Problems · by component

2000 Toyota Camry power train problems

38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Toyota Camry cite power train, 7% of all 530 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
38
7% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately respond after the gear shifter was shifted into reverse(R). The contact stated that there was a hesitation before the vehicle responded. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred after shifting into drive(D). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys where it was diagnosed that the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) vacuum switching valve needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was not drivable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 232,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2023Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 11500303
“I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT ONTO ROUTE 23 S. IN WAYNE NJ. I WAS APP 35 FEET IN FRONT OF A STORE. I PLACED THE CAMRY IN PARK FOR A SECOND. I THEN WENT TO PLACE THE CAR IN DRIVE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED GOING IN REVERSE STRAIGHT TOWARD THE STORE. I COULD NOT STOP IT. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW YOU ARE GOING TO REACT IN A SITUATION THAT COMES ON YOU SUDDENLY. ANYWAY, I OPENED THE CAR DOOR TO GET MY BEARINGS AND WAS MORE THAN HALF-WAY OUT THE CAR. MY LEFT LEG WAS ALSO OUT OF THE CAR. I HAD ONE HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AT THE LAST SECOND, I TURNED THE WHEEL AND MISSED BOTH THE STORE AND PARKED CARS. MY CAR CRASHED INTO A FENCE. I WAS NOT HURT BUT WAS SHAKEN UP. TOYOTA SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY WOULD NOT LET EITHER MYSELF OR MY MECHANIC IN WHILE IT WAS INSPECTED. SINCE I WAS MORE THAN HALFWAY OUT THE CAR, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE I WAS IN. I ALSO HAVE A WITNESS TO THE ABOVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2012Power trainCrash reportedODI 10450532
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AT HIS EXPENSE. HE LATER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. COMPLAINT 1010212163 WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2010Power trainODI 10361727
“WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2000 CAMRY V6 WITH 88,000 MILES ON IT, THE CAR OFTEN SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES JUST BEFORE IT COMES TO A STOP. I USUALLY HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO ELIMINATE THE VIBRATION, BUT THAT IS A VERY UNSAFE TACTIC. THE DEALER REPLACED A WHEEL BEARING BUT THAT HAD NO EFFECT. NOW THE DEALER THINKS THAT THE SHUDDER/VIBRATION PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5000-$6000, WHICH IS ABOUT TWICE WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL SO EARLY UNLESS IT WAS DEFECTIVE. SINCE THE PROBLEM OCCURS DURING BRAKING, IT CLEARLY IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2010Power trainODI 10344551
“ON JUNE 12, 2010, MY TOYOTA CAMRY (YR 2000, 4 CYL, CE) MADE A STRANGE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AT 60-70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AFTER ANOTHER 30 MIN OF STRANGE SOUND COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE BELOW STARTED TO MAKE LOUD CRANKING SOUND. I PULLED IN TO THE SERVICE ROAD OF THE HIGHWAY AND AFTER A FEW MORE CRANKING SOUND, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED. I CALLED THE POLICE TO GET IT TOWED TO A NEARBY TOWN. ON JUNE 14, I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOMETOWN 120 MILES AWAY. THE TOYOTA DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR AND SAID THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PART OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY DAMAGED. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THAT IT IS OUT OF ORDINARY FOR A CAR OF THIS TYPE AND MILEAGE TO HAVE TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR UNDER REGULAR MAINTENANCE EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1999. THIS TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN OCCURRED AT 72,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED FOR A LEAK AT 66,000 MILE AT THE SAME TOYOTA DEALER. I SUSPECT MY TOYOTA CAMRY HAD PRE-EXISTING MANUFACTURING DEFECTS IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. CALLED THE TOYOTA COMPANY AND…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2010Power trainODI 10336706
“2000 CAMRY CE, 130,000KM AUTOMATIC BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, SHIFTER WENT RIGHT TO LOW WITHOUT ANY EFFORT. THEN WOUDN'T GO IN GEAR. TALKED TO MECHANIC & WAS TOLD THAT MOST LIKELY THE CABLE WAS BROKEN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2008Power trainODI 10235327

Showing 6 of 38 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.