There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2002 Toyota Camryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING, AFTER THE VEHICLE GETS HOT, NOT OVERHEATED, THE BRAKES GO SOFT AND YOU CANT STOP! IF YOU SLAM THEM THEY WORK, IF YOU PRESS NORMALLY, NOTHING. WE REPLACED, MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER, BRAKE LINES, CALIPERS, AND ALL PADS, HAD A PRESSURE BLEED PERFORMED, NOTHING HELPS! IT'S THE SEAL ON THE FIRE WALL THAT IS DEFECTIVE!
THE BRAKE SYSTEM IN THIS KIND OF VEHICLE ARE DEFECTIVE. I ALMOST CRASHED ANOTHER CARS BY REAR ENDING THEM WHEN THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPONDED AND WENT ALL THE WAY WITHOUT THE CAR STOPPING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND PURGED THE LINES BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS; BY THE WAY THE PADS ARE IN MORE THAN 60% LIFE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. IT HAS BEEN TOO MUCH LENIENCY FOR THIS MANUFACTURER AND LOTS OF ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2002, (75,000 MILES) BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AS NORMAL. IT WAS NECESSARY TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER I NOTICED THE "BRAKE" DISPLAY LIT. I CALLED ARLINGTON TOYOTA WHERE I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR 20 YEARS AND ADVISED OF THEM OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT, BUT DECIDED TO CAUTIOUSLY DRIVE TO THE DEALER AFTER # CALLS. I LEARNED THAT BOTH MY BRAKE LINE AND FUEL LINES HAD RUSTED AND WERE LEAKING FLUID. I COMMENTED THAT I HAD MY CAR IN FOR BRAKE WORK MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR +. I SPOKE TO MY REGULAR ATTENDANT AT LEAST 4 TIMES ABOUT THE BRAKES. I HAD BRAKE WORK DONE, GLAZING AND OTHER TYPES OR BRAKE WORK. LONG STORY, AFTER MUCH SHOPPING AROUND, DECISION MAKING, . THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS ASSIGNED TO DEAL WITH ME. ORIGINALLY $2100, THEN HE TONY NITTY BROUGHT IT TO $1600. FINALLY OFFERED PAYING $1,000 SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT LONG BEFORE MY BRAKES WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AS IT HAD BEEN IN SEVERAL TIME OVER THE PAST 2+ YEARS FOR BRAKES. I REJECTED THE OFFER AS TONY HAD TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO GET TOYOTA TO PICK UP THE ENTIRE $1600. I REJECTED THE OFFER AND HE WAS TO GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT AND TO CHECK BACK ON MON. I ACCEPTED THE OFFER AND IT ENDED UP COSTING ME $455.81 I QUESTIONED MY CAR BEING IN THERE 6 TIMES RE: BRAKE ISSUES) SINCE 10/2013 AND WAS TOLD IT WASN'T A PROBLEM UNTIL THERE IS A "LEAK". HERTZ DESK MANAGER. TOLD ME, IT THIS PBLM WAS KNOWN FOR YEARS. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH FRUSTRATED I BECAME FROM 6/7/2016 UNTIL 6/17/2016. PAPERWORK FOR THIS ISSUE GOES BACK TO 10/2013 AND IT APPEARS THAT THE RUSTING, WHICH DOESN'T JUST OCCUR WAS NEGLECTED.. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD PICK UP THE ENTIRE REPAIR (LABOR AND PARTS) AT THE VERY LEAST. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I BELIEVE THE BALL WAS DROPPED BY ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS. I DEALT WITH TONY NITTY, JEFF LARSEN AND MGR SANDRA PIERCE.
