2003 TOYOTA CAMRY Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota Camry. This model year has 815 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Unintended Acceleration.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2003 Toyota Camry Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Unintended Acceleration
Engine Problems
Brake System
Considering a 2003 Toyota Camry?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Toyota Camry. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unintended Acceleration | 265 | 170 | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 169 | 6 | 7 | — | |
| Brake System | 120 | 30 | 1 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 92 | 25 | 1 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 80 | 52 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 53 | 4 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 45 | 9 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 32 | 9 | 1 | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 31 | 4 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 23 | 3 | 3 | — | |
| Visibility | 22 | 1 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 19 | 5 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 19 | 2 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 16 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Equipment | 15 | 3 | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 12 | 1 | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 11 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 9 | 5 | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 7 | 3 | — | — | |
| Electric | 7 | 1 | — | — | |
| Air | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Parking-Brake Issues | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Camry. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 400 most recent complaints of 815 total. View all on NHTSA ↗
Many things are happening to my truck that’s why I am contacting you people to see if I got any callback thank you so much
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,888, and at th…
No incident. But it's a problem with the ABS. Dealership says it's nothing wrong with the brakes. But it is. Had a diagnostics done at Auto Zone, and it came back showing a code for the ABS system. But showed the service dept the code that it showed something is wrong with ABs. T…
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for service and the mechanic informed her that the subframe, muffler, the brakes, and the gas tank were extremely corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not mad…
48 degrees outside, sitting in my car waiting a few minutes for it to warm up, after about one minute of sitting in it, the rear driver side window just cracked everywhere and shattered. Glass all over. Not happy, no reason why this should have happened. No cars were around, n…
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that oil was leaking from the vehicle onto her driveway. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine bolts had sheared off. The contact stated that the bolts we…
Having purchased w 2003 Toyota Camry 2.4l, (with good paint, no rust, great interior, and new clear headlights) 3 days prior, the previous owner reported no current issues. The check engine light come on the 3 rd day as I drove away from the DMV having just titled it. AC was blow…
I was going 45 to 50 mph and my car shut off in middle of highway and we barely got out of highway before getting hit there is recall on same kind of car for throttle body and that's what's wrong with mine so it has too be that they missed my car
Driver seat belts releases on its own especiall while driving. I stop and push metal clasp back into position, sometimes with force to make sure it is engaged. Sometimes it stays in place, sometimes not. I also check to make sure nothing is in the way of metal clasp before pushin…
I have a 2003 Toyota Camry le (4 cylinder, 2. 4 l) which began leaking engine coolant from around the engine block. My mechanic determined that the root cause of the leak was loose head bolts in the engine block. I was advised to either replace the engine or rebuild it both of wh…
2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DISPLAYING A DEFECT IN THE DASH AREA WHERE THE AIR BAG IS LOCATED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE AND HOW TO PROCEED WITH REPAIRS.
I started my car and began to back up, when the rear-view mirror burst into smoke, it began filling the car with smoke. I reached up and pulled the wires out of the mirror and the wires were arcing. After I pulled the wires out the smoke started subsiding. I opened the doors and …
After oxygen sensors were changed the VSC and track off lights came on and wouldn't turn off and it's using a lot of fuel consumption and it takes a second for the car to pick up after stepping on the gas pedal
Front passenger side collision at 30+ mph, NO airbags deployed
DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT IS STUCK IN FORWARD. EMERGENCY BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. ENGINE REQUIRES 1 GALLON OF OIL EVERY 2 THOUSAND MILES.
AS I TURNED SLIGHTLY RIGHT INTO MY PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT LIFTING FROM THE GAS PEDAL TOWARD THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND SPED UP THEN CRASHED RIGHT THRU THE GATE THAT DIVIDED THE PARKING SPACE FROM THE SIDEWALK. I WAS IN SHOCK AND THOUG…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TO SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN TO HER DESTINATION…
SEATBELT WON’T CLICK INTO THE BUCKLE AND OR RELEASE ON THEIR OWN HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN HAVE IT EVENTUALLY STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY I CANNOT BUCKLE MY DRIVER SEAT BELT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED TO HOT, INDICATING THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER RAY BRANDT TOYOTA LOCATED AT 2460 VETERANS BLVD, KENNER, …
ON AUGUST 7, 2020 I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF A SUBWAY RESTAURANT. I WENT IN AND PICKED UP MY ORDER TO GO. WHEN LEAVING I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT. THERE WAS A LARGE POLE ABOUT 15 FEET BEHIND ME THAT I SLIGHTLY BACKED INTO. PUTTING MY CAR FROM REVERSE TO …
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2003 Toyota Camry.
Recalls for 2003 Toyota Camry
1 campaignNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2003 Toyota Camry. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2003 Toyota Camry — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2003 Toyota Camry reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2003 Toyota Camry has 815 NHTSA owner complaints, 238 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most reported issue is Unintended Acceleration (265 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Camry?▾
#1: Unintended Acceleration (265 complaints). #2: Engine Problems (169 complaints). #3: Brake System (120 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Toyota Camry?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2003 Toyota Camry?▾
The 2003 Toyota Camry has 238 crash-related complaints and 10 fire reports out of 815 total NHTSA complaints. 111 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2003 Toyota Camry have any recalls?▾
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affect the 2003 Toyota Camry. The largest issue: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2003 Toyota Camry?▾
The 2003 Toyota Camry has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Unintended Acceleration issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Camry reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2003 Toyota Camry
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.