2002 Toyota Camry Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Camry years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 953 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Camry. That ranks 3rd out of 30 Camry model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (281 complaints, 29%), typically at around 39,000 miles. Complaints mention 252 crashes, 20 fires, 135 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 953owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 252complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Toyota Camry problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 281 | 29% | 39,000 | “suddenly accelerated” (17%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 146 | 15% | 14,395 | “applying brakes” (11%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 107 | 11% | 82,630 | “head bolts” (8%) | $2,800 |
| Air Bags problems | 89 | 9% | 64,602 | “air bags deploy” (26%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 68 | 7% | 40,000 | “nothing wrong” (9%) | — |
| Engine problems | 58 | 6% | 117,450 | “head bolts” (28%) | $5,600 |
| Structure problems | 56 | 6% | 60,000 | “door handles” (16%) | — |
| Tires problems | 54 | 6% | 20,500 | “four tires” (17%) | — |
| Steering | 43 | 5% | 73,695 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 36 | 4% | 75,375 | — | — |
| Suspension | 34 | 4% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 31 | 3% | 49,577 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 25 | 3% | 94,337 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 21 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 19 | 2% | 22,550 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 2% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 13 | 1% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 10 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 1% | 19,901 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 1% | 61,250 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 8 | 1% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 7 | 1% | 60,580 | — | — |
| Wheels | 7 | 1% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 0% | 50,586 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 3 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 0% | 74,663 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Toyota Camry recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with curtain shield air bags (csa), one or both of the curtain air bags may be twisted near the inflator due to improper assembly.
Risk: If this occurs, the csa may not deploy rapidly enough when activated in a side impact collision. This may result in failure to provide the intended head protection, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the csas and replace the air bag assembly if necessary. The recall began on august 6, 2004. Owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a three-spoke style steering wheel. During air bag deployment, it is possible that the bottom seam of the front driver's side air bag module cover (horn pad) could be torn away allowing the bottom portion of the cover to completely detach from the air bag module.
Risk: If this should occur, there is a possibility that the detached bottom portion may strike the driver causing personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side air bag module. Owner notification began december 28, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-888-333-9376.
Tires
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with continental touring tires, p205-65r15 92s, installed at the ports in jacksonville, florida. The incorrect tires were installed on vehicles that had damaged tires. The tires were damaged during a port upgrade to aluminum wheels.
Risk: The tires do not conform to the speed rating for the vehicle. If the vehicle exceeded the maximum speed rating (112 mph), possible tire failure could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace all five tires. Owner notification began september 13, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Incomplete deployment of the front passenger side air bag could occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: Unexpected air bag deployment can result in occupant injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag assembly. Both owners were notified by telephone and arrangements have been made to correct this problem. This campaign is 100% completed. Both owners have been notified and their vehicles repaired.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine surging (DP06003) — opened Sep 14, 2006, closed Apr 3, 2007.
- Vehicle speed control (DP05002) — opened Aug 5, 2005, closed Jan 5, 2006.
- Throttle control system (PE04021) — opened Mar 3, 2004, closed Jul 22, 2004.
- Engine compartment fire (PE02079) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 18, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
See attached document for complaint.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2002 Toyota Camry. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 283,000.
Toyota dealer contacted me; said my car will cost $15000 to fix. He said people at Toyota who has my exact car costed $15000 to fix! itâs known in automotive circles this year make model & engine size has this factory defect of the rear head studs stripping out and becoming loose. This causes…
The components or systems that have failed are (Catalytic Converter, Exhaust Manifold, Air Bag Control Module, Engine including head gasket) My safety is at risk due to catalytic converter not functioning properly producing harmful carbon monoxide that can be smelled through air vents, Air bag…
The contact owned a 2002 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH the steering wheel had seized up and the vehicle had begun to lose forward momentum. The contact heard an abnormal "popping" sound at the moment the steering had stopped functionality. The contact stated…
Other Toyota Camry years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Camry | 51 | 1 |
| 2023 Camry | 64 | 2 |
| 2022 Camry | 62 | 1 |
| 2021 Camry | 157 | 1 |
| 2020 Camry | 275 | 3 |
| 2019 Camry | 397 | 6 |
| 2018 Camry | 748 | 8 |
| 2017 Camry | 148 | 3 |
| 2016 Camry | 184 | 2 |
| 2015 Camry | 271 | 1 |
| 2014 Camry | 455 | 3 |
| 2013 Camry | 274 | 2 |
| 2012 Camry | 590 | 2 |
| 2011 Camry | 601 | 5 |
| 2010 Camry | 604 | 9 |
| 2009 Camry | 1,293 | 10 |
| 2008 Camry | 933 | 7 |
| 2007 Camry | 2,887 | 9 |
| 2006 Camry | 317 | 5 |
| 2005 Camry | 721 | 5 |
| 2004 Camry | 638 | 3 |
| 2003 Camry | 781 | 1 |
| 2002 | 953 | 4 |
| 2001 Camry | 272 | 2 |
| 2000 Camry | 454 | 2 |
| 1999 Camry | 501 | 1 |
| 1998 Camry | 600 | 2 |
| 1997 Camry | 555 | 3 |
| 1996 Camry | 417 | 2 |
| 1995 Camry | 303 | 1 |
See all Toyota Camry problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota Camry?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 281 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Toyota Camry?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Toyota Camry a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Camry model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.