Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Toyota Camry - part 1

Known by manufacturer. There is a faulty coolant bypass valve that they are forcing customers to pay out of pocket for repairs totaling over $700.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Camry 🔎.

On multiple occasions, when I accelerate — even lightly — the transmission of my 2019 Toyota Camry emits a persistent whining noise. The noise appears as I press the accelerator and increases in pitch and volume as I continue accelerating. As soon as I ease off the accelerator, the whining stops immediately. This behavior happens during normal driving — not under extreme conditions or aggressive driving — and regardless of speed (both city and highway conditions). This whining noise is not a normal transmission behavior for a properly functioning vehicle. I believe this indicates a possible defect or problem with the transmission (or transmission-related components) rather than wear-and-tear due to high mileage or neglect, because: •the vehicle has been regularly maintained (oil changes, scheduled maintenance, etc. ). •I have not abused the transmission, used it for towing, nor driven in severe off-road conditions. •the noise occurs under normal acceleration and is reproducible. I am concerned for my safety and the safety of others, because a failing transmission — or a transmission with design/manufacturing defect — could lead to unexpected shifting issues, loss of power, or other mechanical failure while driving. According to a safety-watchdog summary of NHTSA data, there are 338 complaints submitted to NHTSA for 2019 Toyota Camry models.

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The vehicle has experienced ongoing engine misfire issues while driving. The check engine light illuminated, and diagnostic testing identified a cylinder misfire (p0302). The vehicle shakes, runs rough, and has reduced power, especially during acceleration. These symptoms create a safety concern, as the loss of power and engine instability could affect the ability to safely merge, accelerate, or maintain speed in traffic. The issue has been confirmed by diagnostic scans performed by an independent service center. The problem appears to be persistent and not consistent with normal wear for a vehicle of this age and mileage. No collision has occurred, but the condition poses an ongoing safety risk while operating the vehicle. The issue has not yet been resolved by the manufacturer.

Car stalled while driving and needed to be towed to dealership. Dealership confirmed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine that clogged the fuel injector causing the car to stall while driving. Dealership informed us that car will need a new engine and transmission because of the coolant intrusion. The car stalled while driving and could have led to an accident or loss of life depending on where the car stalled and when. This coolant intrusion has been confirmed by the dealership and shown to us via video they took. The vehicle has only been inspected by the dealership and we called Toyota corp to have then review this as a safety issue. They informed us the call stalling was not a safety issue. Unknown on confirmed symptoms prior.

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My fuel line came out while I was driving and almost cause my car to catch fire. Which caused my check engine light and other sensors to come on. After further inspections my vehicle indicated my fuel line/hose caused my engine to enter into limp mode explaining on my dash board as reduce engine power.

My 2020 Toyota Camry se suffered a sudden and premature transmission failure at only 114,000 miles. I am a college student and I cannot afford a major repair like this on top of my monthly car payment. The car began showing hesitation and sluggish acceleration on cold starts for a few months, but then suddenly went into limp mode with the check engine and traction control lights on. The screen displayed a warning saying ‘malfunction in the electronic control of the engine/throttle/transmission. ’ the vehicle became unsafe to drive because it would barely accelerate. If this had happened while I was merging onto a highway, it could have caused an accident. Lakeland Toyota told me the transmission has ‘internal failure’ and quoted me over $8,000 for a replacement. They did not provide detailed diagnostic codes or open the transmission to confirm the mechanical failure — they just saw a code and declared it dead. As a student with limited income, this puts me in a terrible financial situation. I still owe monthly payments on this car and now cannot even drive it. After researching online, I learned that many 2018–2020 Camry owners are experiencing similar transmission problems (ua80/ua80e), including hesitation, shuddering, harsh shifting, and early failure. Some owners have reported full transmission failure under 100k miles. There is even a public petition documenting these issues. This appears to be a pattern, not an isolated case. A transmission should not fail this early on a Toyota, and this sudden loss of power poses a serious safety risk. The vehicle is currently at a transmission specialist for a second opinion, but this may become a widespread issue affecting thousands of Camry owners. I am asking NHTSA to investigate the 2018–2020 Camry transmission problems before more drivers experience unexpected failures in traffic.

