IllustrationDRIVER'S SEATBACK ROCKS BACK AND FORTH AND MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNING. *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 reportsWHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL MOVES UP AND DOWN EVEN WHEN LOCKED. DELAERS HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD APPEAR TO BE A DESIGN FAULT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. *YH
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES IN ANY TYPE OF WEATHER OR SPEED, THE BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
CALIPERS AND PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES VEHICLE STILL CONTINUES TO HAVE BRAKING PROLEMS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT FIX IT. *AK
SHIFTED TO PARK, R EMOVED KEY FROM IGNITION, VEHICLE ROLLED BACK WARDS OUT OF GARAGE, DOWN INCLINE, ALMOST RAN INTO CHILD AND DOG, REAREND OF VEHICLE HIT TWO MAIL BOXES, OTHER OBJECTS, KEY CAN BE REMOVED IN ANY GEAR, WITH DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT; NEXT DAY WENT TO VEHICLE & NOTICED REAR WINDOW HAD EXPLODED OR BLOWN OUT; TOOK TO DEALER WHO ORDERED REAR GLASS BUT FOUND MANUFACTURER STOPPED PRODUCING REAR GLASS. *AK
CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE ON NOV-08-96, ON NOV-15-96 WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55MPH THE STEERING TILTED ALL THE WAY UP. ALSO, HAPPENED A SECOND TIME 0N 22-NOV-96. TOOK VEHICLE TO DON MCGILL TOYOTA FOR REPAIRS BOTH TIMES. HAPPENED TWICE AGAIN IN DEC.-96 REPAIRED AT SAME DEALERSHIP AND THE STEERING IS STILL TILTING UNEXPECTANTLY, …
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CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE ON NOV-08-96, ON NOV-15-96 WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55MPH THE STEERING TILTED ALL THE WAY UP. ALSO, HAPPENED A SECOND TIME 0N 22-NOV-96. TOOK VEHICLE TO DON MCGILL TOYOTA FOR REPAIRS BOTH TIMES. HAPPENED TWICE AGAIN IN DEC.-96 REPAIRED AT SAME DEALERSHIP AND THE STEERING IS STILL TILTING UNEXPECTANTLY, CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS. THE STEERING TILTED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 1997, CALLED DEALERSHIP TO PICK VEHICLE UP BECAUSE CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE AND THEY REFUSED TO PICK IT UP. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH GOING 38 MPH AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP ON 3/27/97. *AK
CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE ON JAN. 97, THE FIRST DAY THE VEHICLE BOUNCED AROUND, AND EVERY OTHER DAY THE FRONT END BOTTOMED OUT, SCRAPES-SCRATCHES ON BLOCK UNDERNEATH, CAN'T TURN WITHOUT STOPPING. AN ACCIDENT MAY OCCUR WHEN ON HWY IF NEEDED TO TURN. FIVE TOWN TOYOTA 516-377-2632 SAYS OWNER HAS TO STOP COMPLETELY BEFORE TURNING. C…
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CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE ON JAN. 97, THE FIRST DAY THE VEHICLE BOUNCED AROUND, AND EVERY OTHER DAY THE FRONT END BOTTOMED OUT, SCRAPES-SCRATCHES ON BLOCK UNDERNEATH, CAN'T TURN WITHOUT STOPPING. AN ACCIDENT MAY OCCUR WHEN ON HWY IF NEEDED TO TURN. FIVE TOWN TOYOTA 516-377-2632 SAYS OWNER HAS TO STOP COMPLETELY BEFORE TURNING. CONSUMER CAN'T DRIVE IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE BLOCK IS TO0 WIDE. *AKPLEASE CALL CONSUMER TO DISCUSS PROBABLE DEFCT.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS STRUCK HEAD-ON FROM THE PASSENGER'S RIGHT SIDE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *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.