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: vehicle speed control
266 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Jan 9, 2004, crash
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING WITHOUT THE USE OF THE GAS PEDAL. ONCE PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AND IT REVVED WITHOUT DRIVER'S ASSISTANCE. *AK
Vehicle speed control, Nov 17, 2003, crash
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND ATTEMPTING TO PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, DRIVER'S FOOT WAS PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME, AND VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS REARENDED DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK
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
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Vehicle speed control, Nov 7, 2003, crash
A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY, V-6, WITH ALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGEMENT, ACTUAL TURN-OFF, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SOMETIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE LIFTED WITH THE LEFT FOOT TO RESTART/RE-ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. LATER, WHILE PARALLEL PARKING, ON APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE CAR SURGED AHEAD HITTING THE SUV PARKED AHEAD. TOYOTA DEALER, AND FIELD TECHNICIAN DROVE VEHICLE AND THE ONLY THING NOTICED WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OFF WHEN TURNING AROUND IN A DRIVEWAY. THE PROBLEM WAS SPORADIC ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN FIRST OBSERVED. TOYOTA LEGALLY DENIED THE CLAIM AFTER OVER 3 MONTHS TIME FROM REPORTING TO THEIR REGIONAL CENTER. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE FRONT END REPAIRED. THE CAR APPEARS TO BE OPERATING SATISFACTORILY. *LA THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED SLIGHTLY TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, HE STILL HAS TO LIFT THE PEDAL TO ENGAGE IT AGAIN. UPDATED 03/05/10
Vehicle speed control, Oct 20, 2003, crash
WHILE PARKING, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AND CRASHED INTO A WALL IN A PARKING LOT. CAUSE OF PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *PH WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLES ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD ABOUT 3 FEET AND CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *TS *NLM
Vehicle speed control, Sep 10, 2003
NAR 9-10-03. FOIA EMAIL FWD FM KOST/GC INQUIRING HOW MANY 2003 TOYOTA'S HAVE HAD A PROBLEM OF ACCELERATING WHILE THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED, ES HAVE NO RECORD. *CB
Vehicle speed control, Aug 7, 2003
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE PROBLEMS AND WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT IT FELT AS THOUGH HE STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR. *AK *SCC *JB CONSUMER OWNS TWO 2003 CAMRY MODELS (HIS AND HERS) AND BOTH VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME CONDITION. *DSY
Vehicle speed control, Aug 1, 2003
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY 3.0L V6 (MIDYEAR 210HP MOTOR) THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE STATED IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED IT WAS DANGEROUS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THE PEDAL ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PUSHED FURTHER TOWARD THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE BOLTED OUT INTO TRAFFIC WITH A RUSH OF POWER. THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT WAS HOW THE CAR WAS ENGINEERED, AND HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE LEAD MECHANIC SAID THE CONSUMER NEEDED TO GET USED TO IT. IT HAD BEEN 5 MONTHS SINCE THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *AK *TS *JB
Vehicle speed control, Jul 1, 2003, crash
WHILE TRAVELING THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. *AK CONSUMER WAS MANEUVERING THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING SPOT AND LIFTED HER FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT FORWARD A SHORT DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND RAN OVER A PARKING STOP, A SIDEWALK CURB AND THEN RAN INTO A WOODEN FENCE WHERE IT STOPPED. ON PRIOR OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE HAD SIMILARLY SURGED FORWARD WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WAITING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IN THESE INSTANCES, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES.
Vehicle speed control, Jun 26, 2003, crash
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, AND COLLIDED WITH SEVEN OTHER VEHICLE'S. *JB CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES HOWEVER THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. *TT *JB SEE ALSO ODI 10025068 *DSY
Vehicle speed control, Jun 14, 2003, crash
THE VEHICLE RACED BACKWARDS WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. *MR *TT *JB SEE ODI 10019875 *DSY
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Jun 2, 2003
2003 V6 CAMRY HAS ENGINE SURGES/SHUDDERING THROUGH ALL SPEEDS. IS REALLY NOTICEABLE AT38-40 MPH. DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED ENGINE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMED - PROBLEM WAS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING IN CITTY WHERE SPEEDS WERE MORE INCREASED AND DECREASED. CONTINUED TO TAKE BACK TO DEALERSHIP. *AK
Vehicle speed control, Apr 21, 2003, crash
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PURCHASE OF A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T RESPOND. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. (MODEL XLE) MR SCC *JB THE CONSUMER STATED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM, HE BRAKED AND SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION. AS HE BRAKED AN SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS HE STEERED TO THE LEFT AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE TO CORRECT THE INITIAL SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. HE THEN STEERED BACK TO THE RIGHT, THEN LEFT, THEN RIGHT, IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THAT TIME, HE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE. IN TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER CROSSED THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY SLAMMED SIDEWAYS INTO A CONCRETE MEDIAN. *JB UPDATED 04/09/10. *JB
Vehicle speed control, Apr 10, 2003, crash
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT ALL OF SUDDEN SURGED FORWARD. *JB UPDATED7/2/12 *CN
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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Jan 27, 2003, crash
I HAD BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE. WHEN I PUT 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY IN DRIVE, IT SURGED FORWARD. I BRAKED BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. I DEPRESSED BRAKE FULLY, NONETHELESS THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AND VERY QUICKLY. VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED BY VIOLENT COLLISION WITH TWO PARKED VEHICLES AND CEMENT BLOCKS. ONLY GOOD FORTUNE PREVENTED DEATHS OF ANY PASSERS BY. WITNESSES OBSERVED MY FOOT FULLY ON THE DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AS THE CAR WAS AT REST AFTER THE ACCIDENT.