Most common 2002 Toyota Camry Solara problems
Share of the 60 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Camry Solara complaints by model year
Best Camry Solara years: 2003, 2001, 2002. Years to avoid: 2004, 2007, 2006. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Toyota Camry Solara:
Throttle control system
The Lexus models were the subject of defect petition (dp) 04-003.twelve odi complaints are duplicative to Toyota reports, including the two minor crashes.the v6 equipped solara models have been excluded because they do not contain the subject throttle control system.Toyota introduced electronic throttle control (etc) on the subject vehicles beginning in model year (my) 2002.odi opened the investigation to determine…
Engine surging
The petitioner owns a my 2006 Toyota camry with a 4-cylinder engine that was purchased new in January 2006. The petitioner also previously owned a my 2005 camry. He alleges that both vehicles exhibited vehicle engine surging, which he described as a short duration (1 to 2 second) increase in engine speed occurring while the accelerator pedal is not depressed.
Vehicle speed control
In a letter dated July 8, 2005, and after experiencing two incidents (and one crash) where he alleges his model year (my) 2002 camry accelerated without driver input, mr. Jordan ziprin petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration?s (NHTSA) office of defects investigation (odi) to commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect within the etc system in my 2002 to 2005 Toyota and Lexus…
What 2002 Toyota Camry Solara owners say
Speed control & acceleration
I was driving my Toyota 2002 Solara into the parking lot on 6-27-10 to the post office. While pulling into a parking spot along side of the post office building, while applying the brakes the acceleration started to increase and the brake pedal went down almost to the floor. The car jumped the parking stop and then the side walk into the wall of the building. The two air bags exploded, then trying to put the car into park the car went into reverse back into the parking lot. Then finally the car was in park and ignition was shut off. I called 911 and then went the hospital for x-rays. This is not safe to drive these cars and the floormat didn't get stuck on the gas pedal. Is this a problematic throttle control system with Toyota cars? Is there a way to find out what cause this problem? Is there any computer in the car that will store this information what happen? …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Camry Solara. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH into a parking space, the brake was engaged and a sudden unintentional acceleration occurred. The vehicle failed to slow down after repeatedly applying the brake pedal as a result to crashing into a building. There was no personal injury. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven from the scene and taken to authorized dealer where they were unable to locate the problem. The vehicle sustained minor body damage and had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the unintended acceleration. The failure mileage was 82,600.
Air bags
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Camry Solara. While at a red light, a second vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. As a result, the contact struck the preceding vehicle. The contact's vehicle sustained front end damage, but the air bags did not deploy. No injuries were reported and a police report was filed. After the crash, the air bag sensor light remained permanently illuminated. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact also indicated that the dashboard experienced cracking on the passenger side. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 48,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle collided with a deer and the airbags did not deploy. There was no warning prior to the incident. The contact incurred a minor head injury due to striking the steering wheel, and there was a police report processed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer.
Seat belts
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. The car has 94,000 miles on it and was a one owner car when I bought it 2 weeks ago. The msrp for the parts are over $200 for each seat belt. I think this is a design flaw and a safety hazard on these cars.
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.
2002 Toyota Camry Solara engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Toyota Camry Solara a good car?
Based on 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Camry Solara rates average: 24% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Camry Solara at the same age. It is one of the best Camry Solara years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Toyota Camry Solara?
The speed control & acceleration — 14 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the air bags (12) and seat belts (8).
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Camry Solara have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Toyota Camry Solara. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Camry Solara?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2001 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2007 and 2006. See the full Toyota Camry Solara years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Camry Solara problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 39% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.