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 1999 record →
WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES A LOUD NOISE OCCURS AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS. DEALER CAN NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AT 2800 RPM. THE CAR WILL NOT STOP IN A SAFE DISTANCE.
STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE AND VEHICLE STEERS TO THE RIGHT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH TOOK FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE ACCELERAT CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AGAIN, AND VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT WASN'T WORKING.*AK
WINDSHIELD HAS TINY AIR POCKETS THAT CUT VISIBILITY WHEN SUN OR BRIGHT LIGHT COMES THROUGH. WINDSHIELD HAS APPEARANCE OF VERY OLD GLASS. ACCIDENT FEARED.
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MAKES RATTLING/BUMPING SOUNDS WHEN OPENED OR CLOSED. DEALER CONTACTED. CLAIMS TO HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS WITH SAME COMPLAINT FOR '99 CAMRY.
THE TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER WHERE THEY INSTALLED THE CAR ALARM, THEY HAD TO CUT THE FIREWALL SEALS WHICH CAUSED THE EXHAUST FUMES AND ANY OTHER FUMES TO ENTER INTO THE VEHICLE, WHICH MAY MAKE OCCUPANT TO FEEL SICK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
MAJOR "BOTTOMING OUT" PROBLEM WHEN CAR IS CARRYING 4 ADULTS. VEHICLE ACTUALLY BANGS DOWN ONTO PAVEMENT WHEN ROLLING OVER THE SMALLEST SPEEDBUMP OR EXITING DRIVEWAY. DEALER NOTIFIED & REPLACED FRONT STRUTS 9/16/1999. HAVE YET TO "TEST" NEW PARTS. AIRCONDITIONER REEKS OF STRONG ODOR SINCE 1ST USE. REPORTED TO DEALER WHO USED A SPRAY IN THE AIRCON BUT SYSTEM STILL SMELLS STRONGLY. HAVE NOT REPORTED ABS BRAKE SITUATION TO DEALER AS THIS HAS OCCURRED 3X. HAVE NEVER HAD ABS BRAKES BEFORE & THOUGHT IT WAS "NORMAL." IF STOPPING VERY SUDDENLY, ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES. HAS NOT HAPPENED RECENTLY AS A SHORT-STOPPING SITUATION HAS NOT ARISEN. DO NOT KNOW IF BRAKE/VEHICLE SHUDDER IS NORMAL?
AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TESTED THE ORIGINAL BUMPER OF THE 1999 CAMRY AND WAS ABLE TO IGNITE THE BUMPER BY A POCKET LIGHTER WITHIN 45 SECONDS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE GLASS WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FELL OFF TRACK CAUSING WINDOW TO MALFUNCTION. *YC
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 350MPH & HAD REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON. INFORMED BY POLICE THAT VEHICLE NOT DRIVEABLE. *AK
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
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN A STONE BARELY TOUCHED THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. *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
CONSUMER HAD A DEFECTIVE GAS TANK. WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IT WAS FINE. AS SOON AS THE GAS TANK IS THREE QUARTERS FULL IT MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. WHEN DEALER TEST DROVE VEHICLE IT HAD ALMOST NO GAS IN THE TANK. GAS TANK WA SREPLACED WITH A TANK FROM CAMRY ON 13/08/1999, AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. *AK
ROOF LEAKED. MJS
ON 5/29/99, I APPLIED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE THAT CUT ME OFF ON A HIGHWAY. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR SWERVED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY VIOLENTLY AND SPUN IN 360 TURNS TWICE BEFORE BEING HIT BY TWO CARS AND CRASHING INTO A JERSEY BARRIER. NOT ONLY DID THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAIL, BUT THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS (FRONT OR SIDE) DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY FIANCEE AND I SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A DRIVER OF ANOTHER CAR HIT US AND CRASHED INTO THE JERSEY BARRIER, SUSTAINING SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.
DEALERS HAS EVALUATED PROBLEM 3 TIME, TRIED BALANCING TIRES W/NO RESULTS.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH WOULD KEEP STICKING. HAPPENS WHEN DOOR IS EITHER LOCKED OR UNLOCKED FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. *AK
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MAY OF 1999 THEY THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENTIRED COMPUTER SYSTEM. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN.
WINDOWS CAME OFF THE TRACK SEVERAL TIMES. MJS
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY A OTHER FAMILY MEMBER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY DURING A COLLISION. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, BEFORE IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE WHICH RESULTED IN SMOKE. *YC
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. CONSUMER REPLACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS. *AK
THERE IS DISTORTION IN THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN DRIVING DURING THE DAYTIME. THIS CAUSES A TERRIBLE STRAIN ON DRIVER'S EYES, AND RESULTS IN HEADACHES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT IS NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WAS SCRATCHED WHEN BOUGHT. DEALER TRY TO POLISH OUT BUT COULDN'T SO REPLACED WINDSHIELD WITH OEM GLASS. REPLACED GLASS HAS EXTREME DISTORTION AND WAVINESS WHEN LOOK OUT TOWARDS REARVIEW MIRROR AND PASSENGER SIDE. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND THEY ORDERED NEW WINDSHIELD. HAD SAME DISTORTION. DEALER ORDERED MORE WINDSHIELDS AND HAD SAME DISTORTIONS. CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. NOW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AREA REP TELLING ME ALL TOYOTA CAMRYS HAVE THIS DISTORTION IN GLASS AND IS CONSIDERED A "COMMON ITEM" INSTEAD OF A DEFECT. HAVE CHECKED AFTERMARKET GLASS AND MOST SEEMS TO HAVE SOME DISTORTIONS TO A VARYING DEGREE. THIS DISTORTION IS NOT JUST AT THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IS DISTRACTING WHEN DRIVING AND COULD POSSIBLY AFFECT SAFETY. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM IN NEW VEHICLES? MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES DID NOT HAVE THIS DISTORTION. GLASS TECHNICIAN CALLS IT "CROSS GRAIN DISTORTION". *AK
APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, REAPPLIED BRAKES AGAIN AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES PREVIOUSLY, AFTER EACH INCIDENT, I REVIEWED ABS STOPPING PROCEDURE TO BE SURE IT WASN'T ME. MY SISTER WAS PRESENT DURING 1 EPISODE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. *AK
SERIES OF SIX OR MORE VIOLENT SWERVES INTO ADJACENT LANES INITIATED BY SWERVE TO AVOID POTHOLE. CONTROL LOSS WAS INAPPROPRIATE TO MANEUVER, POSING SIGNIFICANT DANGER.
