8.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
40,200 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. a complaint was filed with toyota; no reason found for this (1 reports)
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problem #10

Jul 092011

Camry LE 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,550 miles

I have been an extremely safe driver for 21 years. Two incidents of unintended acceleration occurred within one hour yesterday afternoon with my 2005 Camry 2005 LE. Until this time, the car behaved and drove perfectly for 6 years. It was a dry and hot (93F) day, and the road condition was perfect in both cases.

The first time was during a 30-mph cruising along a side street when the car suddenly accelerated by itself and jerked toward one side. I immediately corrected the problem by braking and steering. The second time was at a stop sign on a side street. I was waiting for the other car to pass before I could turn left when the car suddenly tried to accelerated by itself even though my foot was firmly pressing the brake. During this brief struggle between me and the car, the engine made some low, grinding noise, and the car was able to move forward twice, about 6 inches each time, despite my hard foot braking. No accident was resulted in either case.

I reported these two incidents to Toyota Customer Care immediately and was directed to a local Toyata dealership for investigation. The car is currently being examined by a local dealer for potential causes. I am afraid to drive this car if the defect is not repaired.

- Hao Z., Overland Park, KS, US

problem #9

Apr 272010

Camry LE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

sudden acceleration avert moving from reverse to drive..No rant. Toyota has been a very reliable product until this incident. My daughter is still driving my 1999 Camry with no major problems . My car is totaled, but I might consider another Toyota vehicle. Like making an decision about what airline to fly, if all things are equal, I consider that the last airline to have a major incident, with inspectors crawling all over their fleet, is the safest to fly.

- gagliano, New Orleans, LA, US

problem #8

Mar 102010

Camry LE 4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

My wife typically drives this vehicle. When we first purchased it, (2005 pre-driven) with around 15,000 miles on it, she was frightened when it suddenly accelerated while she was on Lake Shore Drive, in Chicago. She applied the brakes and the problem stopped after a few seconds. The dealer told her there was nothing wrong with the vehicle.

The second time, she was waiting for a light change. While she had her foot on the break, the vehicle attempted to accelerate. Had she not been breaking at the time she would have rear ended the vehicle in front of her. Once again, Toyota told her they could find nothing wrong with the Camry.

Last night at approximately 7:00pm CST, I drove the Camry a short distance to pick up our son from the train station. I approached an intersection which I have negotiated maybe a few hundred times (we live in the area I grew up in). While I was making the left hand turn the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it's own. It was only a matter of 3-5 seconds. But, it was enough time to send the vehicle into one of the concrete supports, holding up the train viaduct. Had I more time, I might have been able to swerve away and then apply the brakes. I don't know. I do know I hit the concrete hard enough for the driver's side to crush in and lose the front bumper. But, the air bag did not deploy.

Once again, 2 separate complaints to Toyota before this incident (and clearly before any of this began making headlines), myself driving in very familiar territory, and in the 2-3 accidents I've been involved with in 34 years of driving, I have never been at fault.

Now I'm gearing up to hear how Toyota will attempt to "worm" their way out of this.

- James A., Chicago, IL, US

problem #7

Nov 152009

Camry EX V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,000 miles

I was parked in a supermarket parking lot. My wife placed the groceries in the car and was returning the shopping cart. I put the car into reverse and it shot backwards hitting a child (who was pinned under the car) and also striking her mother causing a knee injury.

The car was stopped by a cement planter but still went into the supermarket window. The crowd lifted the car so I could pull out the child who was transferred later that night to a hospital specializing in burns.

The car was towed to a body shop and the Toyota engineer investigated and found no mechanical defect. I do not have floor mats.I did not have the car fixed and refuse to drive it again. It is being stored at the body shop.

- Evan W., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #6

Dec 162009

Camry XL V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 22,189 miles

I have a 2005 Toyota Camry XLE. I have had at least 5 experiences of the same problem. The problem is an unexpected acceleration at slow speeds such as when I am turning into a parking space. Each one is worse than the last. After the first 3, I had the car in to the local dealership for service and asked that they check this out. They tried but since they could not make it happen there was nothing they could do. The 4th time it happened it was a bit more severe. I was parking at a shopping center. The car accelerated so much that had there not been a landscape berm in front of me, I would likely have ended up on the sidewalk. I called Toyota and was given a case number. Nothing has been done, they have not contacted me. On the 16th of December, 2009, I was parking again. This time there was another person in the car with me. The car accelerated rapidly. I had to push with all my strength and it appeared it wouldn't stop but there was a snow & ice bank in front of the parking space and this kept us from ending up on a busy street where we would have been broadsided. I have talked to Toyota again and the local dealer again. Toyota gave me another case number and sent the info to the dealer. They said the dealer would call within 3 business days. Since the incident happened on a Wednesday afternoon I expect that 3 days could be Saturday or quite possibly not until Monday. I am definitely afraid to drive the car. There is only 22,189 miles on this car.

