NHTSA complaint: 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WE PURCHASED A USED (ABOUT 43,000 MILES) 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY LE ) AT THE END OF JUNE 2006. EVERY THING WORKS FINE SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER IS A FRIEND OF MINE, WHO ALWAYS DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES IN TOYOTA DEALER AND LEFT ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO ME. AFTER WE GOT THE CAR, WE HAD CHANGED BRAND NEW TIRES, NEW BRAKES, REPLACED DRIVER SIDE AUTO WINDOW MOTOR, AND ALSO DONE OIL CHANGES REGULARLY. ON JUNE 11, 2007, I TOOK MY CAMRY TO MECHANIC TO DO OIL AND BRAKE CHANGES. NO PROBLEM WAS REPORTED. THE TOTAL MILEAGE ON THAT CAR WAS LESS THAN 49,600 MILES AT THAT TIME. ON FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2007, AT 11:00 AM, MY WIFE DROVE KIDS FROM HOME TO LOCAL LIBRARY FOR ABOUT 7 MINUTES. AFTER PARKING IN THE LIBRARY PARKING LOT, WALKING INTO LIBRARY, A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE LIBRARIAN ANNOUNCED AND ASKED THE OWNER OF CAMRY WITH THE SPECIFIC PLATE NUMBER TO GO TO FRONT LOBBY. HOWEVER, THE LIBRARIAN DID NOT STATE THE REASON. MY WIFE THOUGHT SHE PARKED WELL WITHOUT ANY VIOLATION, SO SHE DID NOT PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT. AFTER LIBRARIAN'S SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT, MY WIFE FELT THAT THE PLATE NUMBER SOUNDED FAMILIAR, SO SHE WENT TO FRONT LOBBY TO CHECK OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. WHEN MY WIFE GOT OUT TO THE PARKING LOT, SHE SAW POLICE CAR AND FIRE TRUCK, AND HER CAR WAS BURNED OUT. ALL OF THE PARTS INSIDE THE ENGINE COVER WERE ALL MELTED. THE FIRE ALSO DAMAGED THE RIGHT FRONT PANEL OF THE CAR PARKED NEXT TO MY CAMRY. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO TOW MY CAR TO HIS REP
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation