Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

george00

Thank you so much for your suggestion that lowering the driver's seat all the way makes it more comfortable. I never tried that, though I tried just about everything else, because I like a high driving position. Years ago I was a professional pianist (cocktail type) and sat very high at the keyboard. But lowering the Camry seat all the way definitely takes pressure off the back. It isn't perfect yet, but it sure is better.

For the rest, the car is flawless. It drives smoothly, is very quiet, changes gears (auto) almost imperceptibly, the cruise control works perfectly with no slowing and then speeding up after engaging it (the way other cars I've owned have done), is more than fast enough (LE4) to merge onto a highway going 65 mph, has a great sound system, makes 28 mpg in mixed highway/local driving - what more can anyone ask in a car under $20k?

So, thanks again, castleowner and all other who have responded to my queries about the seat.

zero260

Heres the camry you posted earlier. Ive seen it in person and looks alot better than the US camry...it has more options too.

http://www.toyota.com.ph/model/camry/home.html#

castleowner

Could the ECM problem be related to the sulfur smell?

Any ideas about why some of us are getting the sulfur smell on hard acceleration?

Please don't post that it is the gas, because even if it is "dirty" gas, the smell should not enter the car while driving/accelerating.

castleowner

Yes, the seats are funny that way, the height adjustment raises you upwards and tilts you forward, unnaturally, causing discomfort.

I too, would prefer sitting higher, to reduce the disadvantages of having the higher rear end, but I am still trying to find the middle ground.

Also, the tilt steering does not tilt enough, i.e; I wish I could tilt it lower and pull it outward, because I like to sit farther from the dash, rest my left arm on the door armrest, and hold/guide the steering wheel. But, it just doesn't seem to be working, unless I move the seat forward. My wife has no problems at all with the seat.

castleowner

Anyone know the torque at 2000 - 3000 rpms for 03 Accord.

If it isn't 200lbft, for me at least , the HP number is not much of a selling point.

Toyota has done a terrific job with vvti, providing more torque at lower rpms.

jrct9454

NEVER rotate radial tires after they have been in position longer than 7500 miles - my personal threshold is lower than that, actually. These tires have adopted a "set" that means that the internal belts have a very slight twist that will now never go away. Rebalancing may help, but probably not much.

You now are faced with the likelihood that putting them back in the original positions may or may not make them smooth again - given the miles, I would throw them away and start over, and this time make sure you rotate them at 5000 mile intervals, or forget about it. Anything else is an invitation to the very problem you are now experiencing.

j_walker

andrelaplume: You can purchase color matching mud guards at http://www.toyotaparts4u.com.

fickle

I purchased my mud guards aftermarket. My husband was able to get the front ones on without any problem but the rear ones are still not on. He says he needs to remove the tires in order to get the right angle with the drill since you can't "turn" those tires.

I decided to wait until my oil change where I rotate the tires and ask the service department to put the rear ones on for me. But I'm missing the screws. They said they didn't have any. So they're still off. Oh well....

steveb84

Your dealership parts dept should be able to get you the bracket you want. We keep a few in stock but less than 10% of Camry buyers have wanted them.

For anyone in a state that has much rain or snow I strongly recommend the Toyota mud guards, they are contoured to fit the car, and the gray looks fine on most any color.

cammer2

I know this is going to sound strange.

I have a 1996 Camry V6. The car has been wonderful, and I've never had a problem with it. Here is the question.

Is it possible to "clean" the a/c system in the car. I am (unfortunately) one of those "allergy sufferers", and of late, have noticed sinus congestion symptoms after I have been driving the car for a period of time with the a/c on.

I'm GUESSING that there is mold? mildew? something in the a/c that needs cleaned out. Is this even possible or am I just delirious?

Any (serious) suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks ahead of time ......

bartalk2

I've had similar problems with my cars during the summer. They sit in the hot, humid garage and mold/mildew collects in the A/C.

My remedy has been to spray Lysol into the vents at the back of the hood, adjacent to the base of the windshield. Then start the engine, turn on the A/C, open all your windows, get out of the car (It ain't good to breathe Lysol), and let it run for 10-15 minutes. That always takes care of the problem for me.

