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2002 Toyota CamryProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 953 owner complaints about the 2002 Toyota Camry, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

2002 Toyota Camry
26
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid2.8× the Camry median · #3 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints953366 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage39kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 14, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Toyota Camry has problems

953 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
Vehicle speed control281152
Service brakes, hydraulic14623
Engine and engine cooling10715
Air bags8960
Power train6811
Engine5810
Structure5614
Tires543
Steering437
20 other systems24245

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

4 recalls

2002 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

Air bags: side/window

Recall 04V-346 · Jul 13, 2004 · 128,316 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CSA MAY NOT DEPLOY RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 01V-372 · Dec 11, 2001 · 19,587 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DETACHED BOTTOM PORTION MAY STRIKE THE DRIVER CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do vehicle speed control problems start?

39kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 201 vehicle speed control complaints. 88% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
80under 30k miles177under 100k miles24100k miles or more
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

13 owners mentioned a cost

$2,000median

Middle half: $900 – $4,000

Engine

8 owners mentioned a cost

$3,500median

Middle half: $2,350 – $4,875

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

2002 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

2002 Toyota Camry safety ratings

2002 Toyota Camry 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Toyota Camry frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Toyota Camry side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Toyota Camry, and the recalls they led to.

  1. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLDP05002 · closed Jan 5, 2006
    No recall
  2. ENGINE SURGINGDP06003 · closed Apr 3, 2007
    No recall
  3. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE02079 · closed Mar 18, 2003
    No recall
  4. THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMPE04021 · closed Jul 22, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Camry owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP ACCELERATING WHILE TURNING, EVEN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT APPROACHED A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS…
Complaint 11121490 · Aug 21, 2018 · 120,000 miles
DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD, BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN (NO PEDALS WERE WORKING), CAR CRASHED AND FIRE ENGULFED THE VEHICLE
Complaint 11079137 · Mar 14, 2018 · 154,200 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 38 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND SURGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. LATER, THE…
Complaint 11002395 · Jun 29, 2017 · 78,000 miles

Own a 2002 Camry?

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