Toyota Camry Complaints (2003)

782 consumer complaints on file.

#10288950October 19, 2009
STEERING:COLUMN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING COLUMN SHE HEARD A VERY PECULIAR NOISE. SHE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE UNLESS SHE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. SHE HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 76,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10288775October 17, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAD TO DO A HEAD GASKET REPAIR AND REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT ON MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING THREADS FOR THE BOLTS ON THE HEAD GASKET. WHEN THE MECHANIC TOOK THE HEAD OFF HE REALIZED THE 3 BACK BOLTS WERE LOOSE. WHEN HE TRIED TO REPLACE THE HEAD, THE 3 BACK BOLTS WOULD NOT TORQUE TO PROPER PRESSURE. REALIZING THAT THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED IT WAS DISCUSSED ABOUT REPLACING THE ENGINE OR HAVING THE HOLES DRILLED OUT AND FIXED WITH TIMESERTS. I WENT WITH THE TIMESERTS REALIZING THAT IF I REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH THE SAME TYPE I'D BE FACING THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. I BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT HAVE OVERHEATED IN THE FIRST PLACE IF THE 3 BACK BOLTS WERE NOT ALREADY LOOSE. THE MACHINE SHOP OPERATOR STATED THIS WAS HIS 59TH TOYOTA THIS YEAR HE HAD TO DO THE TIME-SERTS ON THE ENGINE. I HAD ALL 10 OF THE HOLES RE DONE AT A COSTLY PRICE TO MAKE SURE THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN TO THE OTHER BOLTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286310October 5, 2009
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND THEN THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. HE SWERVED INTO ANOTHER LANE, BUT QUICKLY REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 22,714. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283433September 9, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY IN THE FALL OF 2002. ONE WEEK AFTER THE PURCHASE I WAS AT A STOP SIGN, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH THE TACHOMETER READING NEARLY 9,000 RPM'S. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WITH THE IGNITION. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED MY DEALER (FITZGERALD TOYOTA, CHAMBERSBURG, PA.) AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT AND IT WAS SUGGESTED I HAD STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR VS. THE BRAKE. I DIDN'T ARGUE THE POINT AND THE CAR PERFORMED FINE UP UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN THREE DAYS. I SPOKE WITH FITZGERALD TOYOTA YESTERDAY (JAY NEWCOMER) TO ASCERTAIN IF ANYONE ELSE HAD REPORTED A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD "FITZGERALD HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS MORNING I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS PROBLEM WAS FAIRLY COMMON WITH TOYOTA'S OF THAT YEAR PLUS OTHER YEAR'S MODELS. IS THE NHTSA AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA'S AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282325August 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AND WHILE STEPPING ON THE BRAKE, PREPARING TO SHIFT TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE CAR BACKED AT HIGH SPEED INTO MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, AND WOULD ONLY STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO A BRICK WALL. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BODY REPAIR COMPANY, AND WAS REPAIRED AT GREAT COST. TOYOTA INSPECTED IT AND FOUND NO DEFECT. SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS STARTED ACCELERATING SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL, BUT I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10280274August 12, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE 4 CYL. WITH LESS THAN 100K OVERHEATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED ME OF A COOLANT LEAK AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. DEALER HAS VEHICLE, REPORTS IT IS NOT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT IS LEAKING BUT 3 REAR STEEL BOLTS THAT GO INTO ALUMINUM ARE STRIPPED. TOYOTA IS "UNWILLING TO PARTICIPATE" IN THE REPAIR WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $6900.00 WHICH INCLUDES PURCHASING A NEW BLOCK. THIS SAME ISSUE IS ALL OVER THE TOYOTA FORUMS, USUALLY THIS ISSUE APPEARS AS A PROBABLE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE AND AS MORE VEHICLES ATTAIN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE, MORE REPORTS ARE BEING MADE OF THIS FAULT. THIS TYPE OF REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER WHEN THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THIS MOST CERTAINLY SHOULD PROMPT A RECALL. PERHAPS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS IN ORDER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279469August 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE, 4 CYL., AUTOMATIC, APPROX 60,000 MILES. PROBLEM: UNCOMMANDED FULL