I have no idea whether this is the "recommended" treatment for mildew. I just tried it and it worked. No guarantees. Maybe consult a mechanic before doing this (or a doctor).

behhpp

I installed mud guards on my 2003 Corolla, and at first glance thought I had the same problem, that the back tires would have to come off. (My front ones required no hole to be drilled.) I found that I was able to drill a slightly off angle hole and be able put in the screw with good results. I also found that the hole was very easy to drill - not exactly metal that you are drilling into. Putting a hole in my new car made me very nervous, but it worked OK. Nothing wrong with letting the dealer do it though.

fickle

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll let him know!

bklynguy

I like the Optitron instrumentation on that Camry ( reminds me of a Lexus ), could that be the 2004 or 2005 US Camry ? Why would they get it 2 years before us ?

zero260

That could be the 2004 or 2005 US Camry. I wouldnt be surprised if they got it 2 years before us...They got the Corolla 1 year ahead of us. It was called the Corolla Altis there.

hemihead1

Our local Toyota parts department says that Toyota doesn't offer one. Would it be possible for you to post a part number that they could look up? Thanks.

whotheman

Ugly! This car is ugly, and I don't care what Motor Trend said in the article. It would be pretty hard for MT to call the car ugly, after Honda does them a favor and gives them the first test! The front end is truly atrocious, and the rear C-pillar, and light cluster are not much better. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, than a Suzuki Aerio is smiling somewhere!

The interior looks great! Maybe SLIGHTLY better than Camry, with Lexus-like Guages, and telescopic steering. And power is no contest. 0-60 in 6.6 (240HP)! Light on torque, but 5 speed auto makes up for it.

They kept calling it small for the class, so they must like the room of the Camry over the Accord. And the list the trunk at 14 cu. ft., smaller than the others in class. Fuel economy is up 10%.

The coupe has 17" wheels, but is even uglier. With a stick, 0-60 may break into the 5's, but with a mug like that, who cares! Thumbs down here!

wolverine_x

Yeah right. Go ahead with the bashing...

If I remember it right, looks are subjective and if that the only thing that the 2003 accord falls short of, then you have to do better than that.

whotheman

Trunk is still 14 cu ft, and still no stability control, like Toyota's VSC. And the car has standard snow tires (?!?)!

wolverine_x

No stability control. Are you sure about that?

whotheman

I am sure, as no one beat the drum on this feature in any of the press release (articles) put out on the new Accord. A Voice-activated NAV is mentioned, but no VSA (Honda's Stability system)!

Still blindly impressed?

wolverine_x

it takes more than that for me to think otherwise that the new accord is a big improvement over the last generation.

In fact I am delightfully impressed. Once again and you may quote me on this that the new Accord will be the benchmark any car in its class. Like it or not.......with or without stability control. LOL...

hawks1

I purchased my car in May with no options other than the alloy wheels. It came equipped with 16" MXV4 Michelin's. In nine weeks of ownership I've recorded nearly 7,000 miles - probably 75% of which have been highway driving. This includes rough two-lane roads as well as interstates. Needless to say, I'm very impressed with this car. The only problem I experienced thus far has been a slight rattle in the center stack - most likely in the sound system. However, this problem, after surfacing at the 1,500 mile mark, has since disappeared. The new 2.4 liter VVT-i engine has been the most pleasant experience with this car. It's quiet, smooth, and delivers the right torque band in the 2000-4000 RPM range. I've driven 4-bangers for 40 years and this is the best I've ever seen. Also, it's very efficient - consistently 32+ mpg in highway driving. Considering the dimensions and weight of this car (3,200 lbs), it just provides tremendous engine efficiency. I've driven this car on numerous trips where I've exceeded 500 miles in a day's time. The ride quality has proven to be very comfortable, even after such extensive driving periods. My only complaint, though a minor one, is the lightness of steering at highway speeds. I wish there was a bit more road feel and less power assist. The cabin of this car is extremely comfortable and the ergonomics are well thought out as well. I feel the Camry has stuck the right cord in the ease-of-use and functionality of its controls versus a very attractive dashboard layout. Also, the sound system is very good and the auto climate control system is just superb. I would though like to see a memory option offered for the power driver's seat. Also, night time illumination of the Homelink buttons in the headliner would be a nice improvement. As for exterior styling, I think this car has grown on me. The XLE with the alloys has an unassuming elegance about it. Granted, the taller beltline has taken a little getting used to, but I now find it very attractive as well. One last point on the '02 Camry, the 16.7' cube trunk is wonderful - it hold gobs of luggage which I certainly utilize in my travels. In summary, the proof in the pudding is how this car will hold up over the long haul. I keep cars until they drop so hopefully I can come back to this forum and report on this car's status after 100K and 200K miles! Maintenance performed thus far: two oil changes - at 3,000 and 6,000 miles; tires rotated at 6,000 miles.

