IllustrationUPON STARTING VEHICLE AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, VEHICLE WOULD STALL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND NOTICED IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK. *JB
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.
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: 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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
50 reports#1 - DISCOVERED WIND NOISE FROM AN INCOMPLETE SEAL IN RIGHT REAR QUARTER GLASS OF VEHICLE, ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEL TOYOTA(DEALER), WHO SAID THEY RESEALED THE WINDOW. NOISE FROM SAID WINDOW CONTINUED, AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 30MPH. I TOOK VEHICLE BACK INTO DEALER ONE MONTH LATER. THIS TIME, THEY SAID THEY …
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#1 - DISCOVERED WIND NOISE FROM AN INCOMPLETE SEAL IN RIGHT REAR QUARTER GLASS OF VEHICLE, ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEL TOYOTA(DEALER), WHO SAID THEY RESEALED THE WINDOW. NOISE FROM SAID WINDOW CONTINUED, AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 30MPH. I TOOK VEHICLE BACK INTO DEALER ONE MONTH LATER. THIS TIME, THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE WEATHERSTRIP AROUND THE WINDOW, THAT THE "WIND NOISE" HAD BEEN CAUSED BY DEFORMED WEATHERSTRIP. THIS WAS DONE WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NEVER TO MY SATISFACTION. CONDITION EXISTS TODAY, 05/29/2002!! #2 - DISC BRAKES WERE SERVICED BY JERRY'S TOYOTA IN BALTIMORE, AFTER MAKING A STICKING NOISE RIGHT BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT PADS, MACHINED THE ROTORS, AND SERVICED THE LEFT FRONT CALIPER AFTER HE FOUND IT STICKING. THIS DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE NOISE, WHICH CONTINUES TODAY (05/29/2002) EVEN AFTER A SECOND SERVICING! #3 - ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO I TOOK THE TOYOTA CAMRY INTO JERRY'S TOYOTA FOR SERVICING. THEY CLEANED CARBON DEPOSITS FROM INJECTORS, THROTTLE PLATE VALVES AND PISTON RINGS; SAID THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE #3 CYLINDER. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME; I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING. I AM NOW WAITING FOR EITHER A THIRD INCIDENT AT $200. TO FIX, OR IF THEY REPLACE ANY FUEL INJECTORS, THESE COST $200. EA PER PART!!*AK
IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE KEEPS CLOGGING UP. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED IT TWICE, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING, AND GAS PEDAL HAS TO BE PUSHED TO START THE VEHICLE. *YD
VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP . CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL 3 ITMES, AND ONCE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF ENGINE. TOYOTA DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. PRIVATE MECHANIC REPLACED THROTTLE. *AK
VEHICLE DID NOT HOLD IDLE WHEN STARTED. ISC MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 2.5 YEARS. EACH REPLACEMENT LASTED 1 OR 2 MONTHS MORE THAN THE LENGTH OF WARRANTY. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT CANCEL WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. DEALER ADVISED IT WAS THE BRAKE SWITCH WHICH CONTROLED BRAKE LIGHTS & CRUISE CONTROL WAS BAD, PAID DEALER TO REPLACE BUT CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED OR COULD EXPERIENCE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DEFECT.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ERRATIC SURGES WHILE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHICH CAUSED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, AND RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. THERE WERE MINOR DAMAGES TO VEHICLE, AND NO REPORTED INJURIES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK
1. IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE FAILED CAUSING COLD START PROBLEM ( VERY LOW RPM OR ENGINE DIES). TOYOTA OF CERRITOS CLAIMED THERE IS A DEFECT ON THE VALVE IT SELF. TOYOTA KEEP SUPPLING THEM WITH OLD/DEFECTIVE VALVE FOR SERVICE. PER SERVICE MANAGER, IF TOYOTA KEEPS DOING THIS, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, IT WIL…
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1. IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE FAILED CAUSING COLD START PROBLEM ( VERY LOW RPM OR ENGINE DIES). TOYOTA OF CERRITOS CLAIMED THERE IS A DEFECT ON THE VALVE IT SELF. TOYOTA KEEP SUPPLING THEM WITH OLD/DEFECTIVE VALVE FOR SERVICE. PER SERVICE MANAGER, IF TOYOTA KEEPS DOING THIS, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT AWARE OF SUCH A PROBLEM. 2. TIRES WERE CUPPED AT 20000 MILES UNDER NORMAL SURFACE STREET AND FREEWAY DRIVING. GOODYEAR CLAIMED ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M6RW TIRE SIZE: P195/70R14 )
ENGINE ACCELERATED WHILE PULLING INTO THE GARAGE. ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE... CAR DID NOT STOP. RAN INTO THE HOUSE. HAD TO TURN OFF IGNITION TO STOP ENGINE ACCELERATION.
GOOD YEAR REGATTA TIRES (P195/70/R14) ARE VERY UNSAFE, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS WITH RIBBED-CONCRETE PAVEMENT.
Official recalls
299V307000 · 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
2DP02004 · 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.