Toyota Camry Years to Avoid — the 2007 stands alone.
The 2007 Camry drew 3,617 complaints to NHTSA, more than double any other year: oil burning, dashboards turning sticky, brakes and acceleration. The 2008–2009 share some of it. Before that, the 2002–2005 drew a run of complaints about the car accelerating on its own.
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Quick Answer
- What Toyota Camry years should you avoid?
- The 2007 above all: 3,617 complaints, with 247 describing oil burning and 270 a sticky or melting dashboard. The 2008–2009 drew 1,178 and 1,413, for the same faults. The 2002–2005 drew 594 complaints describing sudden or unintended acceleration.
- What is the best year for a used Camry?
- Among Camrys from 1996 to 2021, 2017 (148), 2021 (158), 2016 (189) drew the fewest complaints, leaving out the 2014 (see below) and years dominated by one fault. Owners in the comments below praise the 2015–2017 and the 2002–2006.
- Do 2007–2009 Camrys burn oil?
- Some four-cylinder ones do. 247, 91 and 119 complaints on the three years describe it, and a Toyota forum member calls it common on 2007–2009 four-cylinders but not a reason to rule one out. Ask how often it's topped up.
Five checks matched to the Camry's weak years
A Camry's weak spots are well known and easy to check on a test drive.
- 1Read the year from the VINThe 10th character is the model year; a 2007 and a 2010 look almost the same.
- 22007–2011 four-cylinder: check the oilAsk how often it's topped up and pull the dipstick before the drive.
- 32007–2010: check the pedal and floor matRecalls 09V388000 and 10V017000 cover a mat that can trap the pedal and a pedal that can stick.
- 42006–2011: look at the dashboardOwners describe dashboards turning sticky, shiny or melting in the sun.
- 52018–2019: drive it in townOwners describe hesitation and rough low-speed shifts.
The 2007 Camry: the Most Complained-About Year by a Wide Margin
Most Camry years drew a few hundred complaints. The 2007, the first year of the sixth generation, drew 3,617, against 435 for the 2006 and 1,413 for the 2009, the next-highest. It also has the most crash reports (316) and fire reports (72) of any Camry year.
The complaints spread across several faults. The service brakes is the component named most (744). 169 describe sudden acceleration or a stuck pedal, 247 oil burning and 270 a dashboard turning sticky or melting. Some Camry Hybrid complaints are filed under "Camry" too, which adds brake and hybrid-system reports to the total.
Two recalls on the 2007–2010 address the pedal: 09V388000, for a floor mat that can trap it wide open, and 10V017000, for a pedal that can stick partly pressed. On any Camry from those years, confirm both were done.
Every Toyota Camry Model Year Compared
NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns for every Camry from 1996 to 2026, read on 12 November 2026.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crash · fire reports | Recalls | Most-cited component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3rd | 476 | 58 · 8 | 7 | Engine And Engine Cooling |
| 1997 | 4th | 587 | 79 · 28 | 4 | Service Brakes |
| 1998 | 4th | 647 | 65 · 33 | 3 | Service Brakes |
| 1999 | 4th | 621 | 118 · 49 | 2 | Engine And Engine Cooling |
| 2000 | 4th | 538 | 120 · 29 | 4 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2001 | 4th | 334 | 88 · 12 | 4 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2002 | 5th | 1,043 | 275 · 20 | 4 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2003 | 5th | 819 | 241 · 10 | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2004 | 5th | 799 | 223 · 13 | 3 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2005 | 5th | 721 | 223 · 10 | 5 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2006 | 5th | 435 | 122 · 9 | 5 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2007 | 6th | 3,617 | 316 · 72 | 10 | Service Brakes |
| 2008 | 6th | 1,178 | 109 · 17 | 8 | Visibility |
| 2009 | 6th | 1,413 | 161 · 22 | 10 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2010 | 6th | 614 | 101 · 1 | 9 | Vehicle Speed Control |
| 2011 | 6th | 625 | 111 · 7 | 5 | Visibility/Wiper |
| 2012 | 7th | 646 | 95 · 6 | 2 | Power Train |
| 2013 | 7th | 301 | 46 · 1 | 2 | Power Train |
| 2014 | 7th | 14 | 1 · 0 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2015 | 7th | 271 | 33 · 3 | 1 | Steering |
| 2016 | 7th | 189 | 41 · 2 | 2 | Air Bags |
| 2017 | 7th | 148 | 28 · 5 | 3 | Air Bags |
| 2018 | 8th | 757 | 46 · 4 | 8 | Power Train |
| 2019 | 8th | 405 | 22 · 1 | 6 | Power Train |
| 2020 | 8th | 276 | 14 · 2 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2021 | 8th | 158 | 21 · 2 | 1 | Air Bags |
| 2022 | 8th | 66 | 14 · 1 | 1 | Air Bags |
| 2023 | 8th | 67 | 10 · 2 | 2 | Electrical System |
| 2024 | 8th | 53 | 4 · 0 | 1 | Structure |
| 2025 | 9th | 0 | 0 · 0 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | 9th | 0 | 0 · 0 | 0 | — |
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not divided by sales. NHTSA lists only 14 complaints under "Camry" for the 2014, against 301 and 271 for its neighbours, which looks like a filing gap rather than a clean record. It lists none yet for the 2025–2026. Camry Hybrid complaints filed under their own name are not included.
