1998 Toyota Camry Electrical Problems

Your original key doesn't reliably unlock the trunk, and your door locks work only sometimes. You're also having trouble starting the vehicle with the key. This issue appears to be mechanical rather than caused by weather or accidents.

IGNITION KEY JAMS, WILL NOT TURN TO START ENGINE, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED WHEN ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. FREQUENCY OF JAMMING INCREASED UNTIL I SWITCHED TO USING THE SPARE "MASTER" KEY. IT WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. FINALLY, I USED THE "VALET KEY" AND IT HAS WORKED FINE FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. WHEN I RECENTLY WENT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO PURCHASE 2 NEW KEYS, AFTER NEARLY 2 HOURS I WAS ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THE NEW KEYS COULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED WITHOUT THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION A NEW IGNITION MODULE (ON-BOARD COMPUTER) COSTING $1,812 INCLUDING LABOR AND 2 KEYS. TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICE HAS REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT WON'T GO AWAY. SUPPOSEDLY IT WAS RELATED TO THE O2 SENSORS. THEY'VE BOTH BEEN REPLACED, TO NO AVAIL. A DUAL-CERTIFIED TOYOTA MASTER MECHANIC IS SCRATCHING HIS HEAD ON THIS ONE. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AS IT'S BEEN PERFORMING WELL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WITH AN ENGINE LIGHT BURNING BRIGHTLY, REGARDLESS. IT'S VERY ANNOYING AS IT'S OBVIOUSLY A USELESS LIGHT, NOW, AND ALL I CAN HOPE FOR IS FOR THE BULB TO EVENTUALLY BURN OUT - AS I DON'T CARE TO GET INTO TEARING OUT THE DASH TO REMOVE IT. VERY VERY ANNOYING (NOW HAVE A PIECE OF BLACK DUCT TAPE OVER THE LENS BUT THAT'S HARDLY A FIX). *TR

GAS PEDAL STICKS WHILE DRIVING OR MOVING AFTER A STOP SIGNAL . IT DOES EVERYDAY WHEN I DRIVE . TOLD THE DEALER , THEY SAID MY VEHICLE YEAR IS NOT IN RECALL BY TOYOTA NOW. NO REPAIRS DONE NOW. ALSO LIGHTING SYSTEM IT BLOWS LIGHT BULB , ALWAYS ONE HAS TO BE OUT OR ELSE IT WILL BLOW OUT COUPLE HOURS. *TR

1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH ENGINE AND IGNITION COIL PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED IGNITION COILS. *KB

1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 2.2L 4-CYLINDER ENGINE, 4 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. STATER KEPT CRANKING EVEN WITH KEY REMOVED UNITL THE CAR WAS ON FIRE.

1. THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD SHIMMY, SHAKE AND STOP OPERATING SUDDENLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THIS LEAD TO SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENT SCENARIOS. . WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF IT PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM PROCEEDING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND AT INTERSECTIONS CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. 3. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. BRAKE REPAIRS WERE DONE BUT THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THIS RESULTED IN ANOTHER VERY DANGEROUS NEAR ACCIDENT DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION IN WHICH THE AUTO WOULD NOT START AFTER SHAKING AND COMING TO A VIOLENT HALT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD. NO INJURIES. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK

ON 2/9/2002 DRIVING ON THE 55 CLOSE TO THE 91 FREEWAY WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. WE BARELY HAD TIME TO PARK IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE BRAKES WERE ALREADY BURNING SO WE HAD TO COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP.WE RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR FOR IT WAS ALREADY IGNITED WITH FLAMES WHEN WE GOT TO ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD STOPPED TO HELP US THE CAR BLEW UP LEAVING THE FRAME ONLY ORANGE COUNTY FIRE DEPT ASSISTED US .AND DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. WE THEN CONTACTED TOYOTA WHO THEN SAID IT WAS OUR FAULT AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE CAR.THECAR WAS AND STILL IS UNDER WARRANTY WHICH EXPIRES ON 4/16/2004 UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE TOYOTA SOLD US LOJACK THEFT SYSTEM 2 DAYS LATER THEY CAME OUT TO OUR HOUSE AND INSTALLED IT THE ONLY MAINTENANCE DONE ON THIS CAR WAS LOJACK AND MY BROTHER ADDED 1/2 QUART OF OIL NO MAINTENANCE WAS NEEDED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 318076 MILES ON IT AND IT HAD 40100 AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT ,THAT I AM FOR NOT HAVING PROPER MAINTENACE DONE TO THE CAR AND IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR DESIGN THEREFORE THEY SAY THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE WHOLE BILL WHICH I FEEL AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE WRONG IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY NEEDED TO CHECK OUT THE FACTS BEFORE LEAVING ME WITHOUT A CAR AND NOW A BAD DEBT. I TOLD THEM I STILL HAD THE PAYMENTS PUT UP AND WAS WILLING TO DELIVER THE PAYMENTS IF THEY COMPENSATED ME WITH ANOTHER CAR OR JUST MAKE ME SEE WHERE IT IS MY FAULT. PLEASE ADVISE AND LET ME KNOW SOMETHING SOON FOR THEY WANT TO SUE ME FOR THIS I NEED HELP THANK YOU SO MUCH YOLANDA GAMBOA 9123 ADMIRALTY AVE RIVERSIDE, CA.92503 909-689-9805. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND EVEYTHINGS LOCKED UP. DEALERSHIP REPLACED IGNITION LOCK; BUT, PROBLEM REOCCURRED.*AK

CLAIM NUMBER 11-3281-203 - EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE BATTERY WHICH EXPLODED CAUSING AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, THE ORIGINAL BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITH A SEARS DIE HARD WHICH WAS THE BATTERY THAT EXPLODED. *TT

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. LIGHTS, WIPERS AND STOPLIGHTS DID NOT WORK BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *YH

DASHBOARD TROUBLE LIGHTS -- BULB OUT, CHECK ENGINE, REVERSE INDICATOR ON GEAR SELECTOR ( WHILE IN PARK OR ANY OTHER SETTING) CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LICENSED MECHANIC WHOM I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS. HE EXAMINED CAR AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WIRING HARNESS IN THE TRUNK ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TRUNK HINGE HAD BEEN STRETCHING TO THE POINT WHERE THE WIRES WERE TEARING, MELTING THE INSULATION, POPING FUSES, AND SHORTING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUITS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AFTER THE REPAIR AND I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THEIR FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMED NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH INCIDENT EVER HAPPENING. *AK

ENGINE CUTS OFF, BAD ECU

BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY TOYOTA (NO COST TO ME ) BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. BUT THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS SINCE DAY ONE: ELECTRIC SHOCK WHEN TOUCHING DOOR ON THE WAY OUT AFTER TURNING ENGINE OFF. WHEN TURNING ENGINE OFF.

IGNITION SYSTEM, CABORATOR AND STARTER FAILED IN THE 1998-99 MODEL CAMRY'S. NLM

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, AND WHEN PLACING THE KEY IN IGNITION, IGNITION WILL NOT TURN OVER/START. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT STEERING FRONT WHEEL MUST BE FACED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START TURNING IGNITION KEY. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH.

IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN TURNING. MJS

ANTI-THEFT DEVICE STARTER DISABLER FAILED. *YC

BATTERY FAILURE CAUSED FIRE. YH

IGNITION FAILED, KEY STICKS AND WILL NOT TURN. YH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, RUNNING LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF. *AK

AFTER MINOR VEHICLE COLLISION THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN VEHICLE. DEALER SAYS A WIRE FROM ENGINE WAS MISSING, AND THERE WAS ALSO SOMETHING PLASTIC IN ENGINE BURNING. *AK

VEHICLE'S INTERLOCK IGNITION WILL NOT TURN. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE INTERMITTENT. DEALER CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO INVESTIGATION NO.PE97034. *AK

Your odometer stopped working, though all other dashboard gauges and warning lights continue to function normally. The issue started around 218,000 miles on your 1998 Toyota Camry. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the odometer cluster or repairing the instrument panel.