Toyota is a household name in the world of automobiles. Founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937, the Japanese automobile giant has grown in leaps and bounds. Their 8 decades of existence have seen them gain global recognition. The company’s stock is traded as TM and TYT on New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange respectively. This year, Toyota overtook Mercedes Benz as the most valuable automobile brand with an estimated value of $59.5 billion.
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Toyota produces vehicles under five different brands. In this writing, however, we’ll be looking at one of their most successful brands. The Toyota Camry. The midsize sedan has been in production since March 1982. A whopping 39 years of consistent presence in the global automobile market. The brand is regarded as one of the top five mid-size sedans produced to the highest quality standard.
While the Toyota Camry is undisputedly a good brand, some problems seem to surface. This problem tends to occur so much that even Toyota is aware of them via customer review. If you will be buying a Toyota Camry anytime soon, you need to know about these common Toyota Camry problems. We have these problems highlighted in this article for you, our followers, and readers.
1) Bluetooth Echo During Calls
Hands-free features have made communication more comfortable. This feature is present in Toyota Camry but it has a defect. When car owners make or receive calls, the experience is accompanied by annoying echoes. This problem is more prominent with 2019 and older models of Toyota Camry. In response, Toyota suggested that car owners turn the volume of their phones all the way up when a call starts. This was, however, deemed unsafe for car owners.
The bright side is that this problem has virtually disappeared in some 2019 and 2020+ brands. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have solved the echo problem. You only need to pay attention to this problem if you are buying an old brand of Toyota Camry.
2) Oil Sludge In Engines
This problem is common with the Toyota Camry brand made from 1997-to 2005. The 3.0L engine in the cars was being damaged because of oil sludge. Oil sludge occurs when oil thickens in the engine thereby leading to low lubrication, increased friction, and heat.
Toyota rejected car owners’ claims of low-quality oil, saying that the car owners were not keeping up with the maintenance routine. The automobile giant went on to reimburse those who already paid to have their sludge damages repaired. Toyota also agreed to repair the “sludged-up” engines for up to eight years from the time of purchase.
3) Musty And Moldy A/C
The Toyota Camry does not have effective heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. There is an odour problem and health problems from mould that collects in the evaporators. There are numerous complaints about this problem on carcomplaints.com. Toyota even issued a bulletin in August of 2009 about musty smells in certain Camry and Camry HV cars. The bulletin also revealed that the automobile giant had created a new evaporator sub-assembly to “decrease the potential for HVAC odour.”
Lawsuits after lawsuits were filed against Toyota about this problem as recently as 2016. If you are buying a Camry, it is good you know about this.
4) Unintended Acceleration
Safety is paramount when driving a car. This safety is secured by the drivers’ ability to control the car. It is however worrisome when the car becomes uncontrollable. There was a time when Toyota Camry brands accelerated independently of the driver. Toyota believes this problem was due to stuck gas pedals or misplaced floor mats that trapped gas pedals.
Toyota recalled 3.8 million vehicles because of a defect that causes floor mats to jam under accelerator pedals. It’s believed unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles may have been involved in the deaths of 89 people over the past decade. This led to lawsuits against the company.
5) Excessive Oil Consumption
Lubricants are important for a functional engine. Toyota Camry might consume excessive oil because of defective piston rings. Car owners, because of this, have made many weird reports. Some of these reports include:
- Have your “oil pressure” light come on halfway through your maintenance schedule.
- Having your engine burn through as much as 1 quart of oil in 1,200 miles
- Being told that your engine burning through oil is “normal” and “nothing to be alarmed of”
This problem is common in 2007-2011 Toyota Camry HV (Hybrid) and 2007-2009 Toyota Camry.
6) Melting Dashboards
Toyota dashboards tend to melt under the sun. This problem dates back to 2003. The heat causes the plastic dashboard to melt, warp, and crack. This problem is even worse in areas with a lot of heat. Due to the melting, the dashboard becomes sticky and releases an intense glare. This glare, which is a reflection of light temporarily, blinds drivers and makes driving unsafe.
A lawsuit was filed against Toyota in August 2014 as this problem occurred in a 2007-2009 Toyota Camry. A similar lawsuit was filed in November 2014. Toyota would end up extending dashboard warranty in over 3,5 million vehicles.
CONCLUSION
Toyota Camry still remains a good car brand. It is affordable, fuel-efficient, and reliable. However, these problems peculiar to Toyota Camry can easily be managed once you are aware of them. Toyota as a brand keeps working hard to ensure that they serve their customers better.
