2003 Toyota Camry Steering Problems

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

PLEASE ADD ME TO OTHER CAMRY OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT STEERING NOISE, EITHER AT REST OR DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, STEERING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT: CLICKING SOUND HAPPENS AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. THE NOISE IS GETTING LOUDER. NOW I HAVE LOST THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. SO, IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS AFFECTING SOME KIND OF SWITCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING COLUMN! I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES WHICH ARE ALL FINE! READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND REALIZING THAT TOYOTA IS NOT OWNING TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE OWNERS HAVING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, I AM TRULY DISAPPOINTED. IT DEFINITELY IS A DESIGN PROBLEM! *TR

WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT, THE WHEEL TURNED SHARPLY RIGHT INSTEAD AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE WHEEL. I COULD NOT TURN IT BACK. THE CAR CROSSED FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO PAST THE RIGHT SIDE (ABOUT 4 LANES), HIT A RAILING, AND FLIPPED OVER. *TR

HAD A PROBLEM WITH WHEEL BEARING FRONT PASSENGER. IN FEBRUARY 2013 HAD A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND 4 NEW TIRES. STARTING HEARING A BANGING NOISE IN REAREND OF CAR IN NOVEMBER 2013. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A BUSHING. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT IN JANUARY2014 TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. ON MONDAY DECEMBER 16, 2013 I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE INTERSTATE AND HAD NO CONTROL OF MY CAR. I ALMOST WENT INTO A POLE AND TRIED TO SWERVE TO AVOID A PASSING PICKUP TRUCK ON MY LEFT. I FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING ON ICE. THE CAR WOULD GO OVER A BUMP OR TRY TO MAKE A CORNER AND IT WOULD SWAY TO THE LEFT. DROVE 15 MPH HOME AND DROVE TO MY MECHANIC . HE SAID THE STEERING RODS IN THE REAR ARE JUST LOOSE AND FELL OUT. MY CAR IS TEMPORARY WELDED TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I STILL HAVE A NOTE. I PURCHASED THE CAR MARCH 31ST 2011. *TR

DRIVING ON RURAL HIGHWAY THE CAR HEATS UP THE COOLANT FROM THE RESERVOIR OVERFLOWS. IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFFECTING STEERING AND YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE VAPOR FRON THE BURNING COOLANT. REPAIR MAN SAYS HEAD GASKET IS GONE....THIS IS THE THIRD TIME NOW TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET .BECAUSE THE HEAD BOLTS AND THREADS ALL STRIPPED DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING OR IMPROPER TORQUE BY TOYOTAS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ....I BEEN RWADING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBKEM WITH THESE CARS FROM 2003-2006 ... I FEEL THAT IF IT WAS SOMETHING SIMPLE TO FIX THEN TOYOTA WOULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BUT SINCE ITS SEENS LIKE A NEW ENGINE IS THE ONLY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM SO THEY ARE HUSH HUSH ...BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A COSTLY RECALL FOR TOYOTA . *TR

SQUEAKING STEERING COLUMN. ABNORMAL SOUNDS (SQUEAKING, CRACKING) CAN BE HEARD WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. TOYOTA SAYS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE WERE NO RECALL FOR 2003 MODEL, ONLY TSB--0296-08 WAS ISSUED. HAS TO PAY TO REPAIR THE DEFECT YOURSELF BECAUSE CAR IS BEYOND THE WARRANTY. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 CAMRY AND WHEN I STEER THERE'S A NOISE AS IF PLASTIC IS RUBBING WHEN I STEER RIGHT OR LEFT. *TR

MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE WITH 37,451 MILES IS EXPERIENCING A LOUD POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING MECHANISM AND GETTING WORSE. DEALERSHIP ADVISED NEEDS INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. COST OF REPAIR $447.89. DEALERSHIP STATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT. WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY SATISFACTION THROUGH THE DISTRICT OR NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES. *LN

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE THAT I BOUGHT USED IN MAY 2007. I CAN NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE STEERING WOULD MAKE SOME KIND OF NOISE WHENEVER I TURNED RIGHT OR LEFT. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE'S A PLASTIC PART IN THE STEERING THAT GETS DRY AND IT HAS TO BE LUBRICATED EVERY NOW AND THEN. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, APRIL 2011 I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT MY RACK AND PINION IS SOOO BAD AND HE'S ONLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM ONE OTHER TIME. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR ISN'T OLD ENOUGH FOR THIS PROBLEM TO AFFECT THE STEERING THIS BADLY. IT COST ME $553! I DO HAVE THE STEERING PART IN MY TRUNK IN CASE THERE IS A RECALL. *TR

