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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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
153 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
51 / 4
Average Mileage:
38,621 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Toyota Camry engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Toyota Camry Owner Comments (Page 6 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #131

Apr 102007

Camry

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In April 2007 I had an accident with my 2003 Toyota Camry. I was backing out of a parking spot and put the car in drive, it accelerated greatly. I put on the brakes and it would not stop. I hit another car and a fence before I could throw it into park and stop it. Had I gone thru the fence, I would have gone into a deep ravine and I would not be here to tell the story. I told the insurance company that day that there was something wrong with the car; it would not stop. I told them they should contact Toyota about it. They told me not to worry, they would cover the damages - around $6000. I told the garage that repaired the car that it would not stop. He said I had to have had my foot on the accelerator and not the brake. No I did not have my foot on the accelerator and it told him so. I told carson city Toyota service manager that something was wrong with the car and later when recalls started, again told him. He said I could not prove it. Had anyone been listening to me 3 years ago, lives might have been saved. I am still angry about it and am looking to replace the car as soon as I can.

- Sparks, NV, USA

problem #130

Mar 252009

Camry 4-cyl

  • 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact was driving into a parking space and the gear was placed into the park position. Suddenly, the engine surged without warning. The vehicle traveled over a curb and crashed into a tree. There were no injuries sustained during the crash. The police was called to the scene and a report was filed. The current and failure mileages were 79,000. Updated 02/26/10 updated 04/29/10

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #129

Jan 152010

Camry 4-cyl

  • 66,000 miles
2003 Toyota Camry le 4-cylinder. 66,000 miles. Occasional minor "lunging forward" from stationary position. On one occasion, while sitting at a bank drive-up window, there was a rapid increase in gas feed when I depressed the accelerator pedal slightly but when I depressed the brake it returned to normal idling. I am concerned that the problem is related to the general Toyota accelerator problem and could get worse. No accidents to date. Date indicated is only approximate. I would have made a specific notation of the date if I had known about the general problem with Toyota at the time of the incidents. I reported my concern verbally a few days ago to the national Toyota telephone contact (and was told that my call was being recorded) but have not received a reply. Another concern is the general "check engine light" problem that Toyota have. Toyota says the problem is caused by clicking the gas cap more than once when reattaching it after filling up with gas. This seems to be a rather flakey excuse, and I had to pay the dealer to turn off the check engine light more than one year ago but recently received an offer from the dealer to fix these problems for free. Are the accelerator problem and the check engine light problem related to the Toyota computer system?

- Annandale, VA, USA

problem #128

Oct 152005

Camry

  • 60,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In 2005, I was driving East on U.S. hwy 74 between I-26 and shelby, nc in my 2003 Camry. The cruise control was set for 65 mph, the speed limit. A few minutes later, the car began increasing speed to 75 mph. I stepped on the brake and turned off the cruise control to slow down the vehicle. This was the only time this happened. I reported this to a service representative at my Toyota dealership when I returned to chattanooga. He said to let him know if it ever happened again. This year, I sent my dealership and Toyota E-mails reminding them of the problem encountered in 2005. Neither responded. Then, I went to the dealership and talked with a service representative. The gentleman said that Toyota had been having this particular problem with its cruise control for many years (he mentioned a specific piece that was causing the malfunction), but it was not regarded as a safety issue since tapping on the brake disconnected the cruise control.

- Soddy Daisy, TN, USA

problem #127

May 062009

Camry

  • 40 miles
Vehicle accelerated on its one in driveway after shifting into drive.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #126

Apr 032008

Camry

  • 44,080 miles
Moving at 1 to 2 mph, with my foot on the brake, I was slowing down into a head-in slightly downhill parking space. Then, without any warning the car launched forward, accelerating on its own at full speed over an embankment, through the air over a sidewalk crashing into the side of a parked vehicle which, from the extreme impact, rammed into an adjacent parked car. My foot was still on the brake, never on the accelerator. There were no injuries. A police report was taken. The incident was reported to the Toyota dealer but they took no responsibility and they claimed there was nothing wrong with the car. The car was repaired. Because of my concern for personal safety the car was not driven again until it was traded in for a new Honda. The mileage was 44,080.

