I am the original owner. At 65,000 miles I noticed white smoke from the exhaust pipe on morning startup. Research LED me to the engine head not being secured because of the stripped bolt problem. I started using a dip stick to measure the amount of coolant in my overflow bottle before morning startup. I physically mark the dip stick. The coolant loss is minimal so far. I now have 85,000 miles on the car. The question is: do I dare take the car on the highway? Apparently there is not enough money to be made for a law office to start a class action suit.
2003 Toyota Camry engine complaints
Page 3 of 7: complaints 41 to 70 of 164, newest first, as owners wrote them.
After ten years, my 2003 camry engine light came on, my husband was on route 20 with the oil shot out, started smoking he had to make an emergency stop, the 511 emergency saw the smoke from far away which made them follow the smoke. My husband could have been killed. All of the oil and antifreeze emptied out in a matter of minutes. Two tows at $189 a piece and a diagnostic from the auto repair at $112.
2002-2006 toyota camry & other models with 4 cylinder engines ( 2az) engines blown head gasket / stripped head bolt problem.
Vibrations in the intake manifold - vehicle became sluggish and noisy due to intake manifold issue -it is broken and has to be replaced.
I was slowing down to make a signaled left turn into a paking space at cvs pharmacy. As I braked and turned, the car lurched forward hitting a stacked stone pillar and came to a crashed stop. The air bag did not deploy and I had a scrape on my scalp from the sun visor.
We found coolant on our garage floor. We took the camry to our toyota dealer and was informed that cylinder head bolts were stripped and coolant was leaking out of the bolts. We were told that a used engine replacement was needed to correct the problem, and that toyota would not cover any of the cost. Apparently, toyota had issued service bulletins to their dealers about the problem some years before, but when I called toyota's 1‑800‑331‑4331 number I was informed that there were no recalls or warranty extensions for this problem. Based on what I found on the internet, this is a common problem with the 2003 camry.
In november 2012, I was told by my the dealer that there was a leak in my water pump in my 2003 toyota camry. I got a second opinion and I was told that my water pump had a slow leak and that I should get it repaired. In december 2012, my car ran hot and was smoking really bad. Dealer stated that my I needed a new engine. I asked what was the issue and they stated that my head gaskets were blown. I asked the dealer could they repair the head gaskets and the answer was I needed a new engine. Got a second opinion who then told me that I had stripped head bolts and car could be repaired. Had car repaired and the car is running fine 173,000. I started doing research on the internet and literally I found hundreds of people with this same issue. I proceeded to call toyota (twice) and the second call did admit that there was a service bulletin issued in nov 2011 alerting the dealers how to repair the stripped head bolts. I could not believe how many people were having this issue and the fact that this is a defect in the construction of the 2.4 engine for the 2003 toyota camry. Toyota will not acknowledge that there was a major defect with this years camry. And what is further more disheartening is that the representative at toyota said that I should expect to make repairs on my car with the type of mileage I have. And I do agree but I should be able to get more without the defect. Is there any way I can get toyota to acknowledge the defect by filing this claim and in addition to the other claims on this website.
It was an unusually cold day for october and I was driving my son to school with my three year old daughter in her car seat when the heat would not work. Only cold air came out of the vents. The windows were fogged up and would not defrost. I then noticed that the temperature gage was in the red zone. It kept climbing up and down. I could not see out of the windshield at all and had to pull over for safety reasons. Thank god I was not on the highway as usual, but on a local road. I stopped and I wiped off the windshield and windows manually. This was a terrifying ordeal. The next morning I took the camry to the cooper tire garage here in findlay. After inspection I was told that the head gasket pulled out of the block and that it was because it was an aluminum block. They are not made out of steel anymore. Previous to this incident, I experienced absolutely no symptoms that my toyota's engine was going to malfunction. My camry's engine is shot. I contacted toyota customer service center and was told there is nothing they could help me with. I was actually crying when I spoke with the representative. I have been a proud owner of two camrys. My daughter drives a 1995 camry that is still running very well and my mother is driving a 1999 camry that she has had no engine issues with. Apparently, this is a newer model defect. My camry has been paid off since november of 2011. I was looking forward to having another 100,000 miles of use out of it. The reputation that toyota camry's have states that if I regularly maintain my camry I should have that opportunity. I now have the urge to warn all camry drivers to be aware that they could very well experience engine failure with no symptoms at all and even if they regularly maintain their camry. This is an extremely dangerous issue. My camry still looks and did run like new.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that the temperature gauge warning lamp illuminated. The contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that all of the coolant fluid had leaked out of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the bolts became detached from the engine base. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.
