IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
1994 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Toyota Camry do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 295.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camry years →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: 26 of 287 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
55 crash reports10 fire reports38 injury reports
Power Train complaints
21 reportsALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR WAS DONE BY MYSELF. ALL FLUIDS, FILTERS ETC., WERE CHANGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOYOTA'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE EITHER ON SCHEDULE OR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A RECEIPT FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGES WHICH I PERFORMED MYSELF SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW, TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO…
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ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR WAS DONE BY MYSELF. ALL FLUIDS, FILTERS ETC., WERE CHANGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOYOTA'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE EITHER ON SCHEDULE OR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A RECEIPT FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGES WHICH I PERFORMED MYSELF SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW, TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE 5 YEAR, 60,000 MILE WARRANTY. IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS TO ANYONE WHO LOOKED AT MY CAR THAT IT HAS IN FACT, BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. IT IS 6 YEARS OLD, STILL LOOKS LIKE NEW INSIDE AND OUT AND ALL OTHER FLUIDS ARE CLEAN AND BEEN REGULARLY CHANGED AS WELL. I PURCHASED A TOYOTA BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE AND COMPANY REPUTATION. I THINK IT'S FAIRLY OBVIOUS WHAT I FEEL ABOUT TOYOTA'S SERVICE REPUTATION AT THIS POINT. I HAVE SENT SEVERAL REGISTERED LETTERS TO ALL COMPANY EXECS, CEOS, ETC. ALSO, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, THE DEPT. OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, ACTION LINE HERE IN CHARLESTON AS WELL AS A FEW OTHERS. THANKS TO ALL FOR LISTENING.
BULB IN SHIFT INDICATOR FAILED.
THE VEHICLE DOES NOT LOCK INTO PARK POSITION ON AN INCLINE. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE DOES NOT LOCK ON A FLAT SURFACE ALSO. THE PROLBEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WILL BE CHECKED ON 11/3/98 FOR PROBLEMS BY DEALER.*AK
AN OVERDRIVE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO EXCEED 20 MPH. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
EXPERIENCES CONSTANT SHAKING WHEN GEAR IS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. EACH TIME DEALER OFFERS A DIFFERENT EXPLANATION FOR THE SHAKING.
WHEN CONSUMER PUT AUTO IN GEAR THE AUTO SHOOK VERY BADLY, CONSUMER THINKS THAT IT MAY SHAKE OUT OF HER HAND AND SHE LOSES CONTROL. *AK
NEED TO PUMP BRAKE PEDAL, IN ORDER TO COME TO A STOP. BRAKE SYSTEM EXPERIENCES A DELAY BEFORE BRAKING.*AK CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, A PULLING SENSATION CAUSING A DECREASE IN POWER, WHEN DRIVING UP HILLS THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND GAVE OFF A BURNING ODOR , OIL CONSISTENTLY LEAKED,AND ALSO WA…
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NEED TO PUMP BRAKE PEDAL, IN ORDER TO COME TO A STOP. BRAKE SYSTEM EXPERIENCES A DELAY BEFORE BRAKING.*AK CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, A PULLING SENSATION CAUSING A DECREASE IN POWER, WHEN DRIVING UP HILLS THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND GAVE OFF A BURNING ODOR , OIL CONSISTENTLY LEAKED,AND ALSO WAS GETTING POOR GAS MILEAGE,CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK,TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING.*JB
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
SPEEDOMETER FAILED. *AW
Official recalls
198V155000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Jul 8, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT IN JAPAN. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE NUT CAN EVENTUALLY COME OFF ALLOWING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING SHAFT, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RETIGHTEN THE STEERING SET NUT.
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
2EA97014 · Steering Wheel Separation/disengagement
Opened Jun 3, 1997 · Closed Jul 14, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
BY LETTER DATED JULY 8, 1998, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED NHTSA OF IT DECISION TO INITIATE A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 105,000 OF THE SUBJECT 1994 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES BUILT IN JAPAN.THIS SAFETY RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ESTIMATED 218,000 SIMILAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES.NHTSA HAS DESIGNATED THIS RECALL ACTION AS CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V-155.A COPY OF THE MANUFACTURER'S LETTER TO NHTSA REGARDING THIS ACTION IS ATTACHED.
PE97004 · Steering Wheel Separation/disengagement
Opened Jan 29, 1997 · Closed Jun 3, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
FURTHER INFORMATION AND DATA ARE REQUIRED TO FULLY ASSESS THIS ISSUE.OF SPECIFIC AND IMMEDIATE CONCERN ARE MANUFACTURING/ASSEMBLY/QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES EMPLOYED TO ENSURE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME STEERING COMPONENTS.FOR THE REASONS STATED ABOVE, THIS PE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.