Toyota Camry 1997 - Structure - car safety information, failing parts, recalls, bulletins, complaints

Toyota Camry 1997

Technical Service Bulletins
Consumer Complaints

Bulletins

Bulletin	Bulletin date	Item no.	Summary	Added
STRUCTURE
COM040140197	04/01/1997	52127	Front and rear mudguard are now available for installation. *jd	07/17/1997
STRUCTURE - BODY
BO02800	11/03/2000	616095	Technical service bulletin introducing a field fix for incidents of moisture and odors permeating into the vehicle. the quarter panel air duct flaps may have become loose or missing. replacing the quarter panel air duct will remedy	02/09/2001
032999	03/29/1999	605165	Subject on center console latch improvements. *tt	06/02/1999
BO00599	03/26/1999	604653	Improvements on center console compartment door latch on vehicles built within certain vin ranges. *tt	05/07/1999
BO03098	12/04/1998	603187	Information on rear console box improvements. *yc	02/08/1999
970815BO0024	08/15/1997	54415	Condition with rear seat back lock release operation. *yc	04/07/1998
97050201697	05/02/1997	53035	A rattling noise from the moon roof sliding rail assembly. *yc	11/06/1997
BO01397A	04/29/1997	52145	Roof headliner rattling noise. *jd	07/17/1997
BO01397	04/18/1997	52115	Roof headliner rattling noise. *jd	07/17/1997
AX00597A	04/25/1997	52139	Rear spoiler installation. *jd	07/17/1997
AX00597	04/25/1997	52103	Rear spoiler installation. *jd	07/17/1997
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
97060601797	06/06/1997	53043	Vehicles exhibiting conditions with front door belt molding. *yc	11/06/1997
STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD
BO03198	12/11/1998	603191	Information on hood prop rod support clamp improvement. *yc	02/08/1999
STRUCTURE - BODY - TAILGATE
970520	05/20/1997	53028	Preventing contact between the tailgate pipe and heat shield. *yc	11/06/1997
STRUCTURE - BODY - TRUNK LID
AX00101	03/09/2001	619097	Technical service bulletin regarding retro-fit internal trunk release kits. *tt	05/14/2001
351	11/07/2000	616054	Subject regarding leaks into trunk. *tt	02/08/2001
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS
97051600497	05/16/1997	53037	Preventing contact between the tail pipe and heat shield. *yc	11/06/1997