ACCELERATION. DRIVING CONDITIONS: CLEAR WEATHER, DAYTIME, DRY SURFACE HIGHWAY, CRUISE CONTROL - OFF, TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTED - DRIVE. CONSEQUENCE: MAJOR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THROTTLE / SENSOR CHECKED FOR FAILURE AT SHOP - NO DEFECT NOTED - COULD NOT DUPLICATE FAILURE. REPLACEMENT THROTTLE $1100 WITH LABOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278645July 29, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE ENGINE OIL SLUDGE AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP COMING OFF BRIDGE OVERPASS ON BUSY STREET. THOUGH THE ENGINE IS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, CLAIM WAS DENIED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278519July 28, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2003 CAMRY, 4 CYLINDER, 2.4L ENGINE, XLE MODEL. FLUTTERING NOISE UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION FROM THE ENGINE AREA. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $760.00. ENGINE HAD 86,000 MILES. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS FAILURE WHICH SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED WITH A CAR OF THIS SUPPOSED QUALITY. I RATE THIS CAR A 2 OUT OF 5. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275888July 6, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
03 CAMRY 4 CYL. 2.4L. ONLY 32000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IN THE MORNING, COOLANT LEAKING FROM A HOSE ATTACHED TO THE THROTTLE BODY. ENGINE BECAME OVERHEATED. NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. HAD TO STOP THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES ON THE WAY TO WORK. THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. IT COSTS MORE THAN $1200 TO REPLACE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274884June 24, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE IS 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE - 1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED 10-27-06 - OIL LIGHT CAME ON, STOPPED AT FULL SERVICE STATION, LESS THAN 1/2 QT LOW, CRANKED CAR & LIGHT WAS OFF, WENT APPROX 25 MILES, PULLED UP TO STOP SIGN, CAR DIED, WOULDN'T CRANK, HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, THEY RAN QUICK TEST & GOT CODE P0340, FOUND INTAKE CAM BROKEN, ENGINE DIRTY, PICKUP STOPPED UP,INTAKE& EXHAUST CAM STUCK IN CYLINDER HEAD, GAVE ESTIMATE FOR USED ENGINE, CAR HAD 56,738 MILES & WAS UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, THEY SAID DUE TO OIL SLUDGE, BLAMED ON NOT CHANGING OIL, HAD ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS, ACCUSED MY MECHANIC OF FALSIFYING DOCS BUT FINALLY AGREED TO REPAIR. THEY DID NOT REPLACE ENGINE, THEY REPLACED CYLINDER HEADS, CAMS, VALVES, TIMING CHAIN & GUIDES, OIL PICKUP, CLEANED ENGINE & REASSEMBLED. 2ND INCIDENT - MID MAY 2009 - DRIVING, NO LIGHTS CAME ON, CAR STARTED LOSING POWER & SMOKING BAD, PULLED OVER, OIL WAS SPLATTERED CAUSING SMOKING, WAS NOT RUNNING HOT, STILL HAD SOME OIL EVEN AFTER SPLATTERING, TOWED TO MECHANIC, HE SAID DUE TO SLUDGE, DAMAGE INCLUDED 3 HOLES IN BLOCK, 1 HOLE IN OIL PAN, #4 CONNECTING ROD DAMAGED BAD, #4 PISTON SHATTERED, #4 CYLINDER HEAD DAMAGED, ENGINE A TOTAL LOSS, STILL HAVE OLD ENGINE, CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. TOYOTA GAVE ME A CASE #, THEN ON 06-24-09 TOYOTA DENIED ANY KIND OF REPAIR STATING THE 2003'S WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT & CAR WAS TOO FAR OUTSIDE WARRANTY. CAR HAS APPROX 96,000 MILES. TOYOTA CLAIMS THEY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE NEW ENGINES AFTER 2001, BUT APPARENTLY THE NEW ENGINES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ONES IN THE LAWSUIT. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, TOO MANY TOYOTA OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE ALL MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWING TIMELY OIL CHANGES. I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY AND/OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR PERSONS IN INCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272860June 4, 2009
TIRES:VALVE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE VEHICLE HAS EHA VALVE STEMS, MODEL TR0413 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE LOST COMPLETE TIRE PRESSURE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VALVE STEMS FRACTURED. THE TIRE AND VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE VALVE STEMS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 7/1/09 *CN UPDATED 07/07/09.