2002 Toyota Camry SE review from North America

Well, I have just past my 30th visit to a Toyota dealership on my 2002 loaded Toyota SE V6. Needless to say, I've been dissatisfied with the experience so far. Let my tale help other. The cars has had some very annoying and in some case major issues.

1. Loud Creaking and Rattles: Since I bought the car in late December off 2002, the car in the dealership already for 15 days trying to fix a rear window that CREAKS LOUDLY. During the first phase of repairs, the dealer continued to spend time in the trunk, tearing apart my car each time. I've spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out where the sound in coming from and every time I have found it was the window. Each time I'd say the noise is coming from the window, and each time they fix the trunk. Finally, he checked the window and upon replacing the window found a piece of sound insulation rubbing against the frame and window. After the rear window repair, where he finally replaced the rear glass, a piece of the trim fell off the car into my passenger's lap. It turns out they broke the piece of molding during the repair and glued it in place with cyanoacrylate (super glue). The dealership acknowledged the damage, ordered the part and informed me that I had to come in within 30 days or the part would be sent back. I scheduled an appointment for the repair, and promptly found out the dealership ordered the wrong color. By the time the repair was finished I was up to 5 visits for the same related manufacturer's defect. Once the summer had come and with the increasing temperature, the creak was back. The car has been has been back at the dealership three times. The first: No problem found; the second: with a service tech in the car on an impromptu visit when I was driving on business in which the tech heard the noise; the third: I dropped the car off again for a day, only to have it returned with no explanation and the creak louder than ever. That made it EIGHT TIMES for the same problem and no satisfaction. The problem finally turned out to be a manufacturing defect. They left plastic assembly guides in place, which they had to remove by removing the window again (this was a super secret service bulletin that was divulged only when the Customer Engineer for New England showed up). But he dealership managed to chip the paint in the process, requiring the roof to be repainted. Once the creak was gone, the interior rattles were unbearable from all the poor quality of work completed. Once the car was off warranty, I disassembled the rear c-pillars and found that the dealership failed to replace 4 of the 6 fasteners. I’m waiting for the parts they left out to fix the problems they left.

2. Transmission Issues: I have been assured by the service manager at me dealership that it is normal the transmission take at least a mile shift out of second gear when below 30°F and to a lesser degree during warm weather. The car won't shift into third or overdrive until after least 1-2 minute of driving, no matter what speed. Also, when lifting off the throttle from 60 to 55MPH on a downhill, there's a "hitch" or bucking where the transmission abruptly catches, then releases. Almost like it downshifting, but it stops half way. This has been an annoying problem since day one. Service techs can’t replicate the bucking. The slow shifting I’ve been informed is normal which I can believe. This bucking problem is annoying and problematic. It was solved by reset the computer and showed up again at 42,000 miles. They are blaming it on the adaptive micro-processor and my driving style. (Warranty)

3. Door Rattles: More recently, my driver's side and passenger side doors rattle/tick when going over bumps. I asked the service manager that was let go about the rattle, and he explained it's normal for new Camry's to have the doors make that make noise. There's something wrong with door's fit or molding. I believe the gaskets are rubbing against the paint. The creaking and ticking is getting worse. Constant use of Silicone was advised by the dealership. (Still not solved)

4. Airbag recall (Warranty)

5. Passenger Seat replacement due to poor construction and squeaking (Warranty)

6. Check engine light for defective charcoal canister (Warranty)

7. Warped front brake rotors (Warranty)

8. Pealing chrome on door handle. (Warranty)

9. Flaking paint on exterior door handles. (Warranty, not solved yet).

Toyota Quality Control and Service training needs to be reconsidered in the popular press and at a corporate level. They believe the lore, not the fact that their products are starting to have designed in quality problems.