1994 TOYOTA CAMRY WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. IT CAUSED PROPERTY DAMAGE, CAR DAMAGE AND PERSONAL TRAUMA.*TR
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.
Power Train complaints
21 reportsON AUGUST 10, 2009 I GOT INTO MY 1994 TOYOTA CAMRY VEHICLE, PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AT THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN REVERSE. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CAMRY, PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL TRAUMA. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN TORRANCE, CA AND THEY HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BUT N…
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ON AUGUST 10, 2009 I GOT INTO MY 1994 TOYOTA CAMRY VEHICLE, PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AT THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN REVERSE. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CAMRY, PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL TRAUMA. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN TORRANCE, CA AND THEY HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BUT NOTHING WAS DONE TO COMPENSATE THE DAMAGES. *TR
TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE. ONLY HAS 82K. I HEARD FROM THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT THIS IS A DEFECT WITH 92-94 CAMRY AND LEXUS. IN FACT, A LEXUS WAS BEING TOWED INTO THE SHOP WHEN I WAS THERE WITH THE EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVEN'T HAD IT FIXED YET BECAUSE IT WILL COST $1700, WHICH I DON'T HAVE. I AM STILL MAKING PA…
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TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE. ONLY HAS 82K. I HEARD FROM THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT THIS IS A DEFECT WITH 92-94 CAMRY AND LEXUS. IN FACT, A LEXUS WAS BEING TOWED INTO THE SHOP WHEN I WAS THERE WITH THE EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVEN'T HAD IT FIXED YET BECAUSE IT WILL COST $1700, WHICH I DON'T HAVE. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS OF $310 A MONTH AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM AND REPAIR IT PER CONSUMER GOODWILL. ANY ADVICE WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.*AK
38,000 AND 81,000 REPLACE FRONT TIRES. SHAKE IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LIKE ANTI-LOCK BREAKS THE CAR DOES'NT HAVE THEM,. TOMMOROW I FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE TRANS. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A 94 AND AT 58,000 HAD TO REPLACE IT AT 2,500.00 TOYOTA WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT PROVE THAT THE FLUID HAD BEEN DONE …
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38,000 AND 81,000 REPLACE FRONT TIRES. SHAKE IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LIKE ANTI-LOCK BREAKS THE CAR DOES'NT HAVE THEM,. TOMMOROW I FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE TRANS. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A 94 AND AT 58,000 HAD TO REPLACE IT AT 2,500.00 TOYOTA WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT PROVE THAT THE FLUID HAD BEEN DONE REGULARLY. *AK
THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN #EG94-002 ON THIS MECHANICAL COMPLAINT, I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IF TOYOTA ISSUES A "RECALL" ON THE DEFECT, THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THE REPAIR. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT OR THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE ISSUED THE SERVICE BULLETIN. IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THEIR MISTAKES, TH…
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THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN #EG94-002 ON THIS MECHANICAL COMPLAINT, I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IF TOYOTA ISSUES A "RECALL" ON THE DEFECT, THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THE REPAIR. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT OR THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE ISSUED THE SERVICE BULLETIN. IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THEIR MISTAKES, THEN THEY SHOULD PAY TO REPAIR THEM. THERE ARE A LOT OF DISGRUNTLED TOYOTA OWNERS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, AND I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD OWN UP TO A BAD DESIGN!ECT
PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH ANY INFO...THANK YOU
WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WON'T GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, ENGINE TIMING BELT CAME OFF. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT.
WE TOOK OUR CAR INTO A FIRESTONE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHY THIS CAR WAS CHEWING UP TIRES. THIS IS THE THIRD SET OF TIRES WE HAVE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 63,000 OR SO MILES ON IT. THE LAST SET OF TIRES WAS PUT ON BY SAM'S AT 55,415 MILES AND THE HAVE ALREADY GONE BAD. THEY WERE TOP OF THE LINE TIRES AT 59.99 DOL…
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WE TOOK OUR CAR INTO A FIRESTONE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHY THIS CAR WAS CHEWING UP TIRES. THIS IS THE THIRD SET OF TIRES WE HAVE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 63,000 OR SO MILES ON IT. THE LAST SET OF TIRES WAS PUT ON BY SAM'S AT 55,415 MILES AND THE HAVE ALREADY GONE BAD. THEY WERE TOP OF THE LINE TIRES AT 59.99 DOLLARS EACH. THEY WERE WARRANTEED FOR 50,000 MILES. THIS IS THE 3RD SET OF TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE AT 63,000 MILES. I THINK THERE IS A DEFECT THAT RUNS IN THESE CARS IN THE CV AXLE WHICH IS WHAT THE FIRESTONE DEALER TOLD ME WAS SHOT IN MY CAR AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS CHEWING UP THE TIRES. I HAVE HAD MY CAR ALIGNED, THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED REGULARLY ON THIS LAST SET OF TIRES AND THEY HAVE GONE BAD ANYWAY. THIS IS A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE WEARING QUICKLY AND UNEVENLY IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THEY ARE ALSO SPLITTING.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/0HR14 )
TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY "BURNED" OUT/FAILED, REDERING VEHICLE INOPERABLE.
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.
Illustration