BRAKE FAILED WHILE ON THE ROAD, CAR CRASHED. ABNORMAL LONG DISTANCE BRAKE. COULD'VE DIED
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 2.4L CRACKED. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS. MY CAMRY ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 60,000 MILES WHEN IT HAPPENED. OTHER TOYOTA CARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. BRAKE NEED LONG DISTANCE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO DEPRESS AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000. ...UPDATED 09/14/16 *BF *CN
IN THE 8 YEARS I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 CAMRY I HAVE EXPERIENCED PERIODIC PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. SPECIFICALLY, THEY BECOME SOFT, THEY DO NOT STOP THE CAR IN NORMAL FASHION AND ALSO CAN PULL THE CAR SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SIDE. TODAY, MY 19 YEAR OLD RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SOUGHT A SOLUTION BUT REPAIR SHOPS, INCLUDING TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS, HAVE FOUND NO PROBLEM. AS I SEE OTHER ONLINE COMMENTS RELATED TO THIS CAR I BELIEVE IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN A RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WOULD GO FURTHER INTO THE FLOORBOARD THAN USUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND BOTH FRONT SPEED SENSORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,869.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP FOR COSMETIC DAMAGES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
IN MY 2002 TOYOTA SOLARA THE HYDRAULIC POWER BOOSTER ACTUALLY PUSHES BACK THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE DRIVER ACCELERATES. THE GAS PEDAL OVERRIDES THE BRAKES AND WILL PUSH THE DRIVERS FOOT OFF OF THE PEDAL IF PRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. IN REAL WORLD SCENARIOS, SUCH AS A DRIVER ACCELERATING TO PASS A VEHICLE AND THEN NEEDING TO QUICKLY APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES BECOME DIFFICULT TO PUSH DOWN ON. THE BRAKE WILL NOT PRESS DOWN PAST A CERTAIN POINT AND THE CAR WILL NOT SLOW DOWN, A FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT BECOMES NORMAL, BUT YOU LOSE THE SPACE TO SLOW DOWN DURING THOSE SECONDS. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WHICH HAS FAULTY BRAKES. EARLIER IN THE YEAR I WAS USING THIS CAR FOR LONG DISTANCES DUE TO SCHOOL AND WORK. I THOUGHT THIS CAR WOULD BE SAFER BECAUSE OF ITS LARGER BODY AND SMOOTHER DRIVE. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES HAD A SLOW RESPONSE TIME AND THAT IF I HAD TO STOP HARD, I COULD END UP HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE STOP AND GO OF RUSH HOUR EVERY DAY AND ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING MY FRIEND HOME AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN STOP IN TRAFFIC AND IF I HADN'T STOPPED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE TO STOP, I WOULD HAVE RAN INTO THE CAR IN THE FRONT OF ME. LATER, ON MY GRADUATION DAY FROM COLLEGE, MY FATHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND THERE WAS A CAR TURNING LEFT IN THE ONCOMING LANE AND DUE TO THE BRAKES SLOW RESPONSE TIME WE ENDING UP HITTING THE CAR AT A SPEED THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED IF THE BRAKES HAD WORKED BETTER. BECAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT I HAVE INJURIES THAT BOTHER ME STILL TO THIS DAY. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL TUNE-UPS AND BRAKE CHECKS TO SEE IF THEY ARE WORKING CORRECTLY AND HAVE NEVER HEARD ONCE THAT THE BRAKES HAVE AN ISSUE. I LOOKED ON A BLOG AND REALIZED THAT A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS OF 2002 CAMRY'S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEM TIGHTENED AND CHECKED AND FEAR THAT AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR, WHICH IN MY CASE HAPPENED AND COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE IF WE WERE DRIVING AT AN EVER FASTER SPEED. *TR
2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THERE WAS NO BRAKE RESPONSE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER AND HIS WIFE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. *JB
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. WHENEVER I HIT A POTHOLE OR A BUMP AND I HIT MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE CAR MAKES THIS REALLY LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND THE CAR DOES NOT STOP AT ALL AND KEEPS ACCELERATING. THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGED IS BY TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE COMPLETELY AND STEPPING ON IT AGAIN. *TR
I WAS REAR-ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND MOVE INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I ENDED UP GOING DOWN AN EMBANKMENT HITTING SEVERAL TREES. THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED REAR END INTO A TREE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY PASSENGER AND I EXPERIENCED CONCUSSION SYNDROME ALONG WITH MUSCLE SPASMS IN THE NECK, BACK, AND ANKLE. WE WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE NEW BRITAIN GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE WE WERE TREATED AND RELEASED . WE ARE BOTH RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP MEDICAL CARE. *TR
