IllustrationSTEERING WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR ARE LOOSE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE IGNITION ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE SERVICE BRAKES AND THE HYDRAULIC PARTS SEEMS TO WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING . THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIMMED IT IS HARD TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
1997 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Camry do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 295.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camry years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 131 of 555 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 100 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 96 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
79 crash reports27 fire reports50 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
22 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2002. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. ON THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2002. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. ON THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CURRENTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS STILL BEING DRIVEN. SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR BECAUSE THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE CRACKED AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE MACHINED. THE TAILLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED, THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 10/10/07. *JB
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF "PLAY" AND "BODY ROLL" WITH RESPECT TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS/STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS EXISTED FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS THAT WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEPTH WHICH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED …
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THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF "PLAY" AND "BODY ROLL" WITH RESPECT TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS/STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS EXISTED FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS THAT WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEPTH WHICH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED IS MUCH DEEPER AND REQUIRES A GREATER AMOUNT OF PRESSURE, THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN. FINALLY, THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE POOR VISIBILITY BOTH IN THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT EMITTED AND IN THEIR LOW MOUNTING OR ANGLE WHICH THEY SIT AT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS ON MY BEHALF. BEST REGARDS. *JB
1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE / MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO VARIOUS TAIL LIGHTS / TURN SIGNALS / BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. NOW IT SEEMS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNING DIMLY. NEW BULBS MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ENGINEERING ISSUE OVERALL WITH RESPECT TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS YEAR / MODEL OF CAR. *LA
THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, VIEWED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA, AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE DIED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT A ROD HAD BLOWN A HOLE THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTIONED. SCC DEALER RECOMMENDED ENGINE …
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THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, VIEWED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA, AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE DIED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT A ROD HAD BLOWN A HOLE THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTIONED. SCC DEALER RECOMMENDED ENGINE BLOCK BE REPLACED. TIMING AND DRIVE BELTS REPLACED. *TT
TAIL LIGHT FUSES KEEP BLOWING OUT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND REPAIRS SPLIT IN THE WIRE HARNESS DUE TO THE TRUNK BEING CLOSED ONTO IT. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE WAS PULLED OVER DUE TO NOT HAVING TAIL LIGHTS. *SLC
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS AT TIMES OPERATES INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE COMBINATION SWITCH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *YH
MAIN STEERING COLUMN LIGHT SWITCH FAILS, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS AND ALL DASHLIGHTS TO GO OFF.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
LEFT TURN SIGNAL IN NOT WORKING PROPERLY. YH
Official recalls
399V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
97V213000 · Electrical System:ignition
Nov 20, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A POSSIBLE JAMMING OF THE LOCK PIN OF THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID, IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN THE "PARK" POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNDER SUCH A CONDITION, SHOULD A DRIVER FAIL TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO "PARK" POSITION AND ALSO FAIL TO ACTIVATE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY DOWN A SLOPE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID.
97V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
Sep 17, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
ODI'S DATA ANALYSIS FOUND THE FIRES RATES TO BE CONSISTENTLY LOW AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG SIX MODEL YEARS AND SIX DIFFERENT ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS.ODI EXAMINED A VARIETY OF ROOT CAUSES, THOSE BEING DETONATION (RESULTING IN OIL PAN PUNCTURE FROM CONNECTING ROD), STARTER FIRES, VARIOUS FUEL RELATED FIRES, LEAKING OIL FILTERS, WIRING ISSUES, IMPROPER REPAIRS AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.NONE OF THE ISSUES EXAMINED HAD REPORTS THAT INDICATED A TREND WHEN NORMALIZED FOR POPULATON AND EXPOSURE.SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
PE97034 · Ignition Interlock Failure
Opened Jul 16, 1997 · Closed Nov 28, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
No summary supplied.