A "KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL" WITH "PARTS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER" IS THAT THE DRIVER'S WINDOW TRACK IS APPARENTLY DISFUNCTIONAL AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. I AM UNABLE TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER WINDOW AFTER 3 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP ON A NEW CAR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN A 50 MPH ZONE ATTEMPING TO CHANGE LANES, DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED IN THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS CAVED IN, THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR AND SUN ROOF WAS BUCKLED. THE 1986 CADILLAC WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A COMPLETE STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WENT FULL THROTTLE, CAUSING OWNER TO LOSE CONTROL O VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THEN INTO A BRICK WALL. APPLYING BRAKES HAD NO AFFECT ON STOPPING VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED THERE IS A GROANING NOISE COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION DUE TO STRUT ROD FAILURE. OWNER TOLD THERE WAS A SUSPENSION PROBLEM AND THAT TOYOTA IS LOOKING FOR A FIX. *AK *ML
HEADLIGHT SWITCH DOES NOT ALTER HEADLIGHTS REGARDLESS OF POSITION.
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH WITHOUT ANY REASON. DRIVER WAS KNOCKED OUT, AND THE VEHICLE WENT OVER THE DIVIDER AND WAS HIT BY 2 OTHER CARS. DEALER HAS VEHICLE. *AK
REAR BRAKE DRUM DEFECTIVE.
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.
THE VEHICLE AFTER CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET REPONDED WITH A CONTINUING OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. NONE OF THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL SELECTIONS/ACCELERATE/ SET/COAST/OFF/RESUME AND ACCELERATE. WHEN ACTIVATED WOULD NOT ALTER THE CARS INTERNAL CONTROL. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, THEN TURNED BACK ON AND STILL NOTHING HAPPENEED. THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT WAS MOVED TO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE WENT IMMEDIATELY TO HIGH RPM'S (ABOVE 5,000 RPM). THERE WERE TWO INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION THAT ON 2/03/99 ONE WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THE SECOND WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FLOW JUST AFTER PEAK HOUR. WEATHER AND DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE VERY GOODTO EXCELLENT..
AT TIMES WHEN WEARING BOOTS, THE PLASTIC COVERING WHICH IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL, COULD INTERFERE WITH PEDAL APPLICATION WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
BEGAN WITH A TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE TICKING SOUND WAS AUDIBLE WHILE THE CAR WAS IDLING, AND AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2/99. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 3-23-99. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS NORMAL TO OCCASONALLY HEAR THIS NOISE WHILE IDLING, BECAUSE OF THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALTHOUGH NOT NORMAL FOR IT TO CONTINUOUSLY MAKE THE NOISE THROUGHOUT TIME THE CAR IS ON. TECHNICIAN SAID HE WOULD ORDER AN ENTIRE NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR THE CAR. THE PARTS ARE IN, AND REPLACEMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 31, 1999, AT EVANS TOYOTA. I WAS TOLD IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN. *AK
SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
STRUT STARTED TO MAKE A CLICKING SOUND. DEALER FOUND STRUT LEAKING, AND REPLACED IT. CLICKING CONTINUED SO DEALER MADE MODIFICATIONS TO STRUT TOWER. *AK
INDICATOR FOR THE POSITION OF THE GEAR SHIFT IS LOCATED ON THE FLOOR AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO VIEW MOST OF THE TIME DUE TO ITS' SMALL SIZE AND IS INDISTINCT DUE TO REFLECTIONS IN THE PLEXIGLASS OCOVER ON THE CONSOLE.
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED, BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOORBOARD. VEHICLE WENT INTO AN INTERSECTION AND FRONTAL IMPACT INTO A HOUSE. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. (2) AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK.ET.
DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM. NEW PARTS ARE BEING MANUFACTURED. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 2.5 WEEKS ALREADY AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. *AK
THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE DURING ACCERALTION AT ALL SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AT NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VIBRATIONS ARE AT THE GREATEST AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TWICE TO THE DEALER AND EACH TIME IT WAS DISMISSED AS ROUNDING OF THE TIRES. TO THIS DAT ETHE CAR HAS APPROX 5600 MILES AND THE VIBRATION CONTINUES
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE 150 MI. RESET, FAILURE RECURRED IN 30 MI. NO SPECIFIC INFROMATION FROM TOYOTA ABOUT PLANNED REPAIR OR DATE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. *MJS
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 1999 Toyota Camry → · Every Camry year → · How the figures are calculated →