# 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
> NHTSA complaint `470043` · 2004-01-15 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** CAMRY
- **Year:** 1997
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- **Miles at failure:** 81,061
## Narrative
I RECEIVED A LETTER LAST YEAR FROM TOYOTA EXPLAINING A GELLING PROBLEM AND TO WATCH OUT FOR BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE WHEN STARTING THE CAR.  I WENT INTO SEARS FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY INDICATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE MOISTURE WAS GETTING IN THE OIL AND IT LOOKED SLUDGY.  I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT THIS GELLING.   THE LETTER INDICATED THAT TOYOTA WOULD PAY FOR THE PART/INSTALLATION.  I GOT THE ESTIMATED BACK FROM TOYOTA AND THEY SAID I DID NOT HAVE ANY GELLING OR SLUDGE IN THE OIL/ENGINE, BUT THAT I DID HAVE ROTTED VALVE STEM SEALS AND HEAD GASKET LEAKS, AND OIL PAN LEAKS AND THATS WHY THERE WAS BLUE SMOKE.  THE CAR IS BARELY 7 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL FAITHFULLY AT 3000 MILES.  I DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED, BECAUSE I WANTED A SECOND OPINION FROM A MECHANIC THAT WAS REFERRED TO ME THAT IS TRUSTWORTHY.  I PLAN ON TAKING THE CAR IN(AN APPT. WAS MADE FOR 2 DAYS AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP) AND I HAVE QUESTIONS IN HAND ABOUT HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I HAVE NOT HAD 1 INDICATION THAT THE ENGINE IS GOING BAD/VALVES ARE LEAKING(I.E. THERE HAVE BEEN NO NOISES, LEAKING OF ANTIFREEZE OR OTHER FLUID WHEN I PARK MY CAR O/N OR FOR A FEW HOURS).
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*