U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Toyota CAMRY SOLARA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

161 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

53,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 118 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 161 complaints (15.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	28	17.4%
Steering behavior	22	13.7%
Transmission and shifting	6	3.7%
Electrical and battery issues	6	3.7%
Engine operation	3	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Structure

Air Bags

Structure:Body

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Steering: 25; Vehicle Speed Control: 24; Structure: 22; Air Bags: 14; Structure:Body: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Unknown Or Other: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 42; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 21; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (42). 43 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2004: 30; 2005: 17; 2006: 13; 2007: 9; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2010: 23; 2011: 10; 2012: 4; 2013: 8; 2014: 12; 2015: 7; 2016: 7; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 2

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10062772 · 2004-03-21 (March 21, 2004)

SINCE PURCHASING MY 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT IT'S STEERING AND HOW UNSAFE IT FEELS TO DRIVE. PULLS TO THE LEFT FREQUENTLY, AND THE RIGHT LESS FREQUENTLY. STEERING IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE, AND FEELS UNSAFE. CAR SLIDES INTO OTHER LANES, AS IF ON ICE...ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER REPAIRED A SLIGHT FAULT WITH SOME RINGS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, IT ONLY SLIGHTLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. STEERING IS MORE CONTROLLED, BUT CAR STILL DRIFTS INTO OTHER LANES. CAR ALSO ROCKS WHEN IN A PARKED POSITION, IF …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062772 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093105 · 2004-09-23 (September 23, 2004)

THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BROKEN RECORD - CAR PULLED SEVERELY TO LEFT AT TIME OF PURCHASE. TOYOTA'S FIRST ATTEMPT LESSENED LEFT HAND PULL. TOYOTA'S SECOND REDUCED PULL, BUT NOW STEERING IS SLOPPY. TOYOTA SAYS THEY "FIXED" IT. CAR FEELS "TWITCHY". ON CROWNED ROADS YOU WILL PULL HARD TO WHATEVER SIDE THE ROAD LEANS TO. I HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE - TOO SCARY TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES. THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER NON-SAFETY RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR - SHARP RATTLE FROM REAR PASSENGER SIDE, VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, BRAKE IS SOFT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10093105 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058646 · 2004-02-21 (February 21, 2004)

2004 SOLARA SE SPORT PULLS (DRIFTS) TO THE LEFT. ( DEALERSHIP SPENT 3 DAYS ON CAR, PERFORMED BULLETIN# ST002-04 INCLUDING ADJUSTMENT SPRING SEATS AND ALIGNMENT- STILL PULLS LEFT. ) AGREED TO DRIVE 3,000 MILES UNTIL NEXT SERVICE INTERVAL & AWAIT NEW DEVELOPMENTS FROM TOYOTA ) VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ISSUE, I BELIEVE THERE IS A MANUFACURING OR DESIGN FLAW IN STEERING SYSTEM. I AM A QUALITY ENGINEER IN IMPORT AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY WITH 17 YEARS EXPERIENCE.) *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058646 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059071 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)

CAR PULLED SEVERLY TO LEFT AT TIME OF PURCHASE. TOYOTA'S FIRST ATTEMPT LESSENED LEFT HAND PULL. TOYOTA'S SECOND ATTEMPT ELIMINATED PULL, BUT NOW STEERING IS SLOPPY. TOYOTA WANTS TO TAKE CAR AND "LOOK AT IT AGAIN." SINCE THEY CANNOT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFY ROOT CAUSE AND DEFINITIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION, I HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM A 3RD "CHANCE AT IT." I HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND AM NOW ASKING FOR TOYOTA TO BUY BACK. THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER NON-SAFETY RELATED PROBLEMS WITH CAR. IT APPEARS THIS RE-DESIGN WAS NOT READY FOR MARKET LAST SEPTEMBER. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10059071 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10073223 · 2004-05-27 (May 27, 2004)

THERE IS A LAG IN THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE CAR IS AT SLOW SPEED. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN GETTING ON RAMP TO THE FREEWAY. IN ADDITION THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT ALL THE TIME.*MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073223 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10094771 · 2004-09-30 (September 30, 2004)

CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION HESITATED WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. THERE WAS A 3 TO 4 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10094771 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10172186 · 2006-10-30 (October 30, 2006)

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA THIS CAR IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT 100%. I HAVE REPLACED 2 SETS OF BRAKES, ROTORS, CALIPERS BOTH RIGHT SIDE. ALSO BOTH INNER TIE ROD ENDS AND RIGHT CV SHAFT, WHEEL BEARINGS. A NEW BATTERY THE INTERIOR IS FALLING APART AND THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD PULLING TO THE RIGHT. TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPLACE MOST OF THE PARTS AS THEY SAY NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW WARRANTY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172186 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10314713 · 2010-02-26 (February 26, 2010)

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY/SOLARA TECHNICAL PROBLEM PASSENGER DOOR OR TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN. THERE IS NO KEY LATCH TO ENTER CAR FROM OUTSIDE OF CAR ON PASSENGER SIDE OR TO OPEN TRUNK. KEY REMOTE DOES NOT WORK , I'VE TAKEN CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER AND REPLACED BATTERY, BUT STILL WILL NOT OPEN CAR DOOR OR TRUNK. I'VE TRIED REPORT THIS PROBLEM WITHIN THE LAST PAST 2 YEARS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER W/ NO HELP. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. I FEEL THIS IS TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314713 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10121517 · 2005-05-13 (May 13, 2005)

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA EXPERIENCING STALLING OR LONG HESITATION WHEN THE VEHICLE'S SPEED IS BELOW 25 MPH AND THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE.*MR THIS OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN ENTERING FAST MOVING TRAFFIC FROM ENTRANCE RAMP ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED. *BF *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10121517 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10126725 · 2005-06-27 (June 27, 2005)

DT: 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA, VEHICLE WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, 55 MPH, 65 MPH, AND OTHER SPEEDS. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED IT DID NOT START AGAIN, THE ONLY PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT WORKED WAS THE RADIO. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO DEALER MANY TIMES, AND DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO MULTIPLE DEALERS. THE DEALERS HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE CONSUMER PURCHASED…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126725 at NHTSA ↗