IllustrationCAR CONTINUTES TO STALL WHEN AT A STOP AND SLOWLY IDLING REPETITIVELY. CREATES DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR EXAMPLE WHEN LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND CAR WON'T GO! TOLD IDLE AIR VALVE WHICH I SEE IN DOING RESEARCH SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. EXPENSIVE REPAIR. PERHAPS A RECALL WOULD BE IN ORDER?*AK
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
What owners actually said
417 reportsA THIN LAYER OF ICE HAD FORMED ON MY CAR'S REAR WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT. I TRIED TO CLEAR IT BY USING MY REAR DEFOST. I DROVE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WHILE STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AS A BALLON WOULD EXPLODE, CAME FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR AND I SAW A CRACK AT THE CORNER OF MY BACK WINDSHIELD. I DROVE FOR AN…
Read full complaint
A THIN LAYER OF ICE HAD FORMED ON MY CAR'S REAR WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT. I TRIED TO CLEAR IT BY USING MY REAR DEFOST. I DROVE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WHILE STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AS A BALLON WOULD EXPLODE, CAME FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR AND I SAW A CRACK AT THE CORNER OF MY BACK WINDSHIELD. I DROVE FOR ANOTHER 1/2 MILES AND ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION. THIS IS WHEN THE REAR WINDSHIELD CRUMBLED TO PIECES. I HAD MY BABY IN THE BACK SEAT REAR FACING. FORTUNATELY, I HAD COVERED HER WITH A BLANKET, WHICH SHIELDED HER FROM THE SHATTERED GLASS. *AK
WHEN ABS BRAKES ARE ENGAGED THEY FAIL TO WORK. WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD GOING ABOUT 20 MPH ON SNOW COVERD ROAD. BRAKES WAS APPLIED, GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL WAS EXPERIENCED-THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ADEQUATELY, IT TOOK ABOUT 40 FEET TO STOP GOING AT 20MPH. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN ABS IS NOT ACTIV…
Read full complaint
WHEN ABS BRAKES ARE ENGAGED THEY FAIL TO WORK. WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD GOING ABOUT 20 MPH ON SNOW COVERD ROAD. BRAKES WAS APPLIED, GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL WAS EXPERIENCED-THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE ADEQUATELY, IT TOOK ABOUT 40 FEET TO STOP GOING AT 20MPH. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN ABS IS NOT ACTIVE.*AK
THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. *NM THE REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKED. SMOKE WAS ALSO PRESENT. *SC *JB
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…
Read full complaint
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
VEHICLE'S COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. *MR WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS IN THE PARKING LOT, THE COIL SPRING SUDDENLY BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE RESULTING IN A BLOWOUT. *SC *JB
4 CYLINDER ENGINE HAS STARTING PROBLEMS WHEN COLD. IT TAKES ABOUT THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS TO START (STALLS A LOT.) TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT "PROBABLY" NEEDED A TIMING BELT. $1200 LATER AND THE CAR WAS GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. THE STALLING PROBLEM IS BACK. TOYOTA SAID IT CANNOT DIAGNOSE IF THEY CAN…
Read full complaint
4 CYLINDER ENGINE HAS STARTING PROBLEMS WHEN COLD. IT TAKES ABOUT THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS TO START (STALLS A LOT.) TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT "PROBABLY" NEEDED A TIMING BELT. $1200 LATER AND THE CAR WAS GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. THE STALLING PROBLEM IS BACK. TOYOTA SAID IT CANNOT DIAGNOSE IF THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. NO CODES SET AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IT IS BECOMING FUSTRATING THOUGH.*AK
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
DRIVER/PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES CAME OFF THE VEHICLE ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HIS DAUGHTER PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING A BLOW OUT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. *JB
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.