IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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 HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED, WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST SAFE PLACE TO STOP, AT WHICH THE ENGINE CEASED FUNCTIONING. I'M TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT FOR A COST OF $4500. I PRESENTLY OWE $12,000 ON THIS CAR. THIS IS DUE TO THE …
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MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED, WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST SAFE PLACE TO STOP, AT WHICH THE ENGINE CEASED FUNCTIONING. I'M TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT FOR A COST OF $4500. I PRESENTLY OWE $12,000 ON THIS CAR. THIS IS DUE TO THE SO-CALLED "OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM" AND I DEMAND IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION IN THIS MATTER. EVIDENTLY THOUSANDS OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. FOR MORE INFORMATION: FEATURES/2001OVERVIEW/TOYOTA/CAMRY.TMPL. *AK
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. BRAKES HAVE FAILED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ORIGINALLY REPORTED 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASE. SINCE THEN HAVE RETURNED 5 TIMES FOR BRAKE FAILURE STILL NO SOLUTION LIVES HAVE BEEN IN JEAPARDY FEEL UNSAFE IN VEHICLE. DEALER RELUCTANTLY COMPLIES WITH ORIGINAL AGREEMENT BRAKES ARE UNDER WARR…
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NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. BRAKES HAVE FAILED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ORIGINALLY REPORTED 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASE. SINCE THEN HAVE RETURNED 5 TIMES FOR BRAKE FAILURE STILL NO SOLUTION LIVES HAVE BEEN IN JEAPARDY FEEL UNSAFE IN VEHICLE. DEALER RELUCTANTLY COMPLIES WITH ORIGINAL AGREEMENT BRAKES ARE UNDER WARRANTY PLEASE RESPOND ASAP. *AK
BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE AND UNSAFE. IF BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEED THE DISCS WARP SO THE BRAKES PULSATE AND LOSE STOPPING ABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN MOUNTAIN DRIVING OR WHEN BRAKES ARE NEEDED FOR A QUICK STROP ON HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS.*AK
SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT. DRIVERS SEATBELT WAS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY AND IS NOW A PROBLEM AGAIN. ESTIMATED COSTS IS $108 FOR NEW RETRACTOR AND $80 LABOR. *AK
ENGINE HAS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE THAT IS COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *AK
IN1997 TOYOTA CAMRY FRONT AND BACK SUSPENSION MAKING NOISE IN COLD WEATHER MAY BE DEFECTIVE STRUTS OR SPRING NEED HELP.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. HEARD STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ROD HAD BLOWN, AND BLOCK WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE SERVICE INDICATION LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED AIR INTAKE SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ALREADY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED.*AK
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.