The vehicle illuminated the malfunction indicator lamp (mil) and stored dtc p26cb71 – electric water pump speed stuck. The dealer confirmed the electric coolant pump actuator is mechanically stuck and requires replacement at a quoted cost of $1,257. 81. Toyota official TSB-0323-17 (published December 8, 2017) explicitly states that this exact repair for dtc p26cb71 is covered under the Toyota federal emission warranty for 96 months or 80,000 miles from the vehicle’s in-service date. Despite the vehicle being well within both time and mileage limits, the dealer and epa both refuse to honor Toyota’s own published 8-year federal emissions warranty, violating 40 cfr §85. 2107(a) which mandates that the manufacturer “shall repair or replace” any covered failed emission-related part at no cost to the owner. The failed electric water pump is an emission-related component because its malfunction triggers an obd-ii emissions dtc and can cause elevated emissions due to improper engine temperature control. The part remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. No warning symptoms appeared prior to the mil illumination.

I am reporting a serious safety hazard involving a 2010 Toyota Camry purchased from GA carz 4 less, llc through the govdeals. Com platform. The seller provided no disclosures of mechanical issues. Immediately upon receiving the vehicle, it exhibited violent engine knocking, shaking, heavy oil leakage, and repeated engine shutdowns. Two certified mechanics inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the engine has catastrophic internal damage involving camshaft timing system failure and severe internal wear. Both mechanics stated that attempting to operate the vehicle at highway speeds could have caused the engine to explode due to internal failure and pressure spikes. This was an alarming and dangerous finding, especially since the vehicle was advertised without any safety warnings or disclosures. Additionally, the carfax mileage in March 2025 was 193,653 miles, but the vehicle delivered to me showed over 208,000 miles—an undisclosed increase of more than 18,000 miles. This raises potential concerns regarding sustained driving after the auction despite severe mechanical issues. The seller listed the vehicle twice before selling it, suggesting possible prior knowledge of the engine condition. I later found numerous online complaints reporting similar instances of this dealership selling vehicles with severe undisclosed defects, indicating a broader safety problem affecting multiple consumers. The condition of this engine creates a risk of sudden shutdown, engine seizure, explosion, fire, and loss of vehicle control, which could cause serious injury or death. I am requesting that NHTSA review this matter, investigate the safety risks associated with these undisclosed engine defects, and determine whether this dealership’s practices pose a danger to the public. This complaint is being filed to prevent potential harm to future buyers and to document a serious safety hazard that I experienced firsthand.

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2018 Toyota Camry at times vehicle engine will run under engine temperature, and other times, vehicle will overheat. This is intermittent issue and is not all the time. When vehicle is shut down. For 5, 10 minutes, it seems to work fine again for a week or two, and then starts to act up again. Toyota is aware of this issue with a defective electronic water valve part that control the flow of water into the engine. Toyota did send notice out should this issue happen they will do a free voluntary repair to replace that defective electronic water valve even after the original initial warranty expires. Bringing to dealer to check and I will update after the fix was made that is suppose to fix this over heating issue with engine code reading p26cb. If you have same issue with vehicle years in question with code p26cb you might want to contact Toyota. This is a safety issue should engine start to overheat while driving.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine oil was changed, and the oil warning light was reset. The mechanic informed the contact that the wiring harness had been damaged due to rodent activity and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact reported an issue with the battery draining. The vehicle was diagnosed with a battery failure, and the battery was replaced several times; however, the check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000. The VIN was not available.

Replaced tranny.

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The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle lost motive power, with the engine, forward collision avoidance, and brake malfunction warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ecm had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,599. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message indicating that the engine had overheated was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under an extended warranty coverage related to the water pump failure. The failure mileage was 53,537.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 25-30 mph, the transmission slipped out of gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly or exceed 15 mph, and the vehicle stalled in the middle of the highway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicle after an extended period. The contact resumed driving, but the failure recurred. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the nearby residence with assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was unavailable.

I gave yesterday a complaint (9/24/25 complaint #11689593). Today at the same location, exit ramp of the az 101, going west, the same thing happened. Today, 9/25/25, as I was approaching the car that was waiting to enter 56th street my engine increased from about 5 mph to about 35 mph. Instead of hitting the car in front of me I turned into the lane on my left. A car hit my car on the left side. My car isn't safe to drive!!.

As I was exiting a highway, and my foot was on the brake, the engine increased from about 15 mph to about 30 mph. I had to put the car in park. I almost hit the car in front of me. The engine increasing like this happens when I slow down for a red light or stop sign.

