Toyota Camry Common Problems

A Temporary Series of Articles

For the next week we will cover a series of articles on auto repair that focuses on repair advice from the staff of Haynes repair manuals. In this piece, we will learn what common problems you may experience with your used Toyota Camry built between 2007 and 2017.

Why DIY or Verify Your Repairs?

For DIY types, the value of owning one of Haynes’ manuals particular for your vehicle is that it can help you not only identify what part is where on your vehicle---or what that doohickey is really called---but how to go about diagnosing where the problem likely lies, how to remove the affected component, and how to install a new part.

For non-DIY owners, the manuals are a good way to understand what repairs are recommended by a mechanic or clipboard-carrying service technician so that vehicle owners can take some control of their repairs and verify whether a repair needs to be done…and if it was done right. A little further investigation can also help owners determine if the estimated repair cost is in the ballpark of what is typical.

That said, here is a list of common Toyota Camry problems summarized from the Haynes website.

Toyota Camry Common Problems

Damaged sun visors---If you have a Camry with worn or UV-damaged sun visors (especially when living in the Southwest where UV radiation can take its toll on your vehicle’s interior) replacing the sun visor(s) with a new one(s) is a DIY task.

However, sun visor mounts can be tricky and can cause damage to the sheet metal surrounding the mounts if you are not careful.

According to Haynes, their Camry manual supplies just the steps you need to follow to avoid flubbing the repair. But if some damage still occurs, their manual also alerts owners that Toyota does supply a repair kit (part no: BD9048) for such emergencies.

Knocking Sound when Going Over Bumps---oddly enough, that bumping noise coming from this generation of Camry’s might not be due to worn springs in the suspension system but could be due to the springs having been installed the wrong way up, according to Haynes experts. While an annoyance, it is something that needs to be taken care of and the fix is outlined in the Camry repair manual.

In the manual, “…you’ll find procedures on how to remove the front struts and the rear shock absorber and spring. Just study the words and pics, raise the car and set it on jackstands, and you’ll have the suspension out in no time. Then it’s just a case of assessing if the spring bumper is damaged. If it isn’t, simply flip it over and put the suspension back, but if it is, you’ll need to order a new one,” states Haynes.

Rattling Noises in the Toyota Camry Mk6---are not uncommon according to some past owners and are likely due to a loose plastic cover on the door energy absorption pad.

The editors of Haynes recommend going to the bodywork and fitting chapter of your Haynes Camry manual where you will find instructions to guide you on removing the door trim panel, disconnect the inside handle sub-assembly and remove the inner glass weatherstrip to provide you with access to the absorption pad cover and allow you to apply some adhesive to secure the loosened plastic cover.

“Then it’s simply a case of putting everything back the way it was,” says Haynes.

Fuel Flap Refuses to Open---most older vehicles are designed with an analog-stye mechanical fuel door mechanism for popping open the fuel flap when you pull up to the pump. And after so much use, it is not uncommon for these to fail on occasion.

The good news is that commonly it is due to the release cable becoming detached from the release lever in the cabin. And if that is the case, you may find that you can still open the flap by pulling it open with your fingertips or pulling on the detached cable/wire.

However, the fix still needs to be done, which is easy enough to accomplish on the spot (provided you carry a Haynes manual and a box of tools of in your trunk) or in the comfort of your home garage.

According to Haynes experts, “You’ll need to remove the lever and housing and check for damage. If there’s no damage, just reattach the cable before reassembling everything.

The procedure to remove the lever housing is covered in the Haynes Camry manual, so simply follow the steps and pictures and you’ll soon be able to access the fuel cap once more.”

Camry Trunk Lid Refuses to Stay Open---The torsion bar hinges on some Camry’s can become weakened over time putting you at risk of having a trunk lid slam down on your head unexpectedly. Haynes tells owners that the only fix (aside from propping your trunk lid with a broomstick) is to remove the trunk lid, detach the hinges from the lid, and replace with new ones---all of which is described in the Body section of the Haynes manual.

And finally…

For additional news related to the Camry, here are a few articles for your consideration:

• Why This Toyota Camry is Burning Oil Diagnosis

• DIY Toyota Camry Hybrid Transaxle Fluid Change Demo

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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