WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WON'T GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, ENGINE TIMING BELT CAME OFF. *AK
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.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
41 reportsINTERMITTANT ENGINE/ELECTRICAL COMPLETE FAILURE. NO MATTER IF IDLE, ACCELERATING, OR DECCELERATING. WEATHER NOT A FACTOR. NO WARNING OF FAILURE, USUALLY STARTS BACK UP AFTER PULLING OVER. HAVE TAKEN IT TO MAITA TOYOTA ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. DEALER FAILED TO ENTER ORIGINAL INCIDENT (OCCURED APPRX 3-5 MONTH…
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INTERMITTANT ENGINE/ELECTRICAL COMPLETE FAILURE. NO MATTER IF IDLE, ACCELERATING, OR DECCELERATING. WEATHER NOT A FACTOR. NO WARNING OF FAILURE, USUALLY STARTS BACK UP AFTER PULLING OVER. HAVE TAKEN IT TO MAITA TOYOTA ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. DEALER FAILED TO ENTER ORIGINAL INCIDENT (OCCURED APPRX 3-5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE PRIOR TO WARRANTY END) IN THEIR SYSTEM. HAD THEM CHECK IT AT 15K CHECKUP.
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…
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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.
POWER STEERING LEAKING, ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHEN GOING THOUGH WATER AND IS SPLASHED UP IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.ALSO, TWO POWER WINDOW REGULATORS INOPERATIVE. SAMETIMES WAS TOLD THE RUBBER SEAL WAS TOO TIGH., WATER PUMP LEAKING, ENGINE OVERHEATED CAUSE WATER CAP (1994). THE VALVE COVERS WAS LEAKING OIL IN 1998, COULD IT BE FROM …
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POWER STEERING LEAKING, ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHEN GOING THOUGH WATER AND IS SPLASHED UP IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.ALSO, TWO POWER WINDOW REGULATORS INOPERATIVE. SAMETIMES WAS TOLD THE RUBBER SEAL WAS TOO TIGH., WATER PUMP LEAKING, ENGINE OVERHEATED CAUSE WATER CAP (1994). THE VALVE COVERS WAS LEAKING OIL IN 1998, COULD IT BE FROM OVERHEATING ? MY SON HAS THE SAME YEAR AND TYPE CAMRY AND HIS POWER STEERING PUMP/WATER PUMP LEAKED BUT WAS FOUND EAILER THAN MINE UNDER 60000 MILES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CAN HEAR THE MOTOR MOUNTS JUMP. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL IS VIBRATING, CAUSING POOR STEERING. ALSO, VEHICLE STALLS WHEN CONSUMER IS TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR A LEFT TURN. *AK
ENGINE HESITATION RESULTED IN A VEHICLE COLLISION. (QC-AD)
ENGINE FAILS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING.
ENGINE RING, GASKET AND OIL COOLER LINE FAILED.
CONSTANT ENGINE SHAKING WHEN GEAR IS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE.
VEHICLE'S ENGINE LOCKED UP AND FAILED.
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.
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