general problems of the 2004 Toyota Camry - part 1

The power steering freezes up upon the slightest amount of street water ponding making it almost impossible to turn the steering wheel. I have experienced a number of scary situations that make driving this car in wet elements very very difficult. As a result I generally refrain from driving altogether under these conditions. This dangerous problem must be fixed soon! I have mentioned this problem in the past to my local dealer (Toyota of dallas).

While driving locally at a non-speeding level,dry weather, wheel locked up preventing control of the vehicle which spun out of control, leadding to vehicle hitting a curb then airborne and turnover resulting to salvage damages.

Car sitting at idle position suddenly launched forward. Vehicle was going 2-3 mph when it suddenly launched forward and smashed into a wall at a top donut drive thru.

While driving yesterday - August 18, 2016, power steering went on and off when turning. Seemed to be the power steering - made it hard to turn the wheels. Driving on highway straight ahead was fine. On city streets and parking the issue was very noticeable and frightening since I didn't know if I could control my moving vehicle. . In checking to see where to get repair done, I noticed there is a recall for power steering on the 2004 Camry. Called local Toyota dealer where I bought the car, and was told that this VIN number has no recalls.

The contact owned a 2004 Toyota Camry solara. While driving 25 mph, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed. As a result, the contact cashed into a palm tree. The air bags deployed. The contact was not injured and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer collision center. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,100.

On March 6, 2016, moving west on a residential street at about 20 mph 10:45 p. M. , less than 500' from home. Crystal clear night. Car freezes, steering & brakes lock, car lurches forward and keeps much higher speed. With both arms, I pulled car from head-on with utility pole to very high palm tree. Head-on ith tree, airbag releases, white smoke coming from hood. I turned car off, took keys, car engine continues as did horn blowing & white smoke. It took three aaa trucks to remove car from tree trunk, with steering and brakes still locked. Car was alone on a neighborhood road moving west, driver alone, very residential with people walking dogs, pilots and stews running, joggers and pups and cats prowling. No one was around. A guard from a gated community on the street's north side was the 1st to appear. Eventually 4 poloce officers were there, one talked to me often.

The car has 70100 miles. Noticed that the steering wheel makes low clicks when turning and there is a slight movement in the steering wheel. Determined the problem to be a failure of the intermediate steering shaft. Contacted Toyota, they said no recalls were on this vehicle. Asked Toyota via email on 2/19 if the steering shaft has been re-designed and requested the correct part number to replace the defective part. Car is sitting awaiting an update from Toyota and repair.

I started up my 2004 Toyota Camry while parked at curb. When I put car in "drive," the steering wheel locked up (froze in place). I was unable to turn the wheel in either direction. Restarted car and steering was normal.

My daughter was driving on interstate 10, 5 miles west of crestview florida. She was in left lane, in wet conditions. The steering wheel became out of control causing the car to flip and out of control causing the car to create a hazard and resulting in a total loss. Passangers had to craw out to avoid further injury. Total loss of car and injured two people. This vehicle was issued a NHTSA warning- id- 11v539000. Never received this warning.

I suddenly experienced an increased effort to make a turn.

I was approaching a freeway in atlanta, GA. As the connector curved, I was driving about 35 mph and gently braked about 200 feet from the freeway. The car immediately and violently accelerated, throwing my head back against the headrest; I braked harder but there was no response from the car; the car seemed to pivot on the right front tire and the rear end flew to my left about 240 degrees or so and struck the guard rail with the left rear quarter panel and bumper. The car then, continuing at high speed, ricocheted off the guard rail and the rear end pivoted toward the road, making the front bumper strike the same guard rail. The second collision scraped the paint off the center of the bumper but the impact seemed stronger than the damage would indicate. The second impact did stop the car. I make this report because my car was not one of those recalled by Toyota for this problem; but, believe me, it happened.

