1996 TOYOTA CAMRY — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 407 complaints · 7 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (61 complaints · 15.0%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 56
  • Fires 8
  • Injuries 56
  • Deaths 5
Compare with 1995 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 61 of 407 owner complaints (15.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 61 complaints, 15.0% of reports ENGINE 61 · 15.0% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 47 complaints, 11.6% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 47 · 11.6% · 11 crash reports 1 fire reports AIR BAGS: 40 complaints, 9.8% of reports AIR BAGS 40 · 9.8% · 26 crash reports 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 39 complaints, 9.6% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 39 · 9.6% · 8 crash reports STEERING: 27 complaints, 6.6% of reports STEERING 27 · 6.6% · 3 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 21 complaints, 5.2% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 · 5.2% · 1 crash reports 4 fire reports STRUCTURE: 21 complaints, 5.2% of reports STRUCTURE 21 · 5.2% · 1 crash reports SUSPENSION: 20 complaints, 4.9% of reports SUSPENSION 20 · 4.9% FUEL SYSTEM: 19 complaints, 4.7% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 19 · 4.7% · 1 crash reports 2 fire reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 292 complaints, 71.7% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 292 · 71.7% · 35 crash reports 7 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 61 15.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 47 11.6% 11 crashes · 1 fires
AIR BAGS 40 9.8% 26 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 39 9.6% 8 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 27 6.6% 3 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 5.2% 1 crashes · 4 fires
STRUCTURE 21 5.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 20 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 19 4.7% 1 crashes · 2 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 292 71.7% 35 crashes · 7 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1996; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 1996. 1996-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1996-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 1996-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 1996-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 1997-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 1997-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 1997-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 1997-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 1998-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 1998-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 1999-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 1999-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2000-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2000-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2001-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2001-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2002-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2003-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2003-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2004-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2004-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1996 Oct 2020 Recall campaign 96E001000 ◆ Recall campaign 96E001000 Recall campaign 96V037000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V037000 Recall campaign 99V307000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V307000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E049000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E049000 Recall campaign 08E050000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E050000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Investigation PE01024 ● Investigation PE01024 Investigation DP02004 ● Investigation DP02004
  • Campaign 99V307000 was reported 1,214 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 08E050000 was reported 4,323 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09E025000 was reported 4,596 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1996-Q1 Owner reports 4
1996-Q2 Owner reports 4
1996-Q3 Owner reports 9
1996-Q4 Owner reports 16
1997-Q1 Owner reports 17
1997-Q2 Owner reports 26
1997-Q3 Owner reports 27
1997-Q4 Owner reports 20
1998-Q1 Owner reports 8
1998-Q2 Owner reports 6
1998-Q3 Owner reports 9
1998-Q4 Owner reports 10
1999-Q1 Owner reports 2
1999-Q2 Owner reports 6
1999-Q3 Owner reports 11
1999-Q4 Owner reports 10
2000-Q1 Owner reports 6
2000-Q2 Owner reports 7
2000-Q3 Owner reports 7
2000-Q4 Owner reports 7
2001-Q1 Owner reports 12
2001-Q2 Owner reports 13
2001-Q3 Owner reports 3
2001-Q4 Owner reports 6
2002-Q1 Owner reports 6
2002-Q2 Owner reports 11
2002-Q3 Owner reports 5
2003-Q1 Owner reports 8
2003-Q2 Owner reports 11
2003-Q3 Owner reports 9
2003-Q4 Owner reports 7
2004-Q1 Owner reports 20
2004-Q2 Owner reports 6
2004-Q3 Owner reports 8
2005-Q1 Owner reports 5
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q2 Owner reports 3
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 4
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 4
2008-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 3
2010-Q1 Owner reports 10
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 3
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 96E001000
Recall campaign 1 96V037000
Recall campaign 1 99V307000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E049000
Recall campaign 1 08E050000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Defect investigation 1 PE01024
Defect investigation 1 DP02004
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (7)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E049000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 08E050000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 09E025000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 96E001000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE CRUISE CONTROL ASSEMBLIES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 96V037000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    AS THE BULB HOLDER DEFORMS, THE BULB CAN LOSE ELECTRICAL CONTACT, RESULTING IN AN INOPERATIVE LAMP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR COMBINATION LAMP BULB HOLDER TO SEE IF IT IS THE DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE DEFECTIVE BULB HOLDER TOGETHER WITH THE WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH A CORRECT BULB HOLDER AND HARNESS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 99V307000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 407 complaints · page 1 of 17

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources