Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Toyota Camry problems

Owners filed 330 complaints about the 2001 Toyota Camry with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and Jul 2025. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (55).

Complaints
330
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
88
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
71
People reported injured
Deaths
6
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control55
  2. Air bags52
  3. Engine and engine cooling52
  4. Tires27
  5. Suspension25
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic21
  7. Electrical system20
  8. Power train16
  9. Engine15
  10. Steering15
  11. Structure15
  12. Seat belts15
  13. Seats15
  14. Fuel system, gasoline10

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20002
200135
200228
200343
200440
200517
200617
20078
200811
200917
201041
201110
201211
20134
201412
201510
20163
20174
20185
20194
20203
20210
20220
20231
20243
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

55 reports32 crashes1 related recall
“I do not feel engine braking effect when I apply brake instead I have to press brake hard to hold until engine idles. It is a serious issue in older cars. My car has 153000 miles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2025Vehicle speed controlODI 11673220

Air bags

52 reports40 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER AND HEAD THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11271515

Engine and engine cooling

52 reports2 crashes7 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT PART OF THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,500 . UPDATED 03/16/12*LJ UPDATED 06/04/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10443688

Tires

27 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY EQUIPPED WITH PRIMEWELL PS830 TIRES, SIZE: 205/65/15 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CEMENT PILLAR AND WAS THROWN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A SECOND CEMENT PILLAR. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2012TiresCrash reportedODI 10484654

Suspension

25 reports1 crash
“TWO DAYS BACK WHEN I WAS TRYING TO TAKE MY CAR OUT I HEARD SOME DIFFERENT SOUND.. THEN I STOPPED CAR AND OBSERVED THAT IT IS FLAT TIRE.. I TOOK THE TIRE OUT AND OBSERVED THAT THE TIRE GOT CUT BECAUSE THE SHOCK COIL SPRING GOT BROKEN INTO TWO AND THE SHARP EDGE OF THE SPRING IS CUTTING THE TIRE.. LUCKILY IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY .. A DAY BEFORE THAT I VISITED SANT CRUZ WITH FAMILY ( WIFE AND TWO KIDS ).. IF IT WAS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HELPLESS SITUATION.. I REPLACED ALL THE STRUTS AND SHOCKS ON NEXT DAY BY TOWING THE VEHICLE. TIRE HAS MORE THAN THREE CUTS.. I AM NOT SURE FROM HOW LONG THE SHARP EDGE SPRING WAS TOUCHING THE TIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 29, 2017SuspensionODI 11051256

Service brakes, hydraulic

21 reports6 crashes1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,557.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2014Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10637480
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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