And finally, congratulations to Lily on her recent XLE purchase. Hope you're enjoying your new Camry. The Salsa Red sounds like a beauty!

fredvh

By now most of us have seen the 2003 Accord article. The article was written by Lawrence Ulrich of the Detroit Free Press and in the paper on July 25. This article is now available on this site: http://www.auto.com

     The new Accord is truly remarkable if all of the information is correct in this article. I have never seen so many upgrades in the next generation of any particular vehicle. Some most noteable in the 2003 Accord are: 5-speed auto trans, upgrades in ride, handling, and braking, posher interior, 27% more rigid, upgrades in the rack-and-pinion steering, upgrades in the double-wishbone suspension, ABS standard, 10% more fuel efficient in the 4-cylinder with 10 HP increase, and upgrades in accident crash worthiness. There are many more in the article. I am anxious to see someone test this vehicle vs. the others in the Accords' class to see if this is just hype or if this is truly a substantial improvement over the current Accord, which is still an impressive vehicle.

silvercrown

It's kinda funny that hawks1 mentioned in his post that the styling of his new Camry had "grown" on him. There were a few rather snide remarks made on the Accord board that referred to this very subject. The basic sentiment was that if a car's looks had to "grow" on you, then you shouldn't buy it because you truly didn't like its looks in the first place.

Frankly, I think that styling, while important to some degree, is not the only aspect to consider in a car. There's a lot to be said for reliability, quality and other attributes. It all depends on your priorities. If your car provides good transportation and you are happy with it, even if it's not the most earth-shattering design, then that's what is most important. Styling is too subjective to be used in blanket statements or generalizations. If you like it, great. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks.

Some people are impossible to please and no single car could satisfy everyone in every way. To each his own.

Congrats on your XLE, hawks1! Happy motoring.

bklynguy

I wonder what Toyota will add to the Camry for the 03MY ( in response to the 03 Accord ) The Accord V6 has almost 50 more HP than the Camry V6 and a 5-Speed Auto. The LED instrumentation looks nice but is a minor feature on the new Accord.

Trunk space on the new Accord is only 14 cubic feet ( Camry still beats it with 16.7 ) When will Toyota introduce HID lights ( I drove my friend's new ES300 at night and what a difference ) on the Camry ?!? I'm thinking about buying a new 2003 Camry in Sept or Oct ( as soon as the 03s arrive )

steveb84

Sorry for the delay, the part number for the front license plate bracket is PT264-33020. Should retail for about $10.

lenscap

Someone in my family will soon be deciding between the Camry and Accord (will purchase next spring). The way I see it, the Accord has two big advantages over the Camry:

1. A comparably priced Accord is thousands less (at least sticker as I'm not sure about the discounts as of yet).

2. You cannot get a 4-cylinder Camry with leather, but you can in the Accord.

I wish they offered a Camry LE w/leather and 4-cylinder.

alpha01

"2. You cannot get a 4-cylinder Camry with leather, but you can in the Accord.

I wish they offered a Camry LE w/leather and 4-cylinder"

You can get a 4cylinder XLE with leather, so you are only half correct. Comparably equipped, the XLE has more to offer than the LE (especially with its much better tires and 4 wheel disc brakes), and is actually a better value, though its MSRP may be higher. You will certainly be able to get the car for close to invoice, as well.
I'd recommend carsdirect.com to check out MSRP, invoice, and an expected selling price in your area.

IMO, the new Accord V6 will be a better vehicle than a comparable Camry V6. But if you are looking at 4 cylinder models, the race is much closer and will boil down to personal preferences.
For the 4s, this is my completely preliminary take on each car's "pros", never having driven the new Accord, obviously.
Camry: room, refinement, ride, styling, trunk space.
Accord: lower MSRP, better handling, handsome interior, strong brakes.
~alpha

coolguyky7

In the spring, Accord won't have a big price advantage because they will be priced higher than now due to the new model.

2002camry

I recently purchased a 2002 Camry XLE V6. I love driving it. It's smooth and powerful. I've been hearing wind noise coming from the center pillar. It seems that whenever I get above 80km/h (50mph) I hear wind coming from what seems to be the adjustable shoulder belt mechanism. Anybody out there experiencing a similar thing. Solutions anyone????

dudleyr

You can get a leather 4-cyl Camry, but you cannot get it with a manual tranny. You can get a 4 cyl manual Accord with leather.