Subject: vehicle safety & emissions complaint – Toyota Camry (VIN [xxx] ) dear office of defects investigation, I am reporting a safety and emissions defect with my 2019 Toyota Camry xse (VIN [xxx] ). • at 78,736 miles, techstream confirmed dtc p26cb71 – engine coolant pump actuator stuck. • this fault risks overheating, sudden engine failure, and emissions non-compliance. • covered under csp 24te04 and federal emissions warranty, but seminole Toyota and autonation Toyota winter park refused repairs and demanded $1,616. 46. • Toyota corporate ignored my formal demand and deadline. I request NHTSA investigate, as this issue impacts safety and emissions compliance and could warrant recall action. Attached: diagnostics, csp letter, invoices, photos, correspondence. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle cut off at a stop light twice.

Unknown loud noise while driving occurred once. 5 mpg decrease is gas mileage. My assessment is a defect in the ecvt / power split device related to one of the electric motors.

Vehicle is shuddering/stalling when trying to accelerate. Currently 150,000.

See all problems of the 2012 Toyota Camry 🔎.

2018 Camry with very low mileage (appx 38,000) and had all its required services done, suddenly had a check engine light. Less than a minute after that, "coolant temp high - stop where it's safe" message popped up. Service center indicated it was a failed water pump (diagnostic codes p26cb71, u0073, u016387, u0163, p26cb). Coolant was gone. Multiple users for 2018/2019 have reported this water pump failure on r/camry [xxx] does not seem safe to have a car go from no problem to near catastrophic engine failure with virtually no warning information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal humming sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that an unknown part inside the transmission had oxidized. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was advised that the engine mounting insulator sub-assembly and the hardware machine rotor for the braking system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that in June 2023, the transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

2019 Camry se would not accelerate and rpm’s would escalate without making car move. Car has had complete maintenance on a regular basis. There have been no prior lights on or alerts until my son’s car stalled in traffic almost leading to side collision. Once it was plugged up to computer shows faulty transmission (complete transmission failure) and engine coolant bypass valve which I know has a tbs report on yet my local dealership refuses to do anything with it unless they charge me to hook up to their computer first and deny any issues with this car. I have read hundred of others with the same complaint and numerous lawsuits yet Toyota refuses to recall and fix the faulty transmissions in these vehicles. Something needs to be done before someone is killed, as my son could have been when his car stalled in middle of traffic and transmission failed with no prior warnings.

I paid off my var in June. By the ed of August my cars engine started going bad out of no where. Started with oil and coolant mixing into the engine and then transmission started whining. Long story short I had to get both replaced. Oh yea my car only has 56k miles. Can you guys explain or give me any ideas on how this happened?.

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Camry solara. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken for the state inspection, and the contact was informed of an engine emissions leak. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 84,274.

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Incident highway malfunction occurs – [xxx] while driving at a steady speed on the highway, my 2020 Toyota Camry unexpectedly shifted gears on its own. I did not bump the gear shifter or interact with the controls in any abnormal way. The gear shift occurred without warning or driver input, while the vehicle was in motion. A “drive start control malfunction” warning appeared on the dashboard at the time of the incident. Vehicle towed to Toyota service center – July 11 2025 following the incident, I brought the car to a Toyota dealership for diagnosis and repair. I spoke with a service advisor named rebecca, explained the situation, and clearly stated that I did not hit or touch the gear. The vehicle was kept for inspection, repair and I communicatied with Toyota. Vehicle picked up – July 16, 2025 I picked up my car from the Toyota dealership on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. I had not yet heard back from Toyota about coverage or resolution. I chose to wait for further communication regarding whether they would take responsibility for the malfunction. Toyota corporate follow-up call – July 23, 2025 on Tuesday, July 23, 2025, Toyota corporate called to inform me that the repair would not be covered, citing that the vehicle is out of warranty. What disturbed me most was that the representative claimed I had told rebecca that I might have “bumped the gear,” which is completely false. I made it clear from the beginning that I never touched the gear shifter, and that the malfunction occurred while I was driving normally. This false statement was either a miscommunication or a lie — and it minimizes the seriousness of a potential safety defect. Response to Toyota’s misrepresentation – July 23, 2025 during the call, I told Toyota that misrepresenting my account was unacceptable and dangerous. If Toyota is aware that this vehicle model may experience uncommanded gear changes while in motion and fails to report. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The engine quit running whenever the headlights, turn signals, or wipers were turned on. This was obviously a serious safety problem when driving! it began intermittently on 6/30/25, but it became a consistent problem by 7/7/25, so I took the car to the closest Toyota dealership for evaluation. I can provide their service report to you if requested. It took them 6 hours and $1000 to diagnose the problem as bad electrical grounding points (high resistance), which were only revealed after they removed the front bumper. In my opinion, it is an unsafe design to have poor grounding for headlights cause the engine to die.

