AI Damage2018 Toyota Camry: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Toyota Camry filed 751 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. The maker issued 208 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 751
- involving a crash
- 46
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 208
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 26% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 8 Forward collision avoidance 6% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 199 complaints (26% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Service brakes: 164 complaints (22% of all), 21 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
- Engine: 137 complaints (18% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 25.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 75 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 74 complaints (10% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 4 complaints
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 2.5 L · hybrid · 4 cylnamed in 4 complaints
- automatic, 8-speed
- CVTnamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 751 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 199 | 3 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 164 | 21 | 11 |
| Engine | 137 | 4 | 25 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 75 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 74 | 7 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 68 | 4 | 47 |
| Steering | 61 | 4 | 4 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 45 | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel system | 30 | 0 | 4 |
| Visibility | 27 | 1 | 9 |
| Air bags | 22 | 15 | 4 |
| Structure | 15 | 2 | 38 |
| Wheels | 15 | 0 | 2 |
| Lane departure | 13 | 1 | 3 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
During the collision, the airbags did not deploy. Immediately after the accident, the vehicle displayed an “SRS Airbag Malfunction – Visit Your Dealer” warning message. I suffered whiplash and nerve-related injuries.
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 which caused car to spun couple times and when it came to a complete stop was not able to turn car or even turn emergency lights on and couple…
Yes there was warning sign; power steering malfunction, secondary collision brake system malfunction, antilock brake system malfunction, ICS malfunction, pre collision system malfunction. They first appeared 12-01-2024.
The airbags did not deploy which would indicate a low-speed but the pre-collision system did not stop the car which would indicate higher- speed. My car was written off as a complete loss by my insurance carrier and the damage to the parked car that was hit was extensive.
Suddenly, the moving vehicle and opened driver’s side door knocked me down on the street and continued to drive in reverse crushing my body. The vehicle should have stopped the moment it hit something or before it hit something.
pulling into parking stall in front of a store at a slow speed and my Camry Hybrid unexpectedly accelerated and lurched forward. I could not stop the car and the car hit the building at the end of the parking stall
I am writing this letter because, on August 1, 2023, my wife, and I, were involved in an accident with our 2018 Toyota Camry, which may have been due to SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, a defect which affected Camry owners for over 10 years, and is still happening.
The air bag did not deploy. Both vehicles were damaged. The contact's vehicle was totaled and was determined to be totaled. A police report was filed. The contact received injuries to their head, back, and leg. The passenger received injuries to their upper body. No medical attention was needed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 60 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Camry has 233 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 751, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or…
Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is…
- Some 2018 – 2024 model year Camry and 2018 – 2026 model year Camry Hybrid vehicles may exhibit the…
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Camry and 2018 – 2026 model year Camry Hybrid vehicles may exhibit the weatherstrip on the panoramic roof center glass peeling on the edges of the glass.
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026
This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026
This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
- Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System…
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- The specific condition covered by this program is for a small engine coolant leak that can occur from the…
The specific condition covered by this program is for a small engine coolant leak that can occur from the flow shut-off valve that can allow coolant to drip on other parts of the vehicle. This can cause "Engine…
- Some 2021 – 2022 model year Avalon, 2018 – 2024 Camry, 2019 – 2025 model year Corolla, 2022 – 2025 model…
Some 2021 – 2022 model year Avalon, 2018 – 2024 Camry, 2019 – 2025 model year Corolla, 2022 – 2025 model year Corolla Cross, and 2019 – 2025 model year RAV4 vehicles with A25A-FKS and M20A-FKS engines may have a MIL ON…
- Some 2018 – 2021 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with an A25A-FKS, A25A-FXS, or M20A-FKS engine may…
Some 2018 – 2021 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with an A25A-FKS, A25A-FXS, or M20A-FKS engine may exhibit a condition in which an “Engine Maintenance Required” message is displayed in the Multi-Information…
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air…
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
- To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to…
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the…
- Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System…
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software…
NHTSA lists 208 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Camry?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 751. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), jerking, harsh shifts (12%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA lists 208 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 2018 Toyota Camry 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 2018 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 2026-11-04.