I notice that the Accord lost 1 inch of rear seat leg room according to Honda. Does that mean that it has rear leg room like the Corolla now, since it already had an inch less than Camry (consumer reports). Not moving in the right direction for my taste.

Rear seat room and trunk room are two big advantages the Camry still has over Accord, and since they don't have a wagon these are issues. The Mazda 6 (wagon) will be a whole new ball game with twice the trunk space or Accord or Camry, and probably better handling than either.

maxamillion1

In the SE region (NC, SC, AL, FL, GA) you can get a Camry LE or SE with leather upholstery. No matter if it's a 5spd or automatic. The leather comes from the distributor, and it's the same leather used on the factory models. LE models that come with leather received the same leather from the XLE pkg.8 and 9. SEI4s with leather received the same leather from the SEV6's pkg. 4 and 6, the perforated leather trim.

maxamillion1

One of my local doctors has a Camry SE with pkg. 3 and leather upholstery. He has the sunroof wind deflector and splash guards. It's nice looking too. The SEI4's wheel covers look pretty good too. Also, just about every Camry LE, SE, or XLE with many options ALWAYS has mudguards on it here. When I went to Ohio, not one Camry had mudflaps...that's wierd, also our mudflaps are body colored, unlike in other regions, where the mudflaps are black.

alpha01

IMO, I think this generation's hubcaps are ugly on all models for which they are standard, which is why we went with the extra cost alloys on our LE 4cyl. They do alot to sharpen the appearance of the car. Its good to see that alloys are standard across the board on the V6 models- even though I could swear at first Toyota listed alloys as optional on the LE V6- I have yet to see one without alloys. Approaching 11K and still loving our 02 just as much as the first day.
~alpha

lenscap

If you look on Toyota's web site, there's a note that foglamps are now standard on XLE models. This was never the case.

Also, I checked kbb.com. Maxamillion1 is right, you can get leather on the 4-cylinder LE, but only in the Southest Region and Gulf States.

i_luv_toyota

They have been standard on all Canadian-market Camry XLE's for the duration of the current generation.

So they are now available in the US? It's about time!

anonymousposts

I saw a Camry with the factory BBS wheels a few weeks ago. It did alot for the exterior appearance of the car.

fredvh

What is BBS?

8u6hfd

BBS is German alloy rim manufacturer.

The TRD package for the Camry comes with 16" BBS RX rims.

---------

For some reason, the "pentagon" shaped center dash cluster somehow makes me think Mazda.

http://detnews.com/2002/autosconsumer/0207/31/g01-549838.htm

rbrooks3

My friend has a 1997 XLE and I am at a loss to help him. He recently, only twice, has found water, about 1/4-1/2" deep in the rear passenger side footwell. The water is clear.

We assume it is either coming in from the moon roof or the drains for it. But we can't find the leak. Putting water over the car does not make any water we can see come in the car. Once again, let me say the water is only in the rear passenger's side.

Does anyone know where the drains are for the moon roof?

Thanks,

Ron Brooks

alpha01

This is in no way meant to be snotty- but are you CERTAIN that window has been fully closed both times this has happened?

8u6hfd- Great Link- I posted it in the Accord forum as well, but it didnt garner much attention-perhaps they were getting upset about the second to last paragraph that cites the Camry.

~alpha

dragonfire

alpha - i remember that you contacted toyota a while back regarding the issue with the two star side impact ratings. do you have any more information about toyota's investigation into the discrepancies between their tests?

zero260

Does anyone know when the Camry and Accord are due for facelift?

dbronzo

I had the same trouble with my 98LE this week. Just came from my mechanic's house. Plugged AC drain. Located in the console, accessible from the from side. Mine was a large "June bug"
I had to apologize to my daughter after accusing her of leaving the moon roof open.