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272813June 3, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2002 ALTIMA 2.5S CATALYTIC CONVERTER BACKFIRED INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION AND OTHER PROBLEMS REQUIRING THE ENGINE TO NEED REPLACEMENT IN MY CAR AT 107,000 MILES THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT BUT A FAILURE ON THE CAR AND NISSAN REFUSAL TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT FINANCIALLY WARRANTY GONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269901May 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HEARD GURGLING IN THE DASHBOARD AND SOON AFTER THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. TOOK IT IN TO THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND WHEN THEY STARTED REMOVING THE HEAD BOLTS, THEY DISCOVERED THE BOLTS HAD PULLED THROUGH THE ALUMINUM BLOCK WHICH CAUSED THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268567May 12, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IT BEGAN WITH THE RUSHING SOUND OF FLUID (COOLANT) SOMEWHERE IN THE DASH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. THE DEALER SAID THE BOLTS IN THE ENGINE WERE STRIPPED OUT AND THEY REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK. IT WAS REPLACED AND WITHIN A YEAR THIS IS OCCURRING AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268570May 12, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IT BEGAN WITH THE RUSHING SOUND OF FLUID (COOLANT) SOMEWHERE IN THE DASH. WHEN I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE I WAS SMELLING COOLANT AND NOTICED SOME SMOKE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 12 MONTHS THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED, I FULLY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN MAY 2008...CLEARLY A DEFECT SOMEWHERE IN THE DESIGN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267326April 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A CRACK IS DEVELOPED IN 'OIL SUB PAN' AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE BODY ON MY TOYOTA CAMRY 2003, WHICH HAVE ONLY 51000 MILES ON IT. AN INDEPENDENT AUTO TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT A CRACK IN THE OIL PAN IS UNUSUAL AND IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. A MECHANIC AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN METAIRIE TOLD ME THE SAME THING ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT SUCH A CRACK IS HARD TO DETECT. I AM LUCKY THAT THIS FAULT WAS DETECTED EARLY AND FIXED BEFORE A FATAL BREAKDOWN COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM AT TOYOTA DEALER'S SHIP AND IT COST $3100, WHEN I RAISED THIS ISSUE THEY AGREED TO SPLIT COST FIFTY FIFTY AND STILL IT COST $1532 AND THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR ME SEEING AS HOW NONE OF THIS WAS MY FAULT. THE OLD PART IS STILL WITH TOYOTA DEALER SHIP THEY DIDN'T HAND OVER TO ME. I REGULARLY CHANGE OIL AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THEY FAILED TO NOTICE THIS FAULT EARLIER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10266774April 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. THERE IS A TSB ALREADY FOR THIS FAILURE, TSB-0034-08. THEY IS VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE THAT WAS CAUSED BY INADEQUATE BAFFLES IN THE INTAKE THAT WILL BREAK APART AND POSSIBLY CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PROBLEM STARTS WITH A LIGHT TAPPING NOISE AND GRADUALLY GETS LOUDER. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE VERY WIDESPREAD WITH TOYOTA OWNERS WITH THE 2.4L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10265576April 16, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY TOYOTA CAMRY 2003 BECAME NOISY A FEW WEEKS AGO. YESTERDAY, I SENT THE CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD SHOULD TO BE REPLACED. I SPEND ~$600 TO REPLACED THE MANIFOLD. NOW THE NOISE IS GONE. AFTER I SEARCH INTERNET, SAME PROBLEMS HAVE HAPPENED IN LOTS OF TOYOTA CAMRY 2003. THUS, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM IS A DEFICIENCY FROM MANUFACTURE. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10265333April 14, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE ELECTRIC DOOR SWITCH, DRIVERS SIDE, DOES NOT ALWAYS OPEN OR LOCK. EITHER BY INSIDE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK SWITCH OR WIRELESS/REMOTE CONTROL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS, ON AND OFF. OTHER DOORS OPEN & UNLOCK WITH INSIDE SWITCH AND WIRELESS/REMOTE CONTROL. BUT NOT ALWAYS THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS HAPPENS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. MOST TIMES IT CORRECTED, AFTER I TURNED THE LOCKING BUTTON MANUALLY IN, INSTEAD OF HITTING THE ELECTRONIC SWITCH. BUT MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY, I HAVE TO LOCK THE DOOR MANUALLY, BY PUSHING IN THE LOCK BUTTON. OR HAVING TO USE THE KEY, TO GET INSIDE THE CAR. THE CAR IS A 2003 CAMRY LE, WITH 29,500 MILES ON IT. DON'T DRIVE IT THAT MUCH. THE ELECTRONIC ACTUATOR SWITCH, SOLENOID SWITCH, OR PERHAPS THE MASTER LOCK SWITCH IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. A CAMRY SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS KIND OF A PROBLEM, WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT!!! ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PARTS TO REPLACE THEM WITH ARE SO EXPENSIVE! NOT COUNTING THE DIAGNOSIS LABOR FEE, THAN THE ACTUAL LABOR FEE TO REPAIR!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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