Page 4 of 4 · complaints 151–162 of 162

2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →

Structure
Filed Mar 2, 201037,559 milesCA

WHEN IT RAINS, MY TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID 2008 GETS FLOODED INSIDE. IN FACT, I THINK THIS STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT IT BECAME WORST RECENTLY WHEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAD MANY BIG STORMS ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. THAT WAS WHEN I COULD NOT TOLERATE THE BAD SMELL INSIDE MY CAR ANY MORE. I EXAMINED WHERE THE BAD SELL WAS COMING FROM. I REMOVED ALL MY OWN PLASTIC FLOOR MATS. THEN I REMOVED ALL THE MANUFACTURED FLOOR MATS. I FOUND OUT INSIDE THE CAR HAD ABOUT HALF AN INCH OF WATER EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE TRUNK. SOME SPOTS GET ALMOST AN INCH OF WATER LIKE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS. I AM A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER AND I REALIZED THAT THERE ARE MORE AND MORE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS IN MODERN CARS. ALTHOUGH MY SOAKING CAR DID NOT CAUSE ME OR ANYBODY ANY HARM, I FELT VERY WORRIED THAT THE WATER MIGHT DAMAGE SOME ELECTRONIC/WIRES COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO SOME DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS. WITH THAT WORRIES IN MY MIND, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY NEEDED TO "ADD DRAIN HOSE CLAMPS TO SUNROOF DRAIN HOSES" TO FIX THE WATER COMING DOWN THROUGH PILLARS. WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, I AGREED TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I DID SOME SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THAT THE MANUFACTURE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING BY SECURE THE SUNROOF DRAIN HOSES PROPERLY AND FIRMLY WHEN THEY MAKE THE CAR. IF THEY CAN DO THAT, IT MIGHT HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE AND PREVENT SOME POSSIBLE ACC

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Feb 23, 2010PA

I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS A COMPLAINT AND WRITE AS I SEE THE TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKE INVESTIGATION. I HAVE A CAMRY HYBRID AND HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM LAST SPRING. ON SATURDAY 4-25-09, MY VSC/ABS/WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS NEAR THE BAIERL CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. AS I HAD LEASED FROM BAIERL TOYOTA, I PULLED IN THE BAIERL CADILLAC SERVICE AS THE BRAKES FELT WRONG AND TOOK TWO FEET. THE CAR DID STOP. THEY CALLED BAIERL TOYOTA WHO SAID TO DRIVE UP UNLESS FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS. THE LIGHTS WERE STEADY SO I DROVE SLOWLY WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT FROM WEXFORD PA TO MARS PA TO THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED MONDAY (ORDERED PART), TUES (WAITING FOR PART FOR BRAKES) AND WED(PART IN MORNING -NEED COMPUTER TO CALIBRATE). THE CAR WAS RETURNED AND THE BRAKES SEEM FINE WITH NO FURTHER VSC/ABS LIGHTS. I DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. I ASSUME THAT BAIERL TOYOTA, MARS, PA 16046 HAS THE RECORDS AND COULD TELL YOU MORE. I DID NOT PAY MORE ATTENTION AS IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. MY FRIEND SUGGESTED THAT I NOTIFY YOU IN THE EVENT THAT THE HYBRID BRAKES ON THE CAMRY SHOULD ALSO BE CHECKED TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE. *TR

Steering
Filed Feb 23, 201015,000 milesID

JUNE, 2009 MY 2008 CAMRY HYBRID VEERED ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC EVEN THOUGH I WAS HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL AND DID NOT STEER THE VEHICLE IN THAT DIRECTION. ALSO, ON THAT SAME TRIP, WHEN ENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL, MY 2008 CAMRY STARTED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY, I DISENGAGED CRUISE CONTROL IMMEDIATELY, AND PUSHED THEN RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND IT CORRECTED. *TR

Service Brakes, Electric
Filed Feb 17, 201020,000 milesMN

AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE COLD (DECEMBER IN MINNEAPOLIS) FOR THE DAY, I NOTICED THAT, AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS (I.E. CRAWLING), THE BRAKES ON MY CAR TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A HALT. DESPITE MOVING VERY SLOWLY, WHEN I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR STILL CONTINUED MOVING FOR SEVERAL FEET BEFORE I FELT THE BRAKES ENGAGE. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT, SO I TRIED DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES, EACH WITH THE SAME RESULT. I DROVE HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD NOT DETERMINE WHETHER THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, BUT I HAVE NOT NOTICED THE SAME ISSUE SINCE. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 13, 2010100 milesCA

