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1986 Toyota Camry

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1986 Toyota Camry do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 295.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 32 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

3 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

PROBLEM OCCURED GRADUALLY AND ALMOST UNNOTICABLY. WHEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT I FELT IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS THE FIRST SIGN, BUT IT DIDN'T STAY ON BUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. REPAIRS INCURRED AN EXPENSE ON MY PART (ON 26 OCTOBER 1999) OF $765.66 FOR TWO WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE SHOES (1) AND TWO …

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PROBLEM OCCURED GRADUALLY AND ALMOST UNNOTICABLY. WHEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT I FELT IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS THE FIRST SIGN, BUT IT DIDN'T STAY ON BUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. REPAIRS INCURRED AN EXPENSE ON MY PART (ON 26 OCTOBER 1999) OF $765.66 FOR TWO WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE SHOES (1) AND TWO LOWER CONTROL ARMS. I COULD NOT PURCHASE JUST THE BEARINGS, WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD ONLY SELL ME THE ENTIRE UNITS FOR REPLACEMENTS.

NHTSA ODI #713071

Mileage unknown · May 10, 1996
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO WOBBLE AFTER RECALL REPAIR. *SD

NHTSA ODI #504352

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1996
Service Brakes, HydraulicFire

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AND THE BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. TT

NHTSA ODI #978575

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE87057 · Igniter Assembly Failure

Opened Sep 10, 1987 · Closed Mar 30, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

SUMMARY: TOYOTA RECOVERED SOME FAILED IGNITION CONTROL MODULES FROM THEFIELD. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT A SOLDER JOINT IN THE POWER TRANSISTOROF THE MODULE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. BECAUSE THE PART IS AN EMISSIONRELATED COMPONENT A VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS CONDUCTED.THE PREDOMINANT MODE OF FAILURE IS AN INABILITY TO START THE ENGINE,ALTHOUGH A STALLED CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.SINCE THE REPORTED OCCURENCE OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS SMALL, AND THEREPAIR IS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN, THELIKLEHOOD OF FURTHER ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS REMOTE.===

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