2018 Toyota Camry: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
333 of 700 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 Toyota Camry are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 60% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 37 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 45%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM06/28/2020CRASH1 INJURED
MY WIFE'S 2018 CAMRY ROLLED AWAY DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY WHILE THE SHIFTER WAS IN PARK. IT'S GOT 33K MILES ON IT. ON THE WAY DOWN THE HILL, IT CLEARLY ENGAGED THE PARKING PIN BECAUSE IT DRUG THE FRONT WHEELS 10 OR SO FEET BEFORE HITTING MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE. THE CAR WAS RUNNING, I HOPPED OUT AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK AND ALL FO…
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE09/07/2026
After taking the car on a short drive: Pre-collision malfunction; parking brake malf; ICS malf; chk eng reduced power; secondary collision brake malf; rough idle and driving; sometimes won't accelerate (revs only); cruise control won't work; battery drained when off (12.5 v to 10.5 in one day; battery just under 3 year…
POWER TRAIN08/29/2026
The vehicle has developed a high-pitched whine that is most noticeable around 30 to 55 mph. The pitch increases directly with vehicle speed, not engine RPM. The sound occurs whenever positive throttle is applied and disappears immediately when the accelerator is released, before vehicle speed noticeably decreases. Gear…
Three of 333 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (8)
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor m…
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry vehicles equipped with V6 engines. These vehicles have fuel delivery pipes that …
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry vehicles equipped with a 2.5L, four-cylinder engine. The pistons on these vehicl…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2018 Toyota Camry
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
8 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
