2003 Toyota Camry
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Vehicle speed control is the leading concern among 816 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 25 Camry model years with reports.
Of the 2003 reports, 239 involved a crash and 10 involved a fire. 112 people were injured and 5 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, side/windowJul 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAGS (CSA), ONE OR BOTH OF THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY BE TWISTED NEAR THE INFLATOR DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY.
IF THIS OCCURS, THE CSA MAY NOT DEPLOY RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. THIS MAY RESULT IN FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE INTENDED HEAD PROTECTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CSAS AND REPLACE THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 6, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 04V346000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
45 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jul 8, 2005
DT: TOYOTA CAMRY 2003. THE CONSUMERS CAR HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. IT ACTUALLY SLOWS DOWN BY 10-20 MPH. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD AFTER HESITATING. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN TURNING CORNERS OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM A ROLLING START. *SC *JB
Steering, Power train, Jun 10, 2005
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THIS WOULD OCCUR AS THE CONSUMER WOULD ATTEMPT TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES. THERE WAS A BREAK AND OR CHATTER IN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. THE HESITATION WOULD OCCUR AT ALL SPEEDS AND THERE WAS A RUBBING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *SC *JB
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 3, 2005
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND THEN STALLED. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER , AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Power train, Jan 31, 2005
WHEN TAKING OFF IN FIRST GEAR WHILE BEING COLD THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS, AND ACTS IF IT IS MISSING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TOTALLY NORMALLY. AFTER THE VEHICLE WARMS UP IT DOES FINE. *AK
Power train, Sep 8, 2004, crash
THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND EXITED TO RETRIEVE A GAS CAN. WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED AROUND THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING FORWARD INTO HER GARAGE. *NM *SC *JB
Power train, Jun 4, 2004
2003 V6 CAMRY EXPERIENCES SUDDEN AND RANDOM JERKSS/BUCKING/HESITATION AS DRIVER ACCELARATES INTO SECOND/THIRD GEARS. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 3X, 1ST TIME ECU WAS REPROGRAMMED; 2ND TIME DEALER SAID THE CAR WAS GETTING TO KNOW HOW I DRIVE; 3RD TIME THEY SAID THAT IS NORMAL FOR GEARS. I FOUND OUT THE LEXUS 300 ES, WHICH HAS THE SAME ENGINE, ALSO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING THE JERKING/BUCKING/HESITATION.*AK
Power train, Jun 4, 2004
WHILE DOWN SHIFTING AND BRAKING WHEN GOING DOWN HILL, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO OVER DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK THE DEALER INSTALLED A REPLACEMENT SOFTWARE PROGRAM BUT NO IMPROVEMENT WAS NOTICED. *SC *JB
Power train, Mar 23, 2004
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AS IF WANTING TO ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Power train, Mar 18, 2004
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JERKED. ALSO, GEARS WERE HARD TO CHANGE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS OVER 35 MPH. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT THE WAY CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. *AK
Power train, Mar 3, 2004
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY V6 LE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT ONLY 4000 MILES. CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION, ENGINE. FAULTY, DELAYED SHIFTING, ENGINE NOISE/RESONANCE, LACK OF ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR TO PASS. IDLE IS NOISY INTO THE CABIN. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. CAR HAS A REPUTATION FOR SMOOT, COMPLIANT RIDE. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. PROBLEMS PERSIST DEPSITE DEALER INSISTENCE THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE NORMAL.*AK
Power train, Feb 6, 2004
2003 TOYOTA LIMITED 4-RUNNER V8- AWDFRONT-END VIBRATION PROBLEM. I FIRST PRESENTED THE VIBRATION PROBLEM TO MY DEALER THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST! THEY TRIED BALANCING THE WHEELS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THEY AGREED THE PROBLEM WAS THERE AND NOTIFIED CORPORATE. THEIR TECHNICAL STAFF HAD THEM REMOVE THE FRONT AXELS AND RETEST THE VIBRATION WHICH STARTED AT 22 MPH, WENT TO 32MPH 42, 55, AND 62MPH NOW DISAPPEARED! A WEEK LATER A TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE MET WITH ME AND MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL VEHICLES IN PHOENIX HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED IT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO GET A FIX. TWO MONTHS LATER I TALKED TO THE TECH. REP. AGAIN AND HE MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINEERING GROUP HAD DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE INTERFERENCES IN THE SPIDER GEAR ASSEMBLY IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, THEY WERE TRYING TO CORRECT THE CONDITION WITH THRUST WASHER SHIMS AND OTHER THINGS. I HAVE PRESENTED MY CLAIM TO THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT GROUP. I HAVE CALLED THEM REGULARLY ONCE A MONTH AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS AT FINDING WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS FOR THE FIX,--ONLY TO SAY WE ARE WORKING ON IT AND YOUR DEALER WILL NOTIFY YOU. IVE SINCE HEARD FROM MY DEALER STAFF THAT THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF LEXUS GX470'S AS WELL AS 4-RUNNERS INVOLVED. IM BEGINNING TO FEEL THAT THEY HAVE SO MANY VEHICLES WITH DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLIES INVOLVED, THAT IT MAY REQUIRE SOME KIND OF MAJOR REDESIGN AND BUILD. IT MIGHT BE A LONG TIME BEFORE WE SEE A FIX! I HAUL A POP-UP TRAILER AND DOES IT MAGNIFY THE PROBLEM!*AK
Power train, Jan 20, 2004
MANUAL TRANSMISSION STOPPED OPERATING WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. DEALER HAD NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Power train, Dec 23, 2003
TRANSMISSION/ENGINE AT MODERATE SPEEDS (50 MPH) STUMBLES WHEN THROTTLE INPUT IS REMOVED. THE CONCERN IS INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCE WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS. DOES NOT OCCUR EVERYTIME THROTTLE INPUT IS REMOVED. DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE FAILURE MODE.
