Toyota Camry Reliability Report
Reviewed by the MotorRank Media editorial team · Last reviewed May 2026 · Our methodology
Photo: Elise240SX · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reliability Snapshot
The Toyota Camry is one of the most reliable midsize sedans you can buy, earning a 4.0/5.0 from RepairPal and ranking 3rd of 24 in its class, with a low 11% chance of a repair being severe. Most generations routinely clear 200,000+ miles with basic maintenance, but the car is not flawless: the 2007-2011 four-cylinder cars are notorious oil burners, and the 2018-2020 8-speed models drew thousands of low-speed transmission-shudder and fuel-pump complaints. Buy a well-maintained mid-cycle year and the Camry is close to a no-drama ownership experience.
Back to reliability hubReliability by the numbers
- RepairPal Reliability Rating
- 4.0 out of 5.0
- RepairPal rank in class (midsize cars)
- 3rd out of 24
- RepairPal average annual repair cost
- $388 per year
- J.D. Power Quality & Reliability score (2026 Camry, latest)
- 80/100 (Average); overall JD Power 100-Point score 82
- iSeeCars longevity: predicted chance of reaching 250,000 miles (Toyota Camry, 2025 Longest-Lasting Cars study)
- 9.0% (3.5x the 2.6% passenger-car average; ranks #8 among longest-lasting passenger cars)
- iSeeCars longevity: Toyota Camry Hybrid chance of reaching 250,000 miles (2025 study)
- 10.2% (3.9x the passenger-car average; ranks #6 among longest-lasting passenger cars and #22 overall top-25)
- J.D. Power Quality & Reliability (2026 Camry, 9th-gen all-hybrid)
- 80/100 (Average)
- J.D. Power Quality & Reliability (2024 Camry, 8th-gen XV70)
- 86/100 (Great)
- J.D. Power Quality & Reliability (2022 Camry, 8th-gen XV70)
- 87/100 (Great)
- J.D. Power Quality & Reliability (2020 Camry, 8th-gen XV70)
- 82/100 (Great)
Common Toyota Camry Problems
Excessive oil consumption on the 2.4L 2AZ-FE four-cylinder (worn/low-tension piston rings) — owners report burning roughly a quart every 1,000-1,200 miles, and neglected cases can starve the engine and require a rebuild or replacement.
HighTypical onset: 70k-100k mi · Repair cost: $1,500-$4,000 (piston/ring job; ~$2,420 avg per CarComplaints, far more for a full engine)
8-speed automatic (UA80) shudder, hesitation, and harsh low-speed shifts on 2018-2020 four-cylinder cars — most noticeable pulling away from a rolling stop; subject of TSBs and multiple class-action lawsuits, with some severe cases needing transmission replacement.
HighTypical onset: Onset can be from new; worsens 30k-120k mi · Repair cost: $0 under TSB/warranty reflash; $4,000-$7,000+ if the transmission is replaced out of warranty
Low-pressure fuel pump failure (2018-2020) — the in-tank Denso pump can stop working, causing rough running, no-start, or stalling while driving. Covered by NHTSA recalls 20V012 and 20V682, so most should be fixed free.
HighTypical onset: Any mileage · Repair cost: $0 under recall; ~$600-$1,000 if replaced outside the recall
Toyota Safety Sense false alerts — pre-collision phantom braking, radar cruise dropouts, and lane-departure disengagement on 2018-2024 cars. The single largest complaint cluster (332 NHTSA reports) on the current generation; often a calibration/software issue.
MediumTypical onset: Any mileage · Repair cost: $0-$300 (recalibration/software; sensor replacement if damaged)
Dashboard degradation on 2007-2011 cars — the dash surface can become melted, sticky, and reflective in hot/sunny climates. Toyota ran a Warranty Enhancement Program but it has expired for most owners.
