NHTSA complaint #11762945

Owner complaint summary

2020 Toyota Camry XSE, VIN [XXX], 2.5L 4-cylinder A25A-FKS engine, built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) during the production window covered by NHTSA Recall 20V-064 (Toyota campaign 20TA04), which addresses porosity in engine castings that can cause internal and external coolant leaks, engine overheating, and possible engine failure. Toyota’s VIN lookup returns this vehicle as not affected by the campaign, but the failure pattern matches the recall defect exactly. Timeline of failures and repair attempts: XXX, at approximately 92,832 miles, Camelback Toyota in Phoenix, AZ (RO XXX). Check engine light active. Diagnosed DTC P268115 (Engine Coolant Bypass Valve Circuit, Short to Battery or Open). Battery also failed load test. Overheating symptom noted on the same repair order. Coolant bypass valve replacement recommended. Following that visit, water pump and thermostat were replaced at Berge Toyota (Mesa/Gilbert, AZ area). Camelback Toyota stated the vehicle was fixed. Vehicle overheated again the next day after being returned as repaired. XXX, at 93,034 miles, Camelback Toyota (RO XXX). Oil and filter change performed under good faith goodwill service, transmission fluid exchange completed. Overheating condition persisted. Vehicle continued to overheat through the summer and into September 2026. Current dealer now recommends head gasket replacement and states that if the head gasket does not resolve the overheating, the engine block is cracked and the engine will need replacement. Dealer describes the engine as “sucking air,” indicating combustion gases entering the cooling system and/or a compromised block-to-head seal. This failure sequence — persistent overheating, multiple failed repair attempts across two Toyota dealers, replacement of water pump, thermostat, and coolant bypass valve without resolution, and dealer conclusion pointing to a cracked engine block — matches the failure mode described in NHTSA Rec INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)