2002 Toyota Camry Solara Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report a fairly wide spread of problems, with unintended or unexpected acceleration and braking complaints appearing most often in the sampled complaints, followed by airbag and seat belt concerns. Many reports involve low-speed parking situations, illuminated airbag or seat belt lights, and belts that stop retracting; mileage at the time of complaint ranges from very low to well past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration / surge at low speed

   • 17 complaints (28%)
   • median 59,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2014

   Owners describe the car surging forward or backward while parking, pulling out of a driveway, or waiting at a light, in some cases with the brake pedal applied. Several say braking did not slow the vehicle and that it struck a building, a pole, or another car. Complaints describe dealers and regional representatives inspecting the car and reporting that nothing was found wrong, and several owners note the vehicle was not covered by the related floor-mat or pedal recalls. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles to over 100,000, and often in parking-lot, driveway, or stopped-at-a-light conditions.

   What to check: During a test drive, practice slow parking maneuvers and note any idle surge or high idle; ask whether the floor mat is the correct, secured type and whether any pedal or floor-mat campaign work was ever performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My Toyota solara, crashed and deemed a total loss. Aaa insurance paid,but I didn't agree to settlement because I think the cause was failure of accelerator, as braking did not stop the car -- gas pedal did not release. Car rear ended car ahead which stopped as another car stopped short ahead of him. I had time to stop but was unable to. I reported this to the insurance company.”

   NHTSA complaint #10306767, filed 2010-02, 59,000 miles

   “I have a Toyota solara 2002, and since I owned it back in 2006, I've been fixing electrical problems (all kinds of electrical issues), and it never ends. Recently, I've had a problem with the gas pedal, it got stuck and I hit a wall in the garage parking, I took it to the dealer and they said since this is not a part of the recalls, they won't fix it, and they won't even check it. Please have 2002 camrys and solaras investigated, I believe they have a lot of safety issues as well.”

   NHTSA complaint #10304259, filed 2010-02, 106,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag light on, airbags not deploying in crashes

   • 11 complaints (18%)
   • median 43,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2019

   Complaints describe the airbag or passenger airbag indicator staying lit, sometimes intermittently depending on how the passenger seat is positioned, and dealers quoting repairs and mentioning wiring pins/harness or an unspecified fault. Other owners report frontal collisions in which the front airbags did not deploy, and in one case the airbag light stayed on permanently after the crash. Reported from low mileage up to roughly 90,000 miles, in both everyday driving and crash situations.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key to on and confirm the airbag light goes out after the self-check; ask for any diagnosis or repair records for the airbag system and whether the SRS system has been inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My airbag light has been coming on and going off for years depending on how the passenger seat is positioned but there was never a recall. After reviewing the site and other complaint for the same year make and model as my vehicle I'm wondering why this isn't a safety concern. The dealer doesn't know what's going on. I got it fixed last year they said it was the pins. Now they are saying the harness needs to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10855122, filed 2016-04

   “The air bag light continues to go on. I've spent many dollars to get if fixed, however, no one seems to know why the light is constantly on. It seems to be on the passenger side. The light goes on whenever the key is engaged.”

   NHTSA complaint #11175983, filed 2019-02, 15 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Soft or long brake pedal, brake fluid leaks

   • 7 complaints (12%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2019

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor or feeling soft with reduced stopping power, sometimes after the car is warm, and in some cases the pedal being pushed back while the accelerator is applied. One owner was told both a brake line and fuel lines had rusted through and were leaking; others report parts such as the master cylinder and booster replaced without resolving the symptom. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 130,000 miles, with some low-mileage reports as well.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the brake fluid level and look underneath for wet or rusted lines, and ask when the fluid was last changed; a firm pedal that holds under steady pressure is a good sign.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving my 2002, (75,000 miles) brakes were not functioning as normal. It was necessary to depress the brake down to the floor. About 15 mins later I noticed the brake display lit. I called arlington Toyota where I have been a customer for 20 years and advised of them of the problem. I was given an appointment, but decided to cautiously drive to the dealer after # calls. I learned that both my brake line and fuel lines had rusted and were leaking fluid. I commented that I had my car in for brake work many times over the past year +. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10875092, filed 2016-06, 75,000 miles

   “While driving at 25 MPH and entering a turn lane consumer pressed the brakes and vehicle never slowed down. But, surged forward, and collided with the vehicle in front. There were no injuries. There is a federal investigation concerning this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10062832, filed 2004-03, 27,000 miles
4. 4
   Seat belts

   Front seat belts will not retract

   • 8 complaints (13%)
   • median 87,850 mi at 7.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2014

   Owners report that the front lap and shoulder belts stop retracting after unbuckling, so the belt hangs slack, and some describe the driver's belt eventually failing to latch at all. Complaints mention dealers replacing belts under warranty only to have the problem return, and later being told the repair was not covered once the warranty expired; one owner was told the retractor springs had weakened. Often reported from around 10,000 to about 95,000 miles, and repeatedly on convertible models.

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and release it to see whether it retracts smoothly and latches securely; ask whether any belt or retractor has been replaced and keep the belts clean of obstructions.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On my 2002 Toyota solara convertible the front seat belts do not retract. I was told by a Toyota service manager that the seat belt retractor springs have weakened and need to be replaced. I called the Toyota customer experience center and they say because the car is no longer under warranty that I am responsible for getting the problem fixed. I do not believe that something as important as seat belts should brake on a car. I have owned many cars and this is the first time that I have seen this problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10243192, filed 2008-09, 94,000 miles

   “Seat belts continue to fail on '02 solara convertible. The seat belts fail to retract. Have taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 times while under warranty and the seat belts have been replaced. Happened again while out of warranty and dealer would not replace. It is a concern because my children ride in the back seat and with a convertible...you need your seat belts to work correctly at all times.”

   NHTSA complaint #10164279, filed 2006-08, 10,000 miles

Buying note. The sampled complaints point to checks around low-speed acceleration behavior, airbag and seat belt operation, and brake pedal feel as the most practical priorities on a used example. A pre-purchase inspection covering brakes, belts, airbag indicators, and transmission shift quality, along with service records, is worth arranging.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.