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Question:  2004 Toyota Camry  mileage: 40,000. When I am idling at a red light, my car shakes and makes a noise. I think the muffler might be loose because I scraped the ground the other day and it didn’t start acting like this until after that happened. Also when I crank my car it revs up loud and it didn’t do that either before I scraped.   

Answer:   The problem you described is undoubtedly caused because you scrapped the bottom of your car damaging your exhaust system.  The oxygen sensor is located in the exhaust system and it probably is damaged also. 

Question:  2003 Toyota Camry mileage: 89,000. The air-conditioning was working okay.  But, now when I turn it on, the a/c knob lights up for about three to four seconds and then starts flashing.  Now the compressor will not work. 

Answer:  There is obviously a problem in your air-conditioning system.  Scanning the computer that controls that system will reveal a fault code that should pin-point your problem.  

Question:  1993 Camry _mileage: 75,000. The ABS light stays on.  Toyota told us it would cost about $1800 to repair.  Since the car is driven only by me - and not used a lot, I would like to skip the repair.  The car runs beautifully and the brakes work fine without the ABS. However, we were told we could not pass inspection with the ABS light on.  Can we just disconnect the ABS without computer problems?  Might the cost be less than $1800 for repair? I learned more about my Camry reading all your other questions and answers. I learned that Camry\'s have a lot of miles in them.  We have maintained this car since the first day we bought it - could never get its worth in a sale or trade in.  But $1800 is a lot of money for something we don't seem to need.   

Answer:   We suggest that you get a second opinion from an independent service source.  You may find that something as simple as a wheel sensor has failed which would be relatively inexpensive to repair.  Question, did the Toyota dealer tell what part of the ABS system failed?  Some parts are very expensive.  We would never suggest that you disable the ABS system...the system was designed to give you an extra margin of safety while braking

Question:  1995 Toyota Camry _mileage: 128,000. I hope you can help! The car stalls or dies out after coming to or approaching a stop (like after freeway driving) or slowing down to turn a corner. While sitting at the light (hoping it won't die), it chugs and idles rough. It seems to happen more when the engine has been running and hot, and while I am braking and almost at a stop. The mechanic changed the catalytic converter, replaced ignition rotor and wires, did a fuel injection service and throttle body cleaning. He also said he checked the IAC valve (ok), the EGR (ok), and adjusted the TPS to factory default. The problem still occurs after all this work was done (and money paid). I am so frustrated with this problem and am afraid to take this car out for fear I will get rear-ended or stuck some place. I also feel like I paid all this money just to have a laundry list of other repairs that I didn't even originally ask about. I would appreciate any advice you could give.  

Answer:   Recheck the EGR (exhaust gas recycling) valve and the IAC (idle air control) valve as your problem points to one or both malfunctioning. 

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Question:  1999 Toyota Camry  Mileage 80,000: When I drive at speeds 67+ mph, there is a really bad smell that comes from my car.  My ex, who is a mechanic, said it was the catalytic converter, but said it wasn't a problem, and that it's expensive to replace etc.  I like to drive fast, so I always smell that odor (like rotten eggs and burnt rubber), so I was wondering what I could do to fix this?  If I have to replace the converter, how much should it cost?  Or if there is something else that could be contributing to this smell that my ex overlooked?  Any insight would be appreciated. 

Answer:  The “rotten egg smell” that you mentioned is usually caused by fuel mixture in the engine that is too rich.  The catalytic converter may be faulty but before you replace it the “too rich” fuel mixture needs to be corrected.  As far as the cost...check around in your area at different muffler shops and compare prices.

Question: 1998 Toyota Camry  mileage: 59,000. Not really a repair question, but would really appreciate your advice. My mother's 1998 Camry was just totaled. We're looking at a 2003 which has 4 cylinders. Mom's 1998 Toyota Camry was 6 cylinders. They're telling her that 2003's with 4 cylinders have as much power as old 6 cylinder Camry’s. I found that the 2003 4-cylinder has 157 horsepower. I can't find how many horsepower the 6-cylinder 1998 had. So--how many horsepower did the 6-cylinder 1993 Toyota Camry have?

