2003 Toyota Camry SE from North America - Comments

Brakes worn early and unevenly.

Sun roof out of adjustment.

Static on AM band of radio.

Creaks and rattles from front glass and sunroof.

The car has potential. The problem is that Toyota has forgotten that a customer is important. I had a problem with my brakes, they were wearing out on the passenger side faster than the driver side. My mechanic brought this to my attention during a routine inspection. He expressed great concern and recommended that I have it checked immediately. Toyota response was that it was in 'spec'. and I paid a $50.00 inspection fee. When I complained they suggested that the factory rep look at it in several weeks. After looking at the car the Factory rep stated that it was in 'spec'.

During this process I was pretty much treated as if I knew nothing of cars and that I should just be comforted by the fact that the experts advised me that all is OK.

I checked alot of places and was univerally told that this was a problem that required looking into. Everyone was concerned except for Toyota.

I bought this car because my 1996 Camry was bullet proof. The brakes on that car lasted over 100k miles.

I sold the Camry last week and don't intend to buy another.

I have a 2004 SE V-6. It has thirty-five thousand kilometers on the clock and is a joy to drive.

There have been no niggling problems and no major incidents.

A lot of my driving is in the city and I find the car quite quiet in town traffic.

On the highway the tracking and handling is good. Great jump when moving to pass other vehicles in the 80-120 kilometer per hour range.

Good car!!!

I purchased my 2004 Camry SE V6 in October of 2003. The car, overall, has been fantastic. I love how well it accelerates on the highway. My one complaint is the alignment problem it's had since day one. I brought it back the first week I had it to have it fixed and although they made some improvements, the alignment wasn't completely fixed. It wasn't horribly noticeable, however, until I got the car back after it's 10,000 mile maintainence... for the past 3,000 miles, it's been shaky at slow speeds and the alignment problem is back. I don't know if this is a common problem in Camrys or if I was just the "lucky" one...

Chances are, this is my unique problem with my car so to anyone looking at Camrys, I still recommend them. It's a very comfortable and roomy vehicle for traveling!

I am glad to see that I am not the only one feeling that Toyota is slipping a bit with quality. I had my 2003 LE back to the dealer with a rear wheel bearing replaced at 10,000 miles, creaking windshield, a, b and c pillars making noise, and most recently a thumping noise under the car when I accelerate which the Toyota mechanic dismisses as "that they all do that". For a car company that prides it self on having such high quality standards, I'm afraid they are missing the mark. I don't think I would buy another Toyota after my experience and lack of concern at the dealership.

I like my 2003 Camry very much. So far, I have about 25,000 miles on it. The ride, acceleration, comfort, and road noise are all very good.

I am noticing a couple problems though.

A thumping noise occasionally develops on the right underside of the car when accelerating. Today, it was very loud, and it almost sounds like there is a loose tool stuck in the car.

The transmission slips changing gears slightly, and is not as smooth as I thought it should be.

When cold and the car is stopped, when shifting from "Park" to "Drive", the transmission has a slight hesitation and jiggle before it finally connects.

Overall I like this car very much, but so far it doesn't seem to be living up to the Camry's traditional quality standards.

I have 190000 on a 93 LE, no major problems at all except suspension, and they were repaired.

Toyota, like most other manufacturers, is so intent on increasing PROFIT that they are cutting too many corners and squeezing their parts suppliers too hard. It also seems that not enough real world testing is being done before new designs are released. Toyota, Honda and BMW dealers (among others) have been so arrogant about their "superior" products that they have not had to work hard to get their customers, they were waiting in line. When things do go wrong they choose to blame the customer, (it must be something you did wrong, our product is perfect). Customers are so caught up in the hype that they believe it is their fault. It usually isn't; design flaws and/or incompetence had brought down their vehicles. If I paid for parts that did not fix a problem, I would ask for a refund. If they refused, I would go to arbitration or court. Let them know your displeasure, buy something else and do research before you buy.

I agree with the writer of the previous post. Toyota and Honda have become so arrogant that they have lost sight of what makes them successful: you, the customer. Not long ago, Toyota was ranked one of the worst in customer service. Although they make good cars, much of the reputation is hyped. I don't expect quality to get better, especially when the Hyundais are breathing down their neck in matching feature/quality at a lower price.