Toyota Camry: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Toyota Camry problems by model year, from 4,964 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2019 (58%, 213 drivetrain complaints), 2020 (51%, 113 drivetrain complaints) and 2018 (48%, 338 drivetrain complaints). 6 of the 14 Toyota Camry years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2011 (17%), 2017 (18%) and 2010 (19%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2017 (18%) to 2018 (48%), up 30 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2018 drew the most drivetrain complaints (338 of 1,538 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Toyota Camry year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Camry | no elevated signal | 19% | 107 | 613 | 12/14 | 9 |
| 2011 Camry | no elevated signal | 17% | 95 | 623 | 14/14 | 5 |
| 2012 Camry | elevated | 39% | 213 | 644 | 5/14 | 2 |
| 2013 Camry | elevated | 37% | 95 | 301 | 6/14 | 2 |
| 2014 Camry | high | 44% | 189 | 480 | 4/14 | 3 |
| 2015 Camry | no elevated signal | 27% | 66 | 271 | 7/14 | 1 |
| 2016 Camry | no elevated signal | 26% | 39 | 189 | 11/14 | 2 |
| 2017 Camry | no elevated signal | 18% | 22 | 148 | 13/14 | 3 |
| 2018 Camry | high | 48% | 338 | 744 | 3/14 | 8 |
| 2019 Camry | high | 58% | 213 | 395 | 1/14 | 6 |
| 2020 Camry | high | 51% | 113 | 274 | 2/14 | 3 |
| 2021 Camry | no elevated signal | 27% | 21 | 157 | 8/14 | 1 |
| 2022 Camry | no elevated signal | 26% | 12 | 61 | 9/14 | 1 |
| 2023 Camry | no elevated signal | 26% | 15 | 64 | 10/14 | 2 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Toyota Camry years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Toyota Camry engine recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the Toyota Camry involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 33 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2014 | 14V576000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2014 |
| Feb 2018 | 18V108000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2018 |
| Mar 2018 | 18V200000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2018 |
| Jan 2020 | 20V012000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2018–2019 |
| Feb 2020 | 20V064000 | engine and engine cooling | 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V682000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2018–2020 |
| Jan 2025 | 25V028000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2018 |
26 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2009 | 09V388000 | vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal | 2010 |
| Jan 2010 | 10V017000 | vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal | 2010 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V035000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V036000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010–2011 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V040000 | service brakes, hydraulic | 2010 |
| Jan 2013 | 13V014000 | air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive | 2010–2012 |
| Apr 2013 | 13V123000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010–2011 |
| Oct 2013 | 13V442000 | electrical system | 2012–2013 |
| Oct 2013 | 13V505000 | visibility: windshield wiper/washer: switch/wiring | 2013–2014 |
| Nov 2014 | 14V715000 | suspension: front: control arm: lower arm | 2014 |
| Nov 2014 | 14V732000 | suspension: front: control arm: lower arm | 2011 |
| Nov 2014 | 14V743000 | seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler | 2010–2011 |
| Mar 2015 | 15V144000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| Apr 2016 | 16V215000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2016 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V396000 | seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler | 2010 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V420000 | equipment: other: labels | 2016 |
| Dec 2016 | 16V906000 | air bags: knee bolster | 2017 |
| May 2017 | 17V295000 | tires: temporary/emergency spare tire | 2017 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V211000 | service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum | 2018 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V244000 | equipment: other: labels | 2019 |
| Jun 2019 | 19V503000 | equipment: other: labels | 2017–2019 |
| Aug 2019 | 19V567000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2019 |
| Nov 2021 | 21V890000 | service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum | 2018–2019 |
| Jun 2023 | 23V432000 | wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs | 2023 |
| Dec 2023 | 23V865000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2020–2022 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V128000 | seats | 2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the Toyota Camry
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Toyota Camry
What are the worst years for the Toyota Camry?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Toyota Camry years are the 2019 (58% of relevant complaints, high), the 2020 (51% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2018 (48% of relevant complaints, high). 6 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Toyota Camry?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Toyota Camry years are the 2011 (17%), the 2017 (18%) and the 2010 (19%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Toyota Camry have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 1,538 of 4,373 relevant NHTSA complaints (35%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Is the Toyota Camry reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 6 of 14 Toyota Camry years we score have an elevated complaint share and 8 do not. Pooled across those years, 35% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Toyota Camry?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Toyota Camry years we track, out of 33 in total: 20V064000 (Feb 2020, 2020), 20V682000 (Nov 2020, 2018–2020), 25V028000 (Jan 2025, 2018), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.