape at all...geeezzz

i have never been in another 2003 camry so i don't know if things are sounding correct, but after 1 year of driving it i'm pretty happy...so if i u get the chance then you could compare problems...

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JSVH

· #10 · Jun 2, 2004

jaguar said:
okay, this is what you do,
next time they keep an open house, park your car in front of your selling dealer and print sheets saying your car has 'this problem and this dealer won't do anything about it' and put them behind your windshield and other windows, make it flashy, red and pink work well

it'll take some guts, i agree, but watch your dealer's face when ppl will be checking out your camry...

using this method, it'll be fixed within 5 minutes

:lol: I will remember this one next time I have a problem with a dealer. :thumbup:

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Gordon-Aussie

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 3, 2004

thanks migoreng. i'll let you and the rest know what happens this week after they mess with the car!

cheers

gordon

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