Intake manifold noise. Documented problem. No recall available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that while making a left or right turn there was a noise coming from under the hood. Also, the contact mentioned that the vehicle was leaking coolant fluid. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who inspected the failure and stated that the engine head bolt strips itself causing the coolant to leak out and blew the head gasket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 135,000.
Car smokes during start up. Started last winter. Research indicates stripped head bolts. Pull and clean the plugs about once a month due to fouling. Waiting for it to blow. Will not take it out of town or the highway.
The vehicle engine was running very ruff after start then shortly after the engine light came on. The fault codes on the engine light was a number two and three cylinder misfire. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for analysis. The dealership stated the head gasket was leaking between the number two and three cylinders (no coolant was leaking outside the engine). The dealership attempted to remove the head, but the first bolt started to strip and the technicians stopped at that point. I was informed that the engine was not repairable and the replacement cost was $4,600 for a used 80,000 mile engine. I took the vehicle to a local shop and had the engine replaced with a 30,000 mile engine for $3,000. Complaints like this one (the head bolts striping out the aluminum engine block) are all over the internet. Toyota should be responsible for these design flaws. 1) the head gaskets should not be failing on vehicles with low millage. 2) the head bolts should be removable without damaging the engine.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. While parked, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician replaced two oxygen sensors. After the repair the check engine light illuminated intermittently and the contact noticed that the interior lights, radio and the mileage on the instrument panel continued to illuminate after the key was removed from the ignition. The contact replaced the battery but the failure continued. On another occasion while driving approximately 10 MPH the vehicle stalled without warning. There were no further repairs performed to the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.
I have a 2003 toyota camry 4cyl car with 150,000 miles, that has a coolant leak from the back of the engine next to the intake manifold after replace most of the cooling system such as fan, thermostat trying to correct the problem on further inspection and research, it was revealed that the leak is coming from the head gasket area, due to stripped out block/headbolt, as a clear sign of manufacturer defect indicated and substantiated by the amount of similar cases found on internet forums such as: http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/camry/148454-camry-with-stripped-head-bolts-2/. It seems car makers will not do the right thing unless they are forced to and this is why I am trying to do my part to invoke a vehicle recall for this design failure, by a company claiming to put costumers first, but instead ignores so many of us the first chance they get. Consumers need help with this issue with toyota; please help us. The best fix so far reported is purchasing another toyota 4cyl motor with the same flawed engineering and toyota wants no part of being responsible for their short coming. , this is absolutely the most disappointing experience with them and to know there are so many instances of the same problem and yet this company refuses to do the right and responsible action and issue a recall to fix their failure. Any and all the assistance in this matter is needed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fluid from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the bolts were stripped and as a result, the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 102,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated the vehicle made a loud noise. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed that there was sludge in the engine and that it needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but denied any assistance with repairs. The engine was replaced. The failure mileage was unavailable and the current mileage was 75,000. Updated 03/27/12*lj updated 06/13/2012
The engine head bolts are stripped out in the block causing the head gasket to blow and causing a coolant leak. In talking with my repair person and searching the internet this is a common problem for the 4 cyl 2.4 l engine. Toyota issued a new part number for the block (tsb ref #eg015-07) so they know there is a problem but will not do a recall. The only fix is a new engine which is about $8000.00.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that the vehicle rattled and vibrated as it accelerated. The contact'ss mechanic inspected the vehicle and stated that the intake manifold was failing. The contact also stated that the vehicle stalled and the check engine light illuminated. The failure mileage was 64,767 and the current mileage was 65,025.
Early head gasket failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact heard water moving from one end of the vehicle to the other when she attempted to make turns or when she started the vehicle. When the failure occurred, the contact noticed the vehicle was leaking coolant. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. In august 2007 with 98,000 miles, the engine was replaced by a private mechanic yet the failure persisted. The manufacturer was aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since there were no recalls for the vehicle. The current mileage was 167,000 and the failure mileage was 89,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine over heat warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to be driven and was towed to the dealer. After diagnosis, the dealer advised the contact that the engine head bolts failed and the engine would need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 120,000.
