Problems · by component
1999 Toyota Camry engine and engine cooling problems
123 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Toyota Camry cite engine and engine cooling, 21% of all 590 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
123
21% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
21
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY ONTO THE ON RAMP TO THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANG AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE.THE ENGINE STOPPED! I HAD BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 1999,AND IT ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS IN SUPER CONDITION, EXCEPT NOW IT HAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!! A CERTIFIED MECHANIC SAID THAT THE PISTON ROD CAP BOLT HAD BROKEN AND THE ROD BLEW A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. THE TOYOTA DEALER AND TOYOTA NATIONAL SAID THAT I MUST PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED. IT NEEDS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE!!I FEEL THAT IT MUST BE A DEFECT OR THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN AT 44,000 MILES.I HAVE ALWAYS HAD ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS DONE. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DANGEROUS DEFECT, BECAUSE IF YOUR CAR SEIZES UP AND STOPS IN TRAFFIC, YOU DO NOT STAND A CHANCE. I'VE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T TOYOTA RECALLED THIS? IT IS CERTAINLY JUST AS DANGEROUS AS THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY DID RECALL CARS FOR. *TR”
“1999 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE TRAVELING, THE DRIVER CLAIMED TO HAVE HEARD A NOISE AND LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. *BF THE DRIVER WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, STRUCK A MEDIAN BARRIER, CAME BACK ACROSS THREE LANES, WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND THEN CAME TO REST PARTIALLY IN THE RIGHT LANE. ACCORDING TO THE WRECKER THE DRIVER, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING. HOWEVER, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE THAT WAS NOT A RESULT OF THE CRASH AND THAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0359-90)*JB UPDATED 08/05/10 *BF”
“EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND RUSTING IN THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. EXHAUST RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. FRONT FLEX PIPE RUSTED. CAT CONVERTER RUSTED . MUFFLER AND BACK EXHAUST PIPE RUSTED. *TR”
“SINCE 2007 I HAVE NOTICED SOME TYPE OF ENGINE DIFFICULTY WITH THE TOYOTA. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE RUNNING (IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.) ALSO, ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY RECEIVE TOO HIGH A CHARGE RESULTING IN COMPUTER SYSTEM OVERHEATING. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES, MUCH MORE THAN NECESSARY AND PROBLEM REMAINS WITH THE OBD SYSTEM. THIS ALSO CAUSES ENGINE TO HAVE SURGES OF POWER WHILE DRIVING AFFECTING CRUISE CONTROL... I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM RELATIVE TO CURRENT TOYOTA ISSUES-ONLINE SOMEONE HAS A 2002 SOLARA WITH SAME PROBLEM. MY PARENTS HAVE 01 SOLARA-NO PROBLEMS REPORTED. MY OLD LEXUS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS MY 1989 CELICA WAS A GREAT CAR. WOULD NOT OWN AGAIN-WOULD LIKE TO SELL NUT CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF ANY FUTURE OWNER(S.) *TR”
“MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. WHEN CROSSING HIGHWAY AT INTERSECTION, THE CAR HESITATED ON ACCELERATION AND SHE WAS STRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR. SHE STATES SHE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO CROSS BUT "THE CAR JUST WOULDN'T GO". ALSO, DESPITE IMPACTS FROM SEVERAL ANGLES, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR”
Showing 6 of 123 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.