There are 50 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 1997 Toyota Camryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE STRUTS WERE LEAKING OIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. UPDATED 12/30/13*CN
MY REAR SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER IS RUSTED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE CLOSE TO THE MOUNTING BOLTS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THERE WAS SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END ALSO, HAD PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK
CRUNCHING /RATTLE FROM FRONT STRUTS WHEN TRAVELING OVER BUMPS OR DIPS IN ROAD. THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED AND I WAS ADVISED AT TIME OF THE INSTALLATION THAT THE NEW STRUTS WOULD NOT RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND NO RESOLUTION EXITS. *AK
FRONT SUSPENSION RATTLES TERRIBLY. STRUTS WERE REPLACED, DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF A DESIGN FLAW AND REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE A RECALL. *LA
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ALIGN VEHICLE'S CAMBER TO SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT REPLACING MAJOR SUSPENSION PARTS. *AK THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT MANUFACTURE AN ADJUSTABLE DRIVER'S SIDE SUSPENSION COMPONENT TO ADJUST CAMBER. *AK THE ONLY WAY TO ALIGN THE CAR IS EITHER TO BUY COSTLY NEW SUSPENSION PARTS FROM TOYOTA OR RESORT TO AN AFTERMARKET CAM BOLT. *NLM
THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE RUBBER CORRODED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS TYPE OF DETERIORATION DOES NOT NORMALLY OCCUR. *JB
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT RATTLE PRESENT FOR TWO YEARS. ON 03/30/03 DURING A DRIVE AT 56 MILES/HR SPEED, STRUT RATTLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE GREW WORSE SUDDENLY AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD, THE LEFT STRUT CENTER BOLT CAME OFF COMPLETELY AND ITS THREADS WERE COMPLETELY STRIPPED. STRUT CAME OFF THE MOUNT SLEEVE. AFTER A NEW STRUT IS PUT ON THE VEHICLE, THE DAMAGED STRUT IS CHECKED AND ITS TOP THREADS (WHERE THE CENTER NUT GETS FASTENED) WERE PARTIALLY STIPPED.
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION AT NORMAL SPEED, THE DEALER STATED THE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM, WHICH WERE REPLACED AND A ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION AT NORMAL SPEED, THE DEALER STATED THE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM, WHICH WERE THEN REPLACED AND A ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB
MY ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDS COMPLETE REPLACEMENT DUE TO THIS OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT OF THE GELLED OIL, ONE OF THE PISTONS BROKE OFF CREATING A HOLE IN THE ENGINE AND THE MOTOR MOUNT BECAME DISPLACED FROM THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE ENGINE BLOCK TO CRACK WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM GREER TOYOTA IN MILLBROOK, NY IN AUGUST OF 2001 AND WAS TOLD THAT ONE OF THEIR MECHANICS WOULD COMPLETE A THOROUGH INSPECTION BEFORE THE CAR WAS TURNED OVER TO ME. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES BY A TRUSTED MECHANIC. DURING THAT TIME, I HAD TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR AT MY OWN COST, BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS MONTH. NOW IN ADDITION TO THE ENGINE, IT APPEARS THAT MY STRUTS ARE FAILING AS WELL. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING A CLAIM FOR THE ENGINE.
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S FRONT RIGHT STRUT HAS BEEN DESTROYED. WHEN VEHICLE DRIVES OVER BUMPS IT MAKES LOUD NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION AT STRUT MOUNTS MAKE A NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
FRONT AND REAR STRUTS FAILED, DEALER KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE. CAR IS UNSTABLE ON ANY UNEVEN ROAD OVER 25 MPH, ALL BUT BOTTOMS OUT, STEERING CORRECTION IS NEEDED ON THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS ABOVE 25MPH.*AK
CONSUMER STATES FRONT END RATTLES AROUND THE TIRE AREAS ON BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED STRUT MOUNTS. *YD
THESE PARTS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY TOYOTA AND WE OWNERS SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THE COST. SEVERAL SERVICE WRITERS AT A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER HAVE TOLD ME THAT MANY OF THESE STRUT ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED. I'VE DRIVEN OTHER TOYOTA MODELS, 3, OVER 900,000 AND HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE STRUT ASSEMBLIES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE, AS IF THIS ASSEMBLY BREAKS, WHILE DRIVING, YOU MAY HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT.*AK
A ONGING PROBLEM RELATING TO THE CRUNCHING/CHUNKING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION AREA(FRONT). NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE TOYOTA OFFICIALS HAS NOT EVEN MERITED A MINOR CONCERN. ESTIMATIONS TO FIX THE STRUT ASSEMBLY VARIES FROM $500-$700 DOLLARS. SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT WITH ALL THESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING, WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE VEHICLE, SOMEBODY WOULD GET THE MESSAGE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM. IF THEY CARED.*AK
TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES TO HAVE ISSUED ONLY A "SERVICE BULLETIN" TO ITS DEALERS ON THIS ISSUE. IT DOES ACKNOWLEDGE A HIGH NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF FAILED STRUTS AND MOUNTS ON 1997, 1998 AND1999 CAMRYS.*AK
DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES HIGH NUMBER OF STRUT AND MOUNT FAILURES ON 1997, 1998 AND 1999 CAMRYS. PROBABLY DESIGN DEFECT. *AK
RIGHT FRONT STRUT BUSHING NEEDS REPLACED. DEALER SAID THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT BUT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF GIVEN THE NUMBER OF FAILURES OF THIS COMPONENT.*AK
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 May 4, 2026