2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 55
involving a crash: 11

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
2 Air bags 15% of all complaints
3 Steering 13% of all complaints
4 Structure 13% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
6 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
8 Engine 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 10 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 8 complaints (15% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 7 complaints (13% of all).
Structure: 7 complaints (13% of all).
Electrical system: 6 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 55 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts5 · 9%
windows, sunroof4 · 7%
brake failure3 · 5%
warning lights, check engine3 · 5%
airbags did not deploy2 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 4%
unintended acceleration2 · 4%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 2%
oil leak or consumption1 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	10	2
Air bags	8	5
Steering	7	0
Structure	7	0
Electrical system	6	1
Vehicle speed control	6	5
Powertrain	4	0
Engine	3	0
Visibility	3	0
Equipment	2	0
Exterior lighting	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Seats	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sprained her right ankle from the pressure of depressing the brake pedal continually. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to north hollywood toyota in north hollywood, california to have the damages assessed.
Service brakes · crash · 2018-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #11090508
Takata airbags: knocked unconscious. After turning right onto a street & accelerating to about 20 mph over about 150 yards, I hit a car that was stopped in the street. I had my seatbelt on. The airbag knocked me unconscious for at least 10 seconds.
Air bags · crash · 2018-01-02 · NHTSA complaint #11058151
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained cuts from the seat belt and unspecified injuries to the neck, back, and left leg. The contact was transported to the hospital for medical treatment. A police report was filed.
Air bags · crash · 2017-07-27 · NHTSA complaint #11011147
The car was in a major accident, over $12,000 front end damage in a front end collision. A car pulled in front of our car from a side street. The air bags did not inflate which is what is prompting this inquiry.
Air bags · crash · 2017-01-03 · NHTSA complaint #10939242
At this point, with my foot still on the brake pedal, the car jumped up onto the curb while still accelerating on its own, ran over the sidewalk. Rolled up and over a two-foot hedge that ran parallel to the sidewalk, then crashed into the brick enforced concrete column at the corner of the gym building.
Service brakes · crash · 2016-08-13 · NHTSA complaint #10895714
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 toyota camry hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the brake pedal was applied but the vehicle accelerated and crashed into the garage door and wall. The driver sustained chest pains from the force of the driver side air bag deploying.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2015-08-12 · NHTSA complaint #10748195
Tried multiple times to get into ready mode ,checked brake lights not on with brake pedal depressed.when I used shift override,vehicle lunged backwards striking person,while brake was applied.
Electrical system · crash · 2013-06-28 · NHTSA complaint #10522301
The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle erroneously accelerated and the brakes failed to respond, causing it to crash into another vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the left foot, right foot and bruising to the chest. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the failure was not diagnosed.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2012-12-07 · NHTSA complaint #10487643

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20125
201310
201411
201510
20162
20174
201811
20192

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,078 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Camry Hybrid has 68 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 55, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, air bags, steering. Total complaints: 55. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (9%), windows, sunroof (7%), brake failure (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2012 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.