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1989 Toyota Camry

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 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: 14 of 113 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

2 reports
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1,000 miles · Nov 14, 2017
Unknown Or Other

CAR STALLS WHILE EITHER GOING DOWN THE STREET, OR AT A STOPLIGHT. MY FEAR IS THAT I WILL GET REAR-ENDED. AND, ALSO EMBARRASSING AND FRUSTRATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1989 NEW. IT HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. IT IS ALWAYS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE WET/DAMP. I CAN FEEL IT START "MISSING" AS I AM DRIVING …

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CAR STALLS WHILE EITHER GOING DOWN THE STREET, OR AT A STOPLIGHT. MY FEAR IS THAT I WILL GET REAR-ENDED. AND, ALSO EMBARRASSING AND FRUSTRATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1989 NEW. IT HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. IT IS ALWAYS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE WET/DAMP. I CAN FEEL IT START "MISSING" AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE CITY STREET. SOMETIMES, I HAVE TO GO TO A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP DRIVING AROUND AND CHUGGING AROUND. IT STOPS, I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TRY TO START IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND GO, AND IT DIES. ATFER I DO THIS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THEN PARK IT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO, IT WILL USUALLY START, AND GO OK. NEVER HAPPENS IN DRY WEATHER. I THINK IN THE FIRST YEAR OR 2 OF OWNING IT, I TOOK IT IN SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY THEY CHANGED THE "COMPUTER" OR SOMETHING. BUT, SADLY THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW, AND IT JUST DID IT A COUPLE DAYS AGO AFTER A WET WARM SNOW STORM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR DOES THIS. BUT IT IS SCARY WHEN I AM AMIDST TRAFFIC, AND IT CUT OUT AND STALLS. MY CAR HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I EVEN HAD RECENT ENGINE WORK, AND IT STILL ACTS THE SAME WAY. I DON'T HAVE REPAIR INVOICES, BUT ALWAYS HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER HERE IN BILLINGS, MT.

NHTSA ODI #11045960

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #729376

Official recalls

3

16V396000 · Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler

Jun 2, 2016

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

92V135000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

Sep 22, 1992

THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THE POWER DOOR LOCK SYSTEM CAN FAIL, CAUSING THE CONTACTS TO "WELD", AND RESULTING IN DOOR LOCK SOLENOID DAMAGE, WITH FAILURE OF THE DOOR TO LOCK OR UNLOCK, EVEN UNDER MANUAL OPERATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE DOOR FAILS TO OPEN AFTER ECU FAILURE, VEHICLEOCCUPANTS WOULD HAVE INCREASED DIFFICULTY EXITING THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY.

Remedy: INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL SUBCIRCUIT RELAY CONTROL TO PREVENT MALFUNCTION OF ORIGINAL RELAYS IN THE ECU.

89V175000 · Seat Belts:front

Oct 18, 1989

OCCUPANT RELEASE OF THE LAP BELT IN A CERTAIN MANNER COULD CAUSE THE BELT RETRACTOR TO LOCK AT THE RETRACTED AND STOWED POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SEAT BELTS MAY BE UNUSABLE OR OCCUPANTS MAY BEDISCOURAGED FROM USING BELTS, INCREASING THEIR POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IN ANACCIDENTAL OR SUDDEN STOP.

Remedy: REPLACE LAP BELT WITH A REDESIGNED BELT GUIDE.

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

7

EA97008 · Leaking Fuel Tank

Opened Apr 23, 1997 · Closed Apr 22, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

CRACKS IN THE SOLDER JOINT OF THE FUEL FILL OR INLET PIPE IN THE FUEL TANK ALLOWS LIQUID FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK

PE97003 · Leaking Fuel Tank

Opened Jan 21, 1997 · Closed Apr 23, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

CRACKS IN THE SOLDER JOINT OF THE FUEL FILL OR INLET PIPE IN THE FUEL TANK ALLOWS LIQUID FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK.

EA92044 · Throttle Sticking

Opened Dec 18, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE92065 · Throttle Sticking

Opened Jul 16, 1992 · Closed Dec 18, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

EA92013 · Stuck Power Door Locks

Opened May 8, 1992 · Closed May 12, 1993

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

EA90028 · Passive Safety Belt Fails

Opened May 29, 1990 · Closed Feb 28, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

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PE90027 · Passive Safety Belt Warnin

Opened Dec 15, 1989 · Closed May 29, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

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