NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Toyota Camry. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN PANIC SITUATIONS, THEY DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES MAKE A LOUD CLUCKING NOISE WHEN OPERATED FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE OR REVERSE TO FORWARD GEARS.*AK
LEASED VEHICLE. VEHICLE VEERS TO THE LEFT THEN AT ABOUT 500 FT IT SHOOTS VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *AK
PASSENGER LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL OVERRETRACT AND CANNOT GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *AK *SLC
TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.
STARTER FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
DIGITAL CLOCK FAILED.
THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTIES STARTING. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED AND WAS REPLACED 7 MORE TIMES. THE CONSUMER FOUND INFORMATION ON A TOYOTA REPORT WHICH INDICATED THAT THE EGR VALVE AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WERE PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING. *SCC *NLM
BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR.
BRAKES FAILED.
BRAKES GRIND WHEN APPLIED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW..
DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT MOVES, THE ANCHOR IS LOOSE WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE. *AK
FRONT BRAKE NOISE.
WIND NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WINDOWS, ALSO FRONT WINDOWS LEAK WATER.
WHILE IN A FRONT END ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
POOR ABS BRAKE PERFORMANCE DURING HARD PANIC STOPS, A VIBRATION AND GRINDING NOISE IS EXPERIENCED. *AK
SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAKE NOISE. QCAW
SUNROOF FAILED. QCAW
LEFT TURN SIGNAL BULB BLEW OUT.
ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *SD
DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS & GOING DOWN HILL W/FOOT ON BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SURGE. COMPUTER SENSORS CAN NOT TELL IF ACCELERATOR IS ON/OFF. TOOK TO DEALER & COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM 1ST TIME; MECHANIC TOOK FOR TEST DRIVE & SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM. OWNER HAS ARBITRATION PAPERS. *AK
ENGINE AUTOMATIC CHOKE FAILED.
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.
FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY FAILED.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND WAS GOING DOWN A HILL, APPLIED FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A TREE. *AK
ENGINE SURGES.
WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ACCELERATOR GOES TO THE FLOOR AND STAYS THERE FOR A MINUTE BEFORE IT SELF CORRECTS THE SITUATION. ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR IS LOST. *AK
BRAKE PADS FAILED RESULTING IN NOISE.
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
ENGINE IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING, THE PROBLEM IS UNDIAGNOSED AND IS STILL PRESENT.
UPON STARTING VEHICLE AT IDLE SPEED, THE CONTROL VALVE STICKS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALERSHIP, AND CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. *AK BRAKES EXPERIENCE GRINDING, SQUEAKING, AND VIBRATION, ROTORS WERE WARPED AND BRAKE PADS WERE GLAZED, BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A SUSPENSION PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS, MOTOR MOUNTS WERE WEAK CAUSING STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION, 16 VALVE SEALS CAME APART DUE TO BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, WATER PUMP LEAKED, TIMING BELT FAILED, VALVE COVER LEAKED, AND CAM SEAL WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION RELATED PROBLEMS, RIGHT OUTER AXLE BOOT WAS SPLIT AND LEAKING GREASE, CV BOOTS FAILED TWICE, SHIFTER WAS HARD AND WAS MAKING NOISES, DEALER FOUND THE SHIFTER LEVER PLATE WAS BROKEN, TRANSMISSION PAN GASKET WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR WHEN GOING IN REVERSE. THE CAR JACK WAS MISSING FROM THE TRUNK AND THE ANTENNA WAS INOPERABLE. DEALER FOUND AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE BATTERY. CONSUMER NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, DEALER SECURED SEAT SLIDE ADJUSTER HOOK, TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS, THE EGR VALVE ASSEMBLY, EGR MODULATOR, IDLER CONTROL VALVE, IDLE AIR SPEED CONTROL, DISTRIBUTOR O-RING, IDLER BEARING, ISC VALVE, AND VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED, BLUE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST, DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY, FUEL INJECTION, AND RECALIBRATED THE FUEL SENSOR, VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND STALLING DUE TO FAULTY EGR VACUUM MODULATOR, DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE WOULD DEFAULT IF THERE WAS TOO MUCH OIL ADDED, THE VALVE IS TOO SMALL SO IT WILL STICK OR BECOME CLOGGED UP WITH CARBON BUILD UP. *SLC
FIRST CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT AFTER REAR TIRES WAS PUT ON FRONT THEN VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. *AK
NOTICED STARTING PROBLEM, THEN NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL DEVICES WORKING, THEN WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 25MPH AND DOWN TO 10MPH. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS MOMENTARILY THEN JERKS FORWARD, SIMULTANEOUSLY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS ALSO.
DOOR SEALS FAILED.
WINDSHIELD 'WIND NOISE'.
TURN SIGNAL LAMP FAILED.
THE HOOD ON THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN THE OPEN POSITION. INTERMITTENTLY, IT WILL COME DOWN WITHOUT BEING SHUT BY ANYONE. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. *AK
WHENEVER DRIVING VEHICLE, SEAT BELTS WOULD CREEP UP AROUND THE NECK AREA. WHEN DEPRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE UNTIL ITS UNSNAPPED BY SEATING AREA. *AK
METAL TAB ON RIGHT REAR SHOULDER/LAP BELT TWISTED, DIFFICULT TO FASTEN, BELTS NOT FLUSH AGAINT OCCUPANTS CHEST, IN A REVERSE LIKE POSITION, COULD CAUSE INJURY.
UNDER CARRIAGE OF ALL FOUR DOORS CORRODED. *DSH
BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION DUE TO WORN PADS.
1996 TOYOTA CAMRY POWER STEERING FAILURE.*MR POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE POWER STEERING WAS REPAIRED FOR $1398.56, IN WHICH THE CONSUMER WANTED TO BE REIMBURSED. TOYOTA WAS INFORMED OF THIS AND DECLINED THE CONSUMER FOR REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY. *PH *CB *JB
1996 TOYOTA CAMRY'S DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED.*MR THE BELT FAILED AFTER ONLY 42000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BELT FOR FREE BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT'S WERE ONLY WARRANTED FOR FIVE YEARS OR 60000 MILES. *NM
CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE RECALL INFORMATION ON HER 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY. *CC *NM
FRONT SEAT BELT DESIGNED TO LOCK UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS DUE TO CHILD SEAT REQUIREMENTS, HOWEVER IS ANNOYING TO OTHER OCCUPANTS.
FILM BUILDS UP ON WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.(1ST VEHICLE ON 601568)*SD
WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED FRONT SUSPENSION INSTABILITY, WHEN VEHICLE WANDERS UNCONTROLLABLY TO EXTREME LEFT, DLR HAS REALIGNED FRONT SUSPENSION SEVERAL TIMES, AND REPLACED MANY PARTS, PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCES FRONT SUSPENSION INSTABILITY WHEN VEHICLE WANDERS UNCONTROLLABLY TO EXTREME LEFT, DLR HAS REALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES, AND REPLACED MANY PARTS, PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK
PURCHASED CAR WITH 320 MILES ON IT, THE FRONT ROTOR WAS CRACKED. *AK CONSUMER STTES WHEN HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT RIGHT, THE SALESMAN HAD THE SERVICE DEPT LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID THE BRACKET WAS BROKEN ,CONSUMER HAD HIS MECHANIC TO INSPECT VEHICLE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE CRACKED.*JB