2002 Camry Four Automatic: Flush or Spil & Fill?

First off, 28 K isn't that much on a car like this. However, a transmission drain and refill wouldn't hurt. I don't think you need to have the brake fluid replaced. My Camry has over 200,000 kms on the dial and since owning it, I've never changed the brake fluid and it still drives and brakes fine. How low is the pedal? I find that it is softer and lower then other makes and models. Maybe too low, but in my Camry that is the norm. When we first got the car, my wife described the brakes by saying, "I had to almost put the pedal to the floor, just to stop the thing." She got used to it, so did I. Your Camry might use a timing chain, or a timing belt. Mine has a belt, but I have an older model (2000 LE 4-cyl.) I have read that the Camry engine from 2003 up has a Chain, but ask your local dealer to verify that. If it is a belt, Change it every 80,000-90,000 miles, if its a chain, its probably good for 150,000-200,000 miles. Hope this was a help.

I I'm actually pretty familiar with your car - same drivetrain as our '95, essentially. Do you have ABS? Our non-ABS Camry doesn't have an especially low or soft pedal, but what you wrote is still somewhat reassuring. Thanks.

I'm pretty sure the "new" car has a timing chain. I wanted to know about water pump life.

I own a 2002 camry four.

When I bought it at 95,000 kilometers (about 54,000 miles.)I changed the oil with synthetic M1, 5w30 , the tranny fluid and antifreeze with

The only problem I had with it after owning it for six months was the A/C system.

Theres a double tube that is used in the A/C sytem and its not an after mrket device. I had to buy it from Toyota at their price and have it installed for a tun of about $800.00 Canadian.

I also had the vacuum swith on the charcoal cansister defect and it was replaced for about $126.00 Canadian,

Other than that ? I change the oil and rotate the tires twice a year (they were new after purchase)and align the wheels once a year in the spring after winter and with the spring oil change .

I change my M1 at around 5000 miles (8000k)

Apart from the A/C system this I consider just normal maintenence.

I now have over 150,000k1s on it and it runs fine .

I also use Lucas fuel additive every tankful.I use this in ALL my infernal combustion engines around the house and my bike as well.

Never had a fuel related.problem and the car just passed the E-test here in ontario with flying colors. Ed

Just what do you think was suspose to be done up to the first 30K miles ? About all to do is change oil/filter, and rotate tires. Just inspect other things is all that I see listed in the manual.

I just found out this car may have had an 8k mile odometer rollback (!) and that this year only was rated "Poor" for side impact crashes. How in hell did they fix that for 2003 - standard side curtain airbags, or structural changes...? Not sure we're going to buy it now. The Corolla actually seems to have better crash ratings for that period...

If you, and everyone else, would read what is actually stated, there is a *time* period as well as a mileage period in the manual. That means not leaving the coolant and transmission fluid in the car for 7 years because it hasn't hit 30k yet.

After reading that the car's odometer may have been tampered with, it would make me wonder what else has been touched or messed with. Honestly, in my opinion, I would leave it sitting where it is and forget about it. There is no reason to have to part with the odometer for any other reason than to mislead a buyer. I'd take my business elsewhere. And to clarify, my Camry is equipped with ABS. Sorry to neglect that in my previous response.

What I do to test for a mushy pedal is to press down on the brakes several times to bleed-off the vacuum assist. The pedal will get progressively harder to push until it will will get very firm. If there's some mushyness, you could have some air in the brake lines.

Apply pressure to the brakes for a minute - if it slowly goes towards the floor, you could have a leak in the lines or your seals in the slave or master cylinders could be leaking.

I forgot to say that the engine should not be running when you do this test - silly me. :-)

We are going to pass on it - as much because of the Poor side impact rating for that year as because of the odometer, but hopefully the latter will get our deposit back. It could have 50k miles on it and still be on the original coolant and trans fluid. And brakes.

I repeat, folks: how in hell did Toyota fix that safety rating by

I'll keep that test in mind. Thanks.

Just drain/refill the ATF should be fine. Before you do, check ATF at operating temperature to make sure it's in range. Then it's best to measure what you drain out and then refill the same amount.

How's the brake when the engine is off? Do you feel braking action start when pressing the pedal about 1"?

As far as brake fluid goes, yes you should change it. Brake fluid slowly absorbs moisture from the air. So at least once every 2 years should do it. Just like engine coolant, it also helps prevent corrosion in the system too and you'll have the design boiling point as originally specified instead of a lower one caused by moisture absorption.

The only other thing I'd be concerned about is the engine cylinder head bolt that can pop loose. This is because of a design or metallurgical defect that the rear bolts by the firewall can pop loose as the threads disintegrates. The coolant at first seeps, and then by the time it leaks your engine is done for. But I think you're out of the powertrain warranty by now. Usually happens 80-90K miles.