1997 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability
685 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Toyota Camry, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 23/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 49,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1997 sits among all Camry years
What owners report
“Brakes pulse when pressing pedal. Problem still occurred after taking to the dealer to replace brake pads.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
“Timing belt,all engine belts, head gasket replaced (leakage), motor mounts replaced (causing excessive vibration). Mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
“Front right suspension at strut mounts make a noise when driving over small bumps in the road at 20 to 30 mph.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
“In January my starter caught on fire while driving down the road, and again in April causing me to lose days of work. Caused positive cable to battery to melt.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
“No deployment of air bags during vehicle collision caused injury to both driver and passenger.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
“Recall work can not be done on the key interlock (transmission) due to lack of parts.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Camry
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 161 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 86,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 62,000 and 123,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A POSSIBLE JAMMING OF THE LOCK PIN OF THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID, IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN THE "PARK" POSITION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 97V213000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Toyota Camry reliable?
The 1997 Toyota Camry drew 685 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 23/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 1997 Toyota Camry problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Toyota Camry are brakes & stability (126 complaints), engine (108), and suspension (71).
At what mileage do 1997 Toyota Camry problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 Toyota Camry problems around 86,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 62,000 and 123,000 miles.
Does the 1997 Toyota Camry have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 Toyota Camry. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.