Problems · by component

1997 Toyota Camry steering problems

29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Camry cite steering, 5% of all 558 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
29
5% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The steering wheel is set off center to the right of the driver. Yes it is available upon request. Causes extreme back pains. Has not been inspected by police or insurance reps. Has not been inspected yet. No warning lights or messages in car dash for this. Since I had the car noticed this.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2023SteeringODI 11535633
“KEY WILL NOT TURN TO START CAR. STEERING WHEEL LOCK GOES IN AND OUT. EVENTUALLY (5-20 MINUTES) DO SOMETHING THAT WORKS (DON'T KNOW WHAT) AND CAR WILL START. WHEN IT HAPPENED ONCE, I FIGURED IT WAS AN ANOMALY. BUT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED FIVE TIMES AND I AM NOW IN CONSTANT WORRY ABOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN. UPDATED 9/21/15 *LN ...UPDATED 10/01/15*BF THE CONSUMER STATED USING A DIFFERENT IGNITION KEY SEEMED TO HAVE ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 10/13/15*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2015Steering, Electrical systemODI 10744395
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A DITCH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2014Steering, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10599141
“I HAD NOT USED MY VEHICLE FOR A FEW DAYS AND WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT EARLY IN THE MORNING, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF AND WAS NOT SPINNING BACK INTO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER MAKING A TURN. THE STIFFNESS WAS LESS PRONOUNCED AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A BIT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2010SteeringODI 10367964
“I WAS DRIVING ON AN OFF RAMP OF INTERSTATE I 94 AND COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR SPUN TO THE LEFT HIT THE BARRIER CONTINUED SPINNING AND HIT THE BARRIER ON THE RIGHT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST. THERE HAD BEEN RAIN. THE ROAD WAS NOT SLICK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2010SteeringCrash reportedODI 10312512
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 1997. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 30 MPH IN WET AND ICY CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY CAME OFF OF THE STEERING COLUMN INTO HER HANDS. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ALL OVER THE ROAD AND BARELY MISSED CRASHING INTO A RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO A SNOW BANK. SHE WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL HOME SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL LOOSELY BACK ONTO THE COLUMN. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V307000, STEERING WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER LIABILITY FOR THE FAILURE. SHE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRIOR RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHICH STATED THAT THEY HAD NO RECORDS OF THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE BY TIGHTENING THE STEERING WHEEL BOLTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 20, 2010SteeringCrash reportedODI 10300414

Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Steering: steering wheel

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.

SteeringReported Nov 1, 1999NHTSA 99V307000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.