This isn't cool
 

Ok, my grandmother has a 2002 Camry XLE (I think) with the 2.4L 4 cylinder. She only has 14k miles on it. The check engine light came on she brought it into the dealership, and they said it was only running on 3 cylinders. They told her the engine was junk and were nice enough to replace the engine for no charge even though her warranty was expired. She brought it for a little ride around near her house and it threw another CEL. She brought it back to the dealer yet again and they told her something with the pistons went wrong. The dealership installed a brand new engine, not a remanufactured one after the first problem. It is still at the dealership now. I was just wondering if any of you guys have heard of similar problems. Its an automatic transmission if that makes a difference.

RE: This isn't cool
 

This is clearly an engine problem. An Automatic transmission would have no bearing on this. Running on three cylinders refers to that one of the cylinders was dead (no compression/combustion and not adding to the power of the car.) Many things can go wrong in cylinders. Everything from clearance problems to a literal hole in the piston.

I have seen many problems like this and the majority of the time they are solved by replacing the engine with one that functions correctly. Or tracking down the problem and fixing it through machine shop work etc.

Hopefully a brand new engine will cure the problem.

Best of luck.

Black00GTS

RE: This isn't cool
 

I know the transmission wouldnt be affected, i figured i'd just tell you guys so you wouldnt say "she was winding hte piss outta it" or something. I know that a new engine will fix the problem, but she will probably be on her third engine in that car this week. I know reasons why an engine maybe only be running on 3 cylinders (lack of spark, low to no compression, etc). It's just if she's gone through to engines in 14k miles, she is either quite unlucky or there is a problem with the 2.4L DOHC engine.

RE: This isn't cool
 

I work as a toyota mechanic and i have never heard of engine problems like this

RE: This isn't cool
 

This is to Black00GTS That was Obviuse. It would take a really car illiterite persone to not know that something was wrong if it is not runing on all cyl.