Toyota Camry Engine Problems

Seems we got it right.

I have spoken to Toyota Australia and that is rubbish advice. The belt must be changed according to the service schedule.

Report it to the dealer and ask for it to be fixed. It could be the power steering pump, or perhaps the transmission, but it needs someone to listen to it and determine just where it is coming from.

It's what's called "seasoning" of the catalytic converter, basically as it burns in during early use. In a lot of cars, especially in the early days of converters, there was a rotten-egg smell from the exhaust gases. So, in my experience, nothing to worry about.

The CVT oil should be changed every 100,000km. As for the fuel consumption it's best to do a check yourself by measuring how much fuel it is actually using. Judging the consumption by how far the gauge falls is very inaccurate, and I wouldn't stake my life on the fuel consumption gauges in the car. Do an actual measurement and you will know exactly what the consumption is. Nissan claims an average of 9.1L/100km, 7.7L/100km on country driving, and 11.5L/100km on city use. I would expect your car would fall somewhere between 9.1 and 11.5L/100km.

Buying at auction means you take on the risk with a purchase. That's why it's always best to go auction shopping with an expert on the mechanical front.

Something else has been damaged and you need to have the car checked by a Toyota dealer to determine what it is.

We have seen other reports of the issue, which is apparently caused by an internal baffle in the manifold coming loose and vibrating. To save money you could try and find a secondhand manifold.

The Camry Hybrid is a very good car that gets The Tick from me. On the battery front, companies don't talk about the cost because they are expected to last for the life of the car and they generally provide assistance if there are dramas. I know of Toyota Prius taxis in Queensland that have covered more than 350,000km on the original battery.

Toyota spokesman Mike Breen says: "Our inspection of Mr Katahiotis's Camry hybrid taxi revealed the hybrid battery failed due to overheating which was caused by the cooling fan being blocked by lint and fluff accumulation. Toyota recommends hybrid vehicles used as taxis are fitted with an additional filter due to the high incidence of entry and exit from the passenger-side rear door, which was not fitted in this case. All Toyota dealers and outside service agents have been advised of this requirement by service bulletin as well as major taxi fleet operators. In this case, despite the considerable distance travelled, Toyota has agreed to contribute 25 per cent as a gesture of goodwill and, in addition, a filter was installed and the owner advised of the regular maintenance requirement".