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
What owners actually said
555 reports
72,000 miles · May 22, 2003
Structure
DURING COLD WEATHER THE PISTON THAT RELEASES THE GAS HATCH DOOR FROZE TO THE HOUSING. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE GAS DOOR FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE PISTON BROKE IN HALF. SINCE THE PISTON WAS FROZEN IN PLACE, THE GAS DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. OWNERS MANUAL DID NOT REFERENCE HOW TO DEFEAT THE MECHANISM AND DRIVER CO…
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DURING COLD WEATHER THE PISTON THAT RELEASES THE GAS HATCH DOOR FROZE TO THE HOUSING. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE GAS DOOR FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE PISTON BROKE IN HALF. SINCE THE PISTON WAS FROZEN IN PLACE, THE GAS DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. OWNERS MANUAL DID NOT REFERENCE HOW TO DEFEAT THE MECHANISM AND DRIVER COULD NOT FILL WITH GAS. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10019138
Mileage unknown · May 21, 2003
Seat Belts
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE SEAT BELT LOCKED UP. *JB MADE ATTEMPT TO CONTACT CONSUMER 10/16/07, NO ANSWER *LJ RETURN USPS, MADE 2ND ATTEMPT 07/16/07 FAILED. *BF
NHTSA ODI #10020255
150,000 miles · May 12, 2003
Power Train
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED BY PIECES OF METAL. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10019600
Mileage unknown · May 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
STRONG ODOR IN CAR. CAUSES HEADACHES. TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO FIX PROBLEM AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10018433
65,000 miles · May 5, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury
VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT.
NHTSA ODI #10018136
65,000 miles · May 5, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. PH *JB
NHTSA ODI #10018135
86,000 miles · May 5, 2003
Suspension
THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE RUBBER CORRODED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS TYPE OF DETERIORATION DOES NOT NORMALLY OCCUR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10017042
Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE BRAKING. THE BRAKE PADS WERE CHANGED AT 5000 MILES YET THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED AT 37,000 MILES. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10017808
64,047 miles · Apr 3, 2003
Suspension
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT RATTLE PRESENT FOR TWO YEARS. ON 03/30/03 DURING A DRIVE AT 56 MILES/HR SPEED, STRUT RATTLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE GREW WORSE SUDDENLY AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD, THE LEFT STRUT CENTER …
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FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT RATTLE PRESENT FOR TWO YEARS. ON 03/30/03 DURING A DRIVE AT 56 MILES/HR SPEED, STRUT RATTLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE GREW WORSE SUDDENLY AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD, THE LEFT STRUT CENTER BOLT CAME OFF COMPLETELY AND ITS THREADS WERE COMPLETELY STRIPPED. STRUT CAME OFF THE MOUNT SLEEVE. AFTER A NEW STRUT IS PUT ON THE VEHICLE, THE DAMAGED STRUT IS CHECKED AND ITS TOP THREADS (WHERE THE CENTER NUT GETS FASTENED) WERE PARTIALLY STIPPED.
NHTSA ODI #10013937
79,500 miles · Mar 31, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
POOR DESIGN AND BUILD - 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE (4 CYLINDER). I OWN A 1997 4-CYLINDER CAMRY LE. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. A FEW MONTHS AGO, ITS STARTER WENT BAD AND WAS REPLACED. THIS MORNING, THE DEALER FOUND THAT ITS ENGINE VALVE SEALS WORN OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED (OVER $1000 REPAIR). I CHECKED T…
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POOR DESIGN AND BUILD - 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE (4 CYLINDER). I OWN A 1997 4-CYLINDER CAMRY LE. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. A FEW MONTHS AGO, ITS STARTER WENT BAD AND WAS REPLACED. THIS MORNING, THE DEALER FOUND THAT ITS ENGINE VALVE SEALS WORN OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED (OVER $1000 REPAIR). I CHECKED THE INTERNET CAR FORUMS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1997 MODEL YEAR 4-CYLINDER TOYOTA CAMRY. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS A POOR DESIGN AND BUILD PROBLEM. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT BE PAYING A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S POOR DESIGN AND BUILD. ALL 1997 4-CYLINDER CAMRY SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY TOYOTA. *NLM
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.
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
3
PE02079 · 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
Illustration