LowTypical onset: Age/heat-driven, typically 7+ years · Repair cost: $200-$1,000 (dash replacement or cover)
Best & Worst Model Years
The 2012-2017 XV50 generation is the sweet spot: it pairs the proven 2.5L engine with a durable 6-speed automatic and sheds the oil-burning piston-ring defect that plagued the 2007-2011 (XV40) four-cylinders. The current XV70 (2018+) is excellent mechanically but the launch years (2018-2019) carry the heaviest 8-speed shudder/hesitation and low-pressure fuel-pump complaints — by 2021-2022 most of those bugs were addressed via TSBs, software, and recalls. If you want the lowest-complaint XV70, the 3.5L V6 trims (XLE/XSE V6) log only a small fraction of the four-cylinder's complaints and avoid the 8-speed shudder pattern entirely. Avoid neglected 2007-2009 four-cylinders unless oil-consumption history is documented.
Toyota Camry Reliability by Generation
3rd generation (XV10)
No J.D. Power 100-pt score (predates dataset)Oldest generation a value used buyer might consider. CarComplaints logs low total complaints given age. Reliability reportedly worsened across the run. Key issues: rough idle in gear, oil pump failure, won't shift out of Park, engine failure (~$2,500). A 1995 steering-wheel recall affected 'over 540,000 vehicles' per CarBuzz's framing (round number, no NHTSA campaign cited).
4th generation (XV20)
No J.D. Power 100-pt score (predates dataset)Widely regarded as a high-longevity Camry; many owners report 200,000+ miles. Low complaint volumes on CarComplaints. Issues: difficulty shifting, interior door-handle failure, check-engine light. 2001 is the year most praised.
5th generation (XV30)
No J.D. Power 100-pt score widely published for these years2002 is the complaint peak for this gen (193 complaints per CarBuzz). Reported issues: sudden unintended acceleration, defective throttle body, brakes not fully stopping. The 2004-2005 V6 cars fall under the 2011 crankshaft-pulley / power-steering recall (NHTSA 11V539000). Mid-pack reliability.
6th generation (XV40)
J.D. Power ~83-87/100 (2011 = 87/100 per CarBuzz)Weakest modern generation - the years to be most cautious about used. 2007 is the single worst model year: 11 recalls and 3,598 NHTSA complaints (CarBuzz). Signature defect: excessive oil consumption (~$2,700 to fix), plus melting-dashboard reports. 2007-2010 cars are also caught in the 4.2M floor-mat and 2.3M sticky-pedal recalls.
7th generation (XV50)
J.D. Power 92/100 (2014, highest of any Camry; verified on jdpower.com as Quality & Reliability 'Best')Most reliable Camry generation per CarBuzz, and 2013 is named the single best used model year. Recalls stayed low; 2017 final year had just 3 recalls and 28 complaints. Minor gripes: A/C smell, headrest comfort, paint quality. The sweet spot for used buyers.
8th generation (XV70)
J.D. Power ~88/100 (2023 per CarBuzz); 2020 cited as a top reliability pickStrong, modern reliability. Issues are minor and drivability-related: rough shifting, interior rattles, squeaking brakes. Newer years have a shorter long-term track record. Excellent late-used / CPO choice. CarBuzz's reliability data explicitly stops after the 2021 model year.
9th generation (XV80, hybrid-only)
J.D. Power 82/100 overall ('Carry-Over'); Quality & Reliability 80/100 ('Average'); Resale 92/100 ('Best')All-new, now hybrid-only (225 hp FWD / 232 hp AWD, CVT). The generation a new buyer faces today - CarBuzz does not cover it. J.D. Power applies prior-year survey data (carry-over 82, verified on jdpower.com). Per jdpower.com, the Camry ranked highest in the Midsize Car segment in the J.D. Power 2024 Initial Quality Study. Affected by the Nov 2025 rearview-camera recall (NHTSA 25V744; 2025-2026 Camry Hybrid within the 1,024,407-unit campaign). Expert review by Christian Wardlaw, Dec 3, 2024.
Major Toyota Camry Recalls
Floor-mat pedal entrapment
4,445,056Floor-mat pedal entrapment: an unsecured or incompatible driver-side floor mat can trap the accelerator pedal in the wide-open position, causing unintended acceleration (Camry MY2007-2010 among affected models).
Sticky accelerator pedal
2,230,661Sticky accelerator pedal: the friction lever in the pedal sensor assembly can cause the accelerator to become hard to depress, slow to return, or stick in a partially depressed position (Camry MY2007-2010 among affected models).
