2003 Toyota Camry problems
Owners have filed 950 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Camry. Cruise control is the most reported problem area, at 27% of complaints. Next are engine (17%) and brakes (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 950 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Cruise control 28% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 303 and 13
- Injuries and deaths
- 140 and 5
- Typical mileage
- 47,000 miles 677 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 206 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 94 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 92 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 62 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 61 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 63 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 32 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 15 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 22 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 14 |
| 200k+ miles | 16 |
What the data shows
Of the 677 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 47,000 miles. For cruise control specifically, the median reported mileage is about 37,000 miles (198 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 303 complaints mention a crash; 13 complaints mention a fire; 140 injuries reported; 5 deaths reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 95% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 35 model years of the Toyota Camry with enough data (505 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
While in a parking lot and backing out of a parking space vehicle accelerated suddenly hitting a pedestrian. One person was injured and one person was killed in this accident. The consumer refused to drive the vehicle after this incident and returned the vehicle to the dealer. Updated 03/05/10 updated 09/23/10 updated 9/21/2011
My daughter was returning home from college and lost control of her vehicle on I-85 in south carolina, crossed the median and crashed into two tractor trailers and died at the scene. South carolina highway patrol investigated the accident and determined she was traveling in excess of 90 MPH at the time of the accident. This is not a speed my daughter would travel at.
When coming out of a parking lot accelerator stuck, causing the vehicle to accelerate out of control. Vehicle grazed another vehicle, went across a street, grazed a building, and drove straight into another building. Driver was conscious when paramedic arrived. They found the driver with both feet still on the brake pedal. Driver was transported to the hospital, and later died due to fatal injuries from the crash. The insurance company preserved the vehicle as evidence.
Upon putting vehicle in park while at a complete stop with foot depressed on the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated at a rapid speed. As a result, the vehicle side swiped another vehicle on it's right side. A factory representative inspected the vehicle but couldn't locate the cause of the rapid and sudden acceleration. Updated 7/3/12 updated 07/12/12
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. The contact switched gears from neutral to drive and the vehicle accelerated to maximum speed. The accelerator pedal was stuck and the vehicle would not stop. She drove into some bushes and trees that were in front of a two foot wall. The undercarriage, transmission housing, tie rod, and bumper were all damaged. The repairs would cost $5,800. The fire and police departments along with an ambulance arrived at the scene. A police report was filed.