U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Toyota CAMRY problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

780 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

48,785 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 575 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 231 of 780 complaints (29.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	257	32.9%
Steering behavior	59	7.6%
Transmission and shifting	41	5.3%
Engine operation	14	1.8%
Electrical and battery issues	9	1.2%
Fuel system concerns	6	0.8%

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.

Vehicle Speed Control

231

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Air Bags

Steering

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Vehicle Speed Control	231
Engine	52
Engine And Engine Cooling	52
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	52
Air Bags	51
Steering	38
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	32
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal	28

Vehicle Speed Control: 231; Engine: 52; Engine And Engine Cooling: 52; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 52; Air Bags: 51; Steering: 38; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 32; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 28

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

196

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: 196; 25,000 to 49,999: 94; 50,000 to 74,999: 81; 75,000 to 99,999: 72; 100,000 to 149,999: 87; 150,000 and above: 45

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (196). 205 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.

2002

2003

2004

142

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

154

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2002: 2; 2003: 74; 2004: 142; 2005: 47; 2006: 34; 2007: 38; 2008: 37; 2009: 41; 2010: 154; 2011: 36; 2012: 33; 2013: 22; 2014: 34; 2015: 29; 2016: 10; 2017: 7; 2018: 7; 2019: 8; 2020: 9; 2021: 8; 2022: 4; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 257 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 59 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 41 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 10002058 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)

VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP. CONSUMER HAD THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE PEDAL ARE TOO SOFT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL/YEAR BRAKES, AND THINKS THE CAUSE IS THE MASTER CYCLINDER. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002058 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003476 · 2003-01-27 (January 27, 2003)

I HAD BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE. WHEN I PUT 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY IN DRIVE, IT SURGED FORWARD. I BRAKED BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. I DEPRESSED BRAKE FULLY, NONETHELESS THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AND VERY QUICKLY. VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED BY VIOLENT COLLISION WITH TWO PARKED VEHICLES AND CEMENT BLOCKS. ONLY GOOD FORTUNE PREVENTED DEATHS OF ANY PASSERS BY. WITNESSES OBSERVED MY FOOT FULLY ON THE DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AS THE CAR WAS AT REST AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003476 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001340 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)

WHILE DRIVING, STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT SO CONSUMER PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. CONSUMER INSPECTED UNDER HOOD AND NOTICED A SMALL FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001340 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007571 · 2003-02-16 (February 16, 2003)

I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY AND DISCOVERED WHAT I THINK IS A SAFETY CONCERN.THE TURN SIGNAL LEFT OR RIGHT DOES NOT SHUT OFF AUTOMATICLY WHEN EXITING OR ENTERING A RAMP OR WHEN TAKING A TURN THAT DOES NOT REQUIER A FULL TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL.MY WIFE BEEN IN TWO ALTERCATIONS ,ONE OF ROAD RAGE FROM ANOTHER DRIVER AND THE OTHER WAS A NEAR ACCIDENT ALL DUE TO SIGNAL NOT SHUTING OFF AUTOMATICLY WHEN RETURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK FROM MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN .NEVER IN THE 26 YEARS OF MY DRIVING CARS AND TRUCKS HAVE I HAD VEHICLE T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007571 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10011064 · 2003-03-26 (March 26, 2003)

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE BEGAN FEELING A "BUCKING" SENSATION IN THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WHEN OUR NEW 2003 CAMRY WOULD SHIFT FROM OVER DRIVE INTO A LOWER GEAR. IT ONLY HAPPENS IN A NARROW RANGE OF SPEED AND ENGINE RPM BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS - THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE "STUTTER". THIS "NARROW RANGE" IS RIGHT AT 38-40 MPH / ~1200 RPM WHICH IS THE SPEED WE COMMONLY TRAVEL ON THE SECONDARY ROADS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011064 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014671 · 2003-03-28 (March 28, 2003)

THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED BETWEEN GEARS WHEN SHIFTING, DEALER STATED TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM, SECOND TO THIRD GEAR ONLY. WHEN SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. BOTH PROBLEMS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RECTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, UNABLE TO REPAIR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014671 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10064108 · 2004-03-29 (March 29, 2004)

SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED CAR TO JUMP CONCRETE CURB AND HIT A TREE. DRIVER WAS ENTERING A 90 DEGREE PARKING STALL. VEHICLE SPEED BEFORE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES PER HOUR (NEARLY STOPPED).*AK UPDATED 7/5/12 *CN

Owner-reported narrative. 873 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064108 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10078354 · 2004-06-16 (June 16, 2004)

I SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP AND SURGED FORWARD. THE CAR HIT THE STORE WALL, FIVE FEET FROM THE PARKING STALL. I REPORTED THIS TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD THEY WERE OKAY. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR FOR IT'S FIRST MAINTANCE AT THE TOYOTA DEALER, I TOLD THE SERVICE PERSON TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND WHY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE 2003 CAMRY'S RPMS GO UP IF YOU HAVE THE AIR CONDITIONER ON AND YOU SIMULTANEOUSLY STEP ON THE BRAKES LIGHTLY. THEY…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078354 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10032062 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES BATTERY DOSE NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO RUN A/C AND RADIO AT SAME TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED,AND REPLACED ALTERNATOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071026 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

THE CD CHANGER INITIALLY HAD ISSUES WITH PLAYING CDR (CDS MADE ON A COMPUTER AT HOME). IT WOULD SKIP ALL OF THE TIME. IT ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH REGULAR CDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FAST-FORWARD OR REVERSE TO A SPECIFIC AREA OF A SONG TRACK. IT TOOK A VISIT AND A COUPLE TELEPHONE CALLS TO TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE TO GET THEM TO AGREE TO REPLACE THE CD CHANGER. EVER SINCE THIS WAS REPLACED, I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. HOWEVER, IN THE CAMRY THAT I HAD AS A LOANER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN ON 7/28/03, THAT VEHICLE HAD THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071026 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10063003 · 2004-04-01 (April 1, 2004)

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO1 REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH FUEL PUMP GUARD RAIL. DROVE THOUGH IT AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A VEHICLE. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063003 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10069379 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

GAS TANK THUMP WHEN STARTING FROM STOP. SLIGHT THUMP AND HEAVY THUMP ALL DEPENDS HOW MUCH FUEL IN TANK. SUSPENSION BOLTS TIGHTENED TO FACTORY SPECS. PARKING BRAKE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT COMING UP TO HIGH HARD HOLDING ON HILL AND BRAKE PEDAL TO SOFT.

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069379 at NHTSA ↗