Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Took the car to good year change a bunch of parts. Aftet that took the car to get the oil changed. On the 01/27/2016 check engine light is now on the the vehicle. I sent you are report last week as well. I need your intervention. Please stop Toyota from ripping consumer off. It now states that the gas cap is off and or loose. This is not the case.
Purchased the Camry from reyes auto group in lakewood, nj. Took the vehicle back to pa where I live and 2 mechanics showed me the rusted out under carriage of vehicle and stated that it will not pass the pa safety inspection and would cost over $2000 to fix! Gas started leaking from tank because of rusted condition.
I have a 2002 Camry se v6 that has a persistent noise when the brakes are applied. I had the car's brakes repaired at jack sherman Toyota in binghamton ny because all rotors were warped at approximately 20,000 miles. I have since noticed a clang or clank when the brakes are applied or the steering wheel is turned or occasionally going over bumps. I took the car back to jack sherman Toyota and made them aware of the noise but was told nothing could be done to correct this problem. I have since pulled the front right wheel and noticed the wheel studs are too short! This problem is actually present on all wheels. The taper at the base of the stud does not protrude through the hub flange to center the rotor properly and this allows the rotor to slap against the stud threads when the brakes are applied. This May eventually cause them to shear off. I have pictures available upon request. …
2002 Toyota Camry lev6 w/15" rims. Car is unstable at high speeds. We are now on our third set of tires and the car only has 21,000 miles on it. First set (continental) became bald on outside edge of both front tires at 9000 miles. Tires were rotated (front to rear, rear to front) and front end alignment was done. Tires became bald on outside edge after only 8000 miles (17000 total miles on car). Dealer replaced all 4 tires with dunlop and I had to pay for a four wheel alignment. After 2500 more miles car again became unstable at high speeds. It started at about 75 MPH and as the tires wore it became unstable at lower speeds 55-65 MPH. The dealer replaced all four tires again with Michelin this time and did another front end alignment. Now with only 1200 miles on the new tires it is again becoming unstable at high speeds 65-75 MPH. …
Vehicle shimmies and vibrates from front end at all speeds. Particularly bad between 40-50mph. At high speeds, not as noticeable, but loud wump-wump-wump noise emanates from front end. Brakes pulsate when decelerating, particularly noticeable at speeds from 50-40mph. This has been problem since car was new. Dealer has responded with balancing tires several times, then replacing. Unfortunately, problem still exists and no resolution pending. Also, car has had a tendency to pull to the left at speed.
2002 Camry le,50K miles always pulls to left. Has been to dealer and various shops. Steering wheel shudders and vibrates at any and all speeds. Problem is structural. Brakes are constant problem. Sunroof will not seal correctly therefore rear floor is now wet. Now experiencing electrical problems. Would have been better off buying a 1950 studebaker! And GM is in trouble? Last Toyota for me. Car is unsafe.
I have a 2002 Toyota Camry and the front left wheel well makes noise. This is the second Camry that I have owned and our first one also had the defect. It was a 1999 Camry. Every time I hit a bump there is a noise in the wheel area. Not sure what it is but since this has now happened on my second Camry obviously this is a defect.
I have a 2002 Camry and there is a knocking sound when making left hand turns. I've noticed several other complaints that are similar, so this must be a defect with the car. I was told that my struts and mounts needed to be replaced - along with my brakes.
Since I purchased my vehicle on 3/30/02 it has been in the shop 6 times for the same alignment problem that I feel has is now and has alway been a major safety problem. I no longer drive my vehilce due to the safety factor.
I have 2002 Camry se v6. The car came with brigestone tires that were totally uncontrollable under very little snow conditions. Driving this car on a couple of snow days gave me the scare of my life. I tried to contact the dealer and Toyota many times and did not get any help. I have spend $300.00 traded my new tires to different tires. The traction of the vehicle greatly improved. I simply can not believe a 'reputed' car company can s... Customer like this when they spend $30,000 on a brand new car. The second problem I have is that the car 'wobbles' while driving at all speeds. May complaints to the dealers got the same response: "the road are to be blamed, nothing wrong with the car". Recently I got the wheel balance/alignment done. Not much difference. I drive my other vehicle on the same roads and never feel this way. Driven other cars and not felt like this. …
Suspension complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2002 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the suspension of the 2002 Toyota Camry, 4% of the model year's 953 complaints. The component named most often is front (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Toyota Camry suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2002 Toyota Camry, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Camry suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 27,000 miles, and 46% before 25,000 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.