Camry (XV50)
Data covers 3 NHTSA model names
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
2AR-FE
2.5L 4-cyl / 268 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Toyota Camry Unidentified Engine
View details
Complaint Breakdown
2AR-FXE+2JM - Hybrid
2.5L 4-cyl / 156 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
2GR-FE
3.5L 6-cyl / 268 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Show 2 additional engine variants with limited data
1MZ-FE
3.0L 6-cyl / 184 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
2AZ-FE
2.4L 4-cyl / 158 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Hybrid (HEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry
That's below the typical rate for hybrids in this dataset (median 7.0 per year). Battery & propulsion complaints are lower than peer average for this category.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 15 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.
Regen brake feel, one-pedal driving, B-mode complaints.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Battery fires, smoke, thermal runaway. Includes any complaint with fire reported.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Battery & propulsion recalls (1)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles. The front drive shaft may separate.
Consequence: A front driveshaft separation would result in a loss of propulsion while driving, and if the driver exits the vehicle without applying the parking brake, the vehicle may roll. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Sample complaint excerpts
Hybrid Drivetrain
- [2012] WE EXPERIENCED THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT, ON APRIL 3, 2019, INVOLVED DRIVING EIGHT MILES AND THEN LEAVING THE CAR (OFF AND PARKED) FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ON RETURNING AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, THE POWER CAME ON BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT AND THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. IT WAS EVENING, SO WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR NORMAL REPAIR SHOP
- [2012] 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
- [2013] DRIVER SIDE BACKSEAT PASSENGER WINDOW SEAT THE SEATBELT IS LOOSE AND DOESN'T RETRACT BACK INTO PLACE. HYBRID BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM STUTTERS AFTER SYSTEM FLUSH AT DEALER CAUSING THE HYBRID SYNERGY SYSTEM CHECK, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ESLAMATION LIGHT IN ORANGE TO STAY ON DASH. ERROR STATING THAT BATTERY NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR HYBRID BATTERY
Regenerative Braking
- [2012] I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE LITERALLY DRIVING THE NEW CAR OFF THE DEALER LOT. I WAS TRAVELING BEHIND MY WIFE IN MY TRUCK WITH HER BEHIND THE WHEEL IN THE NEW CAR. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN BRAKING OR NOT, VERY INTERMITTENTLY. I FIGURED THAT SINCE IT WAS A NEW CAR IT WOULD TAKE TIME FOR ANY NEW DRIVER TO GET FAMILIAR TO THAT NEW VEHICLE. IT IS VERY RARE THAT
- [2012] MY 2012 CAMRY HYBRID STEERS HARD TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING WHEN THE ROAD IS CROWNED ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN DECEMBER. FIRST TWO TIMES THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT TOYOTA HADN'T REGISTERED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS. THE MOST RECENT VISIT TO THE DEALER HAD A DIFFE
- [2012] STARTED THE CAR AND HAD SEVERAL BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY RETRIEVED A CODE OF C1214. THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. BEFORE THEY CLEARED THE CODE AND WHILE I HAD THE WARNING LIGHTS, I HAD NO REGENERATIVE BRAKING. ONLY THE FRICTION BRAKES WORKED, WHICH CONSIDERABLY LENGTHENED THE STOPPING DISTANCE. NOW I NO LONGER HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR.
