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What 642 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Camry

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (642)Crash / fire / injury (107)Transmission & drivetrain (145)Airbags (82)Speed control (73)Body & structure (68)Electrical system (67)Brakes (65)Steering (65)Engine (61)Fuel system (28)Visibility & wipers (23)

9 of 642 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 17, 2020Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesCrash

ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 OR 2 MINUTES, LEADING TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING. THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY TURNED BACK ON, AND I COULD CONTINUE DRIVING. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20KMS PER HOUR, AND I WAS MAKING A TURN. ON THE 2ND OCCASION, THE CAR WENT UPONTO THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A TALL STEP THAT PROECTED THE CAR FROM GOING THROUGH THE DISPLAY WINDOW. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE AGENCY IN CUERNAVACA, MEXICO AND THEY RAN A SCAN THAT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD IN FACT TURNED OFF WHILE GOING 19KMS PER HOUR, BUT THEY KEPT THE REPORT AND REFUSED TO TURN IT OVER TO ME. THIS IS THE ONLY 'PROOF' OR SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD.

NHTSA ODI 11318533

May 12, 2018Electrical systemFire

DRIVING CAR AND I WAS STOPPED AT INTERSECTION ON A FOGGY MORNING ABOUT 6:15 AM. WENT TO TURN RIGHT AT INTERSECTION AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A DENSE AMOUNT OF FOG FLOW ACROSS THE FRONT OF MY CAR. AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD, I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, SAW SOME SMOKE FROM UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. AN ALARM WENT OF AND MY DASH DISPLAYED THE WARNING HYBRID SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THEN FIRE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND UP ALONG THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. I WAS JUST PASSING A GAS STATION AT THE TIME SO I CONTINUE TO DRIVE DOWN PASS THE GAS STATION AND THEN PULLED THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXISTED THE CAR. THE NEAREST FIRE COMPANY WAS OUT ON A CALL, SO THE CAR CONTINUED TO BURN FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. AS A RESULT THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETING BURNT. HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS FIRE. IN FACT, I DROVE IT 176 MILES THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FIRE. LEARNED AFTER I EXISTED THE CAR WHILE IT WAS ON FIRE, THAT A DRIVER COMING UP THE ROAD BEHIND ME AFTER I TURNED AT THE INTERSECTION, NOTICED SPARKS AND/OR FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER MY CAR. SHE WAS FLASHING HER HEADLIGHTS AT ME, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE HER.

NHTSA ODI 11093483

Dec 8, 2017Electrical systemBody & structureEngineCrash1 injury

CAR TOTALED IN SEVERE ACCIDENT AFTER OWNERSHIP OF EIGHT MONTHS. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON MCLOUGHLIN BLVD IN PORTLAND OR AND MY TOYOTA WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A CHRYSLER WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT HIT SEVERAL OTHER CARS (BELIEVE THE POLICE OFFICER SAID 6.)

NHTSA ODI 11053581

Mar 21, 2016Electrical systemBody & structureEngineCrash1 injury

I REAR ENDED A JEEP WRANGLER GOING ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. THE JEEP WAS STATIONARY AND MY CAR WAS IN MOTION MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I HIT MY FOREHEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED A LARGE KNOT AND CUT ON MY FOREHEAD.

NHTSA ODI 10850798

Aug 7, 2015Electrical systemBody & structureWheelsCrash

I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY CAMRY AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE CAR ON THE THIRD LEVEL OF A PARKING GARAGE. THE CAR HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PULL INTO THE PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY THE CAMRY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO CRASH INTO ONGOING CARS OR GO OVER THE EDGE UNTO THE STREET BELOW, I CHOSE TO CRASH INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THE CAR WENT OVER THE ABUTMENT INTO THE CINDERBLOCK WALL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A GENTLEMAN TRIED TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THE ABUTMENT BUT SAID THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING NOR COULD HE GET THE CAR TO MOVE. HE WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. TWO HOURS LATER THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR COULD REMOVE THE CAR FROM ITS SPOT WITH THE BRAKES WORKING. THE BODY SHOP CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CORPORATE TOYOTA HAD AN EDR RUN. THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED: "AFTER ROAD TESTING YOUR VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONDUCTING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING TESTS, WE FOUND NO ISSUES." TOYOTA DID NOT ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT MALFUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS DANGEROUS SINCE IT GIVES NO WARNING OF AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM; THEREFORE, I DONATED THE CAR TO AN INSTITUTION WITH THE STIPULATION THAT IT COULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON PUBLIC ROADS. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AND WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR, I ALSO HAD PURCHASED THE PLATINUM VEHICLE SERVICE AGREEMENT THAT HAD A 0 DEDUCTIBLE AND AN EXPIRATION OF 75,000 MILES. I THOUGHT WE HAD LEMON LAWS IN PLACE FOR THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. ULTIMATELY I HAVE HAD TO ASSUME THE FINANCIAL BURDEN CAUSED BY WHAT IS REALLY A TOYOTA PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10747083

Apr 28, 2014Electrical systemEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SENSOR WAS RESET BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED UNTIL THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTAIN THE FIRE AS THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRES, AS WELL AS THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18000.

NHTSA ODI 10585225

Jul 24, 2013Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE FIRE MARSHALL THAT THE WIRING UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAD CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

NHTSA ODI 10531674

Jun 28, 2013Electrical systemSpeed controlCrash1 injury

TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET INTO READY MODE ,CHECKED BRAKE LIGHTS NOT ON WITH BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED.WHEN I USED SHIFT OVERRIDE,VEHICLE LUNGED BACKWARDS STRIKING PERSON,WHILE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10522301

Mar 3, 2013Electrical systemLightsAirbagsBody & structureCrash

THE TOYOTA CAMRY HAS BEEN REAR ENDED BY A FORD EXPLORER 2002 BETWEEN 40-50MPH, DAMAGING THE TRUNK, BUMPER TAIL LIGHTS, RIGHT REAR SIDE, LEFT SIDE BODY AND SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT. AT THE MOMENT OF THE ACCIDENT, WERE THE DRIVER AND THREE MORE ADULT PASSENGERS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE ON THEIR RESPECTIVE SEATS WEARING PROPERLY THE SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE DRIVER FROM THE FORD EXPLORER WAS DISTRACTED LOOKING FOR A RADIO REMOTE CONTROL WITHOUT NOTICE THE TRAFFIC ALMOST STOP WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE FORD EXPLORER BACK HIS ATTENTION TO THE TRAFFIC WAS TOO LATE EVEN AS HE MANIFEST HE HAS NO TIME TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER WE INSPECT THE DAMAGES I NOTICE THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ARE ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION BUT NO AIR BAG HAS BEEN DEPLOY THERE IS A PICTURES AND VIDEO AVAILABLE FOR ANY FUTURE INVESTIGATION UPON REQUEST. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10501139

Working with the data? Download all 642 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Toyota Camry verdict →