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U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Toyota CAMRY problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

320 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

87,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 131 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 320 complaints (7.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior4815.0%
Steering behavior319.7%
Transmission and shifting154.7%
Electrical and battery issues113.4%
Engine operation72.2%
Fuel system concerns51.6%

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling
25
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
25
Suspension
21
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
20
Vehicle Speed Control
18
Steering
12
Suspension:Front
12
Air Bags:Frontal
11
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling25
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine25
Suspension21
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline20
Vehicle Speed Control18
Steering12
Suspension:Front12
Air Bags:Frontal11

Engine And Engine Cooling: 25; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 25; Suspension: 21; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 20; Vehicle Speed Control: 18; Steering: 12; Suspension:Front: 12; Air Bags:Frontal: 11

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
10
25,000 to 49,999
12
50,000 to 74,999
27
75,000 to 99,999
29
100,000 to 149,999
31
150,000 and above
22
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00010
25,000 to 49,99912
50,000 to 74,99927
75,000 to 99,99929
100,000 to 149,99931
150,000 and above22

Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 27; 75,000 to 99,999: 29; 100,000 to 149,999: 31; 150,000 and above: 22

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 189 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.

2000
42
2001
52
2002
49
2003
42
2004
44
2005
15
2006
3
2007
9
2008
5
2009
6
2010
18
2011
5
2012
3
2013
5
2014
8
2015
4
2016
2
2017
1
2018
2
2019
2
2020
1
2023
1
2024
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200042
200152
200249
200342
200444
200515
20063
20079
20085
20096
201018
20115
20123
20135
20148
20154
20162
20171
20182
20192
20201
20231
20241

2000: 42; 2001: 52; 2002: 49; 2003: 42; 2004: 44; 2005: 15; 2006: 3; 2007: 9; 2008: 5; 2009: 6; 2010: 18; 2011: 5; 2012: 3; 2013: 5; 2014: 8; 2015: 4; 2016: 2; 2017: 1; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 48 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 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 10000646 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)

JUST STARTED RAINING I WAS CUT OFF AND BRAKED. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED AND I HIT THE MIDDLE MERIDIAN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000646 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001563 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)

THE VEHICLES' FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CONTINUOUSLY WHOP, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TURNED THE ROTOR 6 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001563 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004510 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)

THE DEALERSHIP SOUTH BAY TOYOTA; GARDENA CA; [phone removed] IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING WHEEL 99 V 307 000. THE VEHICLE HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT STATED IN THE RECALL AND IS PRESENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004510 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066774 · 2004-04-07 (April 7, 2004)

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING PROBLEM. WHEN IT RAINED STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066774 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019600 · 2003-05-12 (May 12, 2003)

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED BY PIECES OF METAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019600 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039350 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)

MY ENGINE VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED, MY OIL AND TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING, AND I HAVE BLUE EXHAUST COMING FROM MY TAILPIPE

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039350 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012187 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)

THE SENSOR FOR THE AIR BAG MODULE BLEW THE FUSE FOR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND CAUSED THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FAIL. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012187 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049307 · 2003-12-06 (December 6, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049307 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003958 · 2002-12-21 (December 21, 2002)

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SLUDGE AND OIL GELLING IN THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER REPORTED SEEING SMOKE FROM THE VEHICLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE MAIN BEARINGS, ROD BEARINGS AND THE OIL PUMP. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003958 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10107189 · 2005-01-11 (January 11, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH A KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED, AND A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, THEN TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107189 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10114311 · 2005-03-18 (March 18, 2005)

IN JULY, 2003 (PLEASE REFER TO ODI ID NUMBER: 10030262) OUR 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY CE (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) BEGAN LEAKING LARGE AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE. IT WAS DETERMINED INTERNAL PRESSURE HAD CAUSED THE TANK TO BULGE OUT AND RIP AT THE SEAMS. AFTER TWO SOLDERING ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO PATCH THE TANK, THE ENTIRE TANK WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. A PRESSURE TEST WAS CONDUCTED BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. IN FEBRUARY 2005 THE GAS TANK STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. THE SAME BULGE FROM INSIDE OUT WAS FOUND AS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SEEN WITH THE OLD AND SINCE REPL…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,890 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114311 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10178069 · 2007-01-08 (January 8, 2007)

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC ,WHERE HE DETERMINED THAT THE 90 DEGREE FUEL LINE CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TO LEAK OVER THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK. THE CONTACT HAD THE FUEL LINE REPLACED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM AND CHARGED THE CONTACT FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK THE FULE PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/25/07. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10178069 at NHTSA ↗