See all problems of the 2016 Toyota Camry 🔎.

Component/system failed: the electronic control module (ecm) and related wiring were compromised by a dealer-installed lojack anti-theft system. The device was spliced into wiring near the airbag system and ecm, causing repeated faults. The component remains in the vehicle and is available for inspection. Safety risks: 1. Wiring near airbags may interfere with deployment. 2. Ecm faults risk stalling, loss of power, or emissions failure. 3. Hidden wiring increases short-circuit risk, especially near coolant areas. 4. These conditions place driver and passenger safety at risk. Problem confirmation & inspections: the issue has been reproduced in multiple dealer visits. One Toyota dealer identified the improper lojack installation as the likely root cause. Service records are available. Warning lamps: yes. Check engine lights and warning messages appeared within months of purchase and continue intermittently. Summary: the car was sold as a Toyota gold certified pre-owned (cpo) vehicle, advertised as thoroughly inspected and protected. In reality, it contained an undisclosed modification that created hidden defects, repeated ecm errors, and safety concerns. Concern: the ecm is covered by the 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions warranty and the 7-year/100,000-mile gold cpo warranty. Yet Toyota denied my arbitration claim as “ineligible. ” if such cases are refused, it means dealers can install aftermarket systems, charge buyers, and avoid accountability. In that situation, the Toyota gold cpo program becomes meaningless—a consumer deception rather than protection. Request: I respectfully ask NHTSA to investigate whether dealer-installed systems like lojack pose systemic safety risks and whether Toyota’s warranty and arbitration processes are adequately protecting consumers.

This vehicle, and models with the same throttle body and air filter/air duct assembly have an issue. Where plastic parts from the vacuum box attached to the air duct come loose and get stuck in the throttle body. Causing the engine to rev up then die. I have dealt with this same issue twice in the last three weeks. Thank you for your time.

When I either: I) start the car and drive more than 20 ft or ii) am at a stop light then accelerate. . The car begins to jerk backward. Have changed the gasket and the throttle body and this issue still keeps happening. It started around the 90k mile mark.

Uncontrollable sudden acceleration 3 times while I drove the car, it suddenly and rapidly accelerated. Eventually, the car crashed and was totaled. The first time was 3/31/25 when my wife and I went to the car wash. To exit the car wash, I put the car in drive and lightly applied the accelerator pedal and suddenly the car accelerated rapidly and made a loud noise. I immediately braked and the car went back to normal. Over 3 years nothing like this happened before. The 2nd time was only 8 days later. On 4/8/25, I was driving the car at moderate speed in the center lane of a large street and while changing from the middle lane to the right lane to prepare to turn right at the next street, the car started accelerating rapidly and to make a loud noise. Fortunately, I was able to brake and the car went back to normal. We went to the Toyota dealer the next day 4/9/25 and told our concerns to the service advisor and the shop foreman. They checked the car, including with a computer. The foreman and I both drove the car. He said they did not find any mechanical/electronic issues and the only explanation is that if I hit the cruise control (which I never use), as he saw my hand close to that button while I drove. He said to avoid the cruise control and it will be ok. They did not charge us for the visit. The third time was on 6/15/25 when we again went to the car wash. I was very careful as this was the same location as our first time. Just like before, I lightly applied the accelerator pedal and suddenly the car accelerated rapidly and made a loud noise. However, the acceleration was much more rapid than before and I was not able to brake in time and the car crashed into the pole of the car wash about 45 feet away. The airbags deployed and the car was totaled. We were pulled from the wreckage and ended in the emergency room. Luckily no one was seriously injured. Enclosures: my 4/8/25 text, 4/9/25 dealership visit paperwork, and photo after the crash on 6/15/25.

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While driving at speed over 45 mph or going up a steep hill car starts to shutdown and shudder causing a serious safety concern. I could have been killed. I understand this is related to oil consumption problem that Toyota has failed to address in the 2014 model. What can be done? this is criminal!.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Camry 🔎.

Been having an issue for months now and the dealership was absolutely no help.

I could not crank my car, all the lights were on, on the dashboard, reducing power, stuck in limp mode.

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the oil level was abnormally low despite the vehicle being serviced within 2,000 miles. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an oil consumption test was performed, and was still ongoing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 200,000.

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