2003 Toyota Camry Steering Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 53 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2003 Toyota Camry, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 36,726 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (25% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Steering column: mentioned in 13 of 53 complaints (25%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2003 Toyota Camry at $1,350, and half of them between $880 and $1,650.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do steering problems happen?

Based on 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles10 · 28%
10k–25k miles3 · 8%
25k–50k miles12 · 33%
50k–75k miles4 · 11%
75k–100k miles3 · 8%
100k–150k miles3 · 8%
150k+ miles1 · 3%

How serious are the reports?

Of 53 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 an injury.

Toyota Camry steering complaints by model year

Peak: 2015, with 105 complaints
1995: 2219951996: 371997: 301998: 3319981999: 242000: 132001: 1320012002: 432003: 532004: 8020042005: 712006: 282007: 7920072008: 322009: 472010: 2520102011: 312012: 582013: 2620132014: 222015: 1051052016: 2520162017: 142018: 612019: 1120192020: 52021: 42022: 420222024: 5

n = 1,001 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearSteering complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2024 Camry510%—
2022 Camry46%—
2021 Camry43%—
2020 Camry52%1,300
2019 Camry113%14,817
2018 Camry618%48,450
2017 Camry149%49,000
2016 Camry2514%59,500
2015 Camry10539%50,200
2014 Camry225%45,000
2013 Camry269%9,248
2012 Camry5810%33,000
2011 Camry315%35,450
2010 Camry254%10,445
2009 Camry474%51,098
2008 Camry323%59,000
2007 Camry793%52,800
2006 Camry289%61,288
2005 Camry7110%47,000
2004 Camry8013%39,000
2003 Camry537%36,726
2002 Camry435%73,695
2001 Camry135%68,755
2000 Camry133%67,500
1999 Camry245%109,000
1998 Camry336%107,000
1997 Camry305%75,000
1996 Camry379%87,400
1995 Camry227%155,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2004, with 9 complaints
2003: 6200362004: 992005: 2200522006: 662007: 4200742008: 222009: 2200922010: 662011: 4201142012: 222013: 1201312014: 222015: 4201542016: 112017: 220172

n = 53 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists steering for the 2003 Toyota Camry. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

On december 7,2017, i was in a parking lot in florida. As i started going into a parking space, the car began to surge. I had a loss of steering and braking.i almost hit the car next to me. Luckily that did not happen. I kept pressing down on the brake, but it took time for the steeering wheel to…

Received Dec 11, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 11053915

Takata inflators: every time i fix my vehicle individuals cause hate crimes damaging my vehicle as i go to sleep or when i am not viewing my vehicle they must know exactly when i go to sleep because i cant catch them even though i think i know who it is i can not prove it so this is why i am…

Received Apr 21, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10979713

The steering on my 2003 camry shakes during high speed. At times, there is a whistling noise coming from the driver front side. I thought it was related to low air pressure or unbalanced tires, but that's not the issues. Secondly, the paint on my car is peeling off, mostly the clear coating layer…

Received Feb 17, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10836686
Toyota Camry
A 2025 Toyota Camry LE at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2003 Toyota Camrys have steering problems?

No. NHTSA has 53 owner complaints about steering for the 2003 Toyota Camry (7% of the 781 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2003 Toyota Camry steering?

No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.

At what mileage do steering problems start?

The median reported mileage is 36,726 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2003 Toyota Camry?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,350 (half paid between $880 and $1,650), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about steering problems on the 2003 Toyota Camry?

The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 13 of 53 complaints.

Other 2003 Toyota Camry problems

See all 2003 Toyota Camry problems or steering problems across all Camry years.