2005 Toyota CAMRY SOLARA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
92 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
46,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 68 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 92 complaints (19.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 17.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 13.0% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 5.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 |
| Structure | 16 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Structure:Body | 7 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Engine | 5 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 18; Structure: 16; Air Bags: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 11; Unknown Or Other: 8; Structure:Body: 7; Electrical System: 6; Engine: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 8 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 24 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 17 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 19 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2004: 2; 2005: 17; 2006: 4; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 15; 2011: 4; 2012: 4; 2013: 4; 2014: 19; 2015: 4; 2016: 1; 2017: 4; 2019: 2; 2021: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10099497 · 2004-11-05 (November 5, 2004)
CONSUMER CLAIMS THAT THE HEAD RESTRAINT OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S REAR VIEW. IT IS HARD TO BACK UP OR CHANGE LANES.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 3 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099497 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10104163 · 2004-12-20 (December 20, 2004)
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA SOLARA CONVERTIBLE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, IT WAS GREAT WEATHER, SO I HAD THE TOP DOWN THE WOULD TIME I TEST DROVE VEHICLE. . IT WAS ONLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT AND PUT THE TOP UP THAT I REALIZED THAT THE VISIBILITY OUT THE REAR MIRROR OF THE CAR WAS AWFUL. I'VE HAD 2 OTHER TOYOTA CONVERTIBLE PREVIOUSLY, AND RECOGNIZE THAT VISIBILITY IS NOT THE BEST THROUGH THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR DUE TO THE SMALLISH CONVERTIBLE WINDOWS. HOWEVER, WITH THE 2005 SOLARA, TOYOTA HAS PUT VERY LARGE HEAD RESTS ON THE REAR SEATS T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10104163 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10107037 · 2005-01-07 (January 7, 2005)
THIS VEHICLE HAS CONVERTIBLE SEATS, BOTH FRONT SEATS AND HEAD RESTS ARE TOO LARGE. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY, CONSUMER UNABLE TO SEE PROPERLY. CONSUMER TOOL VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK....TOYOTA REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO LOWER REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS. THEY RESTRICTED VISIBILITY BY 1/2 THROUGH REAR WINDOW. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107037 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110398 · 2005-02-12 (February 12, 2005)
WHEN MAKING TURNS (AND SOMETIMES JUST WHEN ACCELERATING), THIS CAR AND ALL LIKE IT HESITATE WHEN THE THROTTLE IS DEPRESSED AND THEN LUNGES FORWARD SUDDENLY NEARLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110398 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10113960 · 2005-03-11 (March 11, 2005)
TRANSMISSION HESITATES TO DOWNSHIFT. E.G. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC, APPLYING THE ACCELORATOR, RESULTS IN A VEHICLE HESITATION WHERE THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SLOW DOWN, THEN THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS, AND FINALLY THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ACCELLERATE. THE VEHICLE I MERGED IN FRONT OF SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES, AS DID THE VEHICLES BEHIND THEM. THE HESTITATION HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE VEHILCE IN MAR 2004. THE HESITATION OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURED WHEN ACCELRATION FROM 40 MPH. DEALER CLAIMS T…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,475 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113960 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10115586 · 2005-03-22 (March 22, 2005)
DRIVER NOTICED THAT WHILE SHIFTING THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC CLAIMED THAT VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK THE HESITATION AND THE JERKY SHIFTING IS NOT ONLY IRRITATING AND UNCOMFORTABLE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, SUDDEN SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR CAUSES THE FRONT WHEELS TO SPIN ON SLIPPERY SURFACES WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF TRACTION AND LO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116807 · 2005-04-12 (April 12, 2005)
2005 TOYOTA SOLARA WITH V6 ENGINE AND "DRIVE BY WIRE" THROTTLE EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANT HESIATION UPON ACCELERATION AND OCCASSIONAL UNINTENDED/UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. SPECIFIC SITUATIONS ARE: 1) IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO ADJUST DISTANCE TO CAR IN FRONT, THEN ACCELERATING WITH FLOW OF TRAFFIC, THE CAR DOES NOTHING BRIEFLY THEN JUMPS AHEAD LEADING TO A POTENTIAL COLLISION. IT'S AS IF IT IS STRUGGLING TO FIND THE RIGHT GEAR. 2) WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A CURVE, THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTS WITH THE CONSEQUENT INCREASE IN ENGI…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,815 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116807 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10118431 · 2005-04-25 (April 25, 2005)
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA SOLARA V6...THE HESITATIONS ON ACCELERATION ARE UNMANAGEABLE AND DANGEROUS...SOMEBODY HAS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM...BEFORE THIS CAR CAUSES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 5,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10118431 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
11V539000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Reported: 2011-11-09 (November 9, 2011)
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.
Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA campaign record ↗