Avoid: the 2007–2009 Camry
The sixth generation's first three years drew 3,617, 1,178 and 1,413 complaints. Two faults run through all three. 457 complaints describe the engine burning oil, mostly on the four-cylinder by owners' accounts, and 565 describe the dashboard turning sticky, shiny or melting.
Owners split on the oil. A Reddit shopper says research steered them away from the 2007–2009 for it; a Toyota forum member says it's common but not a reason to avoid one outright; and an owner below traded a 2009 at 233,000 miles with no oil use. The complaints fall to 15 on the 2010.
2007–2009 by the numbers
- 247 · 91 · 119 complaints describing oil burning on the 2007, 2008 and 2009.
- 270 · 127 · 168 about the dashboard turning sticky or melting.
- 169 on the 2007 describe sudden acceleration or a stuck pedal.
- 72 fire reports on the 2007, the most of any Camry year.
Be Careful With: the 2002–2005 Camry
The fifth generation drew a steady run of complaints about the car accelerating on its own: 170 on the 2002, 162 on the 2003, 122 on the 2004 and 140 on the 2005. Speed control is the component named most on all four years, and the 2002 drew 275 crash reports.
No recall on NHTSA's list for the 2002–2005 Camry covers it; the floor-mat recall 09V388000 starts with the 2007. Owners in the comments below are fond of these cars all the same, one with a 2002–2006 Camry past 400,000 km. An old Camry with its recalls done and a clean history is a reasonable buy; check the pedal returns cleanly and the floor mat is secured.
2002–2005 by the numbers
- 594 in all complaints describing sudden or unintended acceleration.
- 1,043 · 819 complaints on the 2002 and 2003.
- 275 · 241 crash reports on the 2002 and 2003.
- 295 on the 2002 name the vehicle speed control.
Newer Camrys: Shifting, Brake Assist and Fuel Pumps
The 2012 onward drew far fewer complaints, with a few clusters worth knowing.
2012: shifting
80 of the 2012's 646 complaints mention the transmission.
2015: power steering
Recall 15V144000: a damaged power-steering control part can fail over time.
2018: shifting again
171 of the 2018's 757 complaints mention the transmission.
2018: oversized pistons
Recall 18V200000: some 2.5-liter engines got oversized pistons and can stall.
2018–2019: brake assist
Recall 21V890000: the vacuum pump can fail and take the brake assist with it.
2018–2019: fuel pump
Recall 20V012000: a fuel pump that can fail and stall the engine.
What Camry Owners Say on Reddit, a Toyota Forum and YouTube
Camry owners are a contented group: the comments are full of 200,000- and 300,000-mile cars from every generation. The oil-burning years come up, but owners disagree on how bad it is.
In owners' words (paraphrased)
- r/askcarsales: a shopper says their research suggests the 2007–2009 aren't the best because they consume oil.
- Toyota Nation forum: a member says four-cylinder 2007–2009 Camrys tend to burn oil, but that isn't necessarily a reason to avoid one.
- r/Camry, recent years: asked for the best Camry of the past three years, a commenter says anything from 2023–2025.
- YouTube, 2007 Camry: an owner reports 313,500 miles and still running strong.
- YouTube, 2011 bought at 177,000: an owner is now at 248,000 miles; it burns a quart and a half every 5,000.
- YouTube, 2009 XLE: an owner traded theirs at 233,000 miles with no oil use; the only repair beyond wear items was one ignition coil.
