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1996 Toyota Camry

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Toyota Camry do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 295.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 98 of 417 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

55 crash reports8 fire reports44 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

18 reports
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193,000 miles · May 11, 2014
Air BagsSeat BeltsSeatsCrashInjury

WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WHERE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WAITING TO EXIT FREEWAY: BACKUP ON FREEWAY EXIT, WAS REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. CAUSING CHAIN REACTION CRASH, VEHICLE WAS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO VEHICLES. VEHICLE FLOORING BECAME DEFORMED WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPS…

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WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WHERE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WAITING TO EXIT FREEWAY: BACKUP ON FREEWAY EXIT, WAS REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. CAUSING CHAIN REACTION CRASH, VEHICLE WAS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO VEHICLES. VEHICLE FLOORING BECAME DEFORMED WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSING AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL CAUSING ME TO BANG MY FACE INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I FOUND THE SEAT BELT WAS UNBUCKLED AFTER THE CRASH. AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587674

74,972 miles · Sep 13, 2004
Power TrainSeat BeltsTires

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE RPMS WENT TO THE RED ZONE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND PARKED, AND DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP. AAA ARRIVED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE IT WAS REPAIRED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. CONSUMER FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE.*AK THE VEHICLE SPU…

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CONSUMER'S VEHICLE RPMS WENT TO THE RED ZONE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND PARKED, AND DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP. AAA ARRIVED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE IT WAS REPAIRED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. CONSUMER FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE.*AK THE VEHICLE SPUN IN A 360 DEGREE TURN ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS BEFORE IT REACHED 24,000 MILES. CONSUMER CHANGED TIRES FROM THE TIRES TOYOTA PROVIDED TO A MICHELIN TIRE AND THE SPINNING STOPPED. ON JULY 12, 2004 THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND HAD TO GO IN FOR SERVICE. . IN 2002 THE REAR SEATBELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS STUCK. THE CONSUMER HAD IT REPAIRED AT HER EXPENSE. THE CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE EXPENSES OCCURRED DUE TO THIS PRE-MATURE DEFECT. * TC

NHTSA ODI #10087379

42,000 miles · Jul 29, 2004
Seat Belts

1996 TOYOTA CAMRY'S DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED.*MR THE BELT FAILED AFTER ONLY 42000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BELT FOR FREE BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT'S WERE ONLY WARRANTED FOR FIVE YEARS OR 60000 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10087071

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2003
Seat Belts

CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT UNLOCK. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10031312

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2002
Seat Belts

CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT RELEASE FROM TRACTING MECHANISM, CAUSING SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE.*AK *JG

NHTSA ODI #8003923

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2002
Seat Belts

SEATBELT RETRACTORS IN THE VEHICLE DON'T WORK PROPERLY. SOMETIMES BELT DOESN'T RETRACT ALL THE WAY OR SOMETIMES IT WON'T RETRACT AT ALL. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE IT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *YH

NHTSA ODI #8003901

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 1998
Seat Belts

PLACING A CHILD SEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR SEAT AND BELTING IT IN DOES NOT SECURE THE CHILD SEAT FROM TIPPING OR MOVING LATERALLY. OWNER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE'S REAR CENTER SEAT BELT EMERGES ABOUT TWO FEET WIDER THAN IN MOST VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI #540595

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 1998
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION & SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY, RESULTING IN CHEST INJURIES.538159 DUPE OF 825226. *AK

NHTSA ODI #538159

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 1998
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsSteering

SEAT BELTS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #531960

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 1997
Seat Belts

WHENEVER DRIVING VEHICLE, SEAT BELTS WOULD CREEP UP AROUND THE NECK AREA. WHEN DEPRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE UNTIL ITS UNSNAPPED BY SEATING AREA. *AK

NHTSA ODI #821066

Official recalls

2

99V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar

Nov 1, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.

96V037000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights

Feb 20, 1996

THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE BULB HOLDERS OF THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT HEAT RESISTANCE. WHEN THE BULB IS ILLUMINATED, THE RESULTING HIGH TEMPERATURE CAN CAUSE THE BULB HOLDER TO DEFORM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AS THE BULB HOLDER DEFORMS, THE BULB CAN LOSE ELECTRICAL CONTACT, RESULTING IN AN INOPERATIVE LAMP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR COMBINATION LAMP BULB HOLDER TO SEE IF IT IS THE DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE DEFECTIVE BULB HOLDER TOGETHER WITH THE WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH A CORRECT BULB HOLDER AND HARNESS.

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

2

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.

PE01024 · Suspension Coil Spring

Opened Jul 18, 2001 · Closed Jan 29, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

No summary supplied.

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