ON SEPT 25, 2007 WE PURCHASED FOR MY WIFE A NEW 2008 CAMRY HYBRID AT LONGO TOYOTA, EL MONTE, CA. SHE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS (DEAD STARTER BATTERY FROM HEADLIGHTS STAYING ON OR COMING ON AFTER PARKING, CAR NOT DECELERATING WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF ACCELERATOR, ODD THINGS WITH AUTO DOOR LOCKS) THE FIRST MONTH, AND WHEN WE CALLED THE DEALER THEY TALKED US INTO ATTENDING A NEW OWNERS MEETING, SO WE COULD BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE CAR. WHEN WE BROUGHT THESE THINGS UP DURING THE MEETING, MOST OF IT WAS EXCUSED AS BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CAR FEATURES, ALTHOUGH THEY TOOK THE CAMRY AND AFTER 15 MINUTES TOLD US NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. A SUPPOSED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS REP STATED TO ME, "THE LITTLE WOMAN ISN'T THAT TECHO, IS SHE"? A MONTH LATER SHE WAS STOPPED GOING TO WORK IN THE EARLY MORNING BY CHP, FOR DRIVING WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS BEING ON, BUT WAS NOT TICKETED BECAUSE THE OFFICER WITNESSED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS ON. (WE STILL NOTICE THE HEADLIGHT DOING ODD THINGS, AND THE SWITCH IS IN THE ON POSITION, NOT THE AUTI POSITION). BACK TO THE DEALER, NO PROBLEM FOUND. EARLY NOVEMBER 2009 WE RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA A "POTENTIAL FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (INTERM NOTICE)" WHICH STATED "WE WILL NOTIFY YOU AGAIN AS SOON AS A CAMPAIGN REMEDY IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR VEHICLE". WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE THAT TIME, EXCEPT FOR A SEALED OVERSIZED BUSINESS ENVELOPE LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS NOT ABOUT A FIX TO THE VEHICLE PROBLEMS,

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 4, 201029,500 milesOR

08" CAMRY HYBRID - WHEN SET ON CRUISE CONTROL, THE CAR INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATES PASS THE "SET" SPEED POINT WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN HILL, BY MORE THAN 20 MPH BEFORE I DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Feb 3, 201020,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, SHE FELT A JOLTING JERK AND THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR WHEN SHE APPLIED IT LIGHTLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER RECALIBRATED THE STROKE SENSOR. ABOUT 8-9 MONTHS LATER, THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN SO SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE STROKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. SHE STATED THAT SHE NOTICED NO PROBLEMS SINCE THE LATEST REPAIR. SHE HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jan 4, 201033,000 milesMO

TL*THE CONTACT LEASED A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY ON JANUARY 5, 2008. THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHILE THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECALL AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE VEHICLE UNTIL APRIL 2010 WHEN THE RECALL PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. SHE WAS CONCERNED WITH HER SAFETY IN DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 33,000. UPDATED 01/1410 *BF UPDATED 01/20/10.*JB

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Nov 17, 2009CA

APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE IS ENTIRELY INACCURATE. I DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT PROBABLY MORE THAN A YEAR AGO EITHER IN A 2006 CAMRY OR A 2008 CAMRY HYBRID. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 09V388000. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE "TOYOTA HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST IN VEHICLES IN WHICH THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE VEHICLE AND IS PROPERLY SECURED" AND BELIEVE THAT MY COMPLAINT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED CONCURRENTLY WITH THIS ONE. 1. MY COMPATIBLE AND PROPERLY SECURED CARPETED DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT SLIPPED OFF THE RETAINING HOOKS (CLIPS) AND BUNCHED UP UNDER THE PEDALS. THERE ARE ONLY TWO HOOKS, WHICH ARE REMOVABLE, AND THEY SPIN AROUND AND AROUND, ALLOWING THE MAT TO SLIP OFF. I BELIEVE THAT A SIMPLE FIX OF INSTALLING PERMANENT HOOKS THAT DO NOT SPIN, OR FOUR HOOKS, WOULD SOLVE THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL ISSUE. 2. AS I WAS DRIVING, I FOUND MYSELF UNABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. I DISCOVERED THAT MY FLOOR MAT HAD LODGED UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL, MAKING IT SO THAT COULD NOT PRESS IT DOWN. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE THE MAT AND AVOID A COLLISION. THIS INCIDENT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, BUT THE MATS DO COME OFF THE HOOKS FREQUENTLY, THEREFORE I MUST CONSTANTLY MAKE SURE THAT MY MAT IS SECURE AND THAT THE HOOKS ARE FACING THE CORRECT WAY SO THE MAT CANNOT SLIP OFF THEM. 3. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPORTED AND NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. *TR

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 2, 200925,000 milesMN

DROVE IN TO A PARK PARKING LOT, PULLED IN TO A PARKING SPACE WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, BRAKES WENT OUT, RAN IN TO A TREE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX FEET AWAY. IF THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE TREE THERE I COULD HAVE RUN IN TO THE SOCCER GROUP A FEW HUNDRED FEET AWAY AND INJURED OR KILLED THEM AND ME. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 21, 200910,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY HV. THE MAT WHICH IS A PROTECTIVE MAT OVER THE STANDARD VEHICLE MAT CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GET STUCK UNDER THE MAT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HE HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DISCONNECT THE MAT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

Fuel System, OtherFire
Filed Jul 4, 200928,000 milesFL

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON HWY, HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE ALERT TURNED ON. NO OTHER INDICATORS ON. ENGINE TEMP WAS NORMAL. ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER AFTER A FEW MILES AND CAR SEIZED UP, SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SMALL FLAMES VISIBLE THROUGH GRILL AND WITHIN MINUTES ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ENGULFED IN FLAMES. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS EXCEPT THAT ABOUT 6 WEEKS EARLIER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND AFTER RUNNING COMPLETE ENGINE DIAGNOSTIC, DEALER ATTRIBUTED PROBLEM TO A LOOSE GAS CAP. AFTER THAT INCIDENT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOT REAPPEARED. I HAD THE ENGINE OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALER 4 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 28,000 MILES. *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid → · Every Camry Hybrid year → · How the figures are calculated →