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2020 Toyota Camry problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
51%
113 of 223 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

51% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Toyota Camry are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 67% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 51 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 41%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Toyota Camry have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 113 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Toyota Camry concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%), and the largest group is filed under engine (60). For comparison, the 2019 scores 58% and the 2021 scores 27%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
113
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
274
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
14 crashes · 22 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM67 · 24%
ENGINE60 · 22%
AIR BAGS48 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER45 · 16%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM37 · 14%
POWER TRAIN33 · 12%

The years either side

2010
19%
107 of 613
2011
17%
95 of 623
2012
39%
213 of 644
2013
37%
95 of 301
2014
44%
189 of 480
2015
27%
66 of 271
2016
26%
39 of 189
2017
18%
22 of 148
2018
48%
338 of 744
2019
58%
213 of 395
2020
51%
113 of 274
2021
27%
21 of 157
2022
26%
12 of 61
2023
26%
15 of 64

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Toyota Camry

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN08/14/2020CRASH1 INJURED
2020 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK ON A FLAT SURFACE, THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN ROLLING. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A REFRIGERATOR, WORK BENCH, AND THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR 30 …

One of 113 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Toyota Camry?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Toyota Camry involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 3 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump20V682000 · Nov 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020…

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021.…

engine and engine cooling20V064000 · Feb 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.

Risk: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged…

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: sensor: occupant classification23V865000 · Dec 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2020 Toyota Camry? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2020 Toyota Camry

Does the 2020 Toyota Camry have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 113 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Toyota Camry concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Toyota Camry?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Toyota Camry involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 3 in total: 20V682000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump), 20V064000 (engine and engine cooling). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Toyota Camry years are better?

Among the Toyota Camry years we track, the 2011 (17%), the 2017 (18%) and the 2010 (19%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (51%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2020 Toyota Camry?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2020 Toyota Camry has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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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.