No incident, program keep asking for date: its a dummy date. I am the original owner of toytota Camry lxi 2004. Around 35,260 miles and before 3 years (under warranty) steering started causing trouble, started to feel and hear cllcking in the steering when ever the steering wheel is moved or during driving in either direction. In adition to this problem some times steering gets realy hard during driving. I took the car to an authorized dealer in chicago and it was tested by a mechanic and I was told that they could not find any problem. After 16 months and at 43,752 miles the problem got worst and I had to take the car back to the same authorized dealer in chicago, and after checking it I was told that yes their is a problem with the steering and it will cost me $520 + labour to fix it. I refused to pay and told them that I will file a complain with Toyota corp that when I brought the car for the same reason under warranty it was not fixed and now you want to fix the same problem charging the customer. Finnaly the manager got the ok from Toyota corp and fixed the problem without charge. Now after 3 years at 63,632 miles same problems with the steering returned and a authorized dealer in California wants to charge me $715 + labour. I filed a online complain with Toyota corp (main office in torrance, CA) and after investigation they told me that when the authorized dealer in chicago fixed the problem, he fixed it as a goodwill ! what does it mean? when I took the car for the same problem it was under warranty and it was fixed for no charge. I don't think I like to pay any money for this kind of problem and Toyota corp should be responsible to fix this problem with no charge to customer.

The left front tire ( new tire, I punched 4 new michelin tires 7/11) on my car popped. I am not sure if the car pedal got stuck first, everything happened fast. Steering became impossible and the car when side to side as I attempted to steer the car. The stewing wheel would turn, but it didn't work. The major thing is that I couldn't operate the car because of the pedal getting stuck and the steering was impossible after that. The car was taken to carriage cage auto repair by aaa, who recommended I take it there, since the car could not be driven. I then went to the er room for care. Nationwide insurance was notified, they gave an estimate of over five thousand dollars to repair the car. Toyota in lake city, wa -bruce in auto care was notified regarding the pedal becoming stuck. I will have to take the car there once it is repaired. I wonder how safe is the car and what can be done about it.

At around 48000 miles, I started to feel and hear a clicking in the steering. It occurs any time the steering wheel is moved,(parked or driving). I had a mechanic check it out and was told that the intermediate slide shaft is causing the problem. As I searched through your complaint list, I see there are a lot of complaints against this model and year. It seems Toyota does not want to take responsibility. I was told that there are other manufacturers that have the same type of problems and have made repairs to their vehicles. Also there are third party replacement parts to fix this problem (at the owners’ expense). How many failures, crashes or possibly deaths will it take to make Toyota issue a recall to repair this? Toyota claims it is not a safety issue, yet there seems to be a lot of letters stating that their safety was at risk. It is uncomfortable to hear and feel that noise every time my wife or I are driving this vehicle.

Steering shaft bolt snapped in half while making left turn. Steering shaft was disassembled, and new shaft bolt replaced for old rusted out shaft bolt. Two hours labor.

I own a 2004 Toyota Camry. It has a defective throttle body which has left my wife stranded and cost $1000 to fix from the dealer. This is a common problem and a few of my friends have had to pay twice to get this fixed. The other issue is there a defective part in the steering linkage that pops when you turn. This eventually leads to slop in the steering and it cause my to go in the ditch. This accident has given me a chronic back condition and prevented me from commissioning in the military. This issue is also known to be a problem with the Camrys but Toyota refuses to do anything about it.

Steering hard to turn,steering wheel very stiff.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Camry le. The contact lost control of the vehicle because the steering wheel malfunctioned on the vehicle. The contact was not injured in the crash. The contact was not able to give more details of what caused the vehicle to lose control. The consumer was traveling 55 mph when the crash occurred. The failure mileage was 39,000. The vehicle was destroyed. Updated 4/26/10 updated 04/30/10.

There is a knocking sound in the steering wheel. The sound comes when the steering turns right or left. It started at around 30k miles. This seems to be a factory defect.

