NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Buckle Assembly
1045.5%
Tread/Belt
29.1%
Gasoline
29.1%
Engine
29.1%
Foundation Components
29.1%
Door
29.1%
Front
14.5%
Accelerator Pedal
14.5%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1995peak 4May 2016
NHTSA investigations into the 1986 Toyota Camry
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE87057Opened 10 Sep 1987Closed 30 Mar 1988ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITER ASSEMBLY FAILURE
SUMMARY: TOYOTA RECOVERED SOME FAILED IGNITION CONTROL MODULES FROM THEFIELD. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT A SOLDER JOINT IN THE POWER TRANSISTOROF THE MODULE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. BECAUSE THE PART IS AN EMISSIONRELATED COMPONENT A VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS CONDUCTED.THE PREDOMINANT MODE OF FAILURE IS AN INABILITY TO START THE ENGINE,ALTHOUGH A STALLED CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.SINCE THE REPORTED OCCURENCE OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS SMALL, AND THEREPAIR IS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN, THELIKLEHOOD OF FURTHER ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Pasadena, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVER GOT INTO VEHICLE, HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, STARTED BACKING UP VEHICLE OUT OF GARAGE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WENT ACROSS STREET, JUMPED CURB.
NHTSA complaint #802682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cypress, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THROTTLE PEDAL BROKE WHICH CAUSED IT TO STICK, VEHICLE IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, HITTING A WALL, SPEED 30 *AK.
NHTSA complaint #982219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlotte, NCFire
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AND THE BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. TT
NHTSA complaint #978575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 120 milesBridgeport, CT
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1986 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT WE BOUGHT NEW. WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION BACK IN 1986 AND BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE ISSUE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES MOST RECENTLY A FEW WEEKS AGO. WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE LAST INCIDENT A FEW WEEKS AGO WAS TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 120K MILES AND RUNS GREAT. IS THERE A SPECIFIC FIX FOR THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUE IN THE 1986 TOYOTA? WE DON'T WANT TO SELL THE CAR IN FEAR SOMEONE WILL HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT CAUSES THIS INTERMITTENT SERIOUS ISSUE. THE 1ST ACCELERATION ISSUE IN 1986 WAS WHEN WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY USING CRUISE CONTROL. ONCE WE TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED EVEN WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. WE WERE ON AN OPEN HIGHWAY WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND CONTINUE APPLYING THE BRAKES TILL WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO STOP. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WE STILL HAVE THE RECEIPT FROM 1986 WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND. THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED ALSO IN 1986 WAS WHILE REVERSING IN A PARKING LOT. THE CAR ACCELERATED EVEN WHILE HITTING THE BRAKES, AGAIN THE CAR WAS PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND AGAIN THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE NO MECHANICAL ISSUE WAS FOUND. WE WENT MANY YEARS WITHOUT ANOTHER ISSUE UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WE WERE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THE CAR ACCELERATED. ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
NHTSA complaint #10864119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 152,100 milesCoal Township, PA
TIRES
RAPID RUBBER DETERIORATION ON KUHMO PASSENGER CAR TIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10396035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Eagan, MN
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1986 TOYOTA CAMRY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ONCE*CW THE CONSUMER STATED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HE EXPERIENCED WAS DUE TO ELECTRONICS NOT THE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ON A STEEP UPHILL CLIMB ON MN HIGHWAY 52 WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING BECAUSE OF THE HILL. HE PUSHED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT STARTED ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL. HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE PEDAL, BUT THE SPEED CONTINUED TO INCREASE. THE CONSUMER PULLED THE PEDAL UP WITH HIS FOOT WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. HE HIT THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT DIDN'T STOP ACCELERATING. HE TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA THE ON/OFF BUTTON AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT, BUT IT STILL DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING. AS THE CONSUMER CRESTED THE HILL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE EVEN MORE. HE TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP WHILE HE PRESSED ON THE BRAKE MUCH HARDER THAN WAS NORMALLY NECESSARY. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10317554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Efland, NC
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
3/28/04-PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES FROM WAL-MART TIRE CENTER (P185/70R13 BW X-TRAC). 4/16/2005- BROKE DOWN ON SIDE OF ROAD DUE TO VEHICLE SHAKING VIOLENTLY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED; MECHANIC SAID THAT BELT IN TIRE SLIPPED. I RETURNED TIRE TO WAL-MART AND THEY GAVE ME A PRO-RATED PRICE ON NEW TIRE (BASED ON THE TREAD THAT WAS LEFT ON DAMAGED TIRE) 6/27/05-BROKE DOWN ON SIDE OF ROAD AGAIN BECAUSE OF VEHICLE SHAKING VIOLENTLY. ALMOST HIT ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN I SWERVED INTO OTHER LANE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC-MECHANIC SAID THAT BELT SLIPPED ON OTHER TIRE. HAD TO HAVE TIRE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10126848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Carlos, CA
TIRES
