Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

viche · November 2002

Thanks for taking the time to share the info about possible '02 Camry problems!!!

That's greart info to have!

Viche

nippononly · November 2002

there was a front suspension recall on a very few '98s, so that might include yours. Either way, the suspension could easily be worn on a car as old as yours, and on a bumpy road that could lead to less wheel control than there is supposed to be, which would probably make noise. Take your car someplace like a tire shop where they could tell you if you need new shocks or struts.

pixiemartin: I have never personally heard of hercules tires, but all new camrys from that generation came with either Dunlop or Bridgestone brand tires, except for a few that came with General brand tires.

lemko · December 2002

...I've heard of them. They are more or less a discount brand name - sort of like Pep Boys' Cornell tires. The horn problem is most likely due to water getting in them. Maybe changing their position will prevent water from getting inside.

suv4x4 · December 2002

Thank you for your response, I have called Toyota local service center and asked them regarding the recall of front suspension. and they told me Toyota never issued a recall on front suspension of 98 camry. I am pretty sure the problem is the struts instead of tire(my car is only 40K miles). I also contacted dealer about price to replace struts, the price is $700, do you think this is a reasonable price?

Thanks

jander111 · December 2002

Toyota dealer price is too high for my taste. Probably you should look somewhere else.
One example: Once I asked a dealer (in NC) how much the brake rotor and pads are? The answer: $200/piece for the rotor and $70 for the pads. I just went to Auto store and bought OEM parts. Cost? A little bit over 1/3 of dealer price.

nippononly · December 2002

you went to the parts store and bought aftermarket parts, maybe? Certainly, you cannot buy Toyota OEM parts at the local Pep Boys.

suv4x4: I am sorry, I meant TSB, not recall. There is also a TSB on the front brakes in that model. Both problems can cause noise. Tip: take the car for a regular service, and inquire about any TSBs for your car. Service departments don't talk about them over the phone, and they don't always like to do the work either, because they get reimbursed for their labor at the lower rate Toyota pays them, as opposed to what you pay them.

I would not pay $700 for a set of struts for this thing, I would go to a tire place that sells quality aftermarket parts, and get a quote on them. If you find, as I expect, that the aftermarket price is less than half, get those - they will be just as good if not better for this camry. If the prices are similar, go with the Toyota, because they will warrant everything longer usually.

You have a '98 with only 40K miles? That's low. Any place can inspect the front struts and tell you if htey are leaking.

suv4x4 · December 2002

Thank you nippononly and jander, I really appreciate. I have learned a lot from you and this forum.

By the way, what is the TSB? if the issue for problem is covered under TSB, does that mean that the dealer will fix it for me for free.

jander111 · December 2002

You maybe right. I thought it's OEM because on their computer it shows "Toyota OEM pads". There are some other brands didn't show that.
The Pep boys store nearest to me is very rude. I only went to there twice, never again. I usually go to NAPA, Auto Zone, Advanced Autoparts.

ranger96 · December 2002

I have a 1999 Toyota Camry le v6(used rentel car) with 33,000 miles and every time when the engine is cold the transmision does not shift into third gear until about 40 mph. This started only one week ago.Does anyone no what it could be? Thanx

weathermanbob1 · December 2002

This is most likely just the design of the engine and transmission. It is designed to have higher rpm's to quickly warm up the engine to reach optimum temperature to reduce emissions. Has it recently got colder at your location? Your engine is just taking longer to warm up. I would not worry about the RPM's or what gear it is in unless it still wouldn't go into to 4th after the car is completely warmed up, ie the temp needle is near the middle of the gauge. Just get in your car and start it and drive. I hope this helps Happy Motoring Bob

02camryseowner · December 2002

I have an '02 Camry SE, which is about two months old. It's a great car, but I have had the following problems:

1. Had to be aligned after purchase because it slightly veered to right.

2. Persistant rattle behind speedometer that neither I nor the dealer could remedy.

3. Extremely noisy sunroof, which the dealer was able to silence (there are TSBs on this one).

4. "Knock" in driver's seat sometimes when making left turn.

