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Toyota • Airbags • Engine Problems • Cruise Control • Cooling System • Safety • Toyota Motor Credit • Avalon • Echo • Prius • Scion • Tacoma • Tundra --- Reviews • 2007 Corolla • 2006 Prius • 2007 Camry --- News • Toyota Raises Prices, Prius Jumps $400 • Quality Auditor Charges Toyota Cover-Up • Toyota Agrees to Oil-Sludge Settlement • Toyota Camry Named "Car of the Year" • Software Glitch Slows Some 2007 Camrys • Is Toyota's Quality Slipping? • Toyota Delays U.S. Sales of New Corolla to Improve Quality • Facing Massive Recalls, Toyota Executives Promise to Do Better • Toyota Recalls Near 800,000 for July • Japanese Probe Recall Delay at Toyota • Toyota Builds More Efficient Gasoline Engines • Toyota Cuts Entry-Level Camry Price, Boosts Luxury Model • Toyota Dons NASCAR Racing Gear • Toyota Sludge

Darcy of Spokane Valley, WA July 13, 2009

I bought a 2001 Toyota Camary on 11/17/2003 form downtown Toyota in the amount of 14,999.00. They failed to inform me of the problems with the 2001 Toyota engines (gelling). My engine threw a rod 7/3/2008. The engine was replaced with a used engine from Foreign engines. The approximate cost to replace the engine was 4,036.39 (2009.21 engine; labor 1,227.18; 800.00 towing) I decided to buy a car instead of renting, the cost was parallel. The cost of the car was 2,800.00. The #4 cynlinder started going out on this replaced engine on 7/3/009. to which we had to replace the engine again (3,236.39).

Ronald of Waukesha, WI July 8, 2009

Oil blowing blue smoke out exhaust on a 2001 highlander with the 3.0 v-6 motor. Excessive oil consumption. Vale seals and guides determined to be bad. Also oil sludge in valve covers all at 55,000 miles.We don't put on many miles.But have never heard of these things going bad at that milage before in any toyota. Paid 1155 dollars to have this repaired. Don't think this should have happened. I have the oil gel glove box and notice from the oil gel problem.

V.Moseley of Berwick, Australia July 7, 2009

I have a Toyota Avalon year 2000 and I have been told by Berwick Toyota, Victoria, Australia. The motor needs replacing due to sludge build up and the motor is no longer working ,at a cost of 7,500.00 Berwick Toyota is claiming it is my fault and I have not serviced the vehicle correctly. I have serviced the vehicle correctly but for the last two years I cannot prove it because the mechanic is out of business and the service book was not filled out.

Joe of Louisville, KY June 29, 2009

I have a 1997 Camry, the oil pressurs light came on and I believe I have an oil sludge problem. Do I have any recourse under the Toyota Sludge Agrement settlement? I have changed oil regulary as recommended by dealer. Cannot drive vechicle because I am concerned about damage to engin.

Deborah of Clermont, FL June 20, 2009

I have a 2005 Toyota Camry. Today on my way to work, the oil indicator light came on. Shortly after (within minutes), the check engine light came on. I drove to a local business to have my car checked and the car stopped running as I pulled into the car repair place. I was told 2 hours later that my engine has sludge and that it's going to cost me 5100 to have the engine rebuilt.

The car repair manager also informed me that this has been an issue with Toyota engines (sludge build up) because of the way these engines are made. They tend to overheat in areas and that causes the oil to build up on the engine. This is a 2005 Toyota Camry. I have had regular oil changes. This is unacceptable. There is evidence that earlier model Toyotas had the same issue and a class action lawsuit was settled such that owners who had Toyotas between 1997 and 2002 had their engines rebuilt free of charge.

I have been reading a log about this tonight and apparently that are a lot of people out there going through the same thing. This is unacceptable. And, for Toyota to claim this is due to poor maintenance is ridiculous. Also, why didn't my check engine light come on sooner if there was an engine problem? Or, for that matter, why didn't the oil light indicator come on sooner. Within minutes of both lights coming on, I had a blown engine. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND THIS MUST STOP!!!! I am still making payments on this car and now I have to replace the engine?????

5100 for a repair to a 2005 Toyota Camry engine that has sludge as a result of poor engine manufacturing apparently. Not only is this going to kill me financially, I've been anxious and depressed all day knowing I have no choice but to try and come up with the money to repair this vehicle...and it's not my fault. Not to mention I'm going to be without a car for 2 weeks. It's a shame that Toyota won't own up to this problem. I too have heard wonderful things about Toyota. I've had 2 Toyotas but unless something is done to help with this issue, I will never buy another Toyota and I will tell everyone I know about this experience.

