KnownCarProblems2012 Toyota Camry Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 590 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Camry, most often about the transmission (24% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles). It is 11th of 25 Camry model years by number of complaints and has 2 recalls.
Most common 2012 Toyota Camry problems
Transmission
142 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
This vehicle shudders and vibrates as it accelerates between 20 to 30 MPH and also from 40 to 50 MPH. Toyota issued a recall to fix this problem and I took the car in. The fix has not worked and the issue is getting worse. What do I do?
As I am accelerating between 20-50 MPH the car shudders. I called my local Toyota dealership and they want to charge me a diagnostic fee of $140 just to see if that is the problem. My son has a 2014 and my daughter has a 2015 and all have the same exact problem. I have 110,000 miles on my car, my son 80,000 and my…
Other or unspecified
81 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 57,500 miles.
This complaint is in regards to fred anderson Toyota raleigh's service department. I have bought 4 cars with this dealership, three of them have had manufactures defects. Every time I call, including this last time for my recall they tell me that not only do they not have the parts available to fix the recall, it will…
Takata recall the driver door is not locking or unlocking when button is pushed on the remote or any buttons in the car at any time. The only way to lock or unlock is to use the key in the door or to manually lock and unlock actual lock. It's not safe as the car sounds as if it's locking but the drivers door is not…
Air bags
75 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 35,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked on a slight incline with the engine turned on. Within 3 minutes, the vehicle suddenly began to roll forward and down a hill before crashing into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The contact indicated that the driver was injured…
The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Camry. While driving 32 MPH, the brakes were applied and the vehicle accelerated rapidly without warning. The contact stated that she could not stop the vehicle and crashed into a trailer. The vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a fractured sternum…
Speed control
67 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 29,500 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
Bought this car used just over a month ago. Made a 1 hour trip yesterday with our 2 children. Sudden unexpected acceleration caused me to almost wreck twice as I was entering the city we were visiting. One would've been serious due to location. Both times occurred when I was decelerating to go around sharp turns by…
I've been having issues for a few months now with my 2012 Camry not accelerating when I press on the gas pedal. This usually happens when I turn a corner & most recently has happened many times while driving on a straight road down a city street. I could be going about 25-35 MPH, press the brake to slow down but then…
Engine
63 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 48,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. While driving 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle completely lost power. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred at least eight times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired, but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The…
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at various mileages, the engine began losing power. The engine restarted after power loss but the failure continued to occur on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the throttle control needed to be…
Electrical
62 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 55,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument panel.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that all the warning lights illuminated and the vehicle failed to shut off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,041.
Rodents have discovered the soy compound used to insulate the wires. My daughter has had to replace wiring twice in the last month. The damage to the wiring results in engine and transmission issues including stalling. This is as dangerous as the issues affecting gm cobalts.
Body and structure
61 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 20,500 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
My son was driving about 1/2 mile away from home while turning the brake failed and he hit the center curb and further to an on coming (stopped) vehicle. When he realized that the brakes are not working he pressed the emergency brakes that slowed the car. But the damage had already occurred. Our Toyota is 2012 and has…
On the morning of march 11, 2014 I was driving up a curvy road with a co-worker in the car when my driver's door unexpectedly flew open. It opened on it's own after 10+ minutes of driving 25-35 MPH around a few other corners with the door securely closed. When the door opened the dash light alerting me a door was open…
Steering
58 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 33,000 miles. Parts named most often: electric power assist system.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. While driving at an unknown speed, the power steering failed and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 33,000. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 33,000.
In spite of new brakes, 2 alignments and 2 different sets of tires the car, purchased as a certified Toyota in dec 2015, continues to wander all over the road/track poorly and will pull quickly to the right when I brake especially when traveling at freeway speeds. I have had two close calls of near hitting the car in…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2012 Toyota Camry recalls
Equipment: air conditioner
Risk: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on february 5, 2014. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 avalon, avalon hv, venza, camry, and camry hv vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Seats
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on march 21, 2013. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 tacoma, 4runner, camry, camry hybrid, prius, and rav4; model year 2009-2010 avalon, fj cruiser, and highlander hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year corolla, sienna and tundra; model year 2009-2013 highlander and venza; model year 2012 prius v; and model year 2010-2012 sequoia. During modification by set to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2012 Toyota Camry
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Camry?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (142 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles); other or unspecified (81 complaints, typically around 57,500 miles); air bags (75 complaints, typically around 35,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2012 Toyota Camry have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from October 17, 2013 (equipment). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2012 a bad year for the Toyota Camry?
- It is 11th of 25 Camry model years by number of complaints, with 590 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.