58 complaints reported

1996 Toyota Camry Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
58
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2003

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS THE SAME 2.2L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM. IN RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, TOYOTA AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THOSE ENGINES IN THEIR 1997-2001 MODELS. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND IT WAS PRODUCED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1996 MODEL TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING IT. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT THE FAILURE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE ENGINES AS A RESULT OF A BUILD-UP OF OIL SLUDGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTABLE ONLY TO THE FACT THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE. AS SUCH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF SOME OF THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND NOT OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. GARY LEVINE. *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2003
Mar 2003

ENGINE SEIZURE IN 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY.*MR THE ENGINE SEIZURE WAS DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE BUILD UP. *JB *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Mar 2003

AS OF THIS WEEK THE FLEX PIPE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DETERMINED TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. THIS CAUSED EXHAUST GASES TO BE EMITTED UNDER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS PART WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE CONVERTER BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT THE PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY IS A SINGLE ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO THE MALFUNCTIONING "FLEX PIPE".

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2003
Sep 2002

WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, BLUE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS AN ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THERE IS A RECALL ON 1997-2001 2.2 CYL ENGINES, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP DURING OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PRONE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS OF GASOLINE CONTAMINATION DILUTION. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED EVEN THOUGH ITS A 1996, BECAUSE IT HAS THE SAME ENGINE. *SCC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2002
Sep 2002

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER HAS TO STEP ON GAS PEDAL TO START VEHICLE, WHICH CAN CAUSE INTERNAL DAMAGE TO BEARINGS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2002
Aug 2002

VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, THERE IS BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE AT START UP. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A SLUDGE PROBLEM IN ENGINE DUE TO THE OIL NOT BEING CHANGED REGULARLY.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2002
May 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT OIL AND OTHER COOLANTS SLUDGED UP IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Jan 2002

SLUDGE BUILDUP IN ENGINE. HUGE PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE ON STARTING. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2001
Nov 2001

VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC WHEN RELEASING GAS PEDAL, THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, CONTACTED DEALER AND DEALER STATED THAT HAS TO HAPPEN WITH THEM BEFORE VEHICLE CAN BE CHECKED. *AK *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
May 2001

REPLACED VALVE ASSEMBLY 4 TIMES (ABOUT 1/YEAR). *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1996
May 2001

THE ENGINE DOES NOT HEAT SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH FOR THE OIL TO CLEAN THE ENGINE, MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THE SLUDGE BUILDS UP IN THE ENGINE DUE TO THE OWNERS FAILURE TO GET REGUALAR OIL CHANGES OR THE OWNER USING THE WRONG OIL, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE ENGINE REACHES 165 DEGREES AROUND TOWN WHEN IT SHOULD REACH 195 DEGREES, CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ENGINE OR THE THERMOSTAT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2001
May 2001

WHENEVER VEHICLE IS EITHER IDLING AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT IT WOULD STALL . COULD BE DRIVING OR TURNING A CORNER, VEHICLE WOULD STALL. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF STALLING.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Apr 2001

CANNOT START ENGINE AND ENGINE STALLLING DUE TO IDLE SPPED CONTROL VALVE FAILURE. REPLACED ISC VALVE 5 TIMES SINCE 1997.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Mar 2001

CAR STALLS WHEN STARTING COLD. IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR FAILED 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED, ALMOST ONCE A YEAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1998
Jan 2001

I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS SLUDGE ENGINE WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE. TOYOTA NOT BACKING THE WARRANTY. THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WORLDWIDE HERE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2000
Dec 2000

THE FLEXIBLE PIPE INCLUDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FROM THE EXHAUST FAILED, DEALER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE CONSUMER FOR THE DEFECT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 1999
Jun 2000

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, IT HAS A COLD START UP/SOMETIMES IT WON'T START, AND THERE IS ROUGH IDLING. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1996
Mar 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. EVERY 7-8 MONTHS IT SHOWS SYMPTOMS OF INSTABILITY DURING IGNITION. THE RPM NEEDLE IS ALSO VERY UNSTABLE, ESPECIALLY ON COLDER DAYS. *AK *ML

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2000
Feb 2000

VEHICLES OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SURGE AND DIE UNLESS THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY WARM. *ET

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1999
Jan 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 1999
Dec 1999

EXHAUST PIPE ASSEMBLY REPLACED, FAILURE CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE. MJS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Nov 1999

VEHICLE MALKES A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WHEN IDLING. DEALER SAID VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TIMING BELT. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Aug 1999

RESERVOIR BOTTLE FAILED PREMATURELY. BOTTLE DETERIATED AND LEAKS COOLANT ONTO THE EXHAUST.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 1999
Jun 1999

NO COLD/FAST IDLE, CAR STALLS WHEN STARTING COLD, IDLE ERRATIC, GOES LOW HAVE TO GIVE IT GAS SO IT WON'T STALL,3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, EACH TIME DEALER CLAIMED CAR WAS REPAIRED, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN NO HELP, WHEN CONTACING DEALER FOR THE FOURTH TIME, THEY SAID THEY'D GET BACK TO ME. WON'T RETURN MY CALLS. THIS IS GOING ON FOR A MONTH, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1999
Apr 1998

WHILE DRIVING ALL POWER STOPPED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. WHEN NOTICED THE POWER FAILURE TRIED TO PULL OVER, BUT DID NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 1998

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1996 Toyota Camry has 58 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.