Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Toyota Camry submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 109 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 109, in the owner's own words
STEERING WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR ARE LOOSE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE IGNITION ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE SERVICE BRAKES AND THE HYDRAULIC PARTS SEEMS TO WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING . THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIMMED IT IS HARD TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE VACUUM HOSE LEAK AND TRACTION FAILURE. THE TRACK OFF WARNING INDICATOR WAS RESET AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
SUMMARY 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, NORTH 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. SAFETY 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. YES, THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN CA, BUT THIS ISSUE PREVENTS TRAVELING TO COLD STATES IN THE WINTER UNTIL IT IS FIXED. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER V03 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 97V156 RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE
THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN NEEDING TO BE PUSHED NEARLY OR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE BRAKE LINE WAS FIXED. *TR
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A DITCH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
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 AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000.
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 RIGHT! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE AUGUST OF 2002. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. ON THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CURRENTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS STILL BEING DRIVEN. SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR BECAUSE THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE CRACKED AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE MACHINED. THE TAILLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED, THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 10/10/07. *JB
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF "PLAY" AND "BODY ROLL" WITH RESPECT TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS/STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS EXISTED FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS THAT WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEPTH WHICH THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED IS MUCH DEEPER AND REQUIRES A GREATER AMOUNT OF PRESSURE, THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN. FINALLY, THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE POOR VISIBILITY BOTH IN THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT EMITTED AND IN THEIR LOW MOUNTING OR ANGLE WHICH THEY SIT AT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS ON MY BEHALF. BEST REGARDS. *JB
THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON THE 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE DOES NOT LAST FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS, AND LESS. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE BRAKING. THE BRAKE PADS WERE CHANGED AT 5000 MILES YET THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED AT 37,000 MILES. *NLM
NAR 03-27-2003 MR THE CONSUMER HAD ONLY 49000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. OVER $400.00 IN REPAIRS MADE. *CB
MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OF BRAKES.
THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 45,000 MILES.*JB *TS
JUST STARTED RAINING I WAS CUT OFF AND BRAKED. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED AND I HIT THE MIDDLE MERIDIAN.
THE VEHICLES' FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CONTINUOUSLY WHOP, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TURNED THE ROTOR 6 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH INDICATING BRAKE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING. CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES. CONSUMER FEELS THERE A DEFECT IN THE BRAKES THAT ARE BEING PUT ON VEHICLE. MR MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM MET THE SATISFACTORY SPECIFICATIONS-DECLINED REPAIR. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ELAPSED BRAKE WORK ON THE DATE OF 8/15/02 IN THE AMOUNT OF $659.44. SCC
CONSUMER STATES AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER. THEY REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS, WITHIN SIX MONTH OR LESS THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
BRAKES FAILED WHILE PARKING. VEHICLE JUMPED FOWARD AND CONSUMER HIT A METER. TOOK VEHICLETO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS RECALL 97V156000 FOR BRAKE VACUUM HOSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. BRAKES HAVE FAILED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ORIGINALLY REPORTED 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASE. SINCE THEN HAVE RETURNED 5 TIMES FOR BRAKE FAILURE STILL NO SOLUTION LIVES HAVE BEEN IN JEAPARDY FEEL UNSAFE IN VEHICLE. DEALER RELUCTANTLY COMPLIES WITH ORIGINAL AGREEMENT BRAKES ARE UNDER WARRANTY PLEASE RESPOND ASAP. *AK
BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE AND UNSAFE. IF BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEED THE DISCS WARP SO THE BRAKES PULSATE AND LOSE STOPPING ABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN MOUNTAIN DRIVING OR WHEN BRAKES ARE NEEDED FOR A QUICK STROP ON HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS.*AK
MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ALREADY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED.*AK
FRONT BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOICE. DEALER REPLACED A 2-PAGE LIST OF PARTS AT 22K MILES. THE NOISE IS BACK AT 44K MILES. ANY ADVISE?*AK
BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING TO THE FLOOR, DEALER REPAIRED FRONT BRAKES. CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER STATES 2 FRONT STRUTS NEED REPLACED, ALSO AXLE BOOTS LEAKED AND DEALER REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND THEN WOULD DIE, DEALER REPLACED THE ISC VALVE. WATER PUMP LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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