1999 TOYOTA Solara

We went to the dealer today, armed with an amazing aray of internet information. We were initally sent to the main receptionist who when asked "Who’s handling the slude problems?" at first didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word, then when my Fiance pulled out a whole packet of information and put it in front of her and said "This problem, which I’m sure you’re aware of" she then aid, "You took me off guard" and then stopped the GSM or SM and asked him to talk to us. When in his office, we said, we bought a car from you and have sludge and the car has sat a month, he referred us to the repair department. We walked thoughthe hall and over to repair and spoke with the manager of that department. He asked for the VIN and the mileage, after we said "We have a bad sludge problem." He pulled the vehicle up in the computer then asked if anyone had removed the intake to see if it was sludge. We answered that of course we had taken it to two different mechanics, first because we thought it was an oil leak, burning and causing all the smoke. Both mechanics knew immediately that it was slude, although the one was nice enought to run diagnostics to prove there was no leak. We were told the car could not be driven. After telling the manager that two mechanics had seen it, he asked if it could be driven to the dealership. We told him, since it is shuddering and smoking like a freight train, both mechanics advised that the whole engine would seize up, and we would not drive it. He then gave us a number to a towing company for the dealership thatwould tow at no cost to us to the dealership and agreed to look at the car tomorrow. When I asked what it would cost me, he said "Nothing, if it is sludge." We’ll see. If this man is as honest as he seems, he’s not only rare, but amazing. Of course, he could call in a day or two and say it was my fault and want oil change receipts. Unfortunally for the dealership, I have them. This is a long story, that took only minutes when we were there. We’ll see. I’ll let you know. Unfortunately, I am upset because of casesI’ve read of on the net, and at this point, I have no faith that my 1999 66,000 mile car that I thought was the best car I have ever ever bought, (I have even sold Toyotas at many dealerships years ago as a direct mail marketing consultant who traveled to different dealers every week across the country and also was a finance assistant in Vegas for a Nissan dealer and sold used Toyotas in excelland faith, beliving in the product) well, I hopethey will live up to not only the reputation they have built, but to the faith I had in the company. My next e-mail will be much shorter. Yes they did fix it, or no they didn’t. Sorry for the length, but it may help someoneelse, who has mis-guided trust.

Uses much oil. Very bad at start-up

sludge build up in engine caused engine failure. my engine is going to be inspected by Toyota at their Griffin GA outlet on September 2, 2003. I anticipate the runaround and i am getting all the info I can to argue my case. my engine suddenly is using one quart per 300 miles and when i took it for an oil change I suddenly discovered it was so gunked up it would not accept oil unless poored in very slowly.

radiator hose was replaced due to engine fluid leak, transmission pan was replaced due to fluid leak, then oxygen sensor was replaced because check engine light was on. This occured all within the last 4 months costing several hundred dollars. i have also been noticing an exhaust odor when the car is idling at a stop (i.e. drive-thru at bank, etc). I just received a \"Class Action\" notice on something called oil sludge. I took my car to the dealer and they said that is only if you don\’t change the oil. I change it every 3,000 miles at the Toyota dealer. But now I see a dark brown sticky substance on the oil dip stick. The dealer states it\’s just from heat and NOT sludge. I don\’t know what to do at this point. The 8 year warranty is up on 12/22/2006 yet I was just informed about this issue.

I have an ongoing problem with the engine. The problems started in Febuary 2004 and the car is at this moment in the shop for repair. The car has been in the shop 4 total times. The vehicle will begin to sputter and shake, gas fumes invade the interior of the car and the engine light comes on. I have had both of the o2 sensors replaces and numerous other components. I dont have a complete list because the car is still in the shop. Since this problem started, the car has been in the shop for a total of 2.5 months.

I am writing to report my concerns with Diehl Motors, in York PA. I purchased my 1999 Toyota Solara from them in April 2003 and at the time of purchase, the car had 52,671 miles. The following year, February 19, 2004 I took my car into Diehl to be serviced, my engine light stayed lit all the time. The code Diehl said came back was PO135, I needed my oxygen sensor replaced and it cost me, $301.93. My speedometer at this time was 59296. Then July 9th, 2004 I took my car to Pep Boys because the engine light was on again, they too had to replace sensors and stated that the code came up as PO141. At the time of service I had driven my car 61890 miles. It cost me $241.00 to have it serviced.November 11th, 2004, again my engine light came on. I took it back to Diehl and the code was PO141 and it cost me $335.00 to have the sensor replaced again. That time my mileage was 64319. December 20 2004, my car would not pass the emission test for inspection and Diehl reset the sensor at no cost to me because the code was the same, PO141 and too, because I had paid for replacement several times. Not long after that the engine light would continue to come on and off on it\’s own during the year 2005. Again, December 2005 my car would not pass inspection because it did not pass the emission test. So, I took it in for service to Diehl February 3rd, 2006 to see why the engine light keeps coming on. I was told that the code again was PO141, that it miss fires, they had to replace coils and my sensor again. This cost me $1120.71 and my mileage was 71176.February 10, 2006, I had to take it back because the engine light came back on, the code was PO141 again, and Diehl Motors replaced the sensors at no charge to me being I just paid for a new sensor. They told me that I needed to have fuel injector work done on my car and that it would cost me an additional $1400.00 to have it completed. I then questioned if all the work they had been doing on the sensors may have been wrong and questioned if I even needed that work done. I told them not to work on my car any longer and that I was coming to pick it up. Mileage is 71214. Needless to say, my engine light is on again.I am complaining because I think I have been paying for parts that I did not need ever since 2004. I would like for someone to make sure my car is fixed correctly without all this out of pocket expense. If you could assist me in this matter, I would appreciate it. This has been a frustrating experience for me. I know 2 people who both have Solara\’s and have more mileage than me and have not had the problems I have had with the engine light coming on. I am starting to wonder if my car is a lemon.

Engine has developed sludge problem at 119,000 miles. Of course, it happens outside of the “special” warranty of 8 years, and 120 days. Go figure.

Car is being stored in another city while I try to find an affordable way to either repair or get rid of car, so I don\’t have mileage and no repairs have been performed as yet. Problem began approx Sept/Oct of 2005. Car has been parked since the extent of the problem was diagnosed.

1. My 1999 Toyota Solara had the sludge problem. I had the car about a year and a half and it had approximately 10,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealership and they supposedly fixed the problem by cleaning the engine. Now the car is smoking like a chimney again. Every time I start the engine or come to a stop and start again a HUGE cloud of bluish/white smoke comes out the tailpipe. Also, it is burning through oil like crazy. There is never any oil under the car after it has been parked either. My oil light keeps coming on and when I check it it is low again. I put a gallon of oil in it and within 2 weeks the oil light was coming on again. When I\’m pouring oil in, it takes forever too, I have to pour just a little at a time and wait for it to go down.The car only has 64,578 miles on it and I am the original owner. 2. I was involved in an accident on 12/13/1999 where I hit a truck from behind on the highway at 40mph in rush hour traffic and my airbags failed. There was $10,000 in damage to the front end of the car, they should have deployed. Luckily no one was hurt.3. The front end of my car makes so much noise every time I go over even a small bump. When I got new tires put on I was told the \"strut tops\" were bad. This has been the case for about 3 years now.4. The car is a piece of JUNK!!! Toyota should be ashamed.