How Reliable is the Toyota Camry?

Front 3/4 view of a Toyota Camry

Camry owners have made 3303 complaints over 31 model years. It ranks 33rd in reliability out of 33 eligible Toyota models.

Our reliability rank is based on our PainRank™ system. A higher number means you can expect more significant problems. The average Toyota score is 9.75 while the Camry comes in at 56.75.

The 7 Most Common Camry Problems

We've pulled together a list of the problems Camry owners.

  1. Bluetooth Echos During Calls

    What's the point of hands-free calling if you can't have a conversation without an annoying echo getting in the way? That's the position many 2016-2019 Toyota owners find themselves in as they struggle with their car's bluetooth connection.

    Continue

  2. Oil Sludge in Toyota Engines

    Toyota settled a class-action engine-sludge suit in 2007 that covered an estimated 2.5-million Toyota and Lexus vehicles made between 1997 and 2002. In that case, Toyota agreed to repair 'sludged-up' engines for up to eight years from the t…

    Continue

  3. Musty and Moldy A/C

    Toyota air conditioners smell like mold in numerous vehicles. So what's causing the musty smell and just how dangerous is it?…

    Continue

  4. Unintended Acceleration

    Toyota believes the problems are caused by stuck gas pedals or misplaced floor mats that trapped the gas pedals. Independent testing by NASA and other outside laboratories agreed with Toyota and concluded driver error was also a contributin…

    Continue

  5. Rodents Chew Wires

    Somewhere in the mid-2000's there was an industry-wide push by automakers to replace plastic and glass-based wiring insulation with a more eco-friendly soy-based coating. It's biodegradable, commendable, and a complete disaster for owners. …

    Continue

  6. Toyota Excessive Oil Consumption

    An increasing number of Toyotas are experiencing excessive oil consumption which may be the result of defective piston rings. Toyota, in all their 'deny-til-we-die' splendor, is reportedly denying warranty coverage on many oil consumption r…

    Continue

  7. Melting Dashboards

    One of the automotive world's worst science projects is coming to an end. Toyota dashboards have long been known to melt under the heat of the sun. The melted dashes warp and extrude a strange, goo-like substance that is oddly shiny and sti…

    Continue

What Camry Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks

Years to Avoid

Full Lists on CarComplaints.com

Camry Generations

The Camry has 7 generations, each with their own issues. Using the same PainRank™ system we've determined that you're better off avoiding the 6th generation (2007–2011).

  1. 8th Generation Camry

    Years
    2018–2020
    Reliability
    59th of 81
    PainRank™
    9.21
    Complaints
    74
    Continue Front 3/4 view of a Camry

  2. 7th Generation Camry

    Years
    2012–2017
    Reliability
    77th of 81
    PainRank™
    23.66
    Complaints
    380
    Continue Front 3/4 view of a Camry

  3. 6th Generation Camry

    Years
    2007–2011
    Reliability
    81st of 81
    PainRank™
    54.33
    Complaints
    2010
    Continue Front 3/4 view of a Camry

  4. 5th Generation Camry

    Years
    2002–2006
    Reliability
    80th of 81
    PainRank™
    29.99
    Complaints
    560
    Continue

  5. 4th Generation Camry

    Years
    1997–2001
    Reliability
    65th of 81
    PainRank™
    11.25
    Complaints
    209
    Continue

  6. 3rd Generation Camry

    Years
    1992–1996
    Reliability
    32nd of 81
    PainRank™
    2.32
    Complaints
    58
    Continue

  7. 2nd Generation Camry

    Years
    1987–1991
    Reliability
    23rd of 81
    PainRank™
    1.07
    Complaints
    14
    Continue

Camry Key Numbers

  1. 3,303 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  2. 1,423 service bulletins

    Documenting the process of troubleshooting common problems.

  3. 59 recall campaigns

    Time-sensitive, free repairs for widespread safety problems.

Camry Class-Action Lawsuits

The Camry has been named as a class vehicle in the following lawsuits.

Recent Camry News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  3. When Toyota switched away from using plastic or glass-based inulation in favor of soy, it invited in some very unwelcome Toyota loyalisits.

    According to the plaintiff, she learned the hard way about the soy wiring when her Avalon wouldn't start and a look under the hood showed wires chewed, so she had the car towed to a dealer. Toyota told her rodents had caused the damage and it would be no problem to repair the problems as long as she could cough up $6,000 to cover the bill.

    The soy-based wiring is allegedly attracting in rodents, who love to chew it up and use it for nesting material. The lawsuit, Heidi Browder vs. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al. follows a similar lawsuit filed against Honda earlier this year.

    keep reading

  5. The Toyota Camry stinks and now there's a lawsuit intent on proving it

    . The Camry's ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) uses an evaporator inside the vehicle's dashboard. According to the plaintiffs, as cold refrigerant passes into the evaporator it mixes with warm air from the passenger cabin to create moisture. The condenser moisture mixes with things from the HVAC's outside vents – dead insects, pollen, leaves, and other fun stuff – to eventually turn into a moldy and stinky mess.…

    keep reading

  6. It's been a while since Toyota announced their extended warranty program for melting dashbord in 3.5 million vehicles.

    So, how are things going? According to [a] lawsuit, when Toyota first announced the warranty program the automaker notified customers and said it could take months to gather the replacement parts. However, Toyota then sent a second notice that removed the information about a timeline for repairs.

    Oh, well it can't be too long before everyone gets their replacement dash, right?…

    keep reading

  7. A minor label issue is about to become a major pain in the butt for 2,500 Toyota and Scion owners.

    Why do automakers bother with recalls about stickers? Because of federal law. Based on federal regulations, a load carrying modification label must be added to a vehicle if weight exceeding the lesser of 1.5 percent of 100 pounds is added to a vehicle between final vehicle certification and the first retail sale of the vehicle. Any corrected values must be accurate to within 1 percent of the actual added weight.…

    keep reading

  8. How hot do you like your seat heater in the winter?

    If you like it really toasty — as in, with an actual flame — you’ll probably love one of 7,700 Toyota vehicles with seat heaters that catch on fire. The vehicles have been recalled because fire and cars don’t get along, what with their tanks of highly flammable liquids and all. All the affected vehicles are equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters that contain copper strand heating elements. The recall is being handled by Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) which is the world’s largest distributor of Toyota and Scion vehicles.

    The recall is expected to begin on July 14, 2016 and the seat heaters will need to be disconnected. Owners will be reimbursed.

    keep reading

See All Camry News

Other Toyota Models