Derek of Spokane, WA June 18, 2009

2000 Camry LE - 5SFE Engine. 77K Miles. Motor had been burning a little oil at startup (possible bad valve stem seals) and had been doing so for about 4-6 months. Toyota told us that since we did our own regular maintenance, that we did not qualify for the recall on these engines. My wife had gotten laid off in beginning of August 08, I had just changed oil in July 08. Beginning of Nov 08, started car up to a substantial rod knock. Took it to a mechanic to get another motor put into it asap due to her starting a new job within a week (at that time). This 'new' motor had approx 90K miles on it and now about 7 months or so later, it is now starting to puff oil smoke upon startup (same thing the original motor did when this started).

Have already spent 2600 to replace original motor plus the time and hassle of being down a vehicle for about a week. Now we are looking to have to spend another 1000-2000+ to rebuild the original motor (we bought it back) not to mention all the time, effort, downtime and extra costs it will take to rebuild and install the original motor while we have a whole family event every day taking mom to work while her car is down.

Sandy of North Berwick, ME June 18, 2009

Toyota Avalon 72,000 miles. No warning Check engine and oil light came on, pulled over, and oil was all over engine when opening hood. Serice truck brought to delaership where purchased. We were told the part is KNOWN to GO. A part they used when making their bigger engine. We were told a NEW ENGINE was needed. They OFFERED to pay for ONLY HALF of a brand new one at cost of 12,000 OR we could purchace a used one but they wouldn't pay anything on that.

THEN we were also told that the LABOR cost would be EVEN MORE MONEY IF we purchased the BRAND NEW one. SO went with the used one at the cost, all said and done, a wopping 7,500! Obviously nothing to sneeze at and Toyota is doing NOTHING. Where is THEIR resposibility? We're talking ONLY 72,000 MILES!

Jan of Columbia, MD June 3, 2009

I just bought a 1999 Toyota Solara with only 80,000 miles on it a little over 1 week ago from a friend. The first time I got in and drove it was June 2. I was taking it to get inspected so I could get it registered to me. We have still not even consummated the transfer of the vehicle. It seemed fine - then there was a clucking sound once or twice and it instantly went dead, stopped running. It was terrifying - no warning whatsoever! I was on an Interstate highway - the Baltimore Beltway, I-695 - and fortunately managed to coast it off to the left shoulder which was a lane or 2 away before it completely died.

Smoke was pouring out of the back and I am now on the shoulder between it and the jersey wall while 4 lanes of traffic whiz by me at 70 mph and on the other side of the jersey wall, 4 lanes whiz by me in the other direction. It was terrifying because any minute a car could have veered slightly onto the shoulder and hit the car or pushed it into me or hit me. I waited nearly an hour till AAA sent the tow truck.

Oil was all over the ground underneath the engine and a little trail of droplets behind the car where the oil had dripped out. A fire truck came and thought it could have burst into flames even. I could have been killed. Imagine if I had died in one of the lanes and not been able to coast to the shoulder! The auto repair place said the engine was blown completely and the oil was full of sludge. I paid 4000 for the car and now it will cost nearly 5000 if I want to repair it which makes no sense since the car is 10 years old even though it only has 80,000 miles.

I noticed in the packet I was given by the former owners a letter from Toyota talking about the oil gelling problem and looked online and saw all the blogs and other info about this oil gelling problem and the sludge and how these engines in all these Toyotas from 1998-2002 were blowing up/failing after 30-90,000 miles. And also how Toyota failed to admit it for years till the lawsuit and even then won't take care of people and looks for any opportunity to get out of covering the problem. It is appalling that this company gets away with this and that they are not accountable for the dangerous position into which they are putting people driving these cars.

Gai of Charleston , WV May 25, 2009

I'm another Toyota Avalon owner who's engine has burned-up this week with only 73,000 miles on it. I bought the car new in 2003 and have had regular maintenance performed on the car. There is something definitely wrong with the engineering of this car and as you all may know, Toyota has not acknowledged the issue. This exact same issue happened to previous Toyota's in the past but Toyota only recognizes this issue up to the 2002 model year. (And it took them years to do this)

Now I see many others with the same problem. Car engines haven't burned up like this since the 60s, and there's no reason for it today, especially with a top of the line TOYOTA. The dealership claims (as all cases do) that the engine had "gel" (sludge) that prevented it from getting enough lubrication. This issue has been going on for at least 6 years now with Toyota's. I think it's time for a Class Action lawsuit.

Kevin of Fresno , CA May 21, 2009

Engine failure to toyota sienna 1999, 115,000 milies oil sludge related, need to repair or fix car

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