Thank God I haven't had to drive this car much in the 5 years we've had it. I would likely have been in a horrible accident through no fault of my own. I am so disappointed in Toyota. This is my second one. The first was a 1994 Camry XLE. I loved that car. It is still being driven by another family member and has logged well in excess of 200,000 miles without any major repairs. I will never buy another one.

- Beverly A., Oshkosh, WI, US

problem #5

Apr 192008

Camry 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,000 miles

2005 Camry surged out of control, reaching speed in excess of 70 mph causing crash and death of driver. Would like to collect contacts for all sudden acceleration incidents in 2003-2005 Camry

- Thomas G., Flint, MI, US

problem #4

Jul 032008

Camry XLE 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,010 miles

I was turning a corner and coasting into a curbside parking spot with my foot off the brake and the gas pedal. Suddenly and inexplicably, the car accelerated on its own and I stamped repeatedly on the brake to no avail. My brother was in the car with me (I'm 54 and he's 47) and witnessed the entire incident and he will state unequivocally that he saw my foot stamping on the brake. The only thing that stopped my car was the parked car I hit ahead of it. Even though damage was minimal and my car was drivable, I refused to drive it from the scene and it was towed to a body shop. I filed a complaint with Toyota and waited 2 wks for their field expert to inspect the car. I was disappointed but not surprised to be told there was nothing wrong with my car after a 2 hr inspection and I "probably hit the gas when I thought I was hitting the brake." I hotly contested that, mentioned my eye witness and the recent history Camrys have of this (thanks to your website and others) and cited my outstanding 37 yr driving record. I was politely told that the computer chip would have had a record of this happening and it didn't so it must not have happened. I offered to sell the car back to the Toyota specialist on the spot since I never want to drive "Christine" again but, surprise again, he refused. The salesman who originally sold me the car was very friendly until he found out why I was there and then couldn't get away from me fast enough when I approached him about the problem and Toyota buying the car back.

Several electrical problems appeared in the week before the accident and I'd mentioned these as well to the field expert. He said the power locks engaging and problems with the remote key entry working intermittently wouldn't have affected the sudden acceleration/brake problem. The fact that the cruise control also came on by itself was discounted as me probably turning it on inadvertently (I never used it in 3 yrs and never turned it on inadvertently in 3 yrs). He said the electrical problems may have occurred when I had the windshield replaced. I informed him that I was the orig. owner and never had the windshield replaced and he assured me it would have the Toyota logo on it if it was the orig. windshield so obviously it wasn't. Since I took possession of a brand new car I couldn't understand this and the service mgr at the dealership told me to call the 800 number about this problem. I'm sure its just "driver error" again on my part...silly, hysterical, incompetent me! Toyota has a major problem with the Camry and I think we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Scary when you consider how many Camry's are on the road today.

- Colleen L., Beach Haven, NJ, US

problem #3

May 202008

Camry

  • Automatic transmission
  • 47,000 miles

this morning I pulled into a parking space in downtown garage on the forth floor as I am

ready to unbuckle my seat belt the car accelerated by itself and hit a barrier that was protecting the concrete wall of the garage. it hit the barrier where it caused major bumper damage and i had to tow it because it could not driven. the air bags did not deploy however the impact was hard enough where i hit my head with the steering wheel and pull shoulder as I had the seat belt on. i really think this is a malfunction in this car and now I am afraid to drive it.

- Lourdes C., Ft Lauderdale, FL, US

problem #2

Apr 042008

Camry LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles

At a stop sign in a residential area, lifting my foot off the brake to make a left turn, the car then suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward. There was no control of the steering wheel or the brakes. The car finally crashed to a stop in someone's house!

While the car was lurching forward, it made a low, grinding sound. The car had lurched one time before, not to this extent, and I was able to slam my foot on the brake to finally stop it. This time was different, my foot was pressed as far as it could go, and nothing would stop it. Also, the airbag did NOT deploy. I hit my head on the windshield. This could have been much worse! In my 40 years of driving, I have never, ever had an any driving issues, my record is impeccable.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is a mechanical problem with these cars, especially after reading so many other complaints with 2005 Camry (as well as other years). I reported the incident to the Saftey Commission in Washington, DC and the first thing they asked me was if my car was equipped with Cruise Control and Anti-Lock Brakes (which it is), so you can't tell me that they are unaware of a problem. My license has been revoked, and my reputation and almost my life have been destroyed because of something I had no control over.

- Cindy G., Brentwood, NH, US

problem #1

May 152007

(reported on)

Camry LX V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles

i was pulling into a parking space and the gas peddle accelerated on its own and the cars brakes did not stop the car and i crashed into the side of the building and put a huge hole in the building and the belts did not stop me from hitting the steering wheel and the bags did not deploy.

- Mary Jane R., Wintersville, OH, US