Problems · by component

2005 Toyota Camry engine and engine cooling problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota Camry cite engine and engine cooling, 5% of all 721 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
35
5% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH OBTAINING VEHICLE RECALL REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED SHE WOULD NEED TO PRESENT A BILL OF SALE FOR THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECORD OF HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10463766
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V539000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT HOWEVER STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING, AS STATED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER SUGGESTED TO THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE DENIAL OF RECALL REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO STAND BY THE DECISION OF THE TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10448372
“WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, THERE WAS SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND SUDDENLY I LOST POWER STEERING AND LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE FRONT PANEL. I MANAGED HARD TO PULL OFF THE VEHICLE FROM THE HIGHWAY, IT WAS SO HARD MAKE TURNS TO THE RAMP. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE STARTED TO FLUCTUATE. THERE WAS LITTLE SMOKING COME OUT, I HAD TO STOP THERE. IT WAS TURNED OUT THERE WAS A BELT FELL OUT AND MY ALTERNATOR EVENTUALLY DIED. MY CAR IS 4-CYLINDER, NOT 6. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2011Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10438983
“MY 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY IS LEAKING COOLANT. I DISCOVERED THERE HAS BEEN A LONG TERM PROBLEM WITH STRIPPED ENGINE BOLTS IN TOYOTAS, RESULTING IN LEAKING COOLANT AND THE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 2002-2006 CAMRYS AND HIGHLANDERS CAUSING WIDESPREAD COMPLAINTS BUT NO ACTION FROM TOYOTA. THEY MADE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, PUTTING THE BURDEN BACK ON THE CONSUMER. IT'S TIME TOYOTA STEPPED UP AND RECALLED THESE CARS, MADE THE FIX AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR ERROR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10426672
“MY 2005 CAMRY HAS 53000 ON IT, VERY WELL MAINTAINED. WAS DRIVING 25 MPH ON A TRAVERSE WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. CALLED A TOWING SERVICE, HOWEVER, 10 MINUTES LATER I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DROVE HOME. THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT REMAINED ON. AT FIRST CHANCE I DROVE MY CAR TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT SUGGESTED TO BRING MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER BECAUSE HE HAD SEEN SO MANY OF CAMRY THROTTLE MALFUNCTIONS THAT HE THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL. I TOOK HIS ADVICE, BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT MY THROTTLE BODY WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACING. HOWEVER HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF UNLESS I HAD AN ENGINE FLUSH AND A FULL TUNE-UP. THIS DID NOT SIT WELL WITH ME, SO I DECLINED THE SERVICES. I PAID HIM $100 AS A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WHEN HE WENT TO GET MY CAR, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN ON AT ALL. I CALLED A TOWING COMPANY WHO TOOK IT BACK TO MY MECHANIC. HE REPLACED THE THROTTLE AND RESET THE SERVICE LIGHT. THE CAR IS NOW RUNNING, BUT BECAUSE OF MY MECHANIC'S STATEMENT AND MANY SIMILAR THROTTLE COMPLAINTS RECORDED ON…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10425602
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GRAY SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10414762

Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 9, 2011NHTSA 11V539000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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