Other things that I don't care for, but aren't really problems, are:

a. SE ride is annoyingly stiff.

b. Does not downshift fast enough for my tastes. Must press gas pedal most of the way down for computer to understand that you want to accelerate. (Difficult to get car to pull through first half of turn).

Overall, it's a very nice car, but I find myself wishing I had purchased an Accord or Maxima.

adamcek1 · December 2002

I own a 96 Camry with 93,000. I also have a problem the Engine Service Light. Started with 49,000 miles on the car. Had the GFR valve replaced at the dealership. AT 89,000 the light came back on. Toyota dealership said it is a bad GFR valve again. Had the valve replaced. AT 90,000 light came back on. The computer said no problem and the service light was taken off. At 91,500 the light is back on.
The car is running great Need Help. Thanks

rubicon52 · December 2002

Two of your problems - stiff suspension and delay in downshifting, are design characteristics. The Toyota Camry has been criticized endlessly over the years by enthusiasts for having an overly soft suspension. I suspect Toyota tried to firm up the suspension in the "sporty" SE. I'm pretty sure that the standard Camry suspension is softer than both the Accord and the Maxima. The time required to downshift an automatic transmission varies with manufacturers. For example, BMW does it quickly while there is a lag with Mercedes. Seems to me that both of these complaints would be immediately apparent during a test drive.

nippononly · December 2002

Toyota Camry is not the sporty choice among midsize sedans...it is exactly the opposite. Toyota focuses on smooth comfortable rides and does not cater to those who desire speed as much as Nissan/Mazda/Honda/Ford.

I have driven both the LE and the SE, and for my money the SE's suspension has finally brought camry suspension in general up to the bare minimum level. LE is still too floaty and cushy for my tastes.

This also affects the transmission programming for downshifting, which will be lazy because, again, this car is about smooth, and about economical, and neither of those prerequisites indicates a need for quick downshifting.

However, these are unabashedly Toyota's aims for the car, and I think they have hit the nail on the head in terms of producing what they set out to offer. I am also surprised these two downsides were not apparent in a test drive?

ranger: if you have noticed a sudden change in the behavior of the car that does not correspond to a sudden change in the environment (ie it is suddenly 30 degrees colder in the mornings this week than last), you may want to be sure to watch your temp gauge and see that it is, in fact, moving up at the usual pace when you drive the car first thing. The transmission is programmed not to go into higher gears until the temp needle is over the bottom line next to the 'C' on the gauge. This helps keep the revs up, which warms the engine quicker and contributes to reduced emissions.

If you come into the dealer for service and they decide you qualify for service under a TSB, they will do the work for free, unless it is merely a change in the routine maintenance service for the car, in which case you will pay for maintenance just as usual, but they will perform the revised procedure, or use the revised parts, as appropriate.

02camryseowner · December 2002

Agreed. Suspension and shifting are design characteristics. I did say they weren't really problems. Neither of those is really a big disapointment, because I did testdrive, and I knew what kind of family sedan I was buying.

I will admit that I didn't testdrive long enough to see the bounciness in the suspension, which only occurs under certain conditions.

As for the transmission, I really shouldn't complain. It's designed for fuel economy, and it really delivers that. (Over 33mpg on last weekend's 14 hour roundtrip highway journey--and my girlfriend was passing cars right and left).

My '92 maxima had a 3-position switch to change how it shifted. Seems like a nice $20 solution to a vexing design tradeoff.

You sound knowledgeable--do you know of any cost-effective way to relax the suspension a bit?

02camryseowner · December 2002

You both speak the truth, and eloquently at that. I do think the car delivers on it's designers' objectives, (excepting the rattles, of course). If the reliablility is nominal for Toyota, I will have gotten an excellent car for a good price.

I disagree on the suspension, however. I don't see any progressiveness to it's resistance, and it does at times exhibit an unnerving tight bouncy ride. I would have had to rent one for a day or two to see it, and nobody rents out SEs--so I don't fault myself too critically for not noticing this on the testdrive.

knz98 · December 2002

I have a 2000 Camary LE V6 with 37k miles on it. Every 10k miles or so, my TOYOTA dealership asks me to do a 'power wash' on engine to get rid of sludge buildup. Normally, my driving is 20miles/trip and may have 'stop-go' 50% of the time. How often do you have this kind of 'power wash' for engine? Thanks a million!

