The 2007 Toyota Camry has more NHTSA complaints than any other Camry model year: 3,584 as of October 24, 2026. That's more than twice the 2009, second at 1,401, and more than the 2009 and the 2008's 1,169 combined. That one model year holds about 19% of the 18,662 complaints filed on every 1995 through 2026 Camry.
These are raw counts, not adjusted for sales. The Camry has been one of the best-selling cars in the US for decades, so its totals run high next to rarer models, and the 2007 was the first year of a new generation, with nearly two decades of reports behind it.
Which Camry years have the most complaints?
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 3,584 |
| 2009 | 1,401 |
| 2008 | 1,169 |
| 2002 | 1,009 |
| 2005 | 795 |
| 2003 | 792 |
| 2004 | 792 |
| 2018 | 775 |
Two first years of a generation stand out: the 2007, which opened the sixth generation, and the 2002, which opened the fifth. The 2018, first of the eighth generation, is the highest of anything built after 2012.
What went wrong with the 2007 Camry?
No single area dominates. Brakes is named most, in 787 complaints (22%), followed by Driver Assistance & Speed Control at 668, Visibility & Lighting at 635 and Engine at 583.
The labels are broad, so I searched the narratives for repeated words. Of the 2007's 3,584 complaints:
- 521 describe the dashboard melting, turning sticky or shiny, or throwing glare onto the windshield.
- 238 describe the engine burning or consuming oil.
- 223 describe the car accelerating on its own, suddenly or without the driver's input.
- 102 mention the brakes along with a hesitation, delay or lag.
Keyword counts are rough; a narrative can match without describing the problem, and some owners describe it in other words. They still show which complaints repeat by the hundred. The 2009 shows the same three themes: 315 dashboard complaints, 144 acceleration complaints and 127 oil complaints. That's 53% to 65% of the 2007's counts, on a year with 39% as many complaints, so on the 2009 these themes are an even bigger share of the record.
How many recall campaigns does the 2007 Camry have?
Eleven, filed between 2006 and 2016.
Two are the accelerator pedal campaigns from Toyota's 2009 and 2010 unintended acceleration recalls, 09V388000 and 10V017000. The 2007 also has two air bag campaigns from 2006, two power window switch campaigns and two seat heater campaigns. None of the eleven is filed under the dashboard or the engine, the two themes that repeat most in the narratives.
Which Camry years have the fewest complaints?
Recent ones, as you'd expect from their age: the 2022 and 2023 have 65 each and the 2024 has 51. Among years with five or more years on the road, the 2017 (152), 2021 (165) and 2016 (188) are lowest. The 2025 and 2026, the first years of the current generation, sit at 173 and 144 so far.
Which Camry years should you avoid?
If the complaint record is your guide, the 2007 through 2009 are the years to approach carefully. On any of them, look at the dashboard surface, ask about oil consumption and check that both accelerator pedal campaigns were completed. If you're shopping a 2018, the first year of the eighth generation, Transmission & Drivetrain leads its 775 complaints at 199, so a long test drive with plenty of low-speed shifting is worth the time.
Run any used Camry's VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup before you pay. If you're weighing a new one, the 2026 Camry is among the most fuel-efficient cars of 2026. Once you own it, a spot in your RideTruth garage means new campaigns get flagged for you.