Electric Propulsion
- [2012] WE EXPERIENCED THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT, ON APRIL 3, 2019, INVOLVED DRIVING EIGHT MILES AND THEN LEAVING THE CAR (OFF AND PARKED) FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ON RETURNING AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, THE POWER CAME ON BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT AND THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. IT WAS EVENING, SO WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR NORMAL REPAIR SHOP
- [2013] WHILE DRIVING UPHILL ON I80 IN PA OUR ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND BUZZER SOUNDED. WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE OVER A LANE AND THEN OFF ROAD. WE WERE LUCKY. AFTER SHUTTING OFF POWER SWITCH, WE WERE ABLE TO START AND ACCELERATE NORMALLY. WE NOTICED THAT OUR HYBRID 3013 CAMRY WAS THEN NO LONGER IN ECO MODE. WE THEN FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED. REACHING INTO THE STORAGE COMPA
- [2014] AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM, ON 3/10/2015, WHILE MY WIFE WAS MAKING THE FINAL APPROACH (APPROXIMATELY 5 FT.) TO A PARKING SPOT AT THE MILL BAKERY, NAVOO, IL; SHE EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. THE HYBRID CAR WAS RUNNING ON ITS ELECTRIC MOTOR WHEN MY WIFE BEGAN TO STEP ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR TO A STOP. WHILE BRAKING, THE CAR TURNED ON THE GAS ENGINE AND ACCELERATED WITH ENOUGH
Thermal Events
- [2012] 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
- [2015] CAR CAUGHT FIRE IN DRIVEWAY. CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE IN THE TRUNK WHERE BATTERY AND HYBRID SYSTEM IS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FULL ENGINE COMPARTMENT. 2AM...SPONTANEOUS MASSIVE ELECTRICAL FIRE. CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 7 HOURS. NOT HOT. IN DRIVEWAY. NOT CONFINED IN ANY WAY. *TR
- [2015] WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS I HEARD A "THUNKING" NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK TIRES. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND DID A VISUAL INSPECTION ALL TIRES APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY INFLATED. I THEN GOT ON THE FREEWAY AND AFTER DRIVING ABOUT A MILE IN THE SLOW LANE AT 65MPH. I SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK.
High-Voltage Battery
- [2012] AS I CRUISE ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE HYBRID TRACTION BATTERY STARTS TO MAKE MINI RAPID PROGRESSIVELY LOUD EXPLOSIONS LIKE THE BACK OF MY REAR SEAT IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. TO ALLEVIATE THIS I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIPS BUT ARE UNWILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE. THIS CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Toyota Camry, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
What to check on a used 2012-2017 Toyota Camry
On a used 2012-2017 Toyota Camry, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the transmission and drivetrain (398), the steering (266) and the electrical system (261). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
- Accelerate gently through every gear, then once at full throttle. Shift into Reverse and back to Drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 398 owner complaints on the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry about the transmission and drivetrain, all engines combined.
- Turn the wheel from lock to lock while parked, then drive straight on a level road with a light grip.Safety. NHTSA has 266 owner complaints on the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry about the steering.
- Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 261 owner complaints on the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry about the electrical system.
- Switch the ignition on and watch the airbag light. On the drive, check the backup camera and any collision or lane warning.Safety. NHTSA has 250 owner complaints on the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry about the airbags and driver-assist systems.
- On an empty road, brake firmly from 40 mph with a light grip on the wheel.Safety. NHTSA has 221 owner complaints on the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry about the brakes.
Recalls (12)
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles. The front drive shaft may separate.
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon, and 2017 Camry vehicles manufactured August 3, 2016, to September 12, 2016. The front passenger knee air bag module may have been attached to the lower instrument panel with incorrect fasteners.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Show 7 older recalls
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon and Camry vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015 to March 4, 2016. The occupant classification system (OCS) that activates or deactivates the front passenger seat air bag system may have been improperly calibrated. As a result, the front passenger air bag and the front passenger knee air bag may not deploy as intended in certain crash scenarios. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Camry, Camry HV, Avalon, and Avalon HV vehicles equipped with 16-inch and 17-inch rims. In the affected vehicles, the left-side front suspension lower arm may have been incorrectly manufactured. As a result, the left side lower arm may not have enough clamping surface area for one of the bolts that secures the lower arm to the lower ball joint.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings
Alternatives in Midsize Sedan
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2012-2017 Toyota Camry complaints?
Owners have filed 2,048 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry. The systems they name most often are the transmission, the steering and the electrical system.
Is the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 2,048 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry have?
NHTSA has 2,048 owner complaints on file for the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA lists 12 recalls covering some 2012-2017 Toyota Camry vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Toyota Camry?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the transmission, the steering and the electrical system, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Camry?
The 2017 Toyota Camry received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 4 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: Optional. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 2,048 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-12.