IllustrationI TURNED ON REAR DEFROST AND WITHIN FEW SECONDS BACK SEAT WAS ON FIRE. WINDOW BURNT SEAT AND SEAT BELT ALSO BURNED HAND. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL CAUSE. I FIGURED A FUSE WOULD BLOW PRIOR TO A FIRE INSIDE CAR. HAD I BEEN ON FWY I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN LUCKY GAS TANK IS INCHES BELOW FIRE .
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
Seats complaints
9 reports2 YEARS AGO, MORE OR LESS, I ADJUSTED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. SINCE THAT TIME, ON OCCASION, I AM UNKNOWINGLY TURNING ON THE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS A BUTTON ON THE END OF AN ARM OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. I CANNOT RESET THE SEAT AND STEERING WHEEL POSITION TO FIT ME BUT I AM VERY …
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2 YEARS AGO, MORE OR LESS, I ADJUSTED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. SINCE THAT TIME, ON OCCASION, I AM UNKNOWINGLY TURNING ON THE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS A BUTTON ON THE END OF AN ARM OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. I CANNOT RESET THE SEAT AND STEERING WHEEL POSITION TO FIT ME BUT I AM VERY WORRIED THAT HAVING THE CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING MY CAR WHEN I DON'T KNOW IT MAY BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME AND MY CAR. *TR
HIT FROM REAR AT ABOUT 45 MILES AT A STOP LIGHT. BOTH BUCKET FRONT SEATS LAID BACK ON REAR SEAT AT IMPACT. IIS THIS IS A DEFECT IN SEAT CONSTRUCTION AS I AM THINKING OF BUYING SAME AUTO. WE DID NOT HAVE INJURIES. *LA
ON 11/26/2002. I WAS REAR-END WHILE STOPING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE CAR HIT ME FROM THE REAR, WHICH CAUED THE DRIVERS SEAT TO BREAK ON IMPACT. I WAS AT A STAND STILL! THE DRIVERS SEAT SHOULD NOT BROKE AND FELL BACK WHICH CAUSED LOWER BACK INJURY. *AK
DRIVER SEAT BROKE INTO A RECLINING POSITION DURING REAR IMPACT COLLISION - AFTER BEING PUSHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES, FOR FRONT END IMPACT, NEITHER NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED - I AM CONCERNED THAT HAD THE VEHICLE IMPACTED ME HARDER AND COME INTO THE BACK SEAT A LITTLE MORE, THE RECLINING DRIVER SEAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERE HEAD I…
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DRIVER SEAT BROKE INTO A RECLINING POSITION DURING REAR IMPACT COLLISION - AFTER BEING PUSHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES, FOR FRONT END IMPACT, NEITHER NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED - I AM CONCERNED THAT HAD THE VEHICLE IMPACTED ME HARDER AND COME INTO THE BACK SEAT A LITTLE MORE, THE RECLINING DRIVER SEAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERE HEAD INJURIES IF NOT WORSE.*AK
FRONT SEAT PADDING ON THE BACK REST IS MATTED DOWN, RESULTING IN BACKSIDE GETS INTO BOTTOM CLOSURE OF SEAT, WHICH IRRITATES WHILE DRIVING
WHILE AT A STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CAMRY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH, AND DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE AND FLEW BACKWARDS WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.*AK
THE FRONT HEADREST IS TOO BIG, DISABLING THE DRIVER'S REAR VISION, WHICH COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
I WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. I WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAMRY INTO THE REAR OF A 1989 FORD IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAMRY MADE CONTACT WITH THE FORD ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DIRECTLY NEAR THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN MY FRONT …
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I WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. I WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAMRY INTO THE REAR OF A 1989 FORD IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAMRY MADE CONTACT WITH THE FORD ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DIRECTLY NEAR THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN MY FRONT LEFT BUMPER AREA. UPON IMPACT BY THE NISSAN IN MY REAR, MY DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD, CAUSING ME TO SLIDE FORWARD UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL. THE SEATBELT FAILED TO PROPERLY TENSE UP, CAUSING ME TO INJURE MY RIGHT KNEE AND MY ABDOMEN. I WAS THE ONLY DRIVER INJURED IN THIS 3-CAR ACCIDENT, BUT THE EXTENT OF MY INJURIES HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. BOTH THE AIRBAGS IN THE 1996 NISSAN DEPLOYED PROPERLY, AS WELL AS THE AIRBAG IN THE 1989 FORD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY HIT FROM THE REAR BY MY CAMRY. TOYOTA USA HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT, AND HAS ASSURED ME THEY WILL INSPECT MY VEHICLE THIS WEEK. OBVIOUSLY, I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, AND THE SEAT SHOULD NOT HAVE COLLAPSED BACKWARD.
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.