- YouTube, 2018 LE: an owner was unhappy with the shifting until a transmission fluid flush; now it shifts smoothly with no hesitation.
- YouTube, 2004 LE four-cylinder: an owner who bought it at 52,200 miles calls it the best car they've owned, with only routine work.
Looking at a Used Camry?
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The Camrys Our Visitors Check
Between 12 June 2026 and 11 November 2026, visitors ran 1,965 different Toyota Camry VINs through our free preview. By the first three characters, 1,896 (96%) were built in the US and 69 (4%) in Japan.
340 (17%) were sixth-generation 2007–2011 Camrys, the oil and dashboard years. The most-checked single year was the 2026, at 172 VINs.
Fewest vs. Most Camry Complaints
Fewest is limited to 1996–2021, leaves out the 2014 (a filing gap, above) and years where one fault is a quarter or more of complaints (2019).
Fewest complaints
- 2017: 148 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2021: 158 complaints, 1 recall
- 2016: 189 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2015: 271 complaints, 1 recall
- 2020: 276 complaints, 3 recalls
Most complaints
- 2007: 3,617 complaints, 10 recalls
- 2009: 1,413 complaints, 10 recalls
- 2008: 1,178 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2002: 1,043 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2003: 819 complaints, 1 recall
Recall counts include multi-model campaigns.
Camry Complaints by Generation
By generation, the sixth (2007–2011) carries the most complaints by far, most of them on the 2007. The seventh (2012–2017) and eighth (2018–2024) are far quieter, though the 2014's filing gap flatters the seventh.
What to Check on a Used Camry
By year, the faults to look for.
2007–2011: oil use
Dipstick before the drive, and ask how often it's topped up.
2006–2011: the dashboard
Look for a sticky, shiny or cracked dash top.
2002–2010: pedal and mat
The pedal should return cleanly; the mat should be clipped down.
2018–2019: the shifts
Drive in stop-and-go traffic; no hesitation or clunks.
2018–2019: brake assist
Confirm recall 21V890000 was done.
Any year: VIN records
Open recalls, title brands and odometer history.
Reading Camry Complaint Numbers
NHTSA complaints are owner reports, not verified and not divided by sales. Compare years with each other: 435 for the 2006 against 3,617 for the 2007 is a jump no other Camry comes close to.
The fault counts come from searching the words owners used, so treat them as a minimum. Watch for gaps too: NHTSA's 14 complaints for the 2014 sit between 301 and 271 for its neighbours, so that year is left out of the comparisons rather than called the best.
Related Checks and Guides
Recalls, history checks and the Camry's rivals.
Where These Facts Come From
Complaint and recall figures are NHTSA's own records; owner experiences are linked so you can read them in full.
NHTSA records read 12 November 2026. Written by the CarCheckerVIN editorial team with AI assistance, from NHTSA's complaint and recall records, our own preview logs and the owner posts linked above; figures checked November 2026. CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with Toyota.
Toyota Camry Years to Avoid — Frequently Asked Questions
The 2007, the oil years and the newer Camrys.
What is the worst year for the Toyota Camry?+
By NHTSA complaint count, the 2007 (3,617), then the 2009 (1,413) and the 2008 (1,178).
Which Camry years burn oil?+
The 2007–2009 most clearly, with 457 complaints across the three years describing it, mostly on the four-cylinder by owners' accounts.
Why do Camry dashboards get sticky?+
NHTSA's complaints don't say why. 565 complaints on the 2007–2009 describe the dashboard turning sticky, shiny or melting.
Is the 2018 Camry a good used buy?+
It drew 757 complaints, 171 mentioning the transmission, and has recalls for brake assist, fuel pumps and some engines. Confirm they're done and drive it in traffic.
Is the 2014 Camry the most reliable?+
Not on this evidence. NHTSA lists only 14 complaints under "Camry" for the 2014, against 301 and 271 either side, which looks like a filing gap.
Will your report show these problems?+
No history report can see oil consumption. Ours lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos for the VIN. Recalls are free to check on NHTSA's site.
A Good Camry Is a Checked Camry
The year tells you which weak spot to check; the VIN and a test drive tell you the rest. Free preview first; the full report is $14.99 and lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
Complaint and recall figures are NHTSA's public records as read on 12 November 2026; complaints are unverified owner reports. Owner comments are paraphrased from the linked posts. CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with Toyota. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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