IllustrationTHE VEHICLE UPON START HAD GOT HEAVY. IT WOULD ONLY INCH UPON HEAVY ACCELERATION. THEN SUDDENLY AT TURNING, RETAINED NORMALITY AND BURST FORWARD
1999 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
120–25K
2625–50K
3850–75K
3475–100K
41100–150K
23150K+
174 reports with mileage · 327 unknown
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 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
99 crash reports42 fire reports62 injury reports
Engine complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES ENGULFED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES ENGULFED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 4CYL STARTER FAILED TO DISENGAGE FROM FLYWHEEL CAUSING FIRE. THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING BURNING IT OUT AND ALSO BURNING THE POSITIVE CABLE TO THE BATTERY. DAMAGE TO THE BATTERY IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. I WAS SITTING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE RADIO AND THE AIR ON WHEN I OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE EN…
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1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE 4CYL STARTER FAILED TO DISENGAGE FROM FLYWHEEL CAUSING FIRE. THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING BURNING IT OUT AND ALSO BURNING THE POSITIVE CABLE TO THE BATTERY. DAMAGE TO THE BATTERY IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. I WAS SITTING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE RADIO AND THE AIR ON WHEN I OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO COME INTO THE CAR THRU THE AIR CONDITIONING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF BUT THE SMOKE CONTINUED AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED. AFTER LOOKING AT THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE POSTINGS. I HAVE NOT SEEN A RECALL ON THIS. IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. MY INSURER SAID THAT MY CLAIM WILL BE DENIED DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO HE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR
1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS WIFE, WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, WITH THE GEAR IN PARK AND THE A/C ON HIGH, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED ABRUPTLY AND WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS, THERE WAS A LOUD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE IMMEDIATE…
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1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS WIFE, WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, WITH THE GEAR IN PARK AND THE A/C ON HIGH, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED ABRUPTLY AND WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS, THERE WAS A LOUD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND LOOKED UNDER IT. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED OIL ON THE PAVEMENT. THE ENGINE HAD THROWN A ROD THROUGH THE PAN. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE VEHICLE. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
Official recalls
101V012000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jan 16, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND V6 ENGINES, AND BUILT AT ONE OF TWO LINES AT THE KENTUCKY PLANT. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HOUSING COULD BE DEFORMED AT THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR-TO-THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION. THE ACCELERATOR INNER-CABLE COULD WEAR AWAY AND EVENTUALLY BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE OR REMAIN IN ITS MOST RECENT POSITION REGARDLESS OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 23, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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
2PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
ODI'S DATA ANALYSIS FOUND THE FIRES RATES TO BE CONSISTENTLY LOW AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG SIX MODEL YEARS AND SIX DIFFERENT ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS.ODI EXAMINED A VARIETY OF ROOT CAUSES, THOSE BEING DETONATION (RESULTING IN OIL PAN PUNCTURE FROM CONNECTING ROD), STARTER FIRES, VARIOUS FUEL RELATED FIRES, LEAKING OIL FILTERS, WIRING ISSUES, IMPROPER REPAIRS AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.NONE OF THE ISSUES EXAMINED HAD REPORTS THAT INDICATED A TREND WHEN NORMALIZED FOR POPULATON AND EXPOSURE.SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.