CarComplaints.com Notes: Beware of the NHTSA complaint data for the 2003 Camry. It is almost certainly misleading.
The problem with NHTSA data for the 2003 Camry is that for months on end, the news media repeatedly told the public that several Toyota models had an unintended acceleration defect, & to go to safercar.gov (the NHTSA's website) to file a complaint.
So, the NHTSA received a disproportionate number of complaints about Toyota unintended acceleration issues because of the national news media attention, to the point where their data is unreliable taken in context with any other vehicle that did not receive national news attention.
CarComplaints.com typically receives more complaints per day about vehicles than the NHTSA does, but the news media did not repeatedly say "go to CarComplaints.com to report your Camry acceleration problems" like they did about the NHTSA -- so although we have less complaint data than the NHTSA for the 2003 Camry, our data for the Camry is a far more statistically accurate representation of the Camry's reliability than what the NHTSA data shows.
THIS PROBLEM HAD ME SCARED AND PANICKING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WAS COMING TO A RED LIGHT PRESSING THE BRAKES, IT ACCELERATED AND I KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKES. IT WOULD NOT STOP. THANK GOD THERE WERE NO CARS AT THE TIME, I WOULD HAVE HAD A BAD ASS ACCIDENT. FINALLY IT DECIDED TO STOP. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND WAS COMING UP ANOTHER LIGHT, AND IT ACCELERATED AGAIN. I SWEVED INTO A WALGREENS TO REGAIN CONTROL, BUT IT KEPT ON ACCELERATING. FINALLY IT CAME TO A STOP. I WAS SO FRANTIC WONDERING WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS DAMN CAR. I'M SO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. DON'T WANT TO DO HARM TO ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. GOD WAS TRULY WITH ME, IT DID IT 4 TIMES THAT DAY. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS AND I LOVE TOYOTAS BUT THIS SH*T HAS MADE ME CHANGE MY MIND. THIS CAR WONT STOP WHEN BRAKING, IT ACCELERATES UP TO 70 TO 100 MILES THAT DAMN. FAST PLEASE HELP ME ........
Update from Feb 10, 2017: I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA OF LOUISVILLE WEDNESDAY TNYBOHEY HAS BEEN HAVING IT FOR A WEEK AND SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM YET CANNOT RELEASE THE CAR ANYONE ELSE IN JEOPARDY
I almost hit another car until I could stop it. This is a true complaint like the other people are telling you to. I can probably have my husband or son fix it (If someone can tell us what the problem is and what part to buy) This is a manufacturer problem and probably why the car was sold to me in October. This is a life and death situation if someone doesn't come up with a solution. I am a long time Toyota driver. My past two Toyota's are still on the road. One is close to 200,000 miles on it. I don't know any other car as I am a firm believer in the Camry! I sure hate to give this one up because I don't know how to get it fixed.....I know there are a lot more people out there with this problem. I am a firm believer to change the oil every 4,000 miles and make sure the garage doesn't charge you for something they don't do!!!!
Update from Jan 6, 2012: One problem solved was the butterfly valve that allows air into the engine was so full of carbon deposits. A can of carburetor cleaner did the trick. I plan on doing this every six months. The former owner never changed the air filter but it could be the garage where he took it. I find that they charge and do not do the work. This is what caused the gas pedal to stick.
Also I was told the car had new brakes.............Wrong again. I needed brakes, rotors, and calipers. So far it seems the problem is solved.
- jmk777,
Mineral City, OH, US
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THIS PROBLEM HAD ME SCARED AND PANICKING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WAS COMING TO A RED LIGHT PRESSING THE BRAKES, IT ACCELERATED AND I KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKES. IT WOULD NOT STOP. THANK GOD THERE WERE NO CARS AT THE TIME, I WOULD HAVE HAD A BAD ASS ACCIDENT. FINALLY IT DECIDED TO STOP. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND WAS COMING UP ANOTHER LIGHT, AND IT ACCELERATED AGAIN. I SWEVED INTO A WALGREENS TO REGAIN CONTROL, BUT IT KEPT ON ACCELERATING. FINALLY IT CAME TO A STOP. I WAS SO FRANTIC WONDERING WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS DAMN CAR. I'M SO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. DON'T WANT TO DO HARM TO ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. GOD WAS TRULY WITH ME, IT DID IT 4 TIMES THAT DAY. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS AND I LOVE TOYOTAS BUT THIS SH*T HAS MADE ME CHANGE MY MIND. THIS CAR WONT STOP WHEN BRAKING, IT ACCELERATES UP TO 70 TO 100 MILES THAT DAMN. FAST PLEASE HELP ME ........
Update from Feb 10, 2017: I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA OF LOUISVILLE WEDNESDAY TNYBOHEY HAS BEEN HAVING IT FOR A WEEK AND SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM YET CANNOT RELEASE THE CAR ANYONE ELSE IN JEOPARDY
- Karen B., Louisville, KY, US