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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE CONSUMER WAS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE. THEY STATED THE CAUSE WAS: LACK OF OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE BEARINGS TO WEAR OUT. THROW ROD, #3 BEARING ROD SPUN AND CAUSED IT TO BREAK TH…

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VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE CONSUMER WAS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE. THEY STATED THE CAUSE WAS: LACK OF OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE BEARINGS TO WEAR OUT. THROW ROD, #3 BEARING ROD SPUN AND CAUSED IT TO BREAK THE ROD. IT WENT THROUGH THE BLOCK AND ALLOWED OIL TO COVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IGNITE, STARTING A FIRE AND MELTING SOME OF THE COMPARTMENTS. *PH *JB

NHTSA ODI #10040221

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING HEARD A POPPING SOUND, THEN SAW WHITE SMOKE, SOON AFTER THAT SHE SAW BLACK SMOKE.SHE GOT OUT OF CAR, AND SAW SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, THEN FIRE STARTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE (FRONT OF THE AUTO) PART. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND WHEN THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THE FIREM…

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CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING HEARD A POPPING SOUND, THEN SAW WHITE SMOKE, SOON AFTER THAT SHE SAW BLACK SMOKE.SHE GOT OUT OF CAR, AND SAW SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, THEN FIRE STARTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE (FRONT OF THE AUTO) PART. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND WHEN THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THE FIREMAN SAID THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MIXTURE OF OIL GETTING ON THE HOT MOTOR WHICH STARTED THE FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10026505

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

SEVERAL TIMES OIL WOULD BACKUP INTO THE ENGINE OR EXCESSIVE OIL WOULD BE USED. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED INTO A GAS STATION THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS QUESTIONABLE AND THE DEALERSHIP NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10020108

15,684 miles · Apr 16, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10015963

34,900 miles · Apr 4, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE STALLED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10013963

65,000 miles · Mar 21, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLES ENGINE SIEZED DUE TO OIL GEL. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10010857

40,000 miles · Mar 13, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

AIR FUEL SENSOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *NLM *JB

NHTSA ODI #568211

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10005894

63,000 miles · Jan 16, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ON A DOWNWARD INCLINE, THE CONSUMER SWITCHED THE GEARS TO DOWN SHIFT WHEN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. ALL SYSTEMS FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PH SCC

NHTSA ODI #10004064

43,219 miles · Jan 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

EVAPORATIVE CONTROL SYSTEM: VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW. AT 43,219 MJILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER TEST FORUND DEFECTIVE VACUME CONTRO VALVE. DEALER REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $85.98. AT 49,597 MILES ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. DEALER TEST REVELED LEAKING CHARCOAL CANISTER. DEALER ADVISED REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $4…

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EVAPORATIVE CONTROL SYSTEM: VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW. AT 43,219 MJILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER TEST FORUND DEFECTIVE VACUME CONTRO VALVE. DEALER REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $85.98. AT 49,597 MILES ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. DEALER TEST REVELED LEAKING CHARCOAL CANISTER. DEALER ADVISED REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $438.54. DEALER INDICATED PART WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM.

NHTSA ODI #10000799

Official recalls

1

01V012000 · 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

2

PE02079 · 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.

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