IllustrationBRAKES HAVE EXPERIENCED GRINDING NOISE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE PADS BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURED, FINALLY THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT A PIN WAS OFF-SHIFT AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, CONSUMER OPENED ARBITRATION CASE. NLM
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 And Engine Cooling complaints
110 reportsEXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND FRONT ROTORS; AT 10,000 MILES DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. CURRENTLY, AT 21,000 MILES, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHT NOT ALIGNED. DEALER INFORMED THAT VEHICLE MET MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION AND NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE. ALSO, WATER PUMP FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIE…
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EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND FRONT ROTORS; AT 10,000 MILES DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. CURRENTLY, AT 21,000 MILES, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHT NOT ALIGNED. DEALER INFORMED THAT VEHICLE MET MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION AND NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE. ALSO, WATER PUMP FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS BEING MADE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS NOT GOOD AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO TEST THE FLUIDS. *SLC
DRIVING FROM HOME WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WAS PURCHASED AT 29500 AND CHARCOAL CANISTER NEEDED REPLACING WITH ONLY 35000. *AK
PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR, NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY REV- WITHOUT ACCELERATOR BEING TOUCHED. AFTER A 2 HOUR REST PERIOD THE CAR WAS AGAIN DRIVEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE RPM WOULD REV WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED, AFTER ABOUT 50 FEET THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE GAS PEDAL WOULD…
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PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR, NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY REV- WITHOUT ACCELERATOR BEING TOUCHED. AFTER A 2 HOUR REST PERIOD THE CAR WAS AGAIN DRIVEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE RPM WOULD REV WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED, AFTER ABOUT 50 FEET THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE GAS PEDAL WOULD SOMETIMES ENGAGE THE ENGINE SO WE WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL A SHORT DISTANCE. IT WAS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD WORK. IT WOULD SOMETIMES KICK IN WHILE THE RPM'S WERE REVING AND THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD. I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AS WE WERE SHUTTING THE CAR OFF TO LOAD IT ON THE TOW TRUCK WHEN THECAR WAS SHUT OFF, AND THE KEYS WERE STILL IN THE IGNITION, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS REPEATEDLY WENT OFF- IN A RAPID MOTION ABOUT 20 TIMES UNTIL THE KEYS WERE REMOVED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. *AK
OIL LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK TO STATION ADDED OIL, HAD OIL CHANGED W/I 2 DAYS TOLD PCV VALVE BAD, HAD CHANGED, CAR SMOKED, TOOK TO DEALER TOLD OIL IN VALVES COULD HAVE BEEN ANTIFREEZE IN OIL OR WHEN TOLD OIL WAS CHANGED IT WAS NOT, MAUNFACTURE SAYS IMPROPER MAINTANCE WILL ONLY COVER $1000 OF APPROX. $4000 REPAIR. OIL CHANGED AT LEAS…
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OIL LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK TO STATION ADDED OIL, HAD OIL CHANGED W/I 2 DAYS TOLD PCV VALVE BAD, HAD CHANGED, CAR SMOKED, TOOK TO DEALER TOLD OIL IN VALVES COULD HAVE BEEN ANTIFREEZE IN OIL OR WHEN TOLD OIL WAS CHANGED IT WAS NOT, MAUNFACTURE SAYS IMPROPER MAINTANCE WILL ONLY COVER $1000 OF APPROX. $4000 REPAIR. OIL CHANGED AT LEAST EVERY 7500 AS RECOM. IN MANUAL. SHOULD BE FULLY COVERED BY WARRANTY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BAN. ,AFTER PULLING OVER CONSUMER NOTICED THERE HAD BEEN AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE. *AK
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MAY OF 1999 THEY THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENTIRED COMPUTER SYSTEM. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN.
BEGAN WITH A TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE TICKING SOUND WAS AUDIBLE WHILE THE CAR WAS IDLING, AND AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2/99. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 3-23-99. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS NORMAL TO OCCASONALLY HEAR THIS NOISE WHILE IDLING, BECAUSE OF THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE CATALYTI…
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BEGAN WITH A TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE TICKING SOUND WAS AUDIBLE WHILE THE CAR WAS IDLING, AND AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2/99. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 3-23-99. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS NORMAL TO OCCASONALLY HEAR THIS NOISE WHILE IDLING, BECAUSE OF THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALTHOUGH NOT NORMAL FOR IT TO CONTINUOUSLY MAKE THE NOISE THROUGHOUT TIME THE CAR IS ON. TECHNICIAN SAID HE WOULD ORDER AN ENTIRE NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR THE CAR. THE PARTS ARE IN, AND REPLACEMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 31, 1999, AT EVANS TOYOTA. I WAS TOLD IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN. *AK
DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM. NEW PARTS ARE BEING MANUFACTURED. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 2.5 WEEKS ALREADY AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE 150 MI. RESET, FAILURE RECURRED IN 30 MI. NO SPECIFIC INFROMATION FROM TOYOTA ABOUT PLANNED REPAIR OR DATE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. *MJS
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.