Shortly after we purchased a new 2004 Camry sedan, we began noticing looseness, rattling, knocking sounds and "play" in the steering characteristics. In addition, in slow, tight-radius turns (as in parking lots), it almost felt as if the front tires would slide laterally over slick surfaces -- snow, ice, loose gravel, wet pavement. The problem was subtle at first but became gradually more noticeable. At highway speeds, there was a barely-perceptible oscillation or vibration of the steering wheel. At about 28k miles we noticed a pulling to the right. We asked for an alignment to be done and this did not correct the problem. The knocking, rattling, looseness, play, lateral skidding in tight-radius turns became worse over time and at about 50k miles we asked the dealer to check again. Dealers service order stated, "TSB st001-06 applies to this concern. An updated steering shaft ordered. " the cost to repair was over $400. We believe this defect existed from the time the car was manufactured, and the description of the problem sounds similar to recalls or defects I have researched that affect the prius, avalon, and other Toyota vehicles. We believe this could be a potential safety hazard.

When turning to the left, the steering wheel had a jerking motion and a knocking noise. Contacted dealer and said it has happened before on occassion. Car taken to dealer and replaced a lower steering shaft to a newer version. Comment was that this car was a new design and this particular part needed replacement. My problem is that it was not covered under warranty and I had to pay for the replacement. The old part was not available for me to take it.

I bought the used 2004 Toyota Camry in October and found that the car would pull to the left and found that I had to firmly hold onto the steering wheel while I was driving. I went to the NHTSA website to see if other people were experiencing the same problem. I found that this was a common complaint among Toyota Camry owners. Toyota didn't have a recall issued. In January 2011 I experienced a vibration in the steering wheel as I was entering a major highway that scared the heck out of me. I drove in the right-hand lane and dropped my speed until the vibration stopped. I had a mechanic check out the steering mechanism and he was not able to correct the problem. I have also had wheel alignments during the past five years. I am having trouble steering when I make left- or right-hand turns in addition to holding onto the steering wheel (which becomes stressful during long driving trips). My neck muscles become very cramped because I need to focus on steering the car. I've registered my car with Toyota and I'm waiting for Toyota to issue a recall. This is the first car I've ever owned that I do not enjoy driving.

: the contact stated the vehicles steering locks up, and will need an ignition cylinder for repair the problem. Several dealers confirmed that this is a recurring issue with vehicles of this year, make and model.

: the contact stated while driving at any speed the vehicle drifts to the left. The vehicle is kept in control by turning the steering wheel to the right. Although the dealer has inspected the vehicle several times the problem can not be duplicated.

Vehicle has pulled left ever since the tires were rotated for the first time. I've had it back to the dealer three times, with them showing me that the alignment falls within specs, and attributing the pull to road crown. I just had my 30k mile service, and they called to let me know that my tires are wearing unevenly because of alignment issues. I paid to have it aligned again and reminded them about my problems the last time (please note that my tires are supposedly rotated each time the dealer performs an oil change). I drove the vehicle home and it still pulled to the left. I am going back there today to have them road test it with me again, on the phone the tech again attributed it to road crown which I denied, but I'll see what happens. This is ridiculous that a dealership or manufacturer won't repair known issues with their vehicles.

I have experienced a number of problems with the steering of my 2004 Toyota solara sport coupe with the v6 motor. This car consistently pulls to the left. Further, the car veers hard to the left when coming to a stop just prior to stopping. It is not a brake problem. Something is seriously wrong with the suspension. I first noticed this problem the week I purchased the car. The dealer, leith Toyota in raleigh, nc, had the wheels rotated and then aligned all four wheels. I complained about it again and they told me the car had defective tires. They did not deign to replace the tires. I then took the car to anderson Toyota in raleigh, nc, and they aligned the vehicle, and also replaced a broken steering component that was causing a clicking sound when I turned the wheel. Then they told me a TSB had "just come out" about the pull to the left, and they needed to order new springs. I am supposed to go pick up the auto today, but I seriously doubt whether it is fixed, or whether Toyota is concerned about my welfare or my investment. Currently, the car has 26k miles, and has been to the shop on at least 6 occasions for this issue.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the steering wheel shifted from left to right involuntarily. The failure occured constantly while driving at different speeds. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics because the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

