In January my starter caught on fire while driving down the road, and again in April causing me to lose days of work. Caused positive cable to battery to melt.
The worst 1997 Toyota Camry problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes108
- Engine103
- Suspension70
- Airbags55
- Electrical40
- Transmission35
- Acceleration30
- Seats30
- Steering30
- Body26
- Seat belts26
- Lights23
- Fuel system15
- Tires15
- Visibility9
- Locks6
- Wheels3
- Driver assistance1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Toyota Camry
Grinding brakes 35No deployment 30Engine failure 22Fire or smoke 22Brake failure 15Headlights 13ABS 11Check engine light 11Sudden acceleration 11Seat belt 10Knocking 9Stalling 8Door locks 6Tire blowout 6
Recalls 3
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut may not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
- Risk
- This can result in a loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will tighten the steering wheel set nut.
Recall number 99V307000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 97V213000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 97V156000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 1997 Toyota Camry
Defect investigations
Engine compartment fire
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.
PE02079
Engine seizure
DP02004
Ignition interlock failure
PE97034
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Toyota Camry 129
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a...
- POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground...
- Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign
- TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a...
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- Obsolete notice
- Supersession notice
- Obsolete notice
- Revision notice
1997 Toyota Camry fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20 | 28-29 | 23 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17-18 | 24-26 | 19-21 |
What 1997 Toyota Camry owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The steering wheel is set off center to the right of the driver. Yes it is available upon request. Causes extreme back pains. Has not been inspected by police or insurance reps. Has not been inspected yet. No warning lights or messages in car dash for this. Since I had the car noticed this.
Steering wheel and handle bar are loose. The electrical system including the ignition are not working properly. The service brakes and the hydraulic parts seems to wobble while driving . The exterior lighting headlights are so dimmed it is hard to see while driving at night. The vehicle is parked in front of my house.
Bought the car used and the car ran well but now the transmission went out. It would slip from time to time but now is out completely. Which seems to be very mysterious. I was searcjing to see how commo. The problem is or has been. I thought there might. Have been recalls on the transmission but didn't see any...
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 toyota camry. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing the same symptoms as listed in the federal safety agency campaign number: 97v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was a brake vacuum hose leak and traction failure. The track off warning indicator was reset and the master cylinder was replaced. The manufacturer was notified, but was not able to assist. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 147,000.
I was not notified of a recall for a condition that allows the key to be removed with the transmission still in drive. I have experienced several events when I turned off the vehicle, removed the key and it started to roll away due to the transmission being in drive.
Engine is beginning to use engine oil between changes.
Summary 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, north 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. Safety risk this can result in the elimination of vacuum assist to the brakes that can increase stopping distances and could lead to a vehicle crash. Yes, the vehicle is driven in ca, but this issue prevents traveling to cold states in the winter until it is fixed. Manufacturer recall number v03 the federal safety agency recall number 97v156 recall status: recall incomplete
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 toyota camry. The contact stated the vehicle was involved in a rear end driver side collision. The contact lost control of the vehicle and was also involved in both a side impact and front end collision. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where it was deemed destroyed. A police report was filed (accident number 2822). There was one injury that required medical attention. The contact suffered from a broken jaw and nerve damage that required approximately 23 surgeries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Takata recall 1997 camry had a malfunction in the air bag system while vehicle was parked and off, passenger side air bag inflated and ejected occupant out of vehicle. Are 1997 toyota air bags going to be recalled?
Compare the 1997 Toyota Camry
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Other model years
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Questions about the 1997 Toyota Camry
Is the 1997 Toyota Camry reliable?
Owners have filed 555 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Camry, 1.2 times a typical Camry model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Toyota Camry?
Brakes, with 108 complaints, typically around 49,000 miles. Next is engine (103).
How many recalls does the 1997 Toyota Camry have?
3 recalls, covering steering, electrical system and service brakes, hydraulic.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Toyota Camry brakes?
Yes, 1 recall: 97V156000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Toyota Camry have bad brakes?
The Toyota Camry model years with the most brakes complaints are 2007 (316 complaints), 2002 (173 complaints) and 2018 (165 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Toyota Camry get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Toyota Camry range from 19 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20 city and 28-29 highway.
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