WHILE GOING UP A HILL HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN VEHICLE WAS CHANGING GEARS. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING IN REVERSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. TECHNICIAN STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
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
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.
Power Train complaints
18 reportsTHE FRONT HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE ROAD PROPERLY. THEY HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. THE LIGHTS STILL DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY AND ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. FRONT SUSPENSION SHAKES AGGRESIVELY (OFTEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) MAKING DRIVING VERY DANGTEROUS. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT BY DEALER. …
Read full complaint
THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE ROAD PROPERLY. THEY HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. THE LIGHTS STILL DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY AND ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. FRONT SUSPENSION SHAKES AGGRESIVELY (OFTEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) MAKING DRIVING VERY DANGTEROUS. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT BY DEALER. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ALL FOUR TIRES WORE COMPLETELY OUT IN LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. FRONT END PULLED STRONGLY TO RIGHT. DEALER TRIED TO CORRED SEVERAL TIMES. FRONT END NOW PULLS TO THE LEFT. REAR END "BANGS" AND "BOTTOMS OUT" OFTEN WHILE AT SPEED. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THIS SAFETY CONCERN IS "TYPICAL" OF THIS CAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TO HOLD CAR WHILE ON AN INCLINE AT LEAST TWICE. WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE FOR DEALER. REAR DOOR HAS NEVER CLOSED PROPERLY. DEALER HAS ATTAMPTED SEVERAL REAPIRS. DOOR STILL "CREEKS AND POPS" WHEN OPENED.
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND FRONT ROTORS; AT 10,000 MILES DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. CURRENTLY, AT 21,000 MILES, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHT NOT ALIGNED. DEALER INFORMED THAT VEHICLE MET MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION AND NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE. ALSO, WATER PUMP FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIE…
Read full complaint
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND FRONT ROTORS; AT 10,000 MILES DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. CURRENTLY, AT 21,000 MILES, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHT NOT ALIGNED. DEALER INFORMED THAT VEHICLE MET MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION AND NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE. ALSO, WATER PUMP FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS BEING MADE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS NOT GOOD AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO TEST THE FLUIDS. *SLC
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…
Read full complaint
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.
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, SHE APPLIED GAS PEDAL TO SPEED UP, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ROAR AND SLOWDOWN. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, BUT VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS HIT BY ONCOMING TRUCK. VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A MONTH AND A HALF. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THA…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, SHE APPLIED GAS PEDAL TO SPEED UP, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ROAR AND SLOWDOWN. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, BUT VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS HIT BY ONCOMING TRUCK. VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A MONTH AND A HALF. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK
VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS ON ANY SORT OF INCLINE. THE TRANSMISSIONS WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR ON A HILL EVEN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS A "NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ZERO DRAG FOR BEST GAS MILEAGE AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD CAR WITHOUT THROTTLE PRESSURE." THE DEALER HAS NOT BEE…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS ON ANY SORT OF INCLINE. THE TRANSMISSIONS WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR ON A HILL EVEN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS A "NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ZERO DRAG FOR BEST GAS MILEAGE AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD CAR WITHOUT THROTTLE PRESSURE." THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGED CAUSING CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. YH
INDICATOR FOR THE POSITION OF THE GEAR SHIFT IS LOCATED ON THE FLOOR AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO VIEW MOST OF THE TIME DUE TO ITS' SMALL SIZE AND IS INDISTINCT DUE TO REFLECTIONS IN THE PLEXIGLASS OCOVER ON THE CONSOLE.
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.
Illustration