2004 Toyota Camry
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Vehicle speed control is the leading concern among 799 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 25 Camry model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 223 involved a crash and 13 involved a fire. 145 people were injured and 6 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine coolingNov 9, 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.
IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 11V539000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, buckle assemblyDec 15, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT PASSENGER POWER SEAT, WHEN INSTALLING CERTAIN REAR-FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT BASES ONTO THE SEAT WITH AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH SEATBELT TENSION, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO UNSEAT A COMPONENT CALLED THE BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH FROM THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
IF THE SWITCH BECOMES UNSEATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAY MISTAKE THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT FOR AN UNBELTED ADULT OCCUPANT, AND MAY NOT SUPPRESS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (SSC 40M) BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987..
Campaign 04V595000 on NHTSA.gov
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: hydraulic
62 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 28, 2004
NEW CAR PURCHASED. BRAKE PEDAL CLEARANCE IS 1" FROM FLOOR. OWNER'S MANUAL SPECIFICATION IS 2.5" MINIMUM. TOYOTA SERVICE DECLARES NO PROBLEM EXISTS.*AK
Steering, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 23, 2004
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BROKEN RECORD - CAR PULLED SEVERELY TO LEFT AT TIME OF PURCHASE. TOYOTA'S FIRST ATTEMPT LESSENED LEFT HAND PULL. TOYOTA'S SECOND REDUCED PULL, BUT NOW STEERING IS SLOPPY. TOYOTA SAYS THEY "FIXED" IT. CAR FEELS "TWITCHY". ON CROWNED ROADS YOU WILL PULL HARD TO WHATEVER SIDE THE ROAD LEANS TO. I HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE - TOO SCARY TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES. THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER NON-SAFETY RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR - SHARP RATTLE FROM REAR PASSENGER SIDE, VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, BRAKE IS SOFT. *JB
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 8, 2004, crash
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED. VEHICLE TOOK LONGER TO STOP. AS RESULT, IT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND WAS SIDE SWIPED BY ANOTHER. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VACUUM DID NOT EXIST. (THE PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD) *SC
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Aug 31, 2004
THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE THE POSITION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE THAT WAS HOW IT WAS BUILT. A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE WAS SCHEDULED TO COME AND INSPECT THE PEDALS. *AK THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN LOWER THAN THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS SLIGHTLY OFF THE BRAKE, IT WOULD HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE BRAKE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME AFTER REPAIR ATTEMPTS. *SC *JB
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Aug 30, 2004
THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKES DID NOT GRABB LIKE THEY SHOULD, THEY ALMOST WENT TO THE FLOOR. MANUFACTURER WAS NO NOTIFIED, HOWEVER THE DEALER FOUND NO DEFECTS.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Aug 17, 2004
BREAK PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CAR TAKES AN EXCESSIVE DISTANCE TO STOP FROM FREEWAY SPEEDS. DEALER SAYS ALL 2004 TOYOTA CAMRYS DO THIS. THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. LETS DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE DIES INSTEAD OF AFTER SOMEONE DIES. *JB
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Exterior lighting, Equipment, Jul 28, 2004
THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE CAR WAS QUICKLY LEAKING BRAKE FLUID FROM A BRAKE LINE, AND THE ABS ACTUATOR. AFTER ALREADY HAVING A FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT FOR THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART, TOYOTA HAD TO AGAIN REPLACE THE BRAKE LINE AND THE ABS ACTUATOR. CURRENTLY WE ARE PURSUING ARRBITRATION BASED ON THE NORTH CAROLINA LEMON LAW TO DEMAND THE REPURCHASE OF THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT CONTINUE TO HAVE DEFECTS IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jul 28, 2004
THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AFTER HAVING THIS PART REPAIRED THE PREVIOUS WEEK. TOYOTA DID A FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT ON THE CAR IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE LEMON LAW FOR A RESONABLE NUMBER OF ATTEPMTS. THE YAW SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE CAR WAS NOT WORKING UNTIL THE PART WAS REPLACED.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 22, 2004
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. *AK THE CONSUMER TRIIED TO HAVE THE MANUFACTURER REPAIR THE PROBLEM BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE. *NM
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Vehicle speed control, Apr 29, 2004
UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES CONSUMER SOMETIMES DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAUSESD THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 10, 2004, crash
WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES. *AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 4, 2003
RIGHT REAR ROTOR WEARS OUT PREMATURELY. *AK