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: power train
61 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Sep 18, 2004
TRANSMISSION MAY DELAY GEAR SELECTION AND ACCELLERATION FOR UP TO 4 SECONDS PUTTING LIVES IN JEAPORDY WHEN WISHING TO ACCCELERATE OR PASS. TRANSMISSION KNOCKS AND SEARCHES WHEN CREAPING IN TRAFFIC BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. CLEARING AN INTERSECTION FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAY BE HAZARDOUS. PASSING DOWNSHIFTS ARE COMPLETELY DANGEROUS.....WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO PASS ANYMORE IN THIS CAR! *AK
Power train, Sep 16, 2004
I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA AND HAVE SEVERE ACCELERATOR ISSUES. THE ACCELERATION HESITATES AT VARIOUS TIMES. SOMETIMES IT IS FROM A COMPLETE STOP, OTHER TIMES IT IS IN LOW GEAR. THIS HAS BECOME A HAZARD IN DRIVING AMONGST TRAFFIC. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AT A NORMAL SPEED; AS I SAID, IT HESITATES, MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A ROAD, OR STARTING FROM A STOP. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES THAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE REAR ENDED! THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS STATING THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED, WITHOUT ADMITTING THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE..BUT THEN STATE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE IN APRIL. EACH TIME THEY TRY DIFFERENT THINGS...I.E., RESETTING THE COMPUTER, RUNNING TESTS, ETC. *JB
Power train, Sep 15, 2004
WHEN EVER THE VEHICLE WAS POSITIONED ON AN INCLINE AND THE CONSUMER MOVED HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL'. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT WAS THE NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB *TC
Power train, Aug 21, 2004
WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR ONLY FROM A STOP, THERE IS A JERKY OR STUTTERING FEELING ON VARYING ROAD SURFACES. THIS OCCURS APPROXIMATELY 2 - 3 TIMES DAILY. THE CAR IS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES A DAY. THE CAR HAS BEEN TEST DRIVEN BY THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR'S COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED ON THE 3RD VISIT; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE DEALER CONTACTED TOYOTA; HOWEVER, HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY CAN NOT AUTHORIZE ANY REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. *JB
Power train, Air bags, Vehicle speed control, May 29, 2004, crash
DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THEN UPON SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY, WOULD NOT STOP, COLLIDED WITH A MOBILE HOME, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF ONE PASSENGER AND INJURY OF DRIVER *LA SEE ALSO VOQ 10171110. *DSY. UPDATED 03/05/10 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 08/23/10*JB UPDATED 9/21/2011*CW
Power train, May 8, 2004
CAR SHUDDERS, SOMETIMES QUITE VIOLENTLY, WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ENGAGES SECOND GEAR. NOTICED ON SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP FEB 18, PROBLEM CONTINUES. MY DEALER HAS MORE COMPLAINTS OF THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. *AK
Power train, Apr 20, 2004
WHENEVER VEHICLE TRAVELED UP AN INCLINE AND THE CONSUMER RELEASED THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE MOVED BACKWARDS. *PH THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN GOING UP A HILL AND THE SMALLEST HILL. AS SOON AS THE DRIVER'S FOOT RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE MOVED BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE AND THE SECOND ONE'S FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. THIS WAS EXPERIENCED A FEW TIMES A WEEK. *SC *JB
Power train, Apr 19, 2004
WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, AT A FASTER ENGINE SPEED OF ABOUT 2,800 TO 3,000 RPM, THERE IS A ROUGH SPOT OR ROUGH NOISE. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AT LOWER ENGINE SPEEDS A NOISE IS NOT NOTICEABLE. FOR A LONG TIME I THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS FROM ROUGH SPOTS IN THE ROADWAY, BUT THE NOISE KEPT OCCURRING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT. THERE IS A DEFINITE DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION.*AK
Power train, Apr 16, 2004
TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS" WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AT RPM NEAR 3,000.*AK
Steering, Suspension, Power train, Mar 21, 2004
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT IT'S STEERING AND HOW UNSAFE IT FEELS TO DRIVE. PULLS TO THE LEFT FREQUENTLY, AND THE RIGHT LESS FREQUENTLY. STEERING IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE, AND FEELS UNSAFE. CAR SLIDES INTO OTHER LANES, AS IF ON ICE...ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER REPAIRED A SLIGHT FAULT WITH SOME RINGS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, IT ONLY SLIGHTLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. STEERING IS MORE CONTROLLED, BUT CAR STILL DRIFTS INTO OTHER LANES. CAR ALSO ROCKS WHEN IN A PARKED POSITION, IF EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED, AND WILL ROLL BACKWARD WHEN STOPPED GOING UPWARD ON HILL...BRAKES DO NOT LOCK INTO A HOLD POSITION. *JB
Power train, Mar 10, 2004
WHEN I SHIFTED FROM PARKING TO BACK, MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY LE WENT FORWARD INSTEAD OF BACKWARD, WHICH REALLY SURPRISED ME. SAME SITUATION HAPPENED AGAIN 20 DAYS LATER.*AK