Consumer Complaints

Fail date	miles	occurences	Purchase date
STRUCTURE
02/15/2003	72000	1	08/01/2001
	During cold weather the piston that releases the gas hatch door froze to the housing. when the driver attempted to release the gas door from inside the vehicle, the piston broke in half. since the piston was frozen in place, the gas door would not open. owners manual did not reference how to defeat the mechanism and driver could not fill with gas. *nlm
		1	01/30/1997
	Front air dam scrapes when vehicle travels over dips and in to driveways. *slc
02/10/2000		1	04/01/1997
	Company agrees that headliner is loose will not repair or give estimate becase not covered by current tsb and not covered by warranty. tsb is out currently for some camry's with this problem. service manager states this is a service adjustment and not a defect. i feel that this is a design defect in the vehicle and causes a loss in value. *ak
STRUCTURE - BODY
07/01/2012	150000
	Tl* the contact owns a 1997 toyota camry. the contact stated that the hood detached and flew off the vehicle while driving 45 mph. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact stated that the failure was caused by the hinges failing. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000. the vin was not available.
07/01/2012	150000
	Tl - the contact owns a 1997 toyota camry. the contact stated that the hood detached and flew off the vehicle while driving 45 mph. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact stated that the failure was caused by the hinges failing. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000. the vin was not available. kmj
07/01/2012	150000
	Tl - the contact owns a 1997 toyota camry. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph the hinges on the hood fractured as result the hood flew off. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who advised her to contact nhtsa. the vin was not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000. pm
		1	01/30/1997
	Driver's sun visor snapped off the retaining clip, hitting driver on the forehead. *slc
			06/01/1997
	With more then two passengers bottom of auto scrapes the surface of road. *ak
		1	11/01/1996
	Design of the vehicle is too low to the ground cousing damage on the car. yh
03/01/1997
	There is shaking in the tire, and the tirers are out of balance. also, there is a loud sound coming from the structure. *ak
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR
11/20/2006			05/10/1997
	The driver side door will be unlocked itself when there is a small exptern force act to door from inside the car. in addition, the dash board also indicate the door is unlock and the dome light is onl. further more, it happends sometimes when i was driving on the freeway whcih is not complanate.
01/31/2003	50000
	In 2001, when opening driver's door from outside with the door unlocked the flat part of the handle that is flush with the outer body of the door broke off from the remainder of the handle fixed into the door leaving a sharp piece of plastic on either side of the handle area that must be pried up to open the door. in the same week, the rear driver's side door did the same thing. i was told by the dealer/service department that these plastics just don't hold up well in this sun. i was also told it would cost $150 to repair them [as of january 2003 it would now cost $200 to repair them] and that since the car was in its fourth year, the warranty was no longer in effect. i and my wife have both been cut several times trying to get into the vehicle. toyota's response is still the warranty was only for 36 months.
08/23/2001
	After parking vehicle, driver's right leg hit bottom corner of door, and driver sustained injury half way between ankle and knee. dealer / manufacturer were notified. feel free to provide any further information. *ak
08/13/2000		1	08/01/2000
	Driver's outside door handle failed - plastic handle broke - door would not open from outside. *ak
10/01/2000		1	08/01/1997
	Plastic left front drivers side door handle broke & could not get out of car through door. *ak
04/01/2000			05/01/1999
	My tail lights went out and i had them replaced. less than six moths later they went out again. one of my electric locks no longer works. the door didn't work at all. the dealer fixed it, and then the lock assembly went bad a month later. my license plate light no longer works, it s not the bulb. the shifter light went out at the same time the license plate light went out. my alarm system will not beep to confirm its operating. i was charged to have it reset and it went bad less than six months later. numerous electrical problems.
10/25/1999		1	02/01/1997
	Drivers outside plastic door handle broke, resulting in not being able to open door from outside of car
		2
	Door panels inside upholstry failed. yh
04/01/1998		1	04/01/1997
	Inside door release failed. *yc

	Safety hazard question: due to car aerodynamics, doors, especailly front driver/passenger doors curve inward to a sharp point at top edge. poses hazard to passengers shutting the doors, especially those of shorter stature because it is at face/head level. have had passengers closing door catch that point-edge, one required several stitches to temple after catching the edge. have there been any other complaints of this kind? thank you for your assistance. mary taylor
		1
	Power door relay failed.
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
09/11/2004	136000	2	01/14/2003
	Within 1 month, both the drivers side and passenger side door handles broke.*ak
01/31/2003	50000
	In 2001, when opening driver's door from outside with the door unlocked the flat part of the handle that is flush with the outer body of the door broke off from the remainder of the handle fixed into the door leaving a sharp piece of plastic on either side of the handle area that must be pried up to open the door. in the same week, the rear driver's side door did the same thing. i was told by the dealer/service department that these plastics just don't hold up well in this sun. i was also told it would cost $150 to repair them [as of january 2003 it would now cost $200 to repair them] and that since the car was in its fourth year, the warranty was no longer in effect. i and my wife have both been cut several times trying to get into the vehicle. toyota's response is still the warranty was only for 36 months.
07/05/1998		1	02/14/1996
	Hinge loose on drivers side door.
STRUCTURE - BODY - TRUNK LID
06/15/2004	160000	1	04/01/2000
	Trunk lid was cutting the wiring harness for the tail lights and the back up lights when opening and closing the trunk. dealer and the manufacturer were not notified at this time. *ak
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
10/08/1998		1	12/01/1996
	Vehicle hydroplaned @ apporx. 65-70 mph hitting a concrete bridge which turned the vehicle 180 degrees and the front hit the other side of the bridge and the vehicle continued spinning. niether airbag deployed.