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2004 Toyota CamryProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 638 owner complaints about the 2004 Toyota Camry, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

2004 Toyota Camry
32
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.1× the Camry median · #6 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints638306 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage45kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 8, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Toyota Camry has problems

638 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control238135
Steering809
Air bags7948
Service brakes, hydraulic5417
Power train488
Electrical system3711
Engine and engine cooling303
Engine266
Tires254
22 other systems15437

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2004 Toyota Camry recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 11V-539 · Nov 9, 2011 · 420,326 vehicles

Risk. IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 04V-595 · Dec 15, 2004 · 150,061 vehicles

Risk. IF THE SWITCH BECOMES UNSEATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAY MISTAKE THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT FOR AN UNBELTED ADULT OCCUPANT,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: side/window

Recall 04V-346 · Jul 13, 2004 · 128,316 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CSA MAY NOT DEPLOY RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.

Mileage at failure

When do vehicle speed control problems start?

45kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 192 vehicle speed control complaints. 89% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
64under 30k miles171under 100k miles21100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Vehicle speed control

15 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $641 – $4,149

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Camry year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Camry median. How we score

'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Toyota Camry safety ratings

2004 Toyota Camry 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Toyota Camry frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2004 Toyota Camry side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Toyota Camry, and the recalls they led to.

  1. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLDP05002 · closed Jan 5, 2006
    No recall
  2. ENGINE SURGINGDP06003 · closed Apr 3, 2007
    No recall
In owners' words

What Camry owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL AT APPROXIMATELY 77 MPH, WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FORWARD UNINTENDEDLY. THE VEHICLE SIDE SWEPT ANOTHER VEHICLE HITTING THE DRIVER SIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE,…
Complaint 11415410 · May 6, 2021 · 50,000 miles
THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STOPPED MOVING ONE DAY AND ANOTHER DAY IT MOVED ERRATICALLY. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE SHIFTING BECAME REALLY HARD, WOULD TAKE A LOT OF PRESSING OF THE PEDAL TO INCREASE SPEED. FINALLY, IT WOULDN'T EVEN GO ABOVE 20-30MPH ON HIGHWAY NO MATTER WHAT. LATER IT WAS FOUND THAT THE…
Complaint 11156908 · Dec 7, 2018 · 164,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SHIFTED TO A LOWER GEAR; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE…
Complaint 11109688 · Jul 5, 2018 · 75,906 miles

Own a 2004 Camry?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.