Defective throttle body after starting the car and putting the car in gear, the check engine light appears and the gas pedal has no effect on the engine. The car will idle along while in drive; however, pressing the gas pedal does nothing. The check engine error code points to the throttle body. My mechanic says that the throttle body is stuck in the "closed" position when this error happens. I've read about the numerous toyota camry owners who have all experienced problems with the throttle body on their vehicles at -- http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/toyota-camry/tm6gc5t4dhvfs52cs -- it seems that toyota dealerships all state that they have never heard of this problem occurring and continue to charge upwards of $1200 to replace an obviously defective throttle body with a new throttle body that still has the same defective design. Essentially, the dealership wants to swap out one defective throttle body for another defective throttle body. Similarly, toyota corporate in torrance, ca denies that the throttle body problem is caused by a product defect. Most likely this is due to the high cost of the part and expense to institute a recall of the throttle body. A cursory review of the online message boards concerning the throttle body failures for toyota camry owners shows that this component in particular is failing too often to be chalked up to bad luck or normal wear and tear. A consumer class action is appropriate for this sort of defect. I would assume that an expert witness could testify as to the defect and opine as to the statistical significance of the throttle body failing more than any other component in the toyota camry.
Engine emits white smoke during cold start up. Was told the engine head bolts are stripped due to manufacturing design which may lead to engine overheating and failure. Engine will need to be replaced.
2003 toyota camry le engine driving from snell ville ga to south carolina toyota camry oil light came on then car cutoff first time ever. Failure due to timing chain broke in engine causing damage to engine; needs another engine rebuilt or new one etc. Available but cannot afford one.
I purchased a 2003 toyota camry xle brand new. Recently I had the car in for service only to learn that coolant was leaking into the #2 cylinder. After further examination the mechanic informed me that the bolts going into the aluminum engine block were stripped. Researching this problem on the internet I found that there are numerous camrys of the same year that are having the exact same problem. The cost to repair this issue is prohibitive and the car is worthless after only 8 years of use. This is an apparent manufacture defect that toyota refuses to remedy. Driving the car as is would be a safety hazard and we are stuck with a car of no value to us.
I have a 2003 toyota camry 4cyl car with 52,000 miles, that has a coolant leak from the back of the engine next to the intake manifold. On further inspection and research, it was revealed that the leak is coming from the head gasket area, due to stripped out block/headbolt, as a clear sign of manufacturer defect indicated and substantiated by the amount of similar cases found on internet forums such as: http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/camry/148454-camry-with-stripped-head-bolts-2/. I called toyota headquarters to report this problem, seeking help with this $6,000 issue and was told "nothing we will do". It seems car makers will not do the right thing unless they are forced to and this is why I am trying to do my part to jolt a vehicle recall for this design failure, by a company claiming to put costumers first, but instead snubs so many of us the first chance they get. Consumers need help with this issue with toyota; please help us. The best fix so far reported is purchasing another toyota 4cyl motor with the same flawed engineering and toyota wants no part of being responsible for their short coming. I've own a few toyota's, this is absolutely the most disappointing experience with them and to know there are so many instances of the same problem and yet this company refuses to do the responsible action and issue a recall to fix their failure. Any and all the assistance in this matter is needed. Thank you
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that smoke was emitted from under the vehicle as it stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop who diagnosed that the cylinder head bolts were pulled out, the head gasket exhibited an oil leak and after pressure testing the cooling system, the cylinders filled up with coolant. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who offered instructions on how to repair the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 92,422. Updated 06/17/11 *bf the consumer stated the instrument cluster lights illuminated and power steering, along with the brakes failed to work. Updated 11/23/11
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit loud, abnormal noises when first started. The contact took the vehicle to be inspected and was told that there was a crack in the upper intake manifold and it would need to be replaced. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 50,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact stated that the engine began to exhibit an abnormal gurgling from behind the dashboard.the vehicle was taken to an ase certified mechanic where the contact was informed that the head gasket bolts failed. The failure damaged the engine and manifold and the contact had to eventually replace the engine. The failure mileage was 107,914 updated 5/24/11 *cn updated 06/06/11.
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