The 2004 Toyota Camry Le stands as a popular choice for drivers seeking reliability and practicality. Understanding its safety performance is crucial for informed car ownership. This analysis delves into the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test ratings for the 2004 Toyota Camry LE, providing a comprehensive overview of its safety strengths and weaknesses. We’ll explore the results of frontal, side, and head restraint tests to give you a clear picture of how this model protects occupants in various collision scenarios.
Frontal Crash Test: Excellent Protection in a Moderate Overlap Scenario
The 2002-2006 Toyota Camry models, including the 2004 LE, underwent the IIHS moderate overlap front crash test. This test simulates a frontal collision where the car impacts a deformable barrier at 40 mph, with 40% of the car’s width overlapping the barrier. The 2004 Toyota Camry LE achieved a “Good” overall rating in this demanding test, the highest rating possible.
This “Good” rating signifies robust structural integrity. The Camry’s safety cage effectively maintained its shape during the crash, providing ample survival space for the driver. Injury measures recorded on the driver dummy were also encouraging. The risk of injury to the head, neck, chest, and left leg/foot was rated as “Good”. While the right leg/foot injury measure was slightly lower at “Acceptable,” the overall frontal crash performance demonstrates a high level of protection for the driver in this type of accident.
Technical measurements from the test further support these findings. Intrusion into the occupant compartment was minimal, indicating a strong structure. Key measurements such as footwell intrusion and instrument panel movement were low. Driver injury measures, including Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and femur forces, were well within acceptable limits, confirming the “Good” rating and the effective performance of the Camry’s frontal crash protection systems.
Side Impact Performance: A Tale of Two Airbag Options for the 2004 Camry LE
The side impact test reveals a critical aspect of the 2004 Toyota Camry LE’s safety – the significant difference in protection offered by optional side airbags. IIHS conducted side impact tests on 2004-2006 Camry models both with and without optional side airbags.
With Optional Side Airbags: Top Safety Marks in Side Collisions
When equipped with optional front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags, the 2004 Toyota Camry LE earned a “Good” overall rating in the side impact test. This rating reflects “Good” protection for driver and rear passenger head/neck and torso regions. The pelvis/leg protection for the driver was rated as “Acceptable”, slightly lower but still indicating a good level of safety. The structure and safety cage were rated “Acceptable,” indicating some room for improvement in structural performance during side impacts, even with airbags.
The side curtain airbag played a crucial role in preventing head injuries. Action shots from the test clearly show the side curtain airbag deploying and effectively cushioning the driver and rear passenger’s heads, preventing contact with hard structures of the vehicle. Greasepaint on the dummies confirmed that the airbags made contact in the crucial areas, minimizing head injury risk.
Without Side Airbags: Significant Risk in Side Collisions
In stark contrast, the 2004 Toyota Camry LE without optional side airbags received a “Poor” overall rating for side impact protection. This dramatic drop in rating highlights the critical importance of side airbags for occupant safety in side collisions.
Without side airbags, the driver’s head protection was rated as “Poor.” The test dummy’s head made direct contact with the intruding barrier, resulting in dangerously high head injury measures. Torso protection for the driver was rated “Marginal,” and rear passenger torso protection was also “Poor.” While pelvis/leg protection remained “Good,” the lack of head and torso airbags resulted in a significantly compromised level of safety in side impacts.
Technical measurements from the test without side airbags are alarming. The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) for the driver was extremely high, indicating a severe risk of head injury. These results underscore that a 2004 Toyota Camry LE without side airbags offers inadequate side impact protection, especially for the driver’s head and torso.
Head Restraints & Seats: Mixed Performance for Whiplash Protection
The IIHS also evaluated the head restraints and seats of the 2004 Toyota Camry. The results varied depending on the seat type. Camrys with cloth seats received a “Marginal” overall rating, while those with leather seats fared worse, earning a “Poor” overall rating.
For cloth seats, the dynamic rating, which assesses how well the head restraint protects against whiplash in a rear-end collision, was “Marginal.” However, the seat/head restraint geometry was rated “Good,” indicating that the head restraint is adequately positioned for many occupants. Technical measurements revealed a “Fail” in seat design parameters and a force rating of 2, contributing to the “Marginal” dynamic rating.
Leather seats performed even poorer. The dynamic rating was “Poor,” and the seat/head restraint geometry was only “Acceptable.” Technical measurements again showed a “Fail” in seat design parameters, a worse force rating of 3, and higher neck forces compared to cloth seats, leading to the “Poor” overall assessment.
Conclusion: Prioritize Side Airbags for Optimal Safety in a 2004 Toyota Camry LE
The IIHS crash test results paint a clear picture of the 2004 Toyota Camry LE’s safety performance. It offers excellent frontal crash protection. However, side impact safety is heavily dependent on the presence of optional side airbags. A 2004 Toyota Camry LE equipped with side airbags provides good side impact protection, while one without side airbags offers poor protection, particularly for the driver. Head restraint performance is marginal to poor, suggesting potential whiplash concerns, especially with leather seats.
When considering a 2004 Toyota Camry LE, determining whether it is equipped with side airbags is paramount for safety. If side airbags are present, the vehicle offers a reasonably good level of safety overall for its model year. If side airbags are absent, the side impact protection is severely compromised, making it a less safe option compared to models equipped with this crucial safety feature. Prospective buyers should prioritize models with side airbags to maximize occupant protection in side collision scenarios.