- Orinda, CA, USA

problem #125

Nov 282008

Camry

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was parking my 2003 Camry in a mall parking lot when it suddenly accelerated. I had no control and smashed into a parked car. I never had an accident in 60+ years of driving. Now I know it was the Toyota accelerator that caused the crash. My ed morse Toyota dealer in delray beach fl. Turned me away from service saying it is not their problem but I should contact Toyota. I have not been able to reach anyone there. I know it is not in the recall but I told the dealer I want Toyota to know this happened to my 2003 Camry and I want them to find the cause and remedy it. My wife also has a 2003 Camry and we drive them both with fear.

- Delray Beach, FL, USA

problem #124

Jan 182009

Camry

  • miles
Previously reported acceleration surge of 2003 Camry while backing out of the garage. Reports of acceleration surges on your site exceed 140 for the 2003 Camry versus (as best I could identify) 29 for the Malibu, 26 for the Accord and 12 for the Taurus, all 2003 models. In light of recent Toyota findings are you going to reopen investigations of the 2003 Camry?...

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #123

Mar 122007

Camry

  • 103,000 miles
I purchased a used Toyota Camry, 2003 model, from a san antonio, Texas car dealer in January, 2007. At the time the car had about 103,000 miles. I was driving on the highway at about 65 miles per hour when suddenly the car's engine revved up, there was a easily perceptible jolt and the vehicle accelerated by itself. About 2-3 seconds later I stepped on the brake pedal, very hard. The car acceleration rate went slightly down, engine rpms still high, and I could barely keep control of the car, so I became concerned (almost feared) of losing control of the vehicle. After about 30-40 seconds, rpms went back to more normal levels, although the vehicle engine was still accelerated. At that moment I was driving at about 65 miles per hour and if I had let go on the brake the car would have accelerated on its own. Afterwards, and for bout 15 minutes (15-16 miles) I took my foot off the brake and gas pedals and the car cruised on its own at about 65 mph. I finally got home, parked the car and next time I used it experienced no problems. I don't recall if I had similar incidents later on.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #122

Jan 092010

Camry

  • 123,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. While driving approximately 5 mph into a parking space the vehicle accelerated and crashed into a store. There were no injuries. A police report is available. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, repaired and inspected by a technician who was unable to find the cause of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 123,000.

- Cleveland, TN, USA

problem #121

Oct 222005

Camry

  • 60,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact was backing out of her driveway. There was not an application to the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, suddenly there was an unintended acceleration. The driver applied pressure to the brake pedal and was able to slow down. The identical failures occurred on four separate occasions. The vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. The failure mileage was 60,000. The current mileage was 130,000.

- Nutley, NJ, USA

problem #120

Jan 222009

Camry

  • 43,587 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. While driving 15 mph, the contact attempted to apply the brakes to slow the vehicle down; however, it accelerated rapidly while driving down a hill. The contact and passenger were forced to apply extreme pressure to the brake pedal in order to slow the vehicle down. The vehicle crashed into some small trees which caused damage to the passenger mirror, parking lens, and the washer fluid container. The contact shut the vehicle off for approximately 15 minutes, restarted it and was able to safely drive the vehicle to his residence. The following day the dealer was unable to find the cause of the failure; however, the damages were repaired. The contact is concerned about the safety risk since the accelerator was sticking and caused the failure to occur. The failure mileage was 43,587. Updated 03/04/10.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #119

Dec 182008

Camry

  • 52,500 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that as she drove through a green light, the vehicle in front of her stopped short and when she applied the brakes, the vehicle failed to stop. She crashed into the vehicle in front of her since the accelerator pedal became stuck. There were no injuries. She also stated that brakes failed intermittently. She has not contacted the dealer or the manufacturer. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was 54,867. The failure mileage was approximately 52,500.

