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CarComplaints.com Notes: Beware of the NHTSA complaint data for the 2004 Camry. It is almost certainly misleading.

The problem with NHTSA data for the 2004 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 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 2004 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:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
80,002 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.

2004 Toyota Camry body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2004 Toyota Camry Owner Comments

problem #10

Dec 202018

Camry

  • 156,421 miles

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

Gas pedal accelerated without applying pressure.

- Wilmington, NC, USA

problem #9

Jan 012013

Camry

  • 113,000 miles
Bought car with 113,000 miles, immediately noticed it used oil beyond normal but dealer told me that it what normal for that car. Consumption has grown to 1.5 qt per 1400 miles. Also paint from roof, trunk and hood started peeling around 120000 miles. Car has 195,000 miles curently

- Wenatchee, WA, USA

problem #8

Jan 012017

Camry 4-cyl

  • 156,000 miles
Sunroof exploded while driving on the highway.

- Chino Hills, CA, USA

problem #7

Jun 052015

Camry

  • miles

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

There is no horn after the air bag light came on so I called conicelli Toyota in springfield pa, but they said only passenger side airbags were a problem so I would have a $115 dollar charge plus labor & parts so I can not pay that now so he said just call back when you can" & hung up well the airbag didn't just light up for no reason? I am the only driver & the only passengers ever are my grandchildren!! I only get ssdisabilty so I guess I will have to drive it the way it is"

- Drexel Hill, PA, USA

problem #6

Aug 202012

Camry

  • 188,000 miles
I, with my wife and daughter, was in lower manhattan caught in lanes of bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go traffic crawling toward the entrance to the holland tunnel.the car directly in front of me was a yard or less ahead. I don't know if my foot was on the brake or if I was gently feeding a little gas -- there were no other choices -- when suddenly we heard a surging roar and our car slammed forward into the car I was following. It necessitated repairs of over $600 on the rear end of that car. This has been at least the third incidence of unintended acceleration by our 2004 Camry.the last time, on May 13, 2012, while parallel-parking my car, it surged and struck the BMW parked just in front of me with such force that the BMW's bumper and crash absorption system suffered substantial damage. Several years earlier in a home depot parking lot, as I was starting my car, it surged forward uncontrollably between several cars before I could get it to stop. Other than inspecting the car and finding everything ok, Toyota will do nothing. Isn't it time to order a recall?

- Great Neck, NY, USA

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problem #5

Dec 162007

Camry 4-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
In parking garage I wanted to back up from post. I put car in reverse and had foot on brake. When I released brake slightly, the engine roared and the car lunged back and even with my foot mashing on the brake, the car jumped a curb in the garage and did not stop until it hit an SUV and knocked it into a brick wall. My passenger suffered a subdural hematoma and was hospitalized in portland, or during christmas vacation. She had to remain in portand 30 days until she had a clear ctscan. January 21, 2013 I was stopped for stop sign with foot on the brake, when same vehicle lunged forward at about 30 mph. I had a repeat when I was braking to slow down for a turn, and vehicle just lunged forward and it took me half a block to get the car to stop. On January 26, 2013 I had a repeat of the stop sign incident. I had foot on brake and was at a complete stop, when car lunged forward. Fortunately there were no cars coming and I safely made a left turn as it was a dead end street. Again it took me about half a block to get the car to come to a stop again. I do not feel safe to drive this car and have left it with a local Toyota dealer and had brakes repaired. I have spoken to service manager, rick, and at hq, [xxx], about my issues. Toyota has politely brushed me off like a piece of lint both for the accident in 2007 and my current issues. I have joined the class action suit against Toyota and am requesting the brake override as a stop-gas measure. I currently have 82,700 miles on vehicle and had planned to drive it for several more years. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #4

Dec 252012

Camry 4-cyl

  • 107,400 miles

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

I was approaching a freeway in atlanta, ga. As the connector curved, I was driving about 35 mph and gently brake about 200 feet from the freeway. The car immediately and violently accelerated, throwing my head back against the headrest; I brake harder but there was no response from the car; the car seemed to pivot on the right front tire and the rear end flew to my left about 240 degrees or so and struck the guard rail with the left rear quarter panel and bumper. The car then, continuing at high speed, ricocheted off the guard rail and the rear end pivoted toward the road, making the front bumper strike the same guard rail. The second collision scraped the paint off the center of the bumper but the impact seemed stronger than the damage would indicate. The second impact did stop the car. I make this report because my car was not one of those recalled by Toyota for this problem; but, believe me, it happened.

- Talking Rock, GA, USA

problem #3

Sep 262005

Camry

  • 20,000 miles
Toyota Camry SE three times the front under bumper ground effects have broken. The plastic is irregular and weak. Also they want 500 $ to replace two pieces of plastic.

- Lansing, MI, USA

problem #2

Apr 012005

Camry 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,000 miles
Car was parked in driveway for 2 days on March 31 and April 1 during a driving rain storm car was not driven for 2 days. On Friday afternoon April 1 at 3:3 pm opened car door and driver's side floor and carpeting was wet from gas pedal under seat to back seat. Toyota said nothing was wrong and I must have driven in high water or parked where my car could flood. First of all car wasn't under water in my driveway, if that was the case, my entire car would be flooded, not just drivers side floorboard, and my house would be under water. Second of all, if I had driven in high water both sides of floor board would be wet. Not just drivers side. On March 30th day before the storm my car came from Toyota shop from getting a steering shaft put in the car. Makes me wonder if they didn't seal something up around the firewall, anyway they are refusing to take responsibility. Something is wrong with this car, is leaking on just the drivers side floorboard. Also bad rattles in B pillars.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #1

Oct 092003

Camry

  • Automatic transmission
  • 200 miles
Consumer stated while traveling 53 mph front end started shaking hard. Consumer pulled vehicle over, and noticed passenger's side wheel well was on fire.

- Grants Pass, OR, USA

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