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.
While driving, the vehicle accelerated. The consumer could not stop the vehicle even though her feet was on the brake. The vehicle surged. The consumer stated it seemed like a computer problem. An accident did occur, however there were no injuries. The consumer had to make the vehicle spin before she could stop it.
When disengaging the vehicle from park the vehicle accelerates without warning. No impact reported. The cause has yet to be determined. Please provide additional information.
While pulling into a parking space the consumer heard a loud noise coming from her vehicle. The vehicle accelerated and the consumer crashed into a brick wall. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the problem could not be determined. Jb updated 03/04/10 updated 04/12/10. Updated 08/26/10.
Unexplainable sudden surge caused $5,389.95 in damages to my Toyota Camry. No answer required - see response to congressional correspondence (ccmmercury ref. No. ES04-009988, ODI ref. No. 10101790) the surging was an intermittent problem. The vehicle surged forward and hit a concrete wall. The consumer requested reimbursement.
The vehicle surged backwards with inappropriate speed, shot through a parking space behind me, into next row of parked cars, and hit a parked vehicle, totaling it.
- Cranston, RI, USA
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Owner of 2003 Toyota Camry experienced sudden acceleration suggest NHTSA initiate investigation. While the consumer was parking the vehicle it sudden surged forward hitting a concrete wall. As a result the consumer sustained some bruises. The accident caused $5000 worth of damage to the vehicle. This incident was followed by two more similar occurrences. No answer required - duplicate of ODI ref. No. 10101616. See also 10063095 (sipek).
Ower of 2003 Toyota Camry experienced sudden acceleration suggest NHTSA initiate investigation. The vehicle suddenly surged forward and had run into a concrete wall and occurred on two more occasions. See ODI 10063095 (sipek). Duplicate of 10101790.
While backing out of a driveway and shifting from reverse into drive vehicle suddenly accelerated out-of-control into adjacent neighbor's yard. Immediate and continual application of brakes did nothing -- engine continued to rev and I narrowly avoided striking a house. Instead, I was forced to strike a row of trees to stop run-away vehicle. Frontal air bags failed to deploy on either sides. Had it not been for the trees, I would've struck a 500 gallon propane tank, 2 parked pickup trucks, and the original house from which I was departing from. My lone passenger and I will be emotionally scarred forever by this incident. Please force Toyota to issue a recall here! please don't wait for a death... please!!!
While backing out of driveway, with foot on brake pedal, I shifted the 2003 Camry from park into reverse. The car immediately accelerated backward at high speed out of driveway, crossed the road, and crashed into a tree. 3 people in car, no injuries. So far, estimated body damage is about $8000, but undercarriage has yet to be inspected. Reason for sudden acceleration is unknown.ak
While in a parking lot and backing out of a parking space vehicle accelerated suddenly hitting a pedestrian. One person was injured and one person was killed in this accident. The consumer refused to drive the vehicle after this incident and returned the vehicle to the dealer. Updated 03/05/10 updated 09/23/10 updated 9/21/2011
Was parking the car when the motor suddenly sped up causing the car to go over the curb and run at high speed into traffic. The car was finally stopped by repeatedly applying the brakes.
When the gear was placed in reverse, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and hit a concrete wall. Gas peddle stuck and brakes would not hold the car from moving. Consumer was injured as a result of accident. The consumer sprained her leg as a result of putting so much force on the brake trying to stop the vehicle.
When the consumer attempted to park, the vehicle surged forward. This caused the consumer to lose control of the vehicle and hit a tree head on. Upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was almost at a complete stop, in which the consumer had her foot lightly resting on the brake, when the sudden acceleration occurred.
Within 3 weeks from purchase date the car accelerated when I attempted to brake. This happened twice. I took the car to the dealer who was unable to find anything wrong. They had the car for a month in that time corporation reps also tried to find the fault. They were unable to. I was told car was fine. I was terrified to drive it and would not take it. The dealer would asume no responsibility and said if I wanted a new car I would have to trade this model in towards the purchase of a new car. Because I was so afraid to drive it and would not take the car anyplace else to sell because I knew how dangerous it was (and so did the dealer and if they sold that dangerous car to another it was on their responsibility not mine) I accepted the conditions put forth by my dealer and traded my 3 week old Toyota in for a new toyotaand had to pay an additional $4000 because the 3 week old car with less than 1200 miles on it was now a used car.
The consumer stated the vehicle surged forward even when the her foot was on the break. The break pedal went all the way to the floor, when applied. Provide further details.
Ltr fwd fm eugene J. karol, jr. (md) re sudden acceleration defect for his 2003 Toyota Camry, requests the status of any NHTSA investigation into sudden acceleration and Toyota vehicles, reply in duplicate attn. Denise nooe @annapolis, md ofc. See voqs 10067327, 10073396 and 10073435.
I slowly pulled into a parking space, stepped on the brake, and the car failed to stop and surged forward. The car hit the store wall, five feet from the parking stall. I reported this to my insurance company. The brakes were checked and I was told they were okay. When I took my car for it's first maintance at the Toyota dealer, I told the service person to check the brakes and why. The service technician informed me that the 2003 Camry's rpms go up if you have the air conditioner on and you simultaneously step on the brakes lightly. They did not replace any brake parts, instead they suggested that I press hard on the brakes if the air conditioner is on to avoid an other surging incident.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Richmond Hill, GA, USA