Kevin

rubicon52 · December 2002

Suspension does seem to be a matter of personal taste. My taste is about the same as nippononly. My Camry LE suspension is too soft. I prefer the firmer suspension of my Solara (which I'm guessing is comparable to the Camry SE). And the firmer Solara suspension does have its drawbacks - on poor road surfaces the ride really deteriorates. I'm not a fan of German cars(I think they're overrated) but the Germans seem to really have the knack of designing firm suspensions that still provide a compliant ride.

On the other hand, my 79-year mother complains about the "firm" ride of my father's Avalon. She prefers the Buick ride.

02camryseowner: Don't really have any suggestions for a cheap fix to your suspension. Might help to keep the tire inflation pressures no higher than the recommendations in the owners manual. They tend to be on the soft side.

nippononly · December 2002

...NOT that rubicon is suggesting that one has to be 79 years old to like the ride of the Camry LE!! :-)

Had to laugh when I read that!

Where I am the local dealer rents SE's - I had one for a couple of weeks not too long ago. I think the suspension has the right amount of resistance for going over dips in the road, going around corners, etc. I will agree though that the ride can be rough on bad pavement.

traderjane · December 2002

I own a '99 Camry, which I purchased brand new in 2/00. Since then, I've had to contend with a series of problems, some major, some minor, that have completely turned me off Toyota.

Problems started with the auto-off for the headlights not working when I open the driver side door. This happened inconsistently in the beginning and less so now, 2 years later. But has been replaced with left signal light that blinks too fast, "door open" signal that works intermitantly, and dome light that works intermitantly.

Also, the driver side window fell off its tracks, 2x. The second time, the dealership replaced it under warranty. And the suspension was also repaired or replaced. Not sure.

I finally decided enough is enough, and am preparing to sell it so I took it in for service to the dealership. Apparently, this Camry, which has less than 42,000 miles on it has cracked and leaking struts, both front and back, oil gasket leakage, tires need to be replaced and brake pads and rotors as well.

I thank God I bought the extended warranty service when I purchased the car and all of those problems are covered under that warranty.

However, I am really curious as to whether others have encoutered the problems I have listed above. Or do I, as my supervisor at work insists, own the only piece of sh*t Camry ever made?

nippononly · December 2002

auto-off headlights not going off when opening driver's door, intermittent dome light, and intermittent "door open" signal are all related to the same thing - a $5 punch sensor in the door frame - sounds like you need a new one.

Turn signal flashing too fast is normal if an exterior bulb is burned out - it flashes too fast to let you know this has occurred. Another $5 repair (actually about $3)

I guess you mean the struts are leaking, and this seems odd given that "the suspension was repaired or replaced"...what was it replaced with, used struts? Something funny going on here...

Tires and brakes at 42K is not unusual, rotors is a bummer though, as is the window off its track. Why didn't Toyota fix it under warranty the first time? Possibly because of damage due to abuse? If so, this may have had an impact down the line.

Oil gasket is too general a description to be sure what you mean, but it sounds like you have 2 $5 repairs, one of which is definitely a maintenance item (burned out bulb). You then have two more expensive maintenance items that are appropriate for the miles on the car.

Finally, you have this unclear gasket thing and this weird window history that has me asking a dozen new questions.

You bought this new in 2/00...was it a demo car? Sometimes demo cars are driven hard when they are brand new and are also not treated that well by eager test drivers. If not a demo, why such a late purchase on a '99?

I would not call this a piece of s### personally. Ask all the folks out there with their VW 1.8T's in the shop right now how they are getting to work with the ignition coil backlog?

Even for all these issues you have listed, this is still a car you can get in every morning and drive to work.

I am not convinced.

camrysev6owner · December 2002

I'm a 2003 Camry SE V6 owner. Had my car for only 3 weeks but I've got almost 4000 km on it! In reponse to your previous discussions, I do agree that there are some rattling when going over even the most tiny bumps. But it doesn't really bother me. Just a really minor problem to me. I've done research before buying the car, and I knew there would be such noises.

I was actually surprised to hear that "camryseowner" had problems with his alignment too. My car tends to go to the right a little too! It's very very minor but noticeable. "camryseownner", did you go back to the dealer to fix the alignment? Did they charge you anything? I had my first oil change already but not the 1st service.

Other than those two really minor problems, I am very happy about the new car. That's why I have nearly 4000 km on it already! I used to own a 97 Camry LE 4 cylinder. It was reliable. But... dull, like many would say. The suspension was soft but comfortable. Cornering, yes, but the car would lean crazily.

Yup the new Camry SE V6 I have now is more bumpy. But I don't find it annoying at all. I still find it really comfortable when going over bumps. Cornering, however, is much better now. I hated how the old Camry used to feel so insecure on the highway through the turns. Imagine, you're going 120km/h at the turn just like everybody else, but my car used to feel like it was going to lose control at times. Add a few minor bumps in the turn and the car seemed like it would drift over to the other lane!

The new Camry SE doesn't have that problem. It sticks to the road. I've tried going more than 120km/h through the same turn, it was still very steady with little body lean.

Maybe the old Camry was TOO boring for my tastes, I actually find the Camry SE V6 fun to drive! I know that many would disagree, because it is still a Camry. Most would think that it's just another family sedan that's not as passionate as the Passat, nor as emotional as the new Altima. But if any of those people were owners of the generation 4 Camry like me, I think they would agree that the new Camry SE is a lot more fun to drive.

Last question, are Michelin Energy tires all season? I find that on slippery roads, the car now is more slippery than the old Camry I used to have.

Camry SE V6 Owner.

gd113 · December 2002

I have a 2002 SE with Bridgestone Turanza tires. They are fine on dry road but on wet and snow they virtually have no traction. The traction control comes on but I dont't really get a sense that it does anything. It is supposed to stop the spinning but I really can't feel it. Anyone else have tires that provide decent traction in bad weather? I'm ready to buy new tires after 1 year. Love ther car otherwise.

nippononly · December 2002

are both all-season M+S tires.

I think the Energy is a better tire, but for real winter traction, you may want to consider a set of winter tires for that time of year.

camrysev6owner · December 2002

Are Nichelin Energuy tires all season?

camrysev6owner · December 2002

OOPS... typo...
I meant, are Michelin's Energy tires all season?

traderjane · December 2002

According to my purchase records, the car had only 22 miles on it when I purchased it, which doesn't seem all that much to me for a new car.

As far as abuse causing the window to fall off its track, dunno what you mean by abuse. I'm the only driver and I have no kids who might have found a little joy playing with the power windows. Anyway, the dealership person told me that this was not an uncommon problem.

The intermitent "door open" signal was once again discounted by the Toyota service shop as non existent, even though I had taken care to point it out to them when I brought it in.

The signal lights and dome light? Bulbs, I was told - still surprising for the age of the car, in my opinion.

Sorry about the less than technical descriptions re: the struts and other stuff, but I was basically going by what I was told over the phone a few days ago.

The oil gasket leakage problem could be due to a faulty/shoddy job done by Jiffy Lube - jury's still out on that.

I owned a Mitsubish Gallant before I "upgraded" to the Camry, and in the 9 years I drove the Mitsu, only thing I had to do was change the oil and replace the brake pads once and replace the tires once after 6 years - and did some of the recommended maintenance.

Needless to say, I'm more than a little disappointed that the Camry didn't turn out to be such a "trade up" from my old Mitsu. I was expecting a trouble-free ride for the first 5 years, at least.

I understand that a lot of people LOVE their Camry, which is what has led me to belive that mine must have been one of those made on a Friday afternoon after beer break or something.

There were little annoyances with the way it drove too (lack of independent rear suspension) that set my teeth on edge whenever had had to go over a bump and take a curve at the same time.

In any case, I don't want to rain on anyone else's Toyota parade -- again just wondering if my experience is a fluke or not.

camrysev6owner · December 2002

Sorry to hear about your car. I used to have a 1997 Camry LE 4 cylinder, same as the one you bought except for some cosmetic differences. I've driven it for more than 5 years and it was pretty much trouble-free. The only problem I had with it was noises coming from the struts. But it was well over 2 years of driving it before I started to hear such noises. Toyota fixed it for free and it was fine ever since. Other jobs done to the car were to the regular wear-and-tear parts. I was quite happy with that Camry. Was really surprised to hear your bad experiences with the car. Maybe you're right, it might just be one of the worst Camry made and you happened to have bought it. So what do you plan on getting next? Honda, Nissan, or VW, or something else?

wain · December 2002

what has caused Consumer Reports to downgrade the Camry reliability?
2000and 2001 buying guide - rated above average
2002 - new model
2003 - average

any thing specific? - or is it all these squeaks etc. They still list is as a top choice in the Jan 03 issue after accord and passat.
My 94 has been trouble free. best car I ever owned.

jack600 · December 2002

I newly bought a 99 Camry with 50K on it.

The Car will have a slight jerk, but you can feel every time when the speed up from about 10MPH-15MPH ,I do not know whether it is normal or a transmission jerk.

I test drived 02 Camry, the jerk is much weak the my 99 Camry.

Any 99 Camry owner can tell??

02camryseowner · December 2002

I did have my car aligned after I bought it, and the dealer did perform this work under warranty. The alignment wasn't off by much, but I'm pretty anal about such things.

Btw, I just put some Micheline Arctic Alpin snow tires on the car, and that has softened the ride a little bit. (Car came with Toyos).

Also, the dealer was able to completely eliminate the sunroof squeaking/rattling/cracking.

gcsads · December 2002

For any of you that own the newest model camry and are complaining of rattling coming from the dash, I have posted a message in the CAMARY RATTLES board on a solution to the problem.

2002camry · December 2002

I read your post but it was very sketchy. If I went to my dealership and told them that I read in a post that a plastic piece near the front right wheelwell is probably loose I'm afraid they would laugh at me. Could you be more specific.

gcsads · December 2002

02camryseowner
I just saw that you had a front end alignment done. We also had a front end alignment done and that is when our rattle started. We didn't have it done at a toyota dealer. We think that they had to take some things apart when they did the alignment and didn't put it back together properly and that is where the rattle came from.

2002camry
I am going to post exactly what the ticket from the dealer states when I get home tonight.

jodar96 · December 2002

I do not believe power engine flush is necessary. Once a month, get on a highway and drive for an hour at speed of 55-75mph. The engine will warm up, and will prevent sludge build up. Also stick with three month oil/filter changes regardless of your mileage IF you drive less than 3,000 miles.

gcsads · December 2002

my service statement states as follows:
CAUSE: panels not fitted properly on assembly
isolate noise to front fender area-repair plastic panels by cowl and inner fender liner

As I mentioned, I think the cause of my problems was I had a front end alignment done (not by toyota) and I think they reassembled something incorrectly. I might be wrong though.

2002camry · December 2002

Thanks for taking the time out to clarify the problem. Since I never had an alignment I don't think that is the cause of my rattle which seem to me coming somewhere near the light sensors near the windshield.

02camryseowner · December 2002

gcsads - Hmmm, it does sound like the same rattle; since you say it sounds like it's near the light sensors. I've done everything, without success, but will keep trying.

2002camry - thanks for find that info for us.

big_evan06 · December 2002

i just bought a 99 camry le and was wondering if all camry's in that year came with the RS3000 security system? i think my car should have it but the remote was not included and only came with one master key. what can i do to find out?

morgan20 · December 2002

Car has always run fine. Today, after backing it in and out of the garage a dozen or so times, the car would no longer run. It would start and stay running for about one second and then die. This all happened after I went under the hood to check oil, air filter, radiator cap and put some distilled water in the battery. I checked the fuses (both kick panels, behind coin tray and in engine bay). What else can I do? Is there a reset switch somewhere? Is there a fuel pump inline fuse I need to check?

imidazol97 · December 2002

imidazol97 · December 2002

I read the Toyota comments about Camrys and listened to the undercurrent of problems that are kept quiet to keep the image. It was apparent in the Honda and Toyota groups.

It helped in my car-buying decision. All cars have some problems.

Thanks again for the open discussion from some contributors in the groups on Edmunds.

2002camry · December 2002

Although these types of discussion boards are depressing at time and can cause me to second guess myself because of all the negative talk, I still enjoy driving my Camry. I frequently have thoughts about what it would be like to have purchased an Accord instead of my Camry. But then I take out my notes when I was doing my research, read the reviews I have collected, and cruise in my car. And then, I remember why I chose my Camry over the Accord. These type of message boards are an important place to find info and exchange views, but I frequently have to take a break from it and remember that Camry, although not perfect, does offer a beautiful smooth quite ride. If you're into such things.

wain · December 2002

Thats what sold us on a Camry v the accord.
Softer, quieter, better seats. Honda had a hard tite ride and their transmissions all shift a little hard.
Good car and compant tho.

jerani22 · December 2002

I own 94'camry XLE. For the past 2yrs I have a strange problem with my vehicle, desperately in need of advice.

Problem:
During low speeds(20-40mph), when I take a sharp right turn my vehicle jerks on the front passenger side wheel(i.e I get the feeling there is a obstruction coming from the right passenger side wheel). I live in San Francisco bay area which has lots of mountainous roads. Also I notice that this happens during downhill rides only and stepping out of gas pedal.
This happened after 65k miles on my car. Now I put on 80k in my car.

Repairs done so far:
Toyota dealer advised me to change the 4 tires and did the same no solutions. After changing the tires I took the car to the dealer said he doesn't see anything wrong. Tried with a local mechanic and asked to change the right wheel axle. no luck yet.
Can anyone suggest me what can I do to fix this problem. I don't have any other problem with my vehicle.

johnxyz · January 2003

My 95 Camry LE w/ 129k miles is leaking coolant. Its at an independent shop now be diagnosed with a $450 estimate to replace radiator, hoses and thermostat. Does this seem in the ballpark as being reasonable? The mechanic said the leak was on a seam of the radiator, not at the hoses or clamps.

I called a Toyota dealer svc dept and the svc mgr stated it is extremely rare for a Camry radiator to rust out and go bad.

Am I getting ripped off?

Thanks for any comments. John

biosci · January 2003

I have come across some posts about 'sluggish engines'. I have had this problem on my 99 V6 Solara and have found a way to handle it that should be useful to readers: First, I spent $200 having my EFI cleaned. Unfortnately, the dealer never bothered to clean the trottle body too, so I had some sticking of the gas pedal. After awhile, the acceleraion of the car started becoming sluggish again. Second, I added Chevron's Octane Boost/Engine Cleaner. This worked wonders for awhile. Unfortunately, continuously adding this will wear down your spark plugs. Now, I just drive my car on the freeway for a long distance at high speeds. Now, the car purrrs and is very responsive! I keep up the purring engine in city driving by using higher quality gas by Chevron. I think cheap or old gas from Arco was causing alot of carbon buildup. I hope this helps someone out there!

I was also wondering if anyone who had the nonJBL car stereo system had upgraded their speakers with aftermarket ones and could recommend to me on what fits my car and sounds good? The crutchfield site indicates that all their aftermarket speakers requiring redrilling new mounting holes.

wain · January 2003

if a 4 cyl its an easy changeout.

do it yourself if you want to.

radiator should be what?
under $200?

xbbuster · January 2003

Anyone experience a clunk or jerk that seems to be coming from the transmission after sitting overnight? When I back the car out of the garage in the morning and and then shift into drive there's a noticable jerk. After a block or two shifting from reverse to drive is smooth. It didn't do this when I bought the car in August. The service writer at the dealer just tells me it's normal. After calls to Toyota I'm supposed to meet with the regional rep. soon.

violinlady · January 2003

I just purchased a 2003 Camry.

I also just realized, after two weeks, that the speedometer is very ood and difficult to read.

As a sample, mine looks like this...

20 | | | | | | | 40 | | | | | | | 60 | | | | | | | 80

How can I identify 65 mph and 70 mph????????

Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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Toyota Camry: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions