Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Camry, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic100
- Engine and engine cooling96
- Suspension70
- Air bags55
- Electrical system40
- Power train35
- Vehicle speed control30
- Steering30
- Seats30
- Seat belts26
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 59 injuries and 3 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 74 1997 Camry vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 54 people died inside them, and 9 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Toyota Camry failed the safety check 1.88% of the time — 17% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 155,919 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
41 first registered in 1997 are on Dutch roads; 5% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen28
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af19
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm11
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde11
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt9
- Band onvoldoende profiel9
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht7
- Remslang beschadigd, wapeningsmateriaal zichtbaar7
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
62 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 94 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
55 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 322,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
679 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 65% arrived as used imports, 35% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 10.2–12.2 L/100 km (about 19–23 mpg US), CO₂ 235–281 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camry · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 8.3 | 10.2 |
| Camry · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 8.6 | 10.4 |
| Camry · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 9.8 | 12.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Toyota Camry.
| 2021723 24 Nov 2021 | Electrical Issue: This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships. On certain vehicl… |
| 1997204 20 Nov 1997 | Other DUE TO JAMMING OF THE LOCK PIN OF THE KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISS… |
| 1997155 15 Sept 1997 | Brakes UNDER EXTREMELY LOW TEMPERATURE OPERATING CONDITIONS AND INFREQUENT BRAKE OPERATION THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT CONDENSED MOISTURE FROM A SURGE TANK MIGHT SEE… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
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.
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, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1997 Toyota Camry: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 632246 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR BEARING O-RING SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 628696 | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT REGARDING VEHICLES EXPERIENCING ENGINE OIL GELLING OR SLUDGE. *TT |
| 628686 | SUBJECT REGARDING STEERING RACK END NOISE. *TT |
| 627284 | INFORMATION REGARDING KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID. *YD |
| 627195 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *YD |
| 627189 | SUBJECT REGARDING SUNVISOR VANITY MIRROR IMPROVEMENT. *YD |
| 623065 | INFORMATION ON SLIDING ROOF DIAGNOSTIC TIPS *ET |
| 623051 | SUBJECT REGARDING OWNER RENOTIFICATION OF NON COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAINGNS. *ET |
| 622283 | INFORMATION ON SLIDING ROOF ASSEMBLY.*JB |
| 622246 | INFORMATION ON SLIDING ROOF ASSEMBLY.*JB |
| 621324 | SUBJECT REGARDING OWNER RENOTIFICATION ON NON-COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGNS. *TT |
| 621321 | THIS ELECTRONIC MESSAGE STATES THAT A DETAILED BULLETIN WITH DOOR MIRROR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS HAS BEEN ISSUED. *TT |
| 619097 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING RETRO-FIT INTERNAL TRUNK RELEASE KITS. *TT |
| 616095 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN INTRODUCING A FIELD FIX FOR INCIDENTS OF MOISTURE AND ODORS PERMEATING INTO THE VEHICLE. THE QUARTER PANEL AIR DUCT FLAPS MAY HAVE BECOME LOOSE OR MISSING. REPLACING THE QUARTER PANEL AIR DUCT WILL REMEDY THE CONDITION. *TT |
| 616054 | SUBJECT REGARDING LEAKS INTO TRUNK. *TT |
| 614963 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPLEMENT THE REPAIR MANUAL TO ASSURE CORRECT CABLE ROUTING OF THE HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY DURING A SERVICE REPAIR. *TT |
| 613514 | INFORMATION REGARDING HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS. *MR |
| 613510 | INFORMATION REGARDING A CHANGE IN THE STEERING WHEEL INSTALLATION NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *MR |
| 613507 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF THE ABS SPEED SENSOR PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF THE REAR AXLE AND REAR SUSPENSION. *MR |
| 612533 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO SUPPLEMENT THE REPAIR MANUAL TO ASSURE CORRECT CABLE ROUTING OF THE HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY DURING A SERVICE REPAIR, HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS. *MJS |
| 610981 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AN INTERRUPTION IN SUNROOF OPERATION (NOT OPENING OR CLOSING). *TT |
| 610968 | EXPERIENCING WIND / ROAD NOISE HEARD AROUND THE DOOR MIRRIORS OF SOME VEHICLES STARTING WITH VARIOUS VIN RANGES. *TT |
| 610961 | THIS BULLETIN EXPLAINS PROCEDURES TO INSTALL DOOR MIRRORS. *TT |
| 610084 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT NOISE. *TT |
| 610077 | SOME CALIFORNIA EMISSION SPECIFICATION VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1133 PRESENT. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
ENGINE SEIZURE
IGNITION INTERLOCK FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation