1991 TOYOTA PREVIA

I HAVE A 1991 TOYOTA PREVIA LE. THE DISTRIBUTOR O-RING AND VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING OIL, AND THEY LEAK RIGHT ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I REPAIRED THESE PROBLEMS, AND ALL IS WELL, HOWEVER, I HAVE SINCE SEEN MANY INSTANCES IN VARIOUS FORUMS ONLINE WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS, AND HAS RESULTED IN A MAJOR VEHICLE FIRE. I BELIEVE THE WORD NEEDS TO BE SPREAD TO OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE TO CHECK FOR THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, CAUSED BY THE DRYING OUT AND CRACKING OF RUBBER SEALS. I DID, IN FACT, HAVE FLAMES WHEN I NOTICED IT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. *TR

Mileage: 326,000

I HAVE A 1991 TOYOTA PREVIA LE. THE DISTRIBUTOR O-RING AND VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING OIL, AND THEY LEAK RIGHT ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I REPAIRED THESE PROBLEMS, AND ALL IS WELL, HOWEVER, I HAVE SINCE SEEN MANY INSTANCES IN VARIOUS FORUMS ONLINE WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS, AND HAS RESULTED IN A MAJOR VEHICLE FIRE. I BELIEVE THE WORD NEEDS TO BE SPREAD TO OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE TO CHECK FOR THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, CAUSED BY THE DRYING OUT AND CRACKING OF RUBBER SEALS. I DID, IN FACT, HAVE FLAMES WHEN I NOTICED IT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. *TR

Mileage: 326,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 TOYOTA PREVA. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH IN HEAVY RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HIT EACH OTHER, FLIPPED, SCRAP THE GLASS AND STOP FUNCTIONING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FLIP THE WIPERS SO THAT THEY COULD WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF SHE DROVE SLOWER THAN 55 MPH, THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AS OFTEN. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 93V113000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) AS ONE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED BUT ANOTHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

Mileage: 100,000

IN HEAVY RAIN AT 55MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HIT EACH OTHER, FLIP, SCRATCH THE GLASS AND STOP WORKING. TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL BUT WILL NOT PAY FOR THE PARTS OR THE SERVICE. THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. THE PARTS ALONE ARE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE WIPER ASSEMBLY AND OR MOTOR ARE DEFECTIVE AND HAVE DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. VISIBILITY IS REDUCED TO ZERO WHEN IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS DEADLY AND I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO TO GET TOYOTA TO HONOR THE RECALL. I HAD 3 KIDS IN THE CAR WHEN THE WIPERS TRIPPED AND FLIPPED ON THE FREEWAY. MY VISIBILITY WENT TO ZERO INSTANTLY. I SWERVED TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO PULL OVER, FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME AT THAT MOMENT. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS AFTERMARKET RAYBESTOS, MANUFACTURED BY BRAKE PARTS INC., MODEL #MKD500(NA) FRONT BRAKE PADS. AFTER EXAMINING THE BRAKE PADS HE NOTICED THAT THE SQUEAL SHIMS WHERE CUTTING THROUGH THE ROTORS. UPDATED 1/4/10 *CN UPDATED 01/06/10.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS AFTERMARKET RAYBESTOS, MANUFACTURED BY BRAKE PARTS INC., MODEL #MKD500(NA) FRONT BRAKE PADS. AFTER EXAMINING THE BRAKE PADS HE NOTICED THAT THE SQUEAL SHIMS WHERE CUTTING THROUGH THE ROTORS. UPDATED 1/4/10 *CN UPDATED 01/06/10.*JB

1991 TOYOTA PREVIA AND DRIVER NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. DRIVER PULLED OVER WHERE HIS VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. *KB OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-90-0947. *JB

SUBJECT ON SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT FOR HEAD GASKETS. SERVICE BULLETIN # 97121797017/ NHTSA ITEM # 54015, STATED THAT FAULTY HEAD GASKET WAS INVESTIGATED AND FOUND BAD ON 17 DEC. 1997. AS THE RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS SPECIFIC PART. *JB

Mileage: 340,943

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY CONSUMER'S CHILD OPENED THE DOOR TO LET THE PET IN AND THE DOOR FELL COMPLETELY OFF. MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE DOOR IS NOW TIED ON.*AK

Mileage: 177,000

THE BRAKES GO COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. THERE IS GRINDING AND CRUNCHING NOISE. THE BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED, AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS. TOOK VEHICLE TOO DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

Mileage: 200,000

RUBBER COUPLING ON THE DRIVESHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Mileage: 200,000

DISCOLORED HEADLIGHT LENSES CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO BECOME VERY DIM. CAN'T SEE BECAUSE OF SUCH DIM LIGHTS.

REDUCTION IN LIGHT FROM HIGH AND LOW BEAM FRONT LIGHT BULB DUE TO DETERIORATION OF PLASTIC COVER (PITTING, DISCOLORATION, ETC) *JB

AFTER HAVING TREAD SEPARATION DIAGNOSED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND MY AUTO MECHANIC TOOK THE VEHICLE WITH BRIDGSTONE BT 70 TIRES TO THE FIRESTONE STORE ON BOTH OCCASIONS TO BE CHECKED FOR TREAD SEPARATION. THE FIRST TIME FIRESTONE TOLD ME THERE NO TREAD SEPARATION IN ANY OF THE TIRES, BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CONFIRMATION IN WRITING. THE SECOND TIME AT THE FIRESTONE STORE ONE TIRE WAS REPLACED , AFTER DETECTING TREAD SEPARATION, THE OTHER THREE TIRES BEING TOLD WERE OKAY. EIGHT MONTHS LATER I EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE BRIDGESTONE BT70 TIRES WHILE TREVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, LUCKILY I HAD SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 45 MPH BECAUSE I DETECTED SOME UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS. I HAVE THE THREE TIRES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SEPARATED TIRES. I HAVE RECENTLY CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT. *AK

THIS IS VERY SCARY AND HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. STEERING FAILS WHEN BRAKES APPLIED MAKING A RIGHT TURN. PANIC STEERING PRESURE, RESULTS IN SNAPPING NOISE AND STEERING RETURNS. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

WHILE STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR IN GEAR, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING UP ON ITS OWN AND THE CAR ACCELERATED, BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.

COMPLETE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION AT 65 MPH ACCIDENT BARELY AVOIDED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: R3B109 TIRESIZE: P205/70R14)

TIRE BELT AND TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE CARCASS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDVFDVA157 TIRESIZE: 215/65R15)

WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS ARE NOT SYNCHRONIZED WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE OPERATING. ARMS HIT EACH OTHER AND BECOME STUCK. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THIS VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH P205/75R14 TIRES. THE DOOR PLACARD STATES THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE P215/65R15 TIRES ON IT. HOW CAN I DETERMINE IF THE CORRECT SIZE TIRES WERE PROPERLY INSTALLED ON MY PREVIA AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IF THE DOOR PLACARD NEVER MATCHED THE TIRE SIZE THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN WITH? I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT I NEVER GOT A REPLY. ONCE WHEN I WAS BUYING REPLACEMENT TIRES I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME CONVINCING THE TIRE DEALER THAT MY VAN ACTUALLY CAME WITH THE SMALLER TIRES ALREADY INSTALLED ON IT. HE DID NOT WANT TO SELL ME TIRES THAT WERE DIFFERENT THAN THE SIZR SHOWN ON THE DOOR PLACARD.THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *AK