ToyotaCamry LE1997L4/toyota/camry-le/1997/l4/

1997 Toyota Camry LE — L4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Camry LE L4.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine L4Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Toyota Camry LE is a passenger car powered by an L4 engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. This configuration delivers an EPA-rated fuel economy of 20/28/23 mpg and requires 3.8 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. The model's reliability record includes four recalls and 587 total owner complaints, with the most frequent issues occurring within the hydraulic service brakes.

Model year201120102009200820071997199619951994

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/28/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLIGHTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-70SR14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1 alt 90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330079545
Front wiper blades85222AA010 alt 852120C012
Serpentine belt993662095083 alt 9008091212
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 9091603090

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.6 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight2976 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 59.4 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 28 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume97 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.8 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, ATF in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilATF
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.4 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.8 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts80 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts239 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9200-16,700 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.88 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity4.90 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Compression142-178 psi
Engine Compression145-218 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-78 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 36-71 psi @ 3000 rpm psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle34 ft-lbs / 76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Runout Limit0.0059 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.472 in / 1.102 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Final Drive (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Camry LE top in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 83 of 587 reports (14%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 4 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 79 of the reports describe a crash and 28 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
141
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
587
Owner complaints
79 involved a crash · 28 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 587 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic83
Engine & Engine Cooling79
Suspension55
Air Bags49
Power Train27
Electrical System26
Vehicle Speed Control26
Seats26

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

99V307000Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarReported 01/11/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS. Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 141 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
TTT0636202022-03-17Back Over PreventionTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Toyota Safety Re2021-03-17Air BagsToyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
T-TT-0636-20 Rev2021-03-12Service BrakesTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
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Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Camry LE L4 take?

3.8 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Camry LE have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the L4 get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined mpg.