Denso low-pressure fuel-pump impeller can deform from fuel absorption, causing rough runni
695,541Denso low-pressure fuel-pump impeller can deform from fuel absorption, causing rough running, no-start, or engine stall while driving and raising crash risk (Camry MY2018-2019 is 'Vehicle 6' in the Part 573 report).
Expansion of the Denso fuel-pump recall
858Expansion of the Denso fuel-pump recall (20V012) to add vehicles omitted due to supplier data-processing errors; low-pressure fuel pump may fail and cause engine stall (2018 Camry is 'Vehicle 1').
Recall data from NHTSA. Always check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Before You Buy
Verify any 2018-2020 candidate's VIN against the NHTSA recall database for the low-pressure fuel pump (20V012/20V682) and brake vacuum-pump (18V211) recalls, and on a test drive deliberately accelerate from a rolling stop in stop-and-go traffic to feel for 8-speed shudder/hesitation. For 2007-2011 four-cylinders, ask for oil-change records and check oil level/consumption — the piston-ring warranty enhancement has expired for nearly all cars.
What owners report
Owners overwhelmingly describe the Camry as a buy-it-and-forget-it sedan: the 2.5L four-cylinder (A25A) and the hybrid (eCVT) powertrains are widely called near-bulletproof with routine maintenance, and 8th-gen cars commonly cross 200,000 miles with little beyond brakes, tires, and 12V batteries. The most consistent gripes are the conventional 8-speed automatic (UA80) paired with the V6 — the same unit used in the Highlander/Sienna, which owners have documented developing issues at higher mileage — plus occasional front timing-cover oil seepage on the 2GR-FKS V6, a low ride height, a mediocre infotainment/wireless charger, and notably expensive parts on newer cars (headlight assemblies, touchscreens). The four-cylinder and hybrid avoid the V6/8-speed concerns.
Toyota Camry Reliability FAQ
- Is the Toyota Camry reliable?
- The Toyota Camry is one of the most reliable midsize sedans you can buy, earning a 4.0/5.0 from RepairPal and ranking 3rd of 24 in its class, with a low 11% chance of a repair being severe. Most generations routinely clear 200,000+ miles with basic maintenance, but the car is not flawless: the 2007-2011 four-cylinder cars are notorious oil burners, and the 2018-2020 8-speed models drew thousands of low-speed transmission-shudder and fuel-pump complaints. Buy a well-maintained mid-cycle year and the Camry is close to a no-drama ownership experience.
- What are the most reliable Toyota Camry model years?
- 2012-2017 (XV50) and 2021-2024 (later XV70). The 2012-2017 XV50 generation is the sweet spot: it pairs the proven 2.5L engine with a durable 6-speed automatic and sheds the oil-burning piston-ring defect that plagued the 2007-2011 (XV40) four-cylinders. The current XV70 (2018+) is excellent mechanically but the launch years (2018-2019) carry the heaviest 8-speed shudder/hesitation and low-pressure fuel-pump complaints — by 2021-2022 most of those bugs were addressed via TSBs, software, and recalls. If you want the lowest-complaint XV70, the 3.5L V6 trims (XLE/XSE V6) log only a small fraction of the four-cylinder's complaints and avoid the 8-speed shudder pattern entirely. Avoid neglected 2007-2009 four-cylinders unless oil-consumption history is documented.
- Which Toyota Camry years should you avoid?
- We'd approach these model years with extra caution: 2007-2009 and early 2018-2019.
- How much does it cost to maintain a Toyota Camry?
- ~$388/yr (RepairPal) — well below the $526 midsize-car average. RepairPal pegs average annual repair and maintenance at $388, versus $526 for midsize cars and $652 for all vehicles, with owners visiting a shop for unscheduled repairs only ~0.28 times per year and just an 11% chance any given repair is severe. Translation: the Camry is genuinely cheap to keep on the road. The biggest cost risks are not routine — they are the generation-specific defects (oil consumption on older 4-cylinders, the 8-speed on early new-gen cars), so buying the right year matters more than the year-to-year maintenance bill.
- What are the most common Toyota Camry problems?
- The most frequently reported issues are: Excessive oil consumption on the 2.4L 2AZ-FE four-cylinder; 8-speed automatic; Low-pressure fuel pump failure.