CONSUMERS 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS BRAKE PROBLEMS, WATER LEAKS IN THE TRUNK AND GAS RESERVOIR, DOORS DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY RELEASING AIR INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. *TS SMOKE WOULD EMIT FROM THE EXHAUST ON COLD STARTS. THE ENGINE VALVE STEM SEALS WERE REPLACED DUE TO LOSS OF TENSION AND OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THE STRUT SUPPORTS WERE REPLACED DUE THEM BEING WORN. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING, THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS CRACKED AND THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING.*JB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE DASHBOARD. UPDATED 04/223/10.*JB

SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW IT HAS HAD STRANGE SOUNDS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER DISMISSED IT AS NORMAL SOUNDS RELATED TO THE WEATHER [IT IS COLD OUT OR IT IS HOT OUTSIDE]. THE SOUND PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE. I HAD THE POWER STEERING FLUID CHANGED AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT IT HAD THE WRONG FLUID. THE FLUID WAS THE PRODUCT THE CAR WAS DELIVERED WITH. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER CHANGING THE FLUID AND HAVING A WHEEL ALIGNMENT DONE- THE SOUNDS (LOUD SQUEAKING) PERSISTED. I TOOK THE CAR RECENTLY TO A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY "GREASED" THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH ELIMINATED THE SQUEAKING, BUT NOW CLUNKING CAN BE HEARD FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE MECHANIC AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP CAUTIONED ME TO "KEEP MY EYE ON THIS" BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE STEERING COLUMN IS BAD. THIS TOYOTA ONLY HAS 28,000 MILES ON IT, HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED. I FIND IT SUSPICIOUS THAT NO MENTION OF A BAD STEERING COLUMN WAS MADE WHILE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I DRIVE THE CAR AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I AM FRIGHTENED TO USE IT. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES ON THIS CAR. THE BRAKE PROBLEMS DATE BACK TO THE DAY I DROVE THE CAR HOME (NEW) FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE STEERING PROBLEMS STARTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENSE FOR THE STEERING PROBLEMS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING COLUMN SHE HEARD A VERY PECULIAR NOISE. SHE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE UNLESS SHE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. SHE HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 76,000.

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY V6 XLE - SKIDS OR SPINS OCCASIONALLY AND ESPECIALLY IN WET WEATHER (NOT JUST ICY OR SNOW CONDITIONS). MAY 2009 MY CURRENT 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY TOOK A 360 DEGREE TURN (I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE) IN A 60 TO 70 DEGREE TURN AT 40 MILES PER HOUR. IT WAS RAINING ALL DAY ON THAT DAY. ON THAT DAY THE CARE HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND CAUSED FRONT AND REAR BUMPER AND SIDE DAMAGES. ALSO IN OTHER SITUATIONS THE CAR SKIDDED IN WET CONDITION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A HARD STOP OR TAKING A TURN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH MOST OF THE TOYOTA MODELS. I HAD A 1994 TOYOTA COROLLA AND A 1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. ALL THE 3 VEHICLES HAD SAME SPINNING OR SKIDDING ISSUE IN WET CONDITION ON RAIN. ALSO, I LEARNT THAT ONE OF OUR FRIENDS TOYOTA AVALON SPUN RECENTLY IN WET CONDITION AS WELL. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY IN AUGUST, 2003. TWO YEARS LATER, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO MAKE NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. AFTER 3 AND HALF YEARS, THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AGAIN. I CAN NOT BELIEVE TOYOTA BUILT THIS KIND OF QUALITY VEHICLE. IT TOTALLY RUINED THEIR REPUTATION. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE TOYOTA'S VEHICLE ANY MORE. *TR

THEY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND CHARGED ME OVER $700 TO DO THIS AND I FOUND TECHNICAL BULLETINS STATING THIS WAS A DEFECT WITH THE CAMRY AND I WROTE TO TOYOTA AND NOTHING HAPPENED. *TR

MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY'S STEERING COLUMN WAS MAKING CLUNKING NOISES AS I TURNED CORNERS SO I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. IT REQUIRED A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. I'VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STEERING ASSEMBLY ON ANY OF MY OTHER CARS EVER....SO WHY WOULD THIS 89,000 MILES, 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY NEED THIS PART COMPLETELY REPLACED? AND BECAUSE IT WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW UPDATED GENUINE TOYOTA PART......DOESN'T THAT INDICATE THAT TOYOTA KNEW THIS PART WAS BAD AND CHOOSE NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL BUT PASS ON THE REPAIR ISSUES TO THE CONSUMER? AND WHAT IF I HADN'T GOTTEN IT REPAIRED WHEN I DID....I COULD I HAVE LOST STEERING ALL TOGETHER. *TR