Answer: It is obvious from your question that you are concerned about performance. Comparing 1993 vehicles to 2003 vehicles regarding horsepower is like comparing apples and oranges. Because of advancements in the engines and transmission designs of newer model cars, the performance will more likely be the same or possibly better when comparing the 1993 6-cylinder to the 2003 4-cylinder. Gas mileage will probably improve also in the 2003 model. We suggest that you drive the 2003 and see if you are happy with the performance.

Question: 2002 Toyota Camry  mileage: 2,400: Upon cold start-up, my new Camry jumps to approximately 2,000 RPM for about 5 seconds and then the Rpms drop to about 1,500 Rpm. I fear that this initial jump is too high for cold warm-ups. Is this initial jump typical of the new Camry's? Should it be taken in? It does this every time it is cold started.

Answer: The cold fast idle Rpm is controlled by the computer. If there is a malfunction causing this to idle too high, scanning the computer should tell you what is wrong.

Question: 1992 Toyota Camry , A540E automatic transmission. I have had my transmission rebuilt and I believe they didn't put in the right transmission. I am an auto mechanic and need to know how I can identify if the A540E, which should be original equipment in the car, is there after it was rebuilt. I took the car back because it is not shifting from 1st to 2nd gear after being driven for about an hour. I just took it to another branch of the same transmission repair facility and they said it was fine. They adjusted the kick down cable (HA HA) but it didn't make a difference.

Answer: Get your VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number) located by the windshield of your car or on your registration certificate and then call a Toyota dealer and he/she can tell you which model of transmission that should be in your car. Then purchase a transmission pan gasket for the model they tell you should be in your car and see if it matches the transmission pan in your car. If it does, you have the right transmission.

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Question: 1991 Toyota Camry, mileage: 139,000. My car started stalling out and became EXTREMELY hard to start. I took it to our EXCELLENT service shop (I trust them very much) and they replaced the ignition coil and igniter at a cost of about $565.00. About 3 weeks later it stalled and needed towing and it was the coil that had gone out. About 2 weeks ago, the same thing happened except they determined that the igniter is taking the coil out, so they replaced that again. All of this is under warranty so I don't feel too bad, but now it stalled out again, in the same manner. Are they just getting bad parts or is there something that could continue to take out the coil and the igniter on a regular basis. This will be the 4th coil and 3rd igniter. Thanks much for any clues.

Answer: If the pickup coil has not been replaced, do it now. Check the wiring for faulty connections and check voltage to the coil. Also have the ignition switch checked out.

Question: 1990 Toyota Camry  mileage: 150,000. 1. The oil warning light is on. 2. There are four quarts of oil in the car. 3. The oil filter is dry. 4. The engine sounds rough. 5. There is noise coming from the oil pump area. 6. A friend and I removed the oil pan and looked inside the engine and there is nothing broken or loose. 7. It does not seem that oil is circulating around the oil pump. It looks dry. 8. My amature mechanic friend suspects the oil pump is bad. 9. I took it to the Toyota dealer and they suggested that they replace the engine for $2,500.00 without looking inside the engine. What is the problem? Should I take back to the dealer and ask them to replace the oil pump? Why couldn't they determine this problem without replacing the engine?

Answer: It is difficult to tell why you have no oil pressure. Running the engine with no oil pressure will cause major internal damage. Unfortunately, replacing the oil pump will not remedy the probable damage done to your engine. The dealer can get the oil pump working again but that will not help you if the engine is shot.

Question: 2000 Toyota Camry  mileage: 8,000. Whenever I use the air conditioner unit there is a mildew smell for the first 5 to 10 minutes of use. The smell dissipates after that. Local car dealerships don't know of any specific problems but have been spraying to alleviate the smell. The spray wears off very quickly usually within 30 minutes. What do you think is causing this and how can I get it fixed?

Answer: We have been looking at a new product that is supposed to remedy your problem. However, we cannot recommend it yet. In the meantime, you can help the situation by turning off your air-conditioner but leaving the fan on for about two minutes before you turn the car off. This will dry out the moisture in the evaporator that causes the smell.

