IllustrationComputer system failure ABS system not functioning causing driving functions not working. Problem continuously reproduced by independents and finally by Dealer. Dashboard lights on, engine, tracking, ABS, Brak and other lights. MPG reduced with speedometer down to zero while driving.
2012 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2012 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
1500–25K
9325–50K
6150–75K
4875–100K
60100–150K
19150K+
431 reports with mileage · 158 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.
- Power Train. Review the 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
84 crash reports6 fire reports44 injury reports
Wheels complaints
16 reportsWhen I first purchased the car I unlocked the lever to adjust my steering wheel and from that moment further my car never drove the same. If I do not play with the lever for the tilt steering and move steering wheel up and down while driving my car does not drive normal. The tires either feel like they were laying down flat when…
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When I first purchased the car I unlocked the lever to adjust my steering wheel and from that moment further my car never drove the same. If I do not play with the lever for the tilt steering and move steering wheel up and down while driving my car does not drive normal. The tires either feel like they were laying down flat when making a turn either way to the left or the right and the car seemed to be at a different position than my steering wheel was. I changed my lower control arms, inner tire rods(Front), outer tire rods(front),This is all since January of 2022. I contacted the dealership immediately when I began noticing the problem and they told me nothing was wrong with the car and they couldn't not help me. Now when I am driving it sounds like a belt shifted on a tire but hasn't or something is rubbing. My steering wheel shakes when braking, and my steering wheel is really tight. If I put my traction control on off and drive it somewhat drives better but the rubbing sounds from the front still appears. If I play with the tilt lever and move steering wheel in and out or up and down I can feel the transmission almost like releasing from straining but never feels as if it is straining if that makes since. The lever for tilt steering is sometimes really loose like it is about to fall off but other times it is so tight that I am afraid it will snap if I lock it back. No one seems to understand what is the issue at the mechanic shops I brought it too. And I am so scared of driving it that I have parked it since august because I am afraid for my safety and my childrens safety. I have heard and read about other camrys this year model having similar issues. One time my abs light and traction lights came on during my drive and then went off moments later. If I dont play with the lever and tilt steering during a drive, the steering wheel while shake, car wobbles and sounds like mud tires are on it, and the car glides all over the road and turns make as if tires flat.
2012 CAMTY SHAKES WHEN ACCELERATING AROUND 20-50 MPH.
ON 11/21/18 I RECEIVED MY CAR FROM JIM COLEMAN'S SERVICE DEPT. MY TIRE ICON WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. MY TIRE PRESSURE APP. INDICATED ONE OF MY NEW TIRES WAS SEVERELY OVER INFLATED AT 45 PSI. THE SIDE WALL OF THE 94 V RATED TIRE SAID " MAX LOAD PRESSURE 44 PSI NEVER INFLATE BEYOND 40 PSI." HAD I NOT HAD PRESSURE SENSORS IN MY R…
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ON 11/21/18 I RECEIVED MY CAR FROM JIM COLEMAN'S SERVICE DEPT. MY TIRE ICON WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. MY TIRE PRESSURE APP. INDICATED ONE OF MY NEW TIRES WAS SEVERELY OVER INFLATED AT 45 PSI. THE SIDE WALL OF THE 94 V RATED TIRE SAID " MAX LOAD PRESSURE 44 PSI NEVER INFLATE BEYOND 40 PSI." HAD I NOT HAD PRESSURE SENSORS IN MY RIMS, I WOULD HAVE TRUSTED MY CAR WAS ROAD WORTHY AND SAFE. THEY JEOPARDIZED MY SAFETY AND THAT OF OTHERS BY ALLOWING MY CAR TO LEAVE IN SUCH A CONDITION. I COULD HAVE HAD A BLOW-OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I AM NOTIFYING YOU OF THIS EGREGIOUS ERROR TO PRECLUDE ITS HAPPENING TO FUTURE CLIENTS. THE PROPER INFLATION WOULD HAVE BEEN 35 PSI. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AWARENESS AND PRACTICES OF THIS DEALERSHIP. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ## VIN PASSED ## TOYOTA CAMRY 2012 ##
TIRES ARE ALWAYS LOSING PRESSURE
SEVERAL LUG NUTS HAVE CRACKS IN THEM. AT LEAST ONE LUG NUT HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS. CRACKS WERE NOTED DURING TIRE ROTATION.
EVER SINCE I GOT THIS CAR THE TIRES HAVE BEEN NOT HOLDING AIR IN THEM AND I HAD TO DO ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS PUT AIR IN THEM SO I COULD FEEL SAFE AND ALL I GET FROM TOYOTA IS CALL THIS PERSON BECAUSE IT IS NOT ARE FAULT.
ALUMINUM TIRE RIMS BIND TO THE STEEL BRAKE DISKS THEY MOUNT ON MAKING THEM IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OFF IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE. MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO INCLUDE A LEVER OR HAMMER OR SOME WAY TO PREVENT THIS. I HAD A FLAT ON A BUSY FREEWAY, THE STICKING TIRE MADE A DANGEROUS MOMENT A LOT WORSE.
DRIVING DOWN BERRYHILL ROAD IN COLUMBIA, SC 29210, I HIT A POT HOLE DAMAGING MY RIM. THERE WAS AN ON COMING VEHICLE SO THERE WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE POT HOLE.
I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY CAMRY AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE CAR ON THE THIRD LEVEL OF A PARKING GARAGE. THE CAR HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PULL INTO THE PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY THE CAMRY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED THE BRAKES…
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I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY CAMRY AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE CAR ON THE THIRD LEVEL OF A PARKING GARAGE. THE CAR HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PULL INTO THE PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY THE CAMRY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO CRASH INTO ONGOING CARS OR GO OVER THE EDGE UNTO THE STREET BELOW, I CHOSE TO CRASH INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THE CAR WENT OVER THE ABUTMENT INTO THE CINDERBLOCK WALL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A GENTLEMAN TRIED TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THE ABUTMENT BUT SAID THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING NOR COULD HE GET THE CAR TO MOVE. HE WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. TWO HOURS LATER THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR COULD REMOVE THE CAR FROM ITS SPOT WITH THE BRAKES WORKING. THE BODY SHOP CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CORPORATE TOYOTA HAD AN EDR RUN. THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED: "AFTER ROAD TESTING YOUR VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONDUCTING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING TESTS, WE FOUND NO ISSUES." TOYOTA DID NOT ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT MALFUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS DANGEROUS SINCE IT GIVES NO WARNING OF AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM; THEREFORE, I DONATED THE CAR TO AN INSTITUTION WITH THE STIPULATION THAT IT COULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON PUBLIC ROADS. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AND WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR, I ALSO HAD PURCHASED THE PLATINUM VEHICLE SERVICE AGREEMENT THAT HAD A 0 DEDUCTIBLE AND AN EXPIRATION OF 75,000 MILES. I THOUGHT WE HAD LEMON LAWS IN PLACE FOR THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. ULTIMATELY I HAVE HAD TO ASSUME THE FINANCIAL BURDEN CAUSED BY WHAT IS REALLY A TOYOTA PROBLEM.
Official recalls
213V442000 · Air Bags; Electrical System; Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner
Oct 17, 2013
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Consequence: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Air Bags
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Consequence: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Electrical System
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Consequence: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
13V014000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seats
Jan 16, 2013
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.