Toyota Camry Transmission / powertrain problems
301 of the 1,935 complaints about the Toyota Camry (15.6%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 1.3× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Analysis
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2018 model (153, 20% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (2). 118 Transmission / powertrain complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 43 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “transmission”, “gear”, “whining”, “shifting” and “accelerating”. 8 of these reports (2.3%) describe a crash or fire, with 6 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 118 · Previous 12 months: 43
Common terms in reports
- transmission240
- gear72
- whining34
- shifting55
- accelerating50
- acceleration50
What owners report
While driving, the vehicle experienced an unintended side airbag deployment without any collision or impact. At the same time, the seatbelt locked, the vehicle came to a sudden stop, and a hybrid system malfunction warning appeared.
My 2018 Toyota Camry (VIN [XXX] ) crashed and burned completely on Nov 16, 2025. while driving on the Freeway the vehicle stopped suddenly without any notice on dashboard all electrical turned off steering wheel locked and lost control hit left fwy barrier…
The vehicle has developed a high-pitched whine that is most noticeable around 30 to 55 mph. The pitch increases directly with vehicle speed, not engine RPM.
I own a 2018 Toyota Camry SE with approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle is equipped with the 2.5L engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. I have recently developed a noticeable whining noise from the vehicle's drivetrain during acceleration.
The transmission has begun failing, with less than 60,000 miles and a perfect maintenance record. While driving I noticed a "whine" while accelerating and it would go away when not pressing the accelerator. It also did not make the noise when in neutral.
Went in to get a service done for my vehicle and all the highlighted areas were the problem. They stated models from 2019-2022 The Camrys all have had transmission issues.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Toyota Camry
Related reading
- Transmission problems explained: shudder, harsh shifts, CVTs and what to test on a driveHow the main automatic transmission types fail, why some designs generate far more owner complaints than others, and a practical test-drive checklist built from what owners report.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Transmission / powertrain problems on the Toyota Camry?
301 of the 1,935 complaints about the Toyota Camry (15.6%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 1.3× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Toyota Camry model years have the most Transmission / powertrain complaints?
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2018 model (153, 20% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (2).
Is there a recall for Toyota Camry Transmission / powertrain problems?
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.