What are the features of a 1997 - 2001 Toyota Camry?

The 1997-2001 Toyota Camry continued to be one of the leaders in the family car class.

The 1997-2001 Camry was available as a front-wheel drive four-door sedan, or a two-door two-seat closed body (the two-seat closed body was sold as the Toyota Camry Solaire).

Transmission choices included V6 or four-cylinder engine, manual or automatic transmission with four speeds and five speeds. The 1997-01 Camry had a fully independent suspension with McPherson struts on all four wheels. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) were available.

What are the features of a 1997 - 2001 Toyota Camry?

Inside, the 1997-01 Camry was comfortable and quiet, with easy-to-use controls and straightforward instrumentation. The dashboard design was a bit of a level playing field, but everything was taken out nicely. The front seats were comfortable, somewhat lacking in side support. The Camry offered a decent headroom - and legroom in the front; rear seat space was ample. The boot compartment, if plenty of room and the rear split seat backs could be folded down for more cargo capacity.

On the road, the Camry offered a smooth and fairly quiet ride. Steering was very easy, without a lot of feedback. The soft suspension absorbed road knocks and minor cracks quite decently, but some body roll was notable, forming an angle. Overall, handling was good, though not sporty.

In NHTSA frontal crash tests 1997 Toyota Camry received four stars for both driver and front passenger, while 1998-2001 Camry received four stars for driver and five stars for front passenger.

In frontal crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 1997-2001 Toyota Camry received a 'Good' overall rating.

- Engine

- Strengths

- Weaknesses

- Everywhere.

-What to look for when buying a used Toyota Camry

- Service tips

- Specifications

- Links

- Repair Manual

Engine

Toyota Camry 2.2L 5S-FE Engine

The 1997-2001 Camry offered two engine choices:

The standard 2.2L 136-hp DOHC four-cylinder engine was fairly economical (8.1L/100km or 29 miles per gallon on the highway), still providing adequate power for most situations.

The 3.0-liter 194-hp V6 engine with 24 valves (modeled after the 1MZ-FE) was very smooth and quiet with plenty of power.

Both, the Toyota Camry V6 and 4 cylinder engines have a timing belt that needs to be replaced evenly.

Powers

- Good fuel economy (4 cylinder models)

- Smooth ride

- Comfortable, quiet interior

- Easy to support

- Good reliability history

- Easy to sell

Weaknesses

- Easy interior modelling

- Front seats lack side support

- Rear cup holder design

- Body roll when cornering

- Steering wheel wears out quickly

Everywhere

The 1997-01 Camry, with its comfortable quiet interior, smooth ride and good handling, was one of the best choices among family sedans. While not completely accident-free, the 1997-2001 Camry was quite reliable and long-lasting if properly maintained.

Check out the 2002-2006 Toyota Camry reviews.

What to look for to buy a used Camry

As a first step, check the used car's history reports. Even though it won't give you a 100 percent guarantee that the car is great, it's well worth the money you spend. It may turn out that the car isn't even worthy of consideration. A history report can help you uncover some of the problems the car may have had in the past, such as accidents, flood damage, downgraded odometer, rental use, etc.

Follow this link: How to check a used car's history

- If you notice blue smoke coming from the exhaust, even if it's just a little puff of blue smoke at startup, avoid such a car.

- Look for oil leaks.

- Detonating suspension noise on a bumpy road can indicate bad suspension components (e.g. bad strut mounts).

- Check service reports if available; it's important to check that the car has been properly maintained and oil changes have been done regularly.

- If a 'light' engine check goes, have it checked before you buy the car, in the worst cases the problem could be very expensive to fix.

Do more research on what to look for when buying a used car

Shop wisely, check out a few cars to compare; it's worth it to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition.

Before you buy, inspect the vehicle mechanic of your choice; you want to know that the car has been properly maintained and has no hidden problems.

- Some models can be expensive to insure. Check the insurance indicates first.

- After you buy your car, check with your Toyota dealer if all the safety recalls have been completed.

Maintenance tips

- To keep your engine in good shape, change the engine oil regularly.

- Check your parking space regularly for leaks and if you find one, get it installed as soon as you can.

- Try to avoid overheating the engine, this can cause serious damage to the engine.

- Change the transmission fluid regularly with original Toyota fluid.

- Whenever your engine is serviced, have the PCV valve checked. A clogged PCV valve causes an increase in the amount of fouling (sludge) in the engine.

- Use genuine Toyota parts, they are reasonably priced.

- Follow the recommended service list and keep all fluids clean and replenished.

- Take care of any minor problem before it becomes a major issue.

- Inspect your car at least once a year in the garage on a lift (e.g. doing a tyre rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g. brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simply inspecting in quick machine oil areas; the vehicle must be on a lift.