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1997 Toyota CamryProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 555 owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Camry, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

41
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.4× the Camry median · #12 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints555156 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage44kService brakes, hydraulic, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 13, 2024. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Toyota Camry has problems

555 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic1009
Engine and engine cooling9613
Suspension703
Air bags5548
Electrical system4015
Power train355
Seats306
Steering306
Vehicle speed control3013
16 other systems15420

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1997 Toyota Camry recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 97V-213 · Nov 20, 1997 · 289,326 vehicles

Risk. UNDER SUCH A CONDITION, SHOULD A DRIVER FAIL TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO "PARK" POSITION AND ALSO FAIL TO ACTIVATE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist

Recall 97V-156 · Sep 17, 1997 · 18,746 vehicles

Risk. THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.

Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

10 owners mentioned a cost

$1,100median

Middle half: $1,000 – $2,768

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1997 vs. every other Camry year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Camry median. How we score

'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1997 Toyota Camry safety ratings

1997 Toyota Camry 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

1997 Toyota Camry frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
1997 Toyota Camry side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Toyota Camry, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE SEIZUREDP02004 · closed Jun 20, 2002
    No recall
  2. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE02079 · closed Mar 18, 2003
    No recall
  3. IGNITION INTERLOCK FAILUREPE97034 · closed Nov 28, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-213
In owners' words

What Camry owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
Complaint 10640327 · Sep 30, 2014 · 167,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 32 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS…
Complaint 10219913 · Mar 3, 2008 · 74,000 miles
FAILED TO STOP ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. THE ROAD WAS ICY BUT THE VEHICLE'S ABS WAS NOT WORKING AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE AT ALL. I STEERING THE VEHICLE TO THE DITCH. I WAS LUCKY OF NOT HITTING OTHER VEHICLES AND I WAS SAFE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA CAMRY'S BRAKING, IT DID NOT FEEL…
Complaint 10215767 · Jan 23, 2008

Own a 1997 Camry?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.