Look for a mileage schedule in the maintenance section of the owners manual.
For Camry 1997-2001, the timing belt must be replaced each 90000 miles.
You can't and that is why they are replaced at a set mileage as outlined in your owners manual.
you can only tell by mileage. The timing belt needs to be replaced every 60k miles. Failure to do so can be a disaster to the engine. While your mechanic does this have him replace the water pump and temperature senser as well as these fail frequently and are easy to do when your "in there". All fan belts should be replaced too of course, since your in there.
You would need to pull one of the covers off and look at its physical condition.
ask a mechanic
how can you tell if a timing belt is bad
I have heard that a timing belt should be replaced at 60,000 miles but I have also heard that if the belt was not replaced at 60,000 that it should be left alone, and I somewhat confirmed it on my Mazda 626, I was passed 60,000 and decided to do a "tune up" where the timing belt needed to be replaced................I'll tell you what it cause a whole bunch of problems that I did not have until I went to medeling with the car!!!!!!
we have one and what the dealer fails to tell you is that the timing belt needs to be replaced at 60,000 miles, We found out the hard way and it cost us 3,000 the tensioner failed and it destroyed everything,tensioner,timing belt,shroud cover,belt valves, rods,serpinteen belt,,Make another choice
You cannot tell if it is worn nor if it is about to break. That is why they are replaced at a set mileage. Looking at it will tell you nothing.
That's the 2.6 Mitsubishi right? It has a chain...
One way, and in some circumstances perhaps the only way, is to purchase a CARFAX report.
If it has over 60,000 miles it should be replaced. You could tell if it was bad by taking the timing cover off to see if it is cracked or worn. Since this is as much labor as actually changing it and the belt is only $27 you should just change it. You can tell if it is broken by looking into the oil filler cap hole with a flashlight as someone else turns the starter over. If you can't see the lifters moving it is broken and will have to be replaced. The 96 Escort is a non-interference engine which means that if the belt does break, the valves won't go through the pistons.