IllustrationCONSUMER WAS LOCKED INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM THE DEALER COULD FIND, WAS THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB
1999 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
120–25K
2625–50K
3850–75K
3475–100K
41100–150K
23150K+
174 reports with mileage · 327 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
99 crash reports42 fire reports62 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
41 reportsCLAIM NUMBER 52-2382-276 - WHILE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS CAUSE OF FIRE. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT STATE SPEED LIMIT AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK
WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED ON, ENGINE FAILS TO START AND "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. MANUAL SAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS TAKE IT TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN AND MAY NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A WEEK OR TWO. I TOOK IT TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA, 4202 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95129. THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE P…
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WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED ON, ENGINE FAILS TO START AND "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. MANUAL SAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS TAKE IT TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN AND MAY NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A WEEK OR TWO. I TOOK IT TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA, 4202 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95129. THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WARRANTY NOT COMPLIED WITH BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 3 -5 TRIES BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS. *AK
ON THREE OCCASIONS 10/27/00,01/15/01, AND 3/19/01 THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED WITH MY VEHICLE. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE DEALER FOR THE 3RD TIME. ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND AND THAT THEY CLEARED THE CODE. ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE DEALER DECLARED ON PAPER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UN…
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ON THREE OCCASIONS 10/27/00,01/15/01, AND 3/19/01 THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED WITH MY VEHICLE. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE DEALER FOR THE 3RD TIME. ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND AND THAT THEY CLEARED THE CODE. ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE DEALER DECLARED ON PAPER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR. ON THIS OCCASION THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACK. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE DEALER YET REGARDING THE ISSUES CURRENTLY AT HAND. ON ALL 3 OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS DIED. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH AND THE CAR HAS DIED. I HAVE GONE TO TURN A CORNER AND THE CAR HAS DIED. I HAVE GONE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR HAS DIED. WHEN I GO TO START THE CAR THERE IS NO POWER AND THE MAXIMUM SPEED I CAN DRIVE IS APPROXIMATELY 15MPH. BOTH TIMES I HAVE ALMOST GOT INTO A MAJOR ACCIDENT DO TO THIS PROBLEM. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE RODE.*AK
NO SUMMARY
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN YOU TAKE OFF. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD IT (THIS WILL MAKE) 5 TIMES SINCE MARCH 31,1999. THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. THE BRAKES MAKE NOISES WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE VENTS BUT WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM. WE STILL, AFTER A…
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WE HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN YOU TAKE OFF. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD IT (THIS WILL MAKE) 5 TIMES SINCE MARCH 31,1999. THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. THE BRAKES MAKE NOISES WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE VENTS BUT WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM. WE STILL, AFTER ALL THOSE TIMES IN THE SHOP, HAVE THE SAME ORGINAL PROBLEMS AS BEFORE WE EVER WENT TO THE SHOP. WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAVE EVEN LIED TO US WHEN WE WERE BUYING THE CAR. THEY TOLD US IT WAS A LIMITED EDITION AND IT ISN'T. THEY WERE THE ORGINAL OWNERS, THEY WERE NOT. THEY WON'T GIVE US THE NAME OF THE ORGINAL OWNER. (FOUND THIS OUT DURING ARBITRATION) THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. AND CAN'T FIND ANY HELP ON THE SITUTATION. PLEASE ADVISE.
MULTIPLE TIMES CAR WILL NOT START. THE ONLY TIME FIALED AT DEALER SUSPECT PART WAS THE ALARM SYSTEM. REPLACED ALARM BUT PROBLEM CAN BACK 9 MONTHS LATER.
PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR, NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY REV- WITHOUT ACCELERATOR BEING TOUCHED. AFTER A 2 HOUR REST PERIOD THE CAR WAS AGAIN DRIVEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE RPM WOULD REV WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED, AFTER ABOUT 50 FEET THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE GAS PEDAL WOULD…
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PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR, NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY REV- WITHOUT ACCELERATOR BEING TOUCHED. AFTER A 2 HOUR REST PERIOD THE CAR WAS AGAIN DRIVEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE RPM WOULD REV WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED, AFTER ABOUT 50 FEET THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE GAS PEDAL WOULD SOMETIMES ENGAGE THE ENGINE SO WE WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL A SHORT DISTANCE. IT WAS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD WORK. IT WOULD SOMETIMES KICK IN WHILE THE RPM'S WERE REVING AND THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD. I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AS WE WERE SHUTTING THE CAR OFF TO LOAD IT ON THE TOW TRUCK WHEN THECAR WAS SHUT OFF, AND THE KEYS WERE STILL IN THE IGNITION, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS REPEATEDLY WENT OFF- IN A RAPID MOTION ABOUT 20 TIMES UNTIL THE KEYS WERE REMOVED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. *AK
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MAY OF 1999 THEY THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENTIRED COMPUTER SYSTEM. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN.
Official recalls
101V012000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jan 16, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND V6 ENGINES, AND BUILT AT ONE OF TWO LINES AT THE KENTUCKY PLANT. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HOUSING COULD BE DEFORMED AT THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR-TO-THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION. THE ACCELERATOR INNER-CABLE COULD WEAR AWAY AND EVENTUALLY BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE OR REMAIN IN ITS MOST RECENT POSITION REGARDLESS OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 23, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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
2PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
ODI'S DATA ANALYSIS FOUND THE FIRES RATES TO BE CONSISTENTLY LOW AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG SIX MODEL YEARS AND SIX DIFFERENT ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS.ODI EXAMINED A VARIETY OF ROOT CAUSES, THOSE BEING DETONATION (RESULTING IN OIL PAN PUNCTURE FROM CONNECTING ROD), STARTER FIRES, VARIOUS FUEL RELATED FIRES, LEAKING OIL FILTERS, WIRING ISSUES, IMPROPER REPAIRS AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.NONE OF THE ISSUES EXAMINED HAD REPORTS THAT INDICATED A TREND WHEN NORMALIZED FOR POPULATON AND EXPOSURE.SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.