Research · Midsize Cars

1999 Toyota CamryRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 590 owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota Camry. Most complaints involve engine and engine cooling (123) and air bags (98). The EPA rates it 20–24 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
20–24mpg
EPA · 9 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest May 2009
Owner complaints
590
Top: engine and engine cooling
Fuel cost / yr
$2,000est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Exterior lighting: headlights

Free remedy

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Exterior lightingReported May 11, 2009NHTSA 09E025000

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND V6 ENGINES, AND BUILT AT ONE OF TWO LINES AT THE KENTUCKY PLANT. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HOUSING COULD BE DEFORMED AT THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR-TO-THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION. THE ACCELERATOR INNER-CABLE COULD WEAR AWAY AND EVENTUALLY BREAK.

Vehicle speed controlReported Jan 16, 2001NHTSA 01V012000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

590 complaints filed with NHTSA · Nov 1998 – Dec 2021
  1. Engine and engine cooling123
  2. Air bags98
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic75
  4. Vehicle speed control71
  5. Electrical system47
  6. Suspension40
  7. Tires31
  8. Visibility26
  9. Steering24

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Camry model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996421
1997558
1998610
1999590
2000530
2001330
20021,039
2003818
2004799
2005721
2006435
20073,616
20081,178
20091,412
2010614
2011624
2012645
2013301
2014480
2015271
2016189
2017148
2018754
2019400
2020275
2021158
202265
202365
202452
Crashes reported
116
Fires reported
44
Injuries reported
95
Deaths reported
2
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine and engine cooling

123 reports5 crashes21 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH APPROACHING A STOP SIGN WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL SUDDENLY AS WELL. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN SO THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO PARK WHICH RESULTED TO THE VEHICLE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING 40 MPH AND ABOVE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE EOR SENSOR, EOR SOLENOID AND EOR MODULE WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. UPDATED 4/4/11 *CN THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE THROTTLE. UPDATED 06/03/11”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10382561

Air bags

98 reports69 crashes
“NOTHING HAPPENED YET, SINCE I CANNOT KNOW FOR SURE IF THESE ARE BAD AIR BAGS SINCE CAR WAS IN ACCIDENT AND REPAIRED WITH REPLACEMENT AIR BAGS IN PAST, SO NO WAY TO FIND OUT UNLESS TOYOTA PAYS TO CHECK THEM FIRST AND MAYBE REPLACED. WORRIED THAT REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ARE DEFECTIVE OR DANGEROUS NO ONE IS ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WHY??? MY REPLACEMENTS NEED TO BE CHECKED BY SERIAL NUMBER???”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2020Air bagsODI 11297458

Service brakes, hydraulic

75 reports11 crashes
“I REPORTED THIS TO COMPLAINTS.COM ON 11/12/2005 BUT WANTED TO ALSO SUBMIT IT TO YOU DUE TO ALL OF THE NEWS LATELY. IN NOVEMBER 2005, MY PARENTS WERE DRIVING THEIR 1999 CAMRY AND PULLING SLOWING INTO A PARKING SPOT. JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO COMPLETE PARKING AND ONLY GOING LESS THAN A MILE PER HOUR, THEIR CAR ACCELERATED VERY FAST, LEFT THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. WE ASKED ABOUT IF SUDDEN ACCELERATION COULD BE INVESTIGATED AT THIS TIME BUT WERE TOLD IT COULDN'T. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY MOM WAS INJURED (BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO HER CHEST) BUT RECOVERED FAIRLY SOON AFTER. SHE DID GO TO THE ER. MY DAD, WHO WAS DRIVING, WAS OK BUT FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT WAS STRESSED DUE TO WORRY ABOUT MY MOM'S INJURY AND HAVING THEIR CAR TOTALED SINCE HE WAS SURE HE HADN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG.. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY DAD IS SURE HE DID NOT HIT THE GAS BY MISTAKE AND MY MOM AGREES THAT HE DIDN'T HIT THE GAS EITHER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2010Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10319031
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

9 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars, Compact Cars
Engines
2.2L 4-cyl · 3.0L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 5-spd · Automatic 4-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Natural Gas

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Camry
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
212924$2,700370
Camry Solara
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
212924$2,700370
Camry
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,800386
Camry CNG
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,000306
Camry Solara
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,800386
Camry
Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
182621$3,050423
Camry Solara
Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
182621$3,050423
Camry
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
172520$3,200444
Camry Solara
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
172520$3,200444
  • Camry
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    21 city · 29 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
  • Camry Solara
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    21 city · 29 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
  • Camry
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Camry CNG
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,000/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Camry Solara
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Camry
    Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Camry Solara
    Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Camry
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Camry Solara
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Toyota Camry as of Oct 27, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 27, 2026Vehicle 3999Vehicle 3960
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

1999 Camry questions

How many recalls does the 1999 Toyota Camry have?

2 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 1999 Toyota Camry problems?

Owners filed 590 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine and engine cooling (123), air bags (98), service brakes, hydraulic (75). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 1999 Toyota Camry get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Toyota Camry at 20–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (9 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 27, 2026