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.
1997 Toyota Camry electrical problems
40 complaints (7% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 100,000. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 40
- of this car's complaints
- 7%
- typical mileage
- 100,000
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Wiring: front underhood6
- Ignition5
- Wiring: fuses and circuit breakers3
- Wiring3
- Starter assembly: solenoid3
- Ignition: switch3
- Wiring: rear compartment/trunk2
- Wiring: interior/under dash1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Toyota Camry electrical problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Toyota Camry electrical
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
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
What 1997 Toyota Camry owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Key will not turn to start car. Steering wheel lock goes in and out. Eventually (5-20 minutes) do something that works (don't know what) and car will start. When it happened once, I figured it was an anomaly. But it has not happened five times and I am now in constant worry about it happening again. Updated 9/21/15 *ln ...updated 10/01/15*bf the consumer stated using a different ignition key seemed to have alleviated the problem. Updated 10/13/15
My car made a wining noise and then a loud pop. I managed to get it off rt 40 and into a parking lot. The brakes went out and there was severe smoke. I did roll down my window half way and then shut car off tried the unlock button and it did not work. I then crawled out the window and ran the car ignited and continuously burned up?
This is the second time in 2 years that the ignition cylinder assembly needs replaced, leaving me stranded once again. Managed to get a friend to get a replacement part for me but now I cannot get it installed. The key has to be in the acc position for it to go in but the tab that it slides into doesn't line up. I have been a faithful toyota customer for 3 decades but this is beyond frustrating!
The ignition problem was main reason the transmission lock up. And it have cooling problems.
The ignition problem was main reason the transmission lock up. And it have cooling problems.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 toyota camry. While driving 32 MPH, the steering wheel locked, the brakes failed, and all the instrument panel lights illuminated. There was no warning prior to the failures. The vehicle lost complete power. The contact turned off the engine for approximately 30 seconds and the vehicle was able to be restarted. The failure has occurred three times. The powertrain was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 74,000.
Driving down beltway heard a pop and the car started on fire. 911 was called fire dept got there but was not able to save car. Driver got out safely.
1997 toyota camry caught on fire while driving on I-87. Fire began somewhere under the front hood of the vehicle. Brakes failed while moving to highway shoulder. Passengers were immediately evacuated and the fire department was called to put out the fire. The car was completely destroyed by the fire.
I own a 1997 toyota camry with 194,000 miles. Last week it caught on fire. I pulled into the office parking lot and turned off the ignition and removed the key. The starter continued to try to start the car. I tried to stall it out by letting out the clutch, but it just continued to try to start. I then put the key back in turned on the ignition and put it in neutral. I then ran into the office to get a tool to disconnect the battery. When the battery was disconnected the starter quit, but by then the solenoid was so overheated it started to smoke and burn. Luckily we had a fire extinguisher on hand. The dealer has only said that they need to replace the starter. I thought vehicles had a fail safe measure that would terminate the power supply to the starter once the ignition was turned off and the key removed.
Questions about the 1997 Toyota Camry electrical
Does the 1997 Toyota Camry have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 40 complaints about the electrical of the 1997 Toyota Camry, 7% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 1997 Toyota Camry electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 100,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Toyota Camry electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 97V213000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Toyota Camry have the most electrical problems?
The Toyota Camry model years with the most electrical complaints are 2007 (231 complaints), 2009 (82 complaints) and 2018 (68 complaints).
Other 1997 Toyota Camry problems
Brakes 108Engine 103Suspension 70Airbags 55Transmission 35Acceleration 30Seats 30Steering 30Body 26Seat belts 26Lights 23Fuel system 15Tires 15Visibility 9Locks 6Wheels 3Driver assistance 1
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