24th Oct 2007, 21:38

I own 2000 Camry CE 6cyl since new. Now has 160,000km. Its been a great car and still runs well. However, just recently the check engine light came on. I've checked all the fluids, tighten the gas cap. The light remained on. I have disconnected battery to see if light comes back again. It did after 2 weeks. Took car to Toyota dealer to run test (some Toyota dealers charge $97 other just $52). Code P0446 Emission Control System Malfunction. Test result did not pin point the problem. Dealer suggested a "Smoke Test" for additional $102. I have declined for now. As long as car passes emission test I think I will keep driving it with the light on until it dies. Hearing how little interest Toyota shows to solve the problem will likely consider another brand next time. Perhaps someone found out a sure and economical fix. Please advise/

25th Oct 2007, 19:19

21:38; I cannot believe that you're saying you want to switch to another make because your check engine light has come on at 160,000 km's! What do you want? Toyota is the best, but they still EVENTUALLY have problems, and your's is about as minor as it gets. That car might very well last you another 160,000.

28th Oct 2007, 00:37

Received the P0446 code on my 99 Camry V6 after about 150k miles. Took it to a local car servicing chain for diagnostic, and got the EGR valve replaced and sensor repositioned. Problem came back almost immediately. Didn't want to spend $$ continually getting diagnostics performed, so invested in a OBD-II code reader, which confirmed the P0446 code. Took it to an independent Toyota specialist which cost more, but received a proper diagnostic this time, and had the charcoal canister replaced. No more check engine light, and no more problems since then. Ready for emissions test next year.

28th Oct 2007, 14:26

20:56 this review is on the Camry... how did it rate or should they downsize to a Corolla? I'd take a larger GM with a 100,000 mile warranty and step up.

28th Oct 2007, 20:40

14:26 The Camry is not recommended right now, I'll admit that because it's fact. So what? Just about every GM and Ford car built and on the road today is not recommended, yet people buy them everday. It's just that with Toyota, a bad rating is EXTREMELY rare. A domestic is definitely not a step up.

Look, I'm a very reasonable person, and I don't argue facts (unlike a lot of people here). I'll even admit that most domestics have greatly improved in the last few years, but looking at the whole spectrum of cars, are they as good as a Toyota or a Honda? No, not even close yet. Maybe it'll happen, but it's still not even a close race.

Anyone out there who believes that GM makes an engine that is built as well as a Toyota or Honda engine, or will last as long, is sadly mistaken.

Yeah, I'm sure somewhere out there are some exceptions to the rule where a Corolla motor blew up and a Cavalier went 250,000 miles. But these are rare cases; everybody knows that. It's a safe, safe, bet that the Corolla will last longer almost every time, as well as any other Toyota product compared to a GM or Ford product.

Ever hear the phrase 'those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it'? Historically, at least for the past 30 years or so, GM and Ford have made a lot of really awful cars, and Toyota has made almost nothing, but excellent ones. Thoses that rant and rave about how Toyota is junk are just mouthing off with nothing to back it up, but it could easily be argued that the domestic cars are junk; they were for a long time.

29th Oct 2007, 08:41

Personally I would take a Honda or Toyota with a 36,000 mile warranty and step up.

31st Oct 2007, 17:14

Check Engine Light (CEL) : our 1998 Camry, 2.2 Liter, has 137,000 miles on it, and the CEL went out after a 2400 mile round trip. The highway driving from South Carolina to New Hampshire and back definitely did the Camry some good. Our 1998 Camry is used mainly by my wife for local driving. The CEL had been on for about a year. We filled the car up in Keene, NH at a Shell Gas Station in the morning. Then CEL went off on our way home to South Carolina (I-81, Virginia) after stopping for regular gas at another Shell Gas Station. Maybe the Shell gas has less ethanol, additives, or special detergents? I don't know. I was also told to use premium gas once in a while to keep the Check Engine Light off. We have owned a 1986 Camry, 1988 Camry, and presently own a 1990 Camry (my car 271,000 miles), a 1998 Camry, and a 1992 Corolla (sons 135,000 miles). I do all the work on our cars. I let the dealer change the timing belt and I have my local mechanic change my brakes.

4th Dec 2007, 23:35

I recently replaced my oxygen sensors, charcoal canister and almost all emission sensors on my 1998 Toyota Camry trying to solve my check engine light concern.

Since the replacement and 800+ miles after, the check engine light has not activated, however, my ODB2 scanner still shows that the emission check is still not yet done.

I do not know if I should drive more and wait for the "green light" or do I have another problem?

5th Dec 2007, 22:06

8:41 typical import hype in practice. Take a lesser warranty than it should be and then let the dealer and the mfr off the hook at 40,000 miles, and scratch your head wondering what went wrong when something major could happen... I shouldn't pick on you as the very thing happened to my family with our new import. It will not happen again. I am glad you have lots of money to have set aside, which you would not need to do with a better domestic warranty.

6th Dec 2007, 18:45

22:06 Right. With a 100,000 mile domestic warranty, you can take your car in to an incompetent mechanic employed by a crooked dealership who won't fix your car right the first three times, hoping you won't come back, and then you can join one of the class action lawsuits against them.

Sorry, but the warranty is only as good as the people who issue it, and if that happens to be GM, then you can be sure they'll handle your warranty repairs in the same manner that they build their automobiles: haphazardly, carelessly, and as cheaply as they can.

Stick with Toyota if you're smart. Or Honda. Or Nissan. Or even Hyundai or Subaru.

For God's sake, just stay away from Big 3 junk and your car will actually run, instead of breaking down and leaving you at the mercy of a dealership and the fine print in your warranty.

8th Dec 2007, 07:21

22:12 All of these stories about how good domestics are and about trouble with imports are just stories. Real world experiences are the opposite. Its common knowledge that Toyota, Honda, and Nissan break down much less often, and need much less work. Even the domestic owners know this, although they'll never admit it. Honda's reputation is for making the world's best engines and putting them in fun to drive cars. GM and Ford reputations are for making cheap cars and trucks that break down a lot.