2003 Toyota Camry Electrical Problems

Your rear-view mirror suddenly started smoking and filling your car with smoke while you were backing up. When you pulled the wires out of the mirror, you saw them arcing (sparking). The smoke stopped after you disconnected the mirror. This indicates an electrical short circuit or failure in the mirror assembly that created a fire hazard.

You purchased a used 2003 Toyota Camry, and the odometer showed 127,888 miles when you bought it. However, when you tried to register the vehicle, you discovered the actual mileage was 165,064 miles — a difference of over 37,000 miles. This suggests the odometer may have been tampered with or rolled back before the sale. You may need to have the odometer inspected and potentially report odometer fraud to your local authorities or the seller.

THE CAR HAS LOST POWER. DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY!

TODAY I PULLED OVER TO DROP OFF CHILD AT SCHOOL, WAS ALREADY TO PARK AND CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY FOOT WAS CLEARLY ON BRAKE AS I WAS ALREADY GOING NO MORE THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR TO PARK. IT WAS NOT DRIVER ERROR. THAT FEELING OF THE CAR THRUSTING FORWARD WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON BRAKE WAS SOMETHING I NEVER FELT BEFORE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND CHECKED THE RECALL LIST THE CAR IS NOT LISTED. I AM SENDING IT TOMORROW TO TOYOTA FOR SERVICE. THE IMPACT WAS SO HARD, MY BODY IS COMPLETELY TENSE EVEN 5 HOURS LATER. THE THRUST WAS NOT DRIVER ERROR, THANK GOD FOR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT I HIT OR ELSE WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. ALL I COULD DO OUT OF PANIC WAS PUT THE CAR IN PARK BUT I THINK IT STOPPED BECAUSE I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.

CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN TO GET GAS 1/2 MILE DOWN ROAD. WHEN RETURNED FROM GAS STATION WE PULLED ONTO PROPERTY , TURNED OFF CAR AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE HOOD. FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. TOTAL LOSS FOR CAR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE FIRST FEW TIMES THIS HAPPENED, I WAS ABLE TO SIMPLY RE-START THE CAR WITH EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN. I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR (OR ANYTHING ELSE). THE PROBLEM WAS ERRATIC SO IT NEVER OCCURRED WITH THE MECHANICS. NOW THE PROBLEM OCCURS OCCASIONALLY WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OR BRIGHTS OF THE CAR ON. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED (10/11/14) WAS WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH. THE ENGINE SHUT OUT, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OFF (AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER ELECTRICAL THINGS: GPS, AC, RADIO, ETC). EVEN THE FLASHERS WOULD NOT TURN ON. THEN, IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS, EVERYTHING TURNED ON AGAIN. THE CAR'S ENGINE DID NOT EVEN NEED TO BE RESTARTED. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR 20+ MILES. THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 3-4 TIMES IN THE PAST, HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT TRIGGERED IN THE PAST BY TURNING THE LIGHTS ON. THERE WAS NO APPARENT TRIGGER AT ALL. THE PROBLEM IS ERRATIC AND DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. *TR

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DON'T WORK AS THEY SHOULD. HAVE ADJUSTED THEM, INSTALLED NEW BULBS AS WELL AS INSTALLED THE BRIGHTEST BULBS AVAILABLE WITH NO SUCCESS AT GETTING THEM TO ILLUMINATE THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT AS THEY SHOULD. I HAVE ALSO POLISHED THE LENSES TO VERIFY IF THAT WAS THE ISSUE AS WELL, BUT WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THEY ARE VERY LOW INTENSITY AND NOT SAFE AT ALL THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THE REPAIR MANAGER SAID HIS VENZA HAS THE SAME ISSUE. I MUST USE THE BRIGHT BEAMS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. ON ANOTHER NOTE, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS WEBSITE UNTIL RECENTLY, OR I WOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS A LOT SOONER. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SOLARA SLE V6. I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR, WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY, BUT WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES THE SPEEDOMETER WILL GO TO ZERO FOR 1-3 SECONDS, OTHER TIMES IT WILL STAY THERE FOR 10 MINUTES. I HAVE ALSO HAD TIMES WHERE THE CAR STOPS ACCELERATING. I WILL BE DRIVING 65 ON THE FREEWAY, THEN THE SPEEDOMETER GOES TO ZERO, AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR STARTS LOSING SPEED EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT IS PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND RPM'S ARE UP TO 4,000. SOMETIMES IT WILL SNAP OUT OF ITS "FUNK" AND REGAIN SPEED, OTHER TIMES I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART MY CAR TO GET IT MOVING AGAIN. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OCCASIONALLY OVER THE PAST YEAR (SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR), BUT WITHIN THE LAST MONTH IT HAS CONSTANTLY BEEN HAPPENING (EVERY TIME I DRIVE) AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC 3 TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH. I'M GETTING EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. *TR

DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN, AS LOCK REFUSES TO MOVE. INITIALLY IT REFUSED TO LISTEN TO POWER OR REMOTE LOCKING, BUT NOW IT REFUSES TO MOVE FROM MANUAL LOCKING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD LEAD TO AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL. EVERYTHING ONLINE POINTS TO FAULTY DOOR ACTUATORS. HUNDREDS (IF NOT THOUSANDS) OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE. THE YEAR RANGE IS GUESSED TO BE 2002 TO 2005 OR 2007. 14 OTHER COMPLAINTS EXIST FOR THIS YEAR RANGE WITH THE DOOR ACTUATORS NOT WORKING: 10489801, 10483194, 10479564, 10461669, 10384238, 10369665, 10361184, 10342871, 10308523, 10308206, 10297834, 10284015, 10265333, AND 10253429. PLEASE, INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL THAT TOYOTA HAD ON OR ABOUT TUESDAY 10/9/2012 ON THE PWMS DRIVERS SIDE LAST MONTH I STARTING HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS A RECALL , SO I E-MAIL TOYOTA TO LET THEM KNOW THAT MY TOYOTA WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND WASN'T IT INCLUDED THE AUTO BUTTON STARTING STICKING AND THE WINDOW SOMETIMES STICKS TRYING TO GO DOWN, THEY STATED THAT MY CAR WAS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY I DIDN'T THINK A RECALL HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH A WARRANTY,MY 2003 MEANS THE SAME TO ME AS A PERSON WHO HAS A 2007 THAT MAY NOT STILL HAVE A WARRANTY. MY WINDOW HAD NOT DONE THIS BEFORE THIS TIME STATED,MY LAST ANSWER FROM ASK TOYOTA STATED THAT THE 2003 IS NOT INCLUDED SO I DID ASK THEM TO LET ME KNOW WHO THE REPORTING AGENCY WAS BUT I STARTED TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ON MY ON AND I FOUND YOUR AGENCY. I PAID FOR MY TOYOTA THE SAME AS A PERSON WITH A 2007 OR 2009. PLEASE HELP WITH SOME INFO. *TR

THE KEY IS UNABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DRIVERS' SIDE DOOR. THE KEY FOB STILL IS ABLE TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO WAY POSSIBLE TO USE THE KEY IN THE KEY HOLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND DISENGAGE THE DOOR LOCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE PARKED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED TWO OXYGEN SENSORS. AFTER THE REPAIR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, RADIO AND THE MILEAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS PERFORMED TO THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE 4-CYL WITH 79,000 MILES. I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, CAR STARTED REVVING. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO PARK, IT REVVED OUT OF CONTROL, JUMPED A CURB AND SIDEWALK, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE CAR. BRUISED AND SHAKEN BUT NO LASTING INJURIES FOR ME OR PASSENGER. TOYOTA CLAIMED THEY NEVER HEARD OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND CLOSED MY INQUIRY. *TR

CAR ACCELERATED, COULD NOT STOP IN 5 DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. THE LATEST ONE WAS ON BACKING OUT OF GARAGE. PRESSED HARD ON BRAKE AND CAR STOPPED JUST SHORT OF HITTING ANOTHER CAR. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A GLITCH IN THE COMPUTER THAT PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM STOPPING SAFELY. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 90,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FREQUENTLY FOR THE LAST 30 TO 35K MILES AND HEADQUARTER TOYOTA HAS CHARGED ME TOO REPLACE SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITEMS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER CODE GIVEN, TOTALING SOME $1,200.00 AND NOW THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR NEARLY 1-MONTH AND NOW SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WE WENT TODAY TOO PICKUP THE CAR , OF COURSE THEIR IS NO FURTHER PAPER WORK EXCEPT THAT THEY CHECKED THE CAR IN BACK IN SEPTEMBER/2006. I HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR ALL TYPES OF CURES FOR WHICH THEY TOO DID NOT WORK, NOT AFFORDED A RENTAL REPLACEMENT BUT FOR 3 PRIOR DAYS ???? *NM

MY 2003 CAMRY HAD BEEN GREAT SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. ONLY HAD 2 PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, ONE MINOR THE OTHER WAS MAJOR. I HAVE 25000 MILES ON THE CAR, AND BOTH THE FRONT TIRES WERE BARE. I WAS ABLE TO SEE ALL THE TREADS FROM THE TIRES. THE MAJOR PROBLEM I GOT WAS MY CAMRY CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE. I'D PULLED UP TO THE PARKING LOT AT WORK, AND 20 MINUTES LATER, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. SPOKE WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID IT LOOKS LIKE FAULTY/MALFUNCTION WIRE/CABLES. NOT SURE IF TOYOTA KNOWS OF THIS, BUT NOW I'M LEFT W/O A CAR UNTIL M INSURANCE FIGURES EVERYTHING OUT. TOYOTA SHOULD BE NOTIFY IN CASE THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE 2003 MODELS. *AK

CONSUMER STATES BATTERY DOSE NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO RUN A/C AND RADIO AT SAME TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED,AND REPLACED ALTERNATOR. *AK