alpha01

Good call- I did indeed contact Toyota about 3 weeks back. I have not called since, but since it hasnt been that long, I'd bet that nothing would be different. I am really surprised its taken the NHTSA this long to release frontal crash data for the Camry and Altima- makes absolutely no sense that cars like the low volume ES300 would have the full battery of tests done 4 MONTHS before 2 of the nations best sellers. No Side Curtain Altimas/Camrys tested this year to boot!
I've done some research... well.. just looking through archives... and I am not very impressed with NHTSA overall. There are many cars whose design is the same from year to year, that receive a range of ratings. In terms of the Camry, for example, some 3rd gen models with passenger side airbags got only 3 stars, while others (with presumably the same airbag) got 4. This is not just confined to the Camry-discrepancies are widespread. Makes me wonder about the amount of variability they use for each test. For example- do you know how Dateline covers the IIHS crashes? Well, if you've ever watched them, they always mention the full frontal test that NHTSA does and show video footage. If you have a sharp eye, you will have noticed that some of the tests take place in the outdoors, while some are obviously indoors (which leads me to assume that different propulsion systems are used). This can also be seen by looking at some of the crash photos on NHTSA's website. Finally, in some of the years I looked at, there were notations when dummy instrumentation failed. I don't recall ever seeing this with the IIHS, and if it has, they have obviously retested the car, cause I dont see any blanks where ratings should be. (And don't get me started on the ludicrous measure of stability that NHTSA uses... how many SUVs have you seen flip over while at a standstill?)
Overall, I wish the IIHS people would do the full frontal- and let the Govt concentrate on other areas.

That said, I hope Toyota is taking the Side Impact Rating seriously, because it is a serious issue. It will be interesting to see a retest for the 2003 model, although we probably wont see one until next August or some absurd date at the rate things are going.

~alpha

wmquan

I think there can be some variability but nothing as wide as, say, two stars. Perhaps not even one star, though that may be more debatable. Look at Honda -- they openly state the crash test results they expect to get, because their design, computer simulation, and internal crash testing gives them the confidence (cockiness?) to predict what NHTSA and IIHS will find. If there was variation, you would think that they wouldn't have accurately predicted results for the last four new models that have been tested (MDX, Civic, RSX, and CR-V -- Pilot hasn't been tested yet, I'm not sure if they predicted the Odyssey in advance). This makes me think that the variability is not going to be very high.

The best bet for new scores is whenever NHTSA releases results for side-impact-testing the Camry equipped with side airbags. Hopefully those will come out better.

Plus EuroNCAP will eventually test the European version of the Camry, both offset and side-impact tests.

One reason the ES300 was tested first was that it was released first.

I did ask NHTSA for some info about their retesting procedure (via email):

Q. Can the manufacturer ask for a re-test before NHTSA-NCAP publishes its findings (that would assume that NHTSA-NCAP shows the manufacturer the results first)?

A. Assuming the NHTSA finds the test was done correctly, No to the first question. The public gets the information.

Q. Can the manufacturer ask for a second test after NHTSA-NCAP publishes its findings? Is NHTSA-NCAP obligated to respond, or can it require that a design change have been made to warrant retesting?

A. The manufacturer may 'petition' the NHTSA to test a significantly redesigned vehicle that is currently (subsequently) being manufactured and sold. The NHTSA will examine the supporting engineering data and crash tests data to
decide if the redesign seems to support the assertion of a safety redesign.
The NHTSA may allow a new crash test if it reaches the conclusion the vehicle was indeed redesigned and is being manufactured in its redesigned state.

8u6hfd

Camry: 2005
Accord: 2006

Does anyone see the 2003 Accord front as being a mix of Chrysler (Sebring & Stratus), Honda S2000, and Honda Insight?

alpha01

I completely agree with what you said about manufacturers stating what they expect each car to earn in terms of the NHTSA. With direct respect to the Camry, when I called Toyota, the representative I with whom I spoke read a statement to me that claimed Toyota had expected a performance for BOTH the side SRS and non side SRS models to be in the 4 to 5 star range for side impact, and they expected a similar star rating for full frontal. I dont know the exact number of my posting, but if you look back about 3 or so weeks, you can read my paraphrasing of the statement.

That the ES300 was released first is barely acceptable- I believe it was a matter of about 3 or 4 weeks AT MOST before the Camry, and an even shorter length of time for the Altima. To me, this does not translate into a 4 month lag.
Bottom Line: I think NHTSA does decent work, but they aren't as "on the ball" as the IIHS, and there are improvements that can be made to a system that is over 20 years running.

~alpha

hillmrv

For the life of me, I can not figure out how to change a burned out bulb for the brake light of a 1992 Camrey. Can anyone help.

My wife loves this car, even with 120,000 miles it is as quite as the day we bought.