Im a solara 2004 owner. I'm having the same problem that thousands of solara's owners are having. The issue of pull to the left and what Toyota and the NHTSA are doing to resolve this. . . . Nothing. Toyota skips to resolve this problem and the NHTSA doesn't care or just they don't want to make Toyota to solve this big problem.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Camry solara. While driving 25 mph or greater, the vehicle veered to the left. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of failure. The vehicle was taken to an alignment shop. The wheel alignment was checked and appeared to be fine. The dealer performed a wheel alignment, however, the failure still persists. The current mileage is 7,000 and failure mileage was 10.

Vehicle pulls to left or right--mostly left. Vehilce will not drive straight without constant pressure on the steering wheel. I have complained and have taken it in for service and/or test driven a total of eight times. Four times have been in the last month. The springs have been replaced and a wheel alignment has been performed. Two service managers have driven with me from two different dealerships. They could feel the car pulling but said it was "normal. " there is a technical service bulletin to repair the vehicle pull/drift but there has not been any improvement to my vehicle. I hear rattles in the driver window, the passenger window/door, and the dash. The windows were serviced once. The dash has been serviced twice. Servicemen replaced the seatbelt panel on the passenger side because they thought the noise existed there. The noise still exists. Since then, they don't try to repair and I've been told 'a little play in the windows is normal. '.

When driving, the steering wheel pulled to the left/right intermittently. The vehicle had been serviced six times but the problem still exists. Two sets of tires had been worn out. The tires were out of alignment.

This sounds like a broken record - car pulled severely to left at time of purchase. Toyota's first attempt lessened left hand pull. Toyota's second reduced pull, but now steering is sloppy. Toyota says they "fixed" it. Car feels "twitchy". On crowned roads you will pull hard to whatever side the road leans to. I have parked the vehicle - too scary to drive long distances. There are a couple other non-safety related problems with the car - sharp rattle from rear passenger side, vibration in steering wheel, brake is soft.

Well its about time NHTSA is doing something about Toyota. I've been complaining about unsafe steering pull on my 2004 camery solara since I bought it and so have lots of other folks. Toyota has refused to do a thing about it.

From day one car has pulled to the left. Steering wheel is also not centered and has too much "play". I must apply constent pressure to the right just to keep the car straight. Car does not have a solid, stable feel to it where steering is concerened. I have broght this back twice to laurel Toyota carmax and they have not fixed it. I had a loaner car for two days and that car felt like it should. I will file a complaint with the manufacturer as well.

Toyota Camry was purchased June 28, 2004. Pulled to left during test drive but was promised that it would be aligned and taken care of. Repeated trip's for service have resulted in the tires be rotated repeatedly but no effect on the pulling issue. Ended up in arbitration. Waste of time. Shop forman type person acknowledged this as a oft repeated complaint. Arbitration denied any type repair or replacement. Constantly repeated the "crown of the road" story, the "its designed that way for your safety" story, etc. First set of tires wore out after 18000 miles. Was told that they're designed that way for a better ride. Took car to another Toyota dealer. He changed springs and such, apparently to exercise the warranty. After nearly a week in the shop, no better. Again told the "crown of the road story" and the "its designed that way" story. To repeat what if have seen in the other complaints, this is too much to pay for a new car that constantly pulls to the left. It would seem to me that having it pull towards the oncoming traffic would not be the desired result here. The act of having to constantly apply right tension is not only tiring, it is very dangerous. If you glance away from the road, the abnormal feel of right tension causes some totally undesirable maneuvers. Totally frustrating. It appears that my third Toyota will be my last.