IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
1997 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Camry do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 295.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camry years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
100 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 32 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 32 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000.
FAILED TO STOP ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. THE ROAD WAS ICY BUT THE VEHICLE'S ABS WAS NOT WORKING AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE AT ALL. I STEERING THE VEHICLE TO THE DITCH. I WAS LUCKY OF NOT HITTING OTHER VEHICLES AND I WAS SAFE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA CAMRY'S BRAKING, IT DID NOT FEEL RIGHT! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2002. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. ON THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2002. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. ON THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CURRENTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS STILL BEING DRIVEN. SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR BECAUSE THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE CRACKED AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE MACHINED. THE TAILLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED, THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 10/10/07. *JB
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF "PLAY" AND "BODY ROLL" WITH RESPECT TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS/STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS EXISTED FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS THAT WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEPTH WHICH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED …
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THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF "PLAY" AND "BODY ROLL" WITH RESPECT TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS/STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS EXISTED FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS THAT WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEPTH WHICH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED IS MUCH DEEPER AND REQUIRES A GREATER AMOUNT OF PRESSURE, THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN. FINALLY, THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE POOR VISIBILITY BOTH IN THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT EMITTED AND IN THEIR LOW MOUNTING OR ANGLE WHICH THEY SIT AT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS ON MY BEHALF. BEST REGARDS. *JB
THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON THE 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE DOES NOT LAST FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS, AND LESS. *AK
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
NAR 03-27-2003 MR THE CONSUMER HAD ONLY 49000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. OVER $400.00 IN REPAIRS MADE. *CB
THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 45,000 MILES.*JB *TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH INDICATING BRAKE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING. CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES. CONSUMER FEELS THERE A DEFECT IN THE BRAKES THAT ARE BEING PUT ON VEHICLE. MR MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYST…
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CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH INDICATING BRAKE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING. CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES. CONSUMER FEELS THERE A DEFECT IN THE BRAKES THAT ARE BEING PUT ON VEHICLE. MR MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM MET THE SATISFACTORY SPECIFICATIONS-DECLINED REPAIR. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ELAPSED BRAKE WORK ON THE DATE OF 8/15/02 IN THE AMOUNT OF $659.44. SCC
Official recalls
399V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
97V213000 · Electrical System:ignition
Nov 20, 1997
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.
97V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
Sep 17, 1997
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
3PE02079 · 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
No summary supplied.