IllustrationFRONT SUSPENSION RATTLES TERRIBLY. STRUTS WERE REPLACED, DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF A DESIGN FLAW AND REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE A RECALL. *LA
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
What owners actually said
555 reportsMY ENGINE VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED, MY OIL AND TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING, AND I HAVE BLUE EXHAUST COMING FROM MY TAILPIPE
ENGINE SEIZURE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE.
COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE TANK. MECHANIC DETERMINED LEAK IS COMING FROM A DEFECTIVE TANK AND THE LEAK IS COMING FROM A GAP IN THE SEAM. LOCAL AUTOMOBILE DEALER STATES PART IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (62K MILES) AND WILL NOT COVER REPAIR EXPENSES. POSSIBLE REMEDY MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE TANK BUT YET …
Read full complaint
COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE TANK. MECHANIC DETERMINED LEAK IS COMING FROM A DEFECTIVE TANK AND THE LEAK IS COMING FROM A GAP IN THE SEAM. LOCAL AUTOMOBILE DEALER STATES PART IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (62K MILES) AND WILL NOT COVER REPAIR EXPENSES. POSSIBLE REMEDY MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE TANK BUT YET TO BE DETERMINED. SOLDERING THE TANK AT THE GAPS DID NOT SUFFICE AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL RECURRING. *AK
1997 CAMRY XLE..OIL GEL PROBLEM. TOYOTA BLAMED PROBLEM ON US/LACK OF OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. IN 1999. CERT.USED CAR. NEEDED NEW ENGINE AFTER ONE YEAR. PROBLEM UNDETECTED AGAIN. IN FEB 2002 CAR BLEW ENGINE AFTER BEING CHECKED @TOYOTA. GOT LETTER IN JULY 2002 STATING THEIR WAS A GELLING PROBLEM. I SENT INFORMATION THEY NEEDED…
Read full complaint
1997 CAMRY XLE..OIL GEL PROBLEM. TOYOTA BLAMED PROBLEM ON US/LACK OF OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. IN 1999. CERT.USED CAR. NEEDED NEW ENGINE AFTER ONE YEAR. PROBLEM UNDETECTED AGAIN. IN FEB 2002 CAR BLEW ENGINE AFTER BEING CHECKED @TOYOTA. GOT LETTER IN JULY 2002 STATING THEIR WAS A GELLING PROBLEM. I SENT INFORMATION THEY NEEDED. NEVER A RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA. I SENT ALL INFO AGAIN CERTIFIED MAIL. NO RESPONSE.*AK
DRIVERS SEAT BELT LOCK IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND HAS TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WILL CHARGE ALMOST $600.00 TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, UPON DRIVING WHITE SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF TAIL PIPE, AND OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *AK
I HAVE A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 85,000 MILES ON IT, I HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON IT KEEP IT IN GOOD SHAPE, AND THE ENGINE JUST CRACKED I HAD GOT A LETTER FROM TOYOTA THAT TALKED ABOUT OIL GELLING BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM THEN. I TOOK IT TO PHILLIPS TOYOTA IN LEESBURG FL AND THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHY MY ENGINE WENT. I KNO…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 85,000 MILES ON IT, I HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON IT KEEP IT IN GOOD SHAPE, AND THE ENGINE JUST CRACKED I HAD GOT A LETTER FROM TOYOTA THAT TALKED ABOUT OIL GELLING BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM THEN. I TOOK IT TO PHILLIPS TOYOTA IN LEESBURG FL AND THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHY MY ENGINE WENT. I KNOW WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE MY ENGINE WOULD LAST WELL OVER 120,000 MILES. *JB
SEAT BELTS WON'T RETRACT. HAVE HAD FRONT BELTS REPLACED ON MY 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY TWICE AND PROBLEM COMES BACK. BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT AND HANG OUT DOOR OR ON ME AFTER RELEASING. *NLM
WHEN THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE TRIED TO START UP ON ITS OWN AND THEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *NLM
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.