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY IN AUGUST 2002 AND HAVE SINCE NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SOMEHOW SOFTER THAN OTHER CARS. IT TAKES MORE TIME TO FULLY APPLY THE BRAKES. THIS MIGHT HAVE LED TO A REAR COLLISION IN OCTOBER 2008, AT A TIME FEW WERE AWARE OF TOYOTA BRAKE PROBLEMS. AS TOYOTA RECALLS GOT MORE MEDIA EXPOSURE, I BECAME MORE CONCERNED ABOUT MY 2002 CAMRY AND STARTED DRIVING MORE CAREFULLY AND STOPPING MY CAR EARLY AND STAYING IN MORE DISTANCE FROM OTHER CARS. HOWEVER, MY CAUTION DID NOT OVERCOME THE BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN MY GARAGE ON FEBRUARY 13, 2008. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PRESSED DOWN SLOWLY WHEN THE CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. THE TIME I FELT I PRESSED THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND HIT THE GARAGE WALL. I HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT TRIGGERED. NEITHER MY WIFE NOR I WERE EXPLICITLY INJURED. THE FRONT BUMPER FELL APART. I AM WAITING FOR MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO EXAM THE DAMAGES. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE, MY FRONT BRAKES ENGAGED AND LOCKED UP MY FRONT TIRES COMPLETELY AND SUDDENLY AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. II HAD NOT PUSHED ON MY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THIS HAPPENED. HAD TO HAVE MY VEHCILE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE TIRE WELL DUE TO THE HEAT ON THE BRAKES. THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WELDED TO THE ROTARS FROM THE AMOUNT OF HEAT GENERATED. THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THEY HAD CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE MASTER CYLINDER. AS I DROVE MY VEHICLE HOME, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED AGAIN AND I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY FRONT TIRES ONCE AGAIN SUDDENLY LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN DUE TO THE FRONT BRAKES ENGAGING AND THEN WOULD NOT DISNEGAGE. I WAS NOT PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THIS OCCURED. THE MECHAINC AT THE GARAGE STATED THAT HE WATCHED THE BRAKES ENGAGE THEMSELVES WHEN HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP ONCE AGAIN AND DRIVE 2 BLOCKS AND THE BRAKES BEGAN LOCKING UP ONCE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE REPAIR FACILITY WHO THEN HAD TO TAKE IT TO TOYOTA FOR REPAIRS. *TR
ENTERING A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH LANE, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. INSTEAD OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT. FRONT END DAMAGE TO MY CAR: 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. *TR
I DRIVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE 4 CYLINDER CAR. EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT IT, IT HAD PROBLEMS BRAKING WHEN OVER AN IRREGULAR SURFACE LIKE POTHOLES, MANHOLES ETC. RECENT REPORTS ON TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKING ISSUES SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I EXPERIENCE ON MY CAR. I READ ON BLOGS ONLINE THAT OTHER 2002 CAMRY XLE OWNERS REPORTED THE SAME. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PRETTY NORMAL AT FIRST, BUT NOT ANYMORE. THE CAR JERKS FOR COUPLE OF SECONDS WHEN I TRY TO BRAKE OVER IRREGULAR SURFACES, THE ABS KICKS IN AND YOU LOSE CONTROL FOR COUPLE OF SECONDS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER WITH SERIOUSNESS. I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE WITH A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES HAVE NEVER REALLY ENGAGED PROPERLY WHEN BRAKING EVEN MODERATELY ON ANY UNEVEN SURFACE, SUCH AS RIPPLED PAVEMENT, RAILROAD TRACKS OR SMALLER PAVEMENT IRREGULARITIES. THE PEDAL FEEL IS VERY LIGHT AND YOU NEED TO REALLY BRAKE QUITE HARD TO GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THIS SITUATION CASES A VERY LONG STOPPING DISTANCE AND WITH A VERY WEAK AND DANGEROUS BRAKING EFFECT. IT IS ALMOST AS IF THERE IS VERY LITTLE BRAKING ACTION WHEN TRYING TO STOP ON THE UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. THE BRAKING EFFECT IS BETTER, BUT NOT AS STRONG AS IT SHOULD BE ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED LEVEL AND HAVE ASKED ABOUT THIS BRAKING ISSUE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DEALER HAS SAID THAT THE BRAKES PERFORM PROPERLY. I THINK THIS MAY BE A COMPUTER RELATED SYSTEM ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A SINGLE INSTANCE OCCURRENCE. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 OR 6 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN JUNE 2002. IT IS A VERY DISCONCERTING FEELING WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE AND THE CAR JUST DOESN'T RESPOND AS IT SHOULD. WE HAVE 4 OTHER CARS IN OUR FAMILY, TWO HONDAS (ACCORD AND ODYSSEY), A TOYOTA COROLLA AND A NISSAN ALTIMA. NONE OF THOSE CARS HAVE ANY SUCH BRAKING ISSUES. I CAN GET YOU THE VIN ,BUT DO NOT HAVE IT AS I AM FILLING OUT THIS FORM. *TR
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGES MUCH TOO EASILY. THIS SYSTEM ENGAGES ON SAND, LEAVE OR ANY LOOSE SURFACE. AND WHEN IT ENGAGES MY CAR ESSENTIALLY HAS NO BRAKES. RECENTLY I WAS ON A WET SLUSHY ROAD APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND UPON APPLYING BRAKES THE ABS ENGAGED. THE SYSTEM SHUTTERED AT A VERY HIGH FREQUENCY AND HAD NO BRAKING FUNCTION. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR INTO THE SNOW BANK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE CROSSING THE LINE OF TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION. I DID INFORM THE DEALER OF WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A WEIRD WAY THAT AN ABS SHOULD OPERATE, BUT THEY MEALY INSTRUCTED THAT IT IS WAS OPERATING AS DESIGN. I AM ONLY RECENTLY BECOMING AWARE THAT THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE RECOGNITION THAT PRIUS AND LEXUS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THIS IS THE WAY ABS OPERATES AND WAS MY ARGUMENT WHY I DON'T THINK THE ABS IS A GOOD IDEA. BUT NOW I KNOW IT A POOR DESIGN. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026