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH WHEN I HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND MY CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND SAW THAT MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING ON THE ROAD NOR WAS MY TIRE PUNCTURED. SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO LOOKED AT THE TIRE SAID THE BLOWOUT WAS CAUSED BY A STRUCTURAL DEFECT. 3 WEEKS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, I HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED AND PROPERLY INFLATED BY THE TIRE DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THEM. THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSED TO LAST 40,000 MILES BUT I ONLY GOT 24,000 MILES OUT OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE IS A GOODYEAR CLUB DOT # 7UE8 0Y62 1700 (SIZE 185/70R/13 - 86T) I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS TIRE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND I AM NOW WORRIED ABOUT THE OTHER 3 GOODYEAR CLUB TIRES THAT I HAVE REMAINING ON MY CAR. I AM A CONSCIENTIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE DRIVER (I HAVE MY TIRES ROTATED REGULARLY AND PROPERLY INFLATED) AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THIS BLOWOUT HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10037486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oakland, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE MAKES CLANGING SOUND BETWEEN 1500-2500RPM WHICH INCREASES IN FREQ ALONG WITH ENGINE SPEED THEN STOPS . HEARD IN PARK AS WELL AS DRIVING CAR? WHAT IS IT? HOW CAN IT BE FIXED? DT
NHTSA complaint #770371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Katonah, NY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THIS IS A GENERAL RATHER THAN SPECIFIC COMPLAINT, ABOUT ONE OF THE GREATEST DANGERS ON THE ROAD: THE POSSIBILITY OF SUDDEN BREAKAGE OF THE TIMING BELTS IN MANY CARS. THEY ARE PRONE TO BREAK WITHOUT WARNING, LEAVING THE CAR TOTALLY WITHOUT POWER, POWER-ASSIST STEERING, OR POWER BRAKES, AS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE IN THE ABOVE CASE. FEW PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS DANGER, OR OF THE NEED TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AFTER 50,000 MILES OR SO. THE MADDENING THING IS THAT UNBREAKABLE METAL TIMING CHAINS ARE AVAILABLE (AND USED ON THE SAME ENGINES IN PICKUP TRUCKS, I BELIEVE) BUT ARE NOT INSTALLED IN AUTOS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOISIER.
NHTSA complaint #732841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bronx, NY
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
WINDOW HANDLE ON DRIVERS SIDE FELL OFF. HE TOOK IT TO GARAGE. THE ONLY WAY THAT THE HANDLE WILL STAY IF CONSUMER WOULD HAVE THE WINDOW OPEN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. HE HAS KNOB NEXT TO HIM, AND THEN HE WILL STICK THE KNOB ON THE DOOR TO OPEN AND CLOSE OF THE DOOR.
NHTSA complaint #870942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colts Neck, NJ
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
AFTER MARKET TIRES, P185/70R13 SIZE. TREAD ON THE REAR LEFT TIRE SEPARATED AT 45MPH.*AK WHEEL WAS DAMAGED DUE TO BLOWOUT, DUNLOP SP4N M+S, DOT NUMBER U2FM2KB457. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #870936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UN
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
SOMETHING
NHTSA complaint #1052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfax, VA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATBELT WILL NOT LOCK UP WHEN MAKING A STOP ,ALLOWING PASSENGER TO FLY FORWAARD,CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION.
NHTSA complaint #857091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Springfield, OH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
PROBLEM OCCURED GRADUALLY AND ALMOST UNNOTICABLY. WHEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT I FELT IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS THE FIRST SIGN, BUT IT DIDN'T STAY ON BUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. REPAIRS INCURRED AN EXPENSE ON MY PART (ON 26 OCTOBER 1999) OF $765.66 FOR TWO WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE SHOES (1) AND TWO LOWER CONTROL ARMS. I COULD NOT PURCHASE JUST THE BEARINGS, WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD ONLY SELL ME THE ENTIRE UNITS FOR REPLACEMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #713071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfield, CT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE ONTO THE FREEWAY. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT IT ONLY OCCURS WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE.
NHTSA complaint #836810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westbury, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #532557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westbury, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER. CAUSE OF PROBLEM UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #820132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Somerset, WI
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS SEPARATING AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWITCH LANES WHEN GAS IS APPLIED. DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED.
NHTSA complaint #815520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Decatur, GA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CASING DETERIORATED, UNABLE TO RELEASE SEATBELT.
NHTSA complaint #514249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bronx, NY
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT FEMALE PART IS CRACKED WHERE THE BUCKLE GOES IN AND HAS CAUSED THE SEAT BELT NOT TO LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #808356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pasadena, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVER GOT INTO VEHICLE, HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, STARTED BACKING UP VEHICLE OUT OF GARAGE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WENT ACROSS STREET, JUMPED CURB.
NHTSA complaint #802682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cypress, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THROTTLE PEDAL BROKE WHICH CAUSED IT TO STICK, VEHICLE IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, HITTING A WALL, SPEED 30 *AK.
NHTSA complaint #982219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Omaha, NE
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLES RELEASED, PORTION HAS DESINTEGRSTED AND FELL APART.
NHTSA complaint #985954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murphysbor, IL
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPER CAN ALMOST NEVER CLEAR CENTRAL VIEWING AREA.
NHTSA complaint #502299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murphysbor, IL
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DISTORTED WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #502299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montross, VA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO WOBBLE AFTER RECALL REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #504352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alexandria, VA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE TIMING BELT SNAPPED WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSS POWER. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #981216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.