There are 6 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2003 Toyota Camryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I BOUGHT THIS 2003 CAMRY FROM TOYOTA SUNNYALE (898 W EL CAMINO REAL, SUNNYVALE, CA 94087) ON 3/18. I NEGOTIATED THE PRICE BASED ON THEIR DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE ON WEBSITE BEFORE I WENT IN. HOWEVER, WHEN I WENT IN, I FOUND OUT THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKE LAMP CASE WAS BROKEN. I INDICATED THAT WATER LEAK WILL CAUSE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT AND TOLD ME THERE WON'T BE SUCH ISSUE. I TOOK MY KID TO DRIVING TEST TODAY (4/16) WITH THIS VEHICLE. ONLY THEN THAT I FOUND OUT FROM THE DRIVING EXAMINER THAT BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT WORKING AND HE REFUSED TO LET MY KID PROCEED WITH HER DRIVING TEST CITING SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS DEFINITELY VERY FRUSTRATING NOT TO MENTION THE FEW HOURS WASTED IN DMV. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN HEAVY RAIN ON AND OFF OVER THE 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THAT CAR. THE WATER DID INDEED GO INTO THE LAMP CASE AND CAUSE THE HOT LIGHT BULB TO BURST. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO WHEEL WORKS TO FIX THIS ISSUE TODAY AND THE MECHANICS CONFIRMED THE ABOVE EXPLANATION. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR ON FREEWAY TO WORK EVERYDAY WITH A BROKEN BRAKE LIGHT AND WITHOUT KNOWING THAT. I COULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED A TICKET, OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE RUN INTO ME ON FREEWAY BECAUSE OF THE FAILED BRAKE LIGHT. AFTER DRIVING 20 YEARS OF TOYOTA VEHICLE, I AM COMPLETELY SHOCKED THAT TOYOTA DEALER CHEATED ME ON SAFETY ISSUE. SIMPLY SPEAKING, TOYOTA TRADED HIS BEST CUSTOMERS' LIFE FOR FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE DEALER THOUGH WILLING TO PAY FOR THE BULB (WHICH IS A CHEAP $5) AND WAIVE THE LABOR COST, SIMPLY REFUSE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEARING THE COST OF THE LAMP CASE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAD THIS ISSUE FIXED TO BEGIN WITH BEFORE DELIVERING THE CAR TO CUSTOMER. I DO ASK THAT TOYOTA REIMBURSE ME THE SAME FULL PART AND LABOR COST THAT THEY WERE TO CHARGE THIS REPAIR TO CUSTOMERS. *JS
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS OF 2003 -2006 CAMRY'S ARE INOPERABLE ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS THAN STATISTICS WOULD INDICATE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL DRIVING PUBLIC. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS LOOKED EXTREMELY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY FOG UP MAKING THE HEADLIGHTS SEEM DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
THE NEW MODEL YEAR 03 AND 04 TOYOTA CAMRY SEDANS, SIENNA MINI VANS HAVE POORLY DESIGNED AND OR MIS ADJUSTED HEADLIGHTS CAUSING BLINDING GLARE TO ON COMING DRIVERS OR DRIVERS IN FRONT OF THESE VEHICLES. THE EXCESSIVELY GLARING LIGHT CAUSED EYE PAIN TO OTHER DRIVERS AND TEMPORARY BLINDNESS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
I OWN A NEW, 2003, TOYOTA CAMRY THAT HAS A VERY LOW VOLUME CLICKING SOUND WHEN THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS ARE ON. BECAUSE I CAN NOT HEAR THE CLICKING SOUND WITH THE NORMAL BACKGROUND ROAD NOISES, THE TURN SIGNALS STAY ON EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT GOING TO TURN. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY AND TRAFFIC VIOLATION ISSUE AND HAVE COMPLAINED TO BOTH MY TOYOTA DEALER AND TO THE CAR MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY, BUT THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION FOR MY COMPLAINT. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO HOW TO GET SATISFACTION AND RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *NLM
I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY AND DISCOVERED WHAT I THINK IS A SAFETY CONCERN.THE TURN SIGNAL LEFT OR RIGHT DOES NOT SHUT OFF AUTOMATICLY WHEN EXITING OR ENTERING A RAMP OR WHEN TAKING A TURN THAT DOES NOT REQUIER A FULL TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL.MY WIFE BEEN IN TWO ALTERCATIONS ,ONE OF ROAD RAGE FROM ANOTHER DRIVER AND THE OTHER WAS A NEAR ACCIDENT ALL DUE TO SIGNAL NOT SHUTING OFF AUTOMATICLY WHEN RETURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK FROM MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN .NEVER IN THE 26 YEARS OF MY DRIVING CARS AND TRUCKS HAVE I HAD VEHICLE THAT HAS DONE THIS AND I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID FLAT OUT THAT THEY DO NOT OWE ME AN EXPLINATION .ITS TO BAD I EXPECTED A MORE RESPONSIBLE REPLY FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST CAR MANUFACTURERS
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 26, 2026