IllustrationREAR DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE- STICKY LATCH. (I DO NOT HAVE THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ). *NLM
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 reportsNAR 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
MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OF BRAKES.
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
AIR BAG COMPUTER SENSOR BAD AND SHUTS DOWN CAR WHILE ENGINE ON IN PARK. CAR DID NOT RESTART. SENSOR BLEW ENTIRE FUSE BOX FOR OPERATION OF VEHICLE. *JB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION AT NORMAL SPEED, THE DEALER STATED THE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM, WHICH WERE THEN REPLACED AND A ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION AT NORMAL SPEED, THE DEALER STATED THE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM, WHICH WERE REPLACED AND A ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB
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
DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN VEHICLE(1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE) LEADING TO CONSTANT OPERATIVE PROBLEMS. THE STATED VEHICLE WAS REQUESTED FOR RECALL FOR ENGINE MALFUNCTION LAST YEAR AND I HAD VEHICLE DELIVERED BACK TO BOURNE TOYOTA OF3069 WASHINGTON RD AUGUSTA, GA 30907 (706-868-5454) FOR TECHNICAL SERVICE UNDER RECALL. ONE DAY AFTER RECALL…
Read full complaint
DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN VEHICLE(1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE) LEADING TO CONSTANT OPERATIVE PROBLEMS. THE STATED VEHICLE WAS REQUESTED FOR RECALL FOR ENGINE MALFUNCTION LAST YEAR AND I HAD VEHICLE DELIVERED BACK TO BOURNE TOYOTA OF3069 WASHINGTON RD AUGUSTA, GA 30907 (706-868-5454) FOR TECHNICAL SERVICE UNDER RECALL. ONE DAY AFTER RECALL WORK WAS DONE STATED VEHICLE HAD TO BE RETURNED NOW IM FACED WITH AN ENGINE REPLACMENT DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE BUILD UP. AN PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT ONLY BEEN PROBLEMATIC IN THE CAMRY LINE BUT WITH THE SIENNA, SOLARA, AVALON, & LEXUS MODELS AS WELL. HOWEVER BOURNE TOYOTA SAYS THAT ENGINE SLUDGE BUILD-UP IS MY PROBLEM DUE TO ME NOT GETTING THE OIL CHANGED ENOUGH. THE OIL WAS CHANGE ON PERIODIC INTERVALS SINCE RECALL WORK WAS DONE AND THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT BY BOURNE TOYOTA TO DENY MY CLAIM AND BILL FOR REPAIRS. IT WELL DOCUMENTED HOW TOYOTA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL SLUGE BUILD-UP ARE BEING DENIED WARRANTY CLAIMS, AN ACT THAT I FEEL AS AN LOYAL CUSTOMER IS UTTERLY IRREPONSIBLE ON THE PART OF THE TOYOTA AND THERE DEALERSHIPS AS WELL. IM AN SCHOOL TEACHER ON AN LIMITED INCOME AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM BOURNE TOYOTA IN GOOD FAITH AND THIS WHOLE SITUATION HAS CAUSED ME FINANCIAL BURDEN IN CAR RENTAL BILLS SO I CAN GET TO WORK. I ASK FOR ANY ASSISTANCE OR DIRECTION IN INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER FULLY.
THE ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEELS ARE DELAMINATING CAUSING TIRES TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. PH
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.