1996 Toyota Camry Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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
ENGINE SEIZURE IN 1996 TOYOTA CAMRY.*MR THE ENGINE SEIZURE WAS DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE BUILD UP. *JB *NLM
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".
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
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER HAS TO STEP ON GAS PEDAL TO START VEHICLE, WHICH CAN CAUSE INTERNAL DAMAGE TO BEARINGS.*AK
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
CONSUMER STATES THAT OIL AND OTHER COOLANTS SLUDGED UP IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM.*JB
SLUDGE BUILDUP IN ENGINE. HUGE PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE ON STARTING. *AK
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
REPLACED VALVE ASSEMBLY 4 TIMES (ABOUT 1/YEAR). *AK
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
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
CANNOT START ENGINE AND ENGINE STALLLING DUE TO IDLE SPPED CONTROL VALVE FAILURE. REPLACED ISC VALVE 5 TIMES SINCE 1997.
CAR STALLS WHEN STARTING COLD. IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR FAILED 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED, ALMOST ONCE A YEAR.
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
THE FLEXIBLE PIPE INCLUDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FROM THE EXHAUST FAILED, DEALER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE CONSUMER FOR THE DEFECT. *SLC
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, IT HAS A COLD START UP/SOMETIMES IT WON'T START, AND THERE IS ROUGH IDLING. *AK
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
VEHICLES OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SURGE AND DIE UNLESS THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY WARM. *ET
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
EXHAUST PIPE ASSEMBLY REPLACED, FAILURE CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE. MJS
VEHICLE MALKES A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WHEN IDLING. DEALER SAID VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TIMING BELT. *AK
RESERVOIR BOTTLE FAILED PREMATURELY. BOTTLE DETERIATED AND LEAKS COOLANT ONTO THE EXHAUST.
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.
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
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1996 Toyota Camry has 58 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.