1999 Toyota Camry LE from North America - Comments

I own a Toyota Camry 1999 LE model. The check engine light with the code P0446 has been on for sometime. After reading so many posts here, I order a oxygen sensor and see if can resolve the problem.

I try to use the code reader to erase the P0446. But it still failed at the CA state inspection. Do I need to use more sophisticated code reader to eliminate the code?

Has anybody received the class action lawsuit settlement notice? But one Toyota technician told me that the oil gel has nothing to do with this P0446.

I have a 2000 Camry. The check engine light came on last week. I took it to Dealer and he said the gas cap was on loose. He charged me $45 to reset the light. 2 weeks later the light comes on again and I took it back to the dealer and Now they say I need a new charcoal canister. $408.00. He told me I really did not need to worry about it. The car will be fine without it. I would just have a problem gassing up my car. My question is did anyone with this problem have the work done? And did it keep the light out? Thanks.

Have a 1999 camry purchased new, have continuous problems with a sulphur smell. Contacted corporate offices and was told to switch gas stations for a better quality gas, which I tried. No good. I was told a catalytic converter should be replaced by another mechanic. Corporate office will not replace it. I think they are waiting for the 8 year warranty to run out. Meanwhile I have MS and must continue to worry about the sulphur smell causing more health problems for me. I have had 5 toyotas, but I will never purchase another Toyota, and tell my friends about the problem and poor service. I have heard others with 1999 camrys complain about the same problem.

To the person with the sulfur smell, go get an emissions test immediately, at some place Other than the Toyota dealership. Catalytic converters control carbon monoxide (CO). If your CO levels are high, the catalytic converter is bad, and to the best of my knowledge, there is an 8 year, 80,000 mile federal warranty on that. Also, make sure your hydrocarbon emissions (unburnt gas molecules, indicative of the car running rich) aren't too high, because that can cause a catalytic converter to fail. Don't let Toyota play their games and deny you warranty coverage if you are entitled to it. Toyota is having a lot trouble right now because they have been putting out complete and utter garbage for the last ten years, now all the problems are now starting to come to light, and they are being forced to deal with them. They dropped the ball and it is costing them a lot of money.

19:26 As always, Toyota still sells the best and the most cars in the country. Consumer Reports' '08 most reliable cars? Toyota Corolla & Yaris, Honda Fit and Civic, as usual, all Toyota's and Honda's. Least reliable? Chevy Cobalt and Aveo, as usual.

I own 2000 Camry CE 6cyl since new. Now has 160,000km. Its been a great car and still runs well. However, just recently the check engine light came on. I've checked all the fluids, tighten the gas cap. The light remained on. I have disconnected battery to see if light comes back again. It did after 2 weeks. Took car to Toyota dealer to run test (some Toyota dealers charge $97 other just $52). Code P0446 Emission Control System Malfunction. Test result did not pin point the problem. Dealer suggested a "Smoke Test" for additional $102. I have declined for now. As long as car passes emission test I think I will keep driving it with the light on until it dies. Hearing how little interest Toyota shows to solve the problem will likely consider another brand next time. Perhaps someone found out a sure and economical fix. Please advise/

21:38; I cannot believe that you're saying you want to switch to another make because your check engine light has come on at 160,000 km's! What do you want? Toyota is the best, but they still EVENTUALLY have problems, and your's is about as minor as it gets. That car might very well last you another 160,000.

Received the P0446 code on my 99 Camry V6 after about 150k miles. Took it to a local car servicing chain for diagnostic, and got the EGR valve replaced and sensor repositioned. Problem came back almost immediately. Didn't want to spend $$ continually getting diagnostics performed, so invested in a OBD-II code reader, which confirmed the P0446 code. Took it to an independent Toyota specialist which cost more, but received a proper diagnostic this time, and had the charcoal canister replaced. No more check engine light, and no more problems since then. Ready for emissions test next year.

20:56 this review is on the Camry... how did it rate or should they downsize to a Corolla? I'd take a larger GM with a 100,000 mile warranty and step up.

20:56 this review is on the Camry... how did it rate or should they downsize to a Corolla? I'd take a larger GM with a 100,000 mile warranty and step up.

14:26 The Camry is not recommended right now, I'll admit that because it's fact. So what? Just about every GM and Ford car built and on the road today is not recommended, yet people buy them everday. It's just that with Toyota, a bad rating is EXTREMELY rare. A domestic is definitely not a step up.

Look, I'm a very reasonable person, and I don't argue facts (unlike a lot of people here). I'll even admit that most domestics have greatly improved in the last few years, but looking at the whole spectrum of cars, are they as good as a Toyota or a Honda? No, not even close yet. Maybe it'll happen, but it's still not even a close race.

Anyone out there who believes that GM makes an engine that is built as well as a Toyota or Honda engine, or will last as long, is sadly mistaken.

Yeah, I'm sure somewhere out there are some exceptions to the rule where a Corolla motor blew up and a Cavalier went 250,000 miles. But these are rare cases; everybody knows that. It's a safe, safe, bet that the Corolla will last longer almost every time, as well as any other Toyota product compared to a GM or Ford product.

Ever hear the phrase 'those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it'? Historically, at least for the past 30 years or so, GM and Ford have made a lot of really awful cars, and Toyota has made almost nothing, but excellent ones. Thoses that rant and rave about how Toyota is junk are just mouthing off with nothing to back it up, but it could easily be argued that the domestic cars are junk; they were for a long time.

Personally I would take a Honda or Toyota with a 36,000 mile warranty and step up.

Check Engine Light (CEL) : our 1998 Camry, 2.2 Liter, has 137,000 miles on it, and the CEL went out after a 2400 mile round trip. The highway driving from South Carolina to New Hampshire and back definitely did the Camry some good. Our 1998 Camry is used mainly by my wife for local driving. The CEL had been on for about a year. We filled the car up in Keene, NH at a Shell Gas Station in the morning. Then CEL went off on our way home to South Carolina (I-81, Virginia) after stopping for regular gas at another Shell Gas Station. Maybe the Shell gas has less ethanol, additives, or special detergents? I don't know. I was also told to use premium gas once in a while to keep the Check Engine Light off. We have owned a 1986 Camry, 1988 Camry, and presently own a 1990 Camry (my car 271,000 miles), a 1998 Camry, and a 1992 Corolla (sons 135,000 miles). I do all the work on our cars. I let the dealer change the timing belt and I have my local mechanic change my brakes.

I recently replaced my oxygen sensors, charcoal canister and almost all emission sensors on my 1998 Toyota Camry trying to solve my check engine light concern.

Since the replacement and 800+ miles after, the check engine light has not activated, however, my ODB2 scanner still shows that the emission check is still not yet done.

I do not know if I should drive more and wait for the "green light" or do I have another problem?

8:41 typical import hype in practice. Take a lesser warranty than it should be and then let the dealer and the mfr off the hook at 40,000 miles, and scratch your head wondering what went wrong when something major could happen... I shouldn't pick on you as the very thing happened to my family with our new import. It will not happen again. I am glad you have lots of money to have set aside, which you would not need to do with a better domestic warranty.