Problems · by component
2003 Toyota Camry steering problems
53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Camry cite steering, 6% of all 818 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
53
6% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the steering
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“ON DECEMBER 7,2017, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT IN FLORIDA. AS I STARTED GOING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE CAR BEGAN TO SURGE. I HAD A LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING.I ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME. LUCKILY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. I KEPT PRESSING DOWN ON THE BRAKE, BUT IT TOOK TIME FOR THE STEEERING WHEEL TO RESPOND TO ME. I SHUT OFF THE CAR BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. I HAD 2 WITNESSES IN THE CAR.WHO SAW THAT MY CAR WAS IN DRIVE, AND THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PASSENGER CHECKED THE FLOOR MAT, AND IT WAS LYING COMPLETELY FLAT. I DO NOT KNOW WHY I HAD THIS LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME IN 2010, WHEN I HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION,AND MY CAR HIT A TREE. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR, AND WILLL NOT DO SO BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE.”
“TAKATA INFLATORS: EVERY TIME I FIX MY VEHICLE INDIVIDUALS CAUSE HATE CRIMES DAMAGING MY VEHICLE AS I GO TO SLEEP OR WHEN I AM NOT VIEWING MY VEHICLE THEY MUST KNOW EXACTLY WHEN I GO TO SLEEP BECAUSE I CANT CATCH THEM EVEN THOUGH I THINK I KNOW WHO IT IS I CAN NOT PROVE IT SO THIS IS WHY I AM COMPLAINING I REMEMBER CHECKING MY TIRES IN THE NIGHT NOTICING NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM THEN CHECKED IN THE MOURNING AND NOTICED NAILS NAILED IN THE TIRES THEN I NOTICED DRIED TURTLE WAX ALL OVER THE BODY OF THE CAR MESSING UP THE PAINT WHEEL ALIGNMENT OUT OF LINE RIGHT DOOR POWER WINDOW MALFUNCTION TRUNK OPEN POWER SWITCH BROKEN POWER SUN ROOF SLIDING WINDOW BROKEN VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THIS HAPPENED ON DIFFERENT DATE IN COMBINATION TO THE DAMAGE BETWEEN 06/16/06 TO 04/21/17.”
“THE STEERING ON MY 2003 CAMRY SHAKES DURING HIGH SPEED. AT TIMES, THERE IS A WHISTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER FRONT SIDE. I THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO LOW AIR PRESSURE OR UNBALANCED TIRES, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUES. SECONDLY, THE PAINT ON MY CAR IS PEELING OFF, MOSTLY THE CLEAR COATING LAYER. I CAN NOT VERIFY IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE OR NOT. SOMEONE HAD INFORMED ME THERE WAS A RECALL. I AM UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY DOCUMENTED INFORMATION.”
“"TAKATA RECALL" - I AM EXPERIENCING A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT & RIGHT, THE WHOLE DASH BOARD SHAKES WHEN THE AC OR HEAT IS ON, BRAKES PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR & MAKING SOUNDS, AND WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT WILL MOVE FORWARD.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT AFTER SWITCHING INTO THE PARK POSITION, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SWITCHED IN THE REVERSE POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,705.”
“THE 2003 CAMRAY TOYOTA HAS A DEFECTIVE PART AT 51,000 HAVE HAD TO PROBLEMS WITH STEERING BUT THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS DEFECTIVE HAS THIS BEEN A COMPLAINT BY OTHER OWNERS AT THIS MILLAGE? I IS BEEN REPLACED AT MY COST TODAY 14 MAY 2015 BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED OTHER CARS AND AT THAT MILEAGE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IS THIS A DEFECT. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW.”
Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.