2008 Toyota Camry Solara Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year are dominated by the interior dashboard, which owners describe becoming sticky, shiny, and cracked over time, often with glare reflecting into the windshield. A smaller but recurring group concerns headlights that cut out in motion and brief unintended acceleration or surging events, mostly reported at low mileage. Mechanical items such as the steering rack, A/C condenser, and oil consumption appear less often in the sample.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Sticky, melting, cracking dashboard with windshield glare

   • 36 complaints (43%)
   • median 48,500 mi at 7.0 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,795 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2025

   Owners describe the top of the dashboard becoming tacky and soft, then glossy and shiny, and eventually cracking, often around the radio or toward the glove box. Many say the glossy surface throws a strong reflection onto the inside of the windshield on sunny days, which they describe as impairing forward vision; some also mention a film forming on the glass. Several report being told a warranty extension or replacement program for the dash existed but had expired or that parts were back-ordered, so the repair was not done. Reported from roughly 14,000 to 150,000 miles, usually after several years of sun exposure and more often in warm, sunny climates.

   What to check: Inspect the dashboard top in daylight for stickiness, shine, or cracks, and check for a reflection on the windshield with the sun ahead. Ask whether any dashboard replacement or warranty extension was applied and whether it is still open.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car is in beautiful condition except my dashboard is melting. It is sticky and cannot be touched, it has become worse in the last month and when I went to have the car serviced, the Toyota service said it needed to be replaced and the cost would be $500+. I have noted that several other owners have the same problem and Toyota mfg. Is getting away with a widespread defect that is costly to repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10630902, filed 2014-09, 26,533 miles

   “When vehicle is in motion on city streets or open highways on sunny days, driver sometimes becomes blinded from glare from melting shiny dashboard. This problem with melting dashboard