Question: 1993 Toyota Camry  mileage: 135,000. My radiator was corroded and leaking. A new radiator has been fitted. I have now been told that the head gasket needs to be replaced because there is a major oil leak. This did not exist when I took it into the garage. Is this something that can happen when a new radiator has been fitted? I am now expected to pay a much higher repair bill. Is it likely that the garage could be negligent?

Answer: Replacing the radiator would not cause the head gasket to fail. What probably occurred is the head gasket was close to or failing before the radiator was replaced? The old leaking radiator probably caused the engine to over heat.

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Question: 1992 Toyota Camry  mileage: 109,000. My airbag light is staying on all the time.

Answer: The airbag light will "light" when there is a malfunction in the airbag system. The fault code is then stored in the computer. The computer must be scanned to retrieve these stored faults to pinpoint the malfunctioning component. Because the airbag light indicates something is wrong, a trip to you neighborhood automobile service center sooner rather than later is recommended. Your airbag system may not be functioning.

Question: 1992 Toyota Camry mileage: 100,000. I took my car in to the dealer for a routine oil change. What attracted me to this dealership was it was a brand new location, they guaranteed work in 30 minutes and a cost of $12.95! Lo and behold at the end of the "long" wait I was taken to the car and shown the threads of the oil pan bolt had come off and the only solution was to replace the whole pan at a total cost in the $500 range! If the previous oil change was done at the same dealership (at their old location) and the next one at the new location, how in the world could the threads have come off? Is this normal?

Answer: It is difficult to tell when the damage was done to the drain plug threads. Each time oil is changed the drain plug is tightened. If it is slightly over-tightened during oil changes, progressive damage occurs to the threads. Eventually, the threads will fail and it seems that it happened on your most recent oil change. Obviously replacing the oil pan is one way to cure the problem. However, we tap out the drain plug hole in the pan to the next size larger and replace it with a larger drain plug; a less expensive procedure.

Question: 2000 Toyota Camry  mileage: 94,000. Hi Bob and Ken! Are Front Wheel Bearings something that still needs maintenance/replacing these days (1990's vs. 1970's)? If so, is it fairly easy for a DIY or am I not saving much $$$ by taking it to a shop? First, I don't know if that's my problem. "Occasionally" I can notice a scratchy noise in the front. It happens (sometimes) when I coast down a hill only at the point if I turn the wheel to the LEFT. The noise will stop when I straighten out. Do you think that is worn bearings or are my brake pads rubbing?

Answer: The wheel bearings on the newer cars still require maintenance. They are much more difficult to access, however. Without driving your car, we really are guessing at your problem. Remove the front wheels, inspect the amount of brake pad remaining, and replace if necessary. Also, check to see that the dust shields are not too close to the brake rotors. Your noise may possibly be wheel bearings.

Question: 1997 Toyota Camry  mileage: 42,700.  I don't want my belts and hoses to break while driving.  I'd like to have them replaced early to help avoid this happening.  At what mileage do you suggest an early replacement?

Answer:  Under normal circumstances, the rule of thumb is every two years or 25,000 miles which ever occurs first.

Question: 1997 Toyota Camry  mileage: 83,200.  I was inspecting the brake shoes and I noticed that the rear left axle shaft(passenger's side rear) drags a bit when I spin the axle. Also, when you look at it from the side you notice it wobbles.  What should I do?  

Answer:  If the axle does wobble when you spin it by hand, that would indicate a bent axle that should be replaced.

Question:  1998 Toyota Camry  mileage: 70,000.  The car has a rough idle when in "drive" (auto trans, A/C off). In Neutral, it is barely noticeable.  While driving, it is fine.  Only when I come to a stop does it shake.  It had a major tune-up (cap, rotor, wires, plugs, filters, timing, etc.), injectors were cleaned - no difference.  The dealer is at a loss and so am I!  HELP!

Answer:  Assuming that the dealer scanned the computer for trouble codes and received no faults, a compression check should be performed.  Also, check for vacuum leaks around the intake manifold and hoses.

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