Motor Almanac

Toyota / Camry / 2012

2012 Toyota Camry

Family: Camry · filed with NHTSA as CAMRY, CAMRY HYBRID

Summary

  • In its first three years the 2012 Camry drew 216 complaints — 2.1× the median of its generation (2012–2017). It is among the most-complained-about years of this generation.
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Powertrain, holds 25% of the 585 that name a component.
  • 2 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 3 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
645
Recalls
2
Investigations
3
NCAP overall
5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
24–40
Annual fuel cost
$1,550–$2,600
Median mileage at complaint
38,494 mi (n = 472)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
95 / 6 / 80 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

146 complaints · 25% of complaints that name a component · median 80,000 mi (n = 104)

Owner report Recall was completed on 11/25/14 for a shudder when hitting 35 to 50. The recall was a software issue and they show that a torque converter may have been needed at a later date to further correct the issue. Looking for Toyota to follow up with a complete recall vs just the software.
Owner report The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure worsened while merging onto a highway and the vehicle vibrated abnormally while accelerating. The vehicle was ta…

Airbags

83 complaints · 14% of complaints that name a component · median 37,000 mi (n = 61)

Owner report The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed uphill during flooding conditions, the vehicle slipped and hydroplaned. The contact attempted to correct the steering but lost control of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to drive into a ditch and flip over several time…
Owner report I recently was a passenger in my vehicle during a motor vehicle crash, and the air bags did not deployed for the driver or the passenger.

Accelerator & Cruise Control

73 complaints · 12% of complaints that name a component · median 29,450 mi (n = 59)

Owner report There was a recall on this Camry model 2012 to 2014 that the Charlotte, NC dealership refused to cover. I am having a transmission issue that causes my car to shudder and vibrate at regular speeds. “shudder comes from the transmission, especially during the acceleration of the Camry models. It can be alarming for the…
Owner report WHEN DRIVING THE HESITATING TO ACCELERATE AND SLOW DOWN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ADVANTAGE TOYOTA I'M VALLEY STREAM NY AND THE TOLD ME THE ENGINE MOUNT IS BROKEN. I PAID 890.00 TO FIXED AND THE PROBLEM NEVER FIX. I TOOK ON 03-12-21 AND GET ON 0313-21. CALL THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT SIX TIME TO SPEAK TO THE SERVICE MANG…

9% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2012–2017)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 104.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
2012645216most complaints
2013301124
2014480161most complaints
201528684
201618981
201715369fewest complaints

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

13V442000 · EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | AIR BAGS | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Filed 2013-10-17 · 802,769 vehicles

Defect: 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.

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.

Remedy: 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.

13V014000 · SEATS | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

Filed 2013-01-16 · 3,235 vehicles

Defect: 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.

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.

Remedy: 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.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
DP23005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2023-11-22open
DP22005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM2023-01-272023-08-0722V063000
DP19004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST2019-09-302021-01-21

DP23005: Brake Actuator Valve Wear

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

DP19004: Brake Actuator Valve Wear

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Camry2.5L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive243428$2250
Camry3.5L 6cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive213024$2600
Camry Hybrid LE2.5L 4cyl HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive423840$1550
Camry Hybrid XLE2.5L 4cyl HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive403739$1600

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2012 Toyota Camry 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2012 Toyota Camry HV 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 812 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-02-13ENGINEOBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
2026-02-13ENGINEThis bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge…
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 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 purpose of this Serv…
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 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 purpose of this Serv…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Camry, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Camry model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.