Toyota · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 2003 model year only.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAGS (CSA), ONE OR BOTH OF THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY BE TWISTED NEAR THE INFLATOR DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY.
Sudden Unintended Acceleration: I had been out doing errands in the morning. I returned home, pulling up in front of my townhouse which is on a cul de sac. After gently coming to a stop, I planned to back up just a bit to park my car along the curb. (I did not have my foot on the accelerator, as the car normally goes gently backwards when you put it in reverse.) When I put it in R, the car accelerated backwards and crashed into a car that was parked along the curb about 15-20 ft behind me. I instinctively put the car in D to stop going uncontrollably backwards. The car shot forward; the brakes did not work. The car was out of control, making very loud revving sounds and loud screeching sounds from slamming on the brakes. Somehow, it did finally come to a stop by itself ¾ of the way around the cul de sac. Wanting to get out of the middle of the street, I instinctively turned the car back on and drove it slowly to my driveway. The car functioned normally. I could have badly injured or killed someone; in my cul de sac, there is often a lot of activity involving people of all ages, including children and babies. A police report exists. The car I hit was totaled. I had the car towed to my mechanic. He said the car didn’t throw any codes. He inspected it, but did not find anything wrong with it. The local Toyota dealership refuses to touch it because it’s been in an accident. I called Toyota (Plano TX) on 10/5: filed a claim with them on 10/7. A 3rd third-party inspector from Engineering Analysis Associates inspected the car and did a Bosch download from the black box on 10/14. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. I don’t absolutely know which component or system failed or malfunctioned. I am wondering if it’s a "ghost" software glitch (see Bookout vs Toyota litigation). Something similar happened to my husband in April 2025 when he was parking in a parking lot. The car is available for inspection upon request.
I am reporting a serious nighttime visibility and roadway-safety concern involving excessive glare from modern LED headlights while driving my 2003 Toyota Camry. When vehicles equipped with extremely bright LED headlights approach from the opposite direction or follow behind me, the glare can temporarily impair my vision and make it difficult to see the roadway, lane markings, pedestrians, hazards, and other vehicles. The effect is especially severe when the headlights are very high intensity, have a high color temperature, or are mounted on taller vehicles such as SUVs and trucks. This is not simply a complaint about brightness or personal preference. The glare creates periods of significantly reduced visibility while I am actively operating the vehicle. At nighttime driving speeds, even a brief loss of clear forward vision presents a meaningful safety risk.My 2003 Toyota Camry was designed in an era when vehicle lighting was substantially different from today's increasingly common high-output LED systems. I am concerned that current federal lighting standards and testing procedures do not adequately account for the real-world glare experienced by drivers of older, lower vehicles. I ask NHTSA to investigate whether current headlamp standards adequately control glare from modern LED lighting, including headlamp intensity, color temperature, aiming, mounting height, and the effects on drivers of lower/older vehicles. I also ask whether existing testing accurately reflects real-world nighttime conditions. The purpose of this complaint is to bring attention to a growing safety issue: lighting intended to improve one driver's visibility can, when excessively glaring to others, reduce another driver's ability to see the road safely.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle would suddenly accelerate or lunge forward and had done so several times, both while idle, pressing the brakes, and while driving at various speeds. Suddenly accelerated downhill, and when approaching the inner section, the contact immediately turned the vehicle to avoid hitting another vehicle and ended up crashing into a nearby residence's garage, causing the vehicle to stop. The air bags did not deploy. The garage door was damaged, and the contact's vehicle's front-end was damaged. A police report was filed. The contact had stated they had experienced sleep issues and a fear of driving the vehicle since the incident. The vehicle was able to be driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle had not been driven since. The contact spoke with a certified mechanic who informed them it was a known issue and of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V388000 (Vehicle Speed Control), which related to their experienced failure. The mechanic did not repair the vehicle. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V388000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and they too confirmed that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,888, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 165,064.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
No incident. But it's a problem with the ABS. Dealership says it's nothing wrong with the brakes. But it is. Had a diagnostics done at Auto Zone, and it came back showing a code for the ABS system. But showed the service dept the code that it showed something is wrong with ABs. They still say nothing is wrong.
No injuries · No fire · No crash