Power train, Dec 4, 2003
INTERMITTENTLY TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE. FROM DRIVE TO PARK TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP AND CAR WON'T MOVE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Nov 11, 2003
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COMPUTER CONTROLLED THROTTLE, ELECTRONIC COMPUTER CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION, AND CRUISE CONTROL. AT VARIOUS TIMES THE CAR WILL EITHER HESITATE FOR 5-10 SECONDS WHEN ACCELARATION IS DEMANDED OR ALTERNATIVELY UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE IT WILL SHIFT DOWN SEVERAL GEARS THE ENGINE RACING MADLY AND ACCELARATE. IN CRUISE CONTROL IT SOMETIMES SHIFTS DOWN AND ACCELARATES 15 MPH OVER THE SETPOINT.*AK
Power train, Oct 24, 2003
WHILE DRIVING AT 40-43 MPH, AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS ABOUT TO BE SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE, THE FRONT END VIBRATED UNTIL ABOUT 45-50 MPH AND THEN THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED THREE TIMES TO MAKE SURE THE TIRES WERE NOT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERS CONCLUSION WAS THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE OVERLOAD OR BAD TIRES. THE VIBRATION WAS FELT THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. (MAY BE A LOCKED UP CONVERTER OR THE TRANSMISSION) *NLM *SCC *JB
Power train, May 31, 2003
VEHICLE SHUDDERED AROUND 40 MPH RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER PERFORMED ALL APPLICABLE TSBS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. ALSO EXHIBITED A SEVERE SHUDDER TWICE AT 70 MPH. *TT
Power train, Mar 28, 2003
THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED BETWEEN GEARS WHEN SHIFTING, DEALER STATED TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM, SECOND TO THIRD GEAR ONLY. WHEN SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. BOTH PROBLEMS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RECTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, UNABLE TO REPAIR. *JB
Power train, Mar 26, 2003
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE BEGAN FEELING A "BUCKING" SENSATION IN THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WHEN OUR NEW 2003 CAMRY WOULD SHIFT FROM OVER DRIVE INTO A LOWER GEAR. IT ONLY HAPPENS IN A NARROW RANGE OF SPEED AND ENGINE RPM BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS - THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE "STUTTER". THIS "NARROW RANGE" IS RIGHT AT 38-40 MPH / ~1200 RPM WHICH IS THE SPEED WE COMMONLY TRAVEL ON THE SECONDARY ROADS. *JB
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Feb 15, 2003
CAR STALLS (GAS PEDAL DOES NOT RESPOND) WHEN TURNING INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO WHEN SLOWING TO A LOW SPEED AND THEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAS CAUSED US TO ALMOST BE HIT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SIDE AND IN THE REAR. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR WITH TIRE MARKS LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMES ON AND FLASHES. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF THE ACCELERATOR WILL HAPPEN. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE ALMOST EVERY TIME WE DRIVE. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU START THE CAR AND BEGIN TO GO YOU HEAR DINGING SOUNDS AND FEEL AND HEAR BUMPS AND GRINDING NOISES. 2 LIGHTS COME ON IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. 1 READS VSC TRAC AND THE OTHER READS TRAC OFF. IF YOU STOP AND RESTART THE ENGINE IT WILL EVENTUALLY STOP DOING IT. SOMETIMES THIS IS AFTER 1 RESTART AND SOMETIMES IT HAS TAKEN 5 AND 6. ON DAY IT WOULD NOT STOP NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU RESTARTED AND WE HAD TO DRIVE WITH LIGHTS ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT TIMES.