These forums just confirmed my worst fear. At least, I probably saved thousands of $$ and days by reading the forums instead of jumping around to every mechanic shop just to be told "you need a new engine."

it's like getting told "you are f***ed, your car is dead, and pay me $3K because it took me 3 days to take it apart to find this out."

 

First, a question: Does anyone know of a place where people are compiling a list of engines with this problem? I don't know how recalls get started, but it must have something to do with lots of people with the same problem getting together and demanding an answer from Toyota...

I have the same story as most others in this thread: Car had about 98,000 miles on it - started hearing gurgling/bubbling sounds, car started overheating, etc. The mechanic originally thought my radiator was bad (I think it had been ruined due to the underlying head bolt/head gasket issue), so that was replaced first. The car immediately overheated again and lost all of its new coolant. This time, he determined I'd blown a head gasket. Once he started taking apart the engine, our worst fears (mainly due to this forum) were realized - 3 head bolts had been stripped - the same 3 bolts most other people complain about. After mulling over a few options (buying a rebuilt engine, salvaging an engine from a wrecked car, ditching the car) we decided to drill out the holes. Overall this fix was our cheapest option, especially since we had access to a machinist/mechanic that already owned the kit used to drill the holes. When you think about it, its at least worth trying to drill out the holes - your engine is shot either way. If you buy a rebuilt engine it might cost you $7000 to $8000, and who knows if they'd fixed this problem in the rebuild. If you get an engine from a different car, you could be facing the same problem within a few years. So, IMHO the cheaper fix is at least worth a try. All in all, after drilling the holes, replacing the gasket, and replacing other things inside the engine that tend to go bad at 100k+ miles, I paid about $2900. $900 of that went to drilling out 6 holes, including buying the helicoils and other bolt-hole parts.
My Words of Warning: We planned to drill out all 10 holes. In our minds, if the bolt hole design is faulty, all the holes could possibly be close to failure. But DO NOT DRILL ALL 10 HOLES. My mechanic searched through Toyota service bulletins, and there are warning out there that you should, under no circumstances, drill out the exterior 4 bolt holes. If these are bad, you need a new block. (I find it funny that there are Toyota bulletins out there explaining the bolt-hole issue, that my mechanic in a small stand-alone shop could find them, but that others in this forum were told by Toyota Dealerships that they knew nothing of this problem...This is why I hate dealerships )

 

I have 2003 Camry 4cyl, The repair shop said it will cost $5000.00 to repair engine due to broken bolt threads on block. They showed me a "Technical Service Bulletin (TSB2740)" for Toyota, which affects 2002-2007 Camry and also Rav4. This is a ongoing problem for these cars, but Toyota will not fix the problem!!!! My Camry only has 83,000 milles on it. I bought it new, so no questionable service history to consider. I have lost confidence in Toyota-- first the notorious problem in the news with the brakes on cars not working, and now this?? What's next?? P.S. Like the other writer on this forum-- I am sending a letter to Mr Yoichi Tamihara in Montreal,QC, today. Do you think I will get a response?

 

Was this a Toyota dealer quote?

The problem and repair is becoming more well known with repair shops.

A kit with items needed to repair your current block is available, read past posts at this thread.

Check independent shops to determine if they are familiar with the problem and the repair.

The repair will be expensive but $5K is absurd.

Write or call the President of Toyota and state your frustration. If enough people complain perhaps Toyota will respond.

Akio Toyoda, President and Representative Director Toyota Motor Corporation
1 Toyota-Cho
Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 471-8571
Phone: (0565) 28-2121.

CC the people below:

Jim Lentz President and COO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc
19001 S. Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310-468-6285

Dave Zellers
VP Customer Retention Toyota Division
Ditto
310 468-4000

Nancy Fein VP of Customer Relations Toyota Motor Sales
Ditto
310-468-5277

 

Follow-up. Yes, the quote for $5k was from Toyota Dealership Service. Im looking into other repair shops, no luck yet. was told need new engine. I sent a letter to:
Akio Toyoda, President and Representative
Director
1 Toyota-Cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 471-8571, Japan,

and cc'd the other names
Jim Lentz President and COO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc
19001 S. Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310-468-6285

Dave Zellers
VP Customer Retention Toyota Division
Ditto
310 468-4000

Nancy Fein VP of Customer Relations Toyota Motor Sales
Ditto
310-468-5277

**** and I also sent a letter to my local news station asking them to broadcast a story regarding this problem, (I enclosed the Technical Service Bulletin) to make other Toyota consumers aware, they might have the same problem, but do not know yet.

 

Thought Toyota was now allowing the use of a threaded inserts to repair the block instead of replace.

I would find another shop just on principal unless given a discount on repairs.

There is a long thread at this site about repairing the block with threaded inserts. Many owners have done the job themselves.

Call auto repair shops asking if they have experience repairing this engine (model 2AZ-FE) using threaded inserts.

This issue is not completely the thread design in the head. There is some thought the insulation on the intake manifold is allowing the area to get hotter then normal.

One need only replace the stripped threads, not all of them. Suggest not using a Heli-Coil but a Time-Sert (a kit for the job is available), etc.

 

Same thing happened to my 2002 Camry. Go to Safecar.gov and file a complaint online. We can start a recall if there are enough complaints. It only takes five minutes.

 

Thanks. I went to Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and filled out the online form....its under "Report a Vehicle". Oh BTW I did get a response from the letter I sent to Japan, but there is nothing they will do to help since there is no recall. We need more people to bring attention.

 

its a huge problem, you need to complain that one to get a good action for it.

 

Do all 2003 Camrys have this problem with the bolts stripping? Was it recalled and fixed?