InsightArise CarsU.S. Owner Complaint Index
English

2021 Toyota Camry problems, complaints & recalls

Fewer Steady

NHTSA has received 163 owner complaints about the 2021 Toyota Camry, or 28.7 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.68, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #52 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 16% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 28% lower.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

Complaints filed between 2021-07-11 and 2026-08-19. Median delay from incident to filing: 18 days.

163Complaints
28.7Complaints per year on the road
0.68Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
13.5%Share involving a crash or fire
37Last 12 months

Analysis

The previous model year (2020) drew 41.8 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 13.1 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 30 complaints, 51% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.

The most common problem area is Airbags & seat belts (51.5% of complaints), followed by Brakes (8.0%) and Interior & equipment (8.0%). Airbags & seat belts complaints are 13.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Airbags & seat belts reports, owners most often mention “notification air”, “bags recall”, “air bags”, “received notification” and “amount recall”. 22 reports (13.5%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 16 injuries and 1 death.

Half of the reported incidents happened within 39 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (52% of incidents). In the last 12 months 37 new complaints were filed, versus 51 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 52% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).

Complaint index

  • vs. all tracked vehicles0.68
  • vs. other Toyota models0.84
  • vs. other 2021 models0.75
  • vs. other Midsize sedans0.72
  • Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (30)0.49
  • #52 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›

1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.

Other model years

  • 201888.1 per year2.09
  • 201952.6 per year1.25
  • 202041.8 per year0.99
  • 202128.7 per year0.68
  • 202213.1 per year0.31
  • 202317.1 per year0.41
  • 202417.9 per year0.43
  • 202591.5 per year2.17

Toyota Camry problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›

What owners complain about

  • Airbags & seat belts84 · 51.5% · 13.48×
  • Brakes13 · 8.0% · 1.32×
  • Interior & equipment13 · 8.0% · 0.89×
  • Transmission / powertrain11 · 6.7% · 0.58×
  • Body & structure10 · 6.1% · 0.66×
  • Electrical9 · 5.5% · 0.35×
  • Engine6 · 3.7% · 0.17×
  • Wheels, tires & suspension6 · 3.7% · 1.48×

vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average

Airbags & seat belts · Common terms in reports

  • notification air43
  • bags recall40
  • air bags49
  • received notification43
  • amount recall41
  • exceeded reasonable41

Brakes · Common terms in reports

  • brake12
  • pedal5
  • depressed3
  • braking4
  • malfunction3
  • illuminated4

Interior & equipment · Common terms in reports

  • panoramic sunroof3
  • passenger3
  • front3

Problem areas: Engine · Transmission / powertrain · Airbags & seat belts · Brakes · Electrical · Interior & equipment · Fuel system · Body & structure · Steering · Wheels, tires & suspension · Driver-assist systems

When complaints were filed

2021: 4 4 2021 2022: 26 26 2022 2023: 13 13 2023 2024: 52 52 2024 2025: 47 47 2025 2026: 21 21 2026
  • Crashes reported: 21
  • Fires reported: 2
  • Injuries: 16
  • Deaths: 1

Vehicle age at incident

  • <1 yr9.8%
  • 1–2 yrs10.4%
  • 2–3 yrs19.6%
  • 3–5 yrs51.5%
  • 5+ yrs8.6%

Median age at incident: 39 months

What owners report

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · 2021 · Midsize sedans

ModelsComplaintsComplaints per year on the roadComplaint index
2021 Nissan Altima6912.20.29
2021 Chevrolet Malibu8815.50.37
2021 Toyota Camry16328.70.68
2021 Hyundai Sonata18332.30.77
2021 Honda Accord27448.31.15

Safety recalls (1)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION Campaign 23V865000 · 2023-12-20

Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

How to check whether your car has an open recall ›

Investigations

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Toyota Camry?

163 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Camry, or about 28.7 per year on the road.

What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Toyota Camry?

The most common category is Airbags & seat belts, accounting for 51.5% of complaints.

Does the 2021 Toyota Camry have any recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall(s) for this model year. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).

Is the 2021 Toyota Camry still generating complaints?

In the last 12 months 37 new complaints were filed, versus 51 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.

How does the 2021 Toyota Camry compare with similar vehicles?

NHTSA has received 163 owner complaints about the 2021 Toyota Camry, or 28.7 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.68, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #52 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 16% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 28% lower.