- Stevens Point, WI, USA

problem #118

Aug 012009

Camry

  • 102,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. The contact placed the vehicle in reverse gear, slightly pressed the accelerator pedal and the RPM's rapidly increased without warning and continued to increase until the contact shut the engine off. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 102,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #117

Jan 122010

Camry

  • 52,700 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. While driving 5 mph the vehicle accelerated across the parking lot and as she depressed the brake pedal the vehicle would not stop and crashed into a tree. There were no injuries. A police report is available if needed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be repaired. A claim was filed with the Toyota manufacturer. The failure mileage was 52,700. See ODI 10306036

- Del Ray Beach, FL, USA

problem #116

Nov 012009

Camry

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. While entering a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated over an embankment, and then into a cement wall. The driver received injuries to the lower part of the body. The insurance company took the vehicle to the body shop. The insurance company also investigated the accelerator, and concluded that nothing was wrong with the vehicle. However, two years prior the vehicle suddenly accelerated several times. When the failure occurred he was able to regain vehicle control, the failure mileage was 55,000. The current mileage was 60,000.

- Plymouth , MN, USA

problem #115

Aug 272003

Camry

  • 3,000 miles
2003 Toyota Camry xle while stopped with foot on the brake in a line of cars waiting for the traffic light to turn green, car suddenly accelerated and crashed into the rear of the car in front causing significant front-end damage to our car. Again, the driver's foot was on the brake. The floor mat (1) was all the way back against base of the seats and not in the area of the accelerator pedal and (2) the mat is by design, cut back 3 to 4 inches short of the carpeted area under, near and around the accelerator pedal, and (3) the base and rear of the accelerator pedal are suspended 2 1/2 to 3 inches away from the carpeted floor and it is very difficult to press the accelerator to a position close to the floor--and it definitely beyond the pedal travel distance that drivers would/could press on the accelerator pedal. Problem was reported to Toyota dealer service associate who said "no problem found." Problem continues to occur periodically, but we now know to press down harder than normal when stopped at traffic lights and in stop and go traffic. (we also noted a similar problem with our 2006 Toyota Camry xle--but the problem happens when car is in reverse. When starting up in the morning and backing out of the garage with foot covering the brake (and not on the accelerator pedal), the engine rpms suddenly accelerate and if you aren't aware of the problem and don't have your foot on the brake, the car can speed up significantly and go out of control. This problem was also reported to Toyota dealer service associate who also said: "no problem found.") see also 10174244, same complainant, different vehicle.

- Greenwich, CT, USA

problem #114

Nov 212009

Camry

  • 70,050 miles
On 2 occasions the gas pedal has stuck on my 2003 Toyota Camry. On the first occasion, it occurred while I was on the highway traveling forward with the transmission in drive. The 2nd occasion was on Saturday, November 21, when I put the car in reverse. On both occasions I was able to get the car under control by forcefully stepping on the brake pedal, but the second time this occurred was a very near accident - came within inches of hitting a parked vehicle.

- Broad Run, VA, USA

problem #113

Mar 232009

Camry 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Camry. While attempting to turn at 40 mph the vehicle began to accelerate without intention. After repeated brake application he was able to stop the vehicle. Shortly afterwards while reversing out of a parking space, the vehicle rapidly accelerated. He was able to stop the vehicle by using the same method. He was in process of taking the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The current mileage was approximately 80,000. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. Updated 2/26/10 the dealer was unable to find any problems/ updated 05/17/10.

- Broad Run, VA, USA

problem #112

Dec 192006

Camry

  • miles
First, let me say that I am and remain a satisfied Toyota customer. However, I have experienced the "stuck accelerator" type of incident in my 2003 Camry on numerous occasions. At first, I considered it to be some sort of rare event. It did seem to me that the floor mat and the accelerator pedal were somehow "jammed" when that happened. Currently, with the news about others having the same experience, with newer models of Camry, I want to alert NHTSA that the problem may exist in model years as far back as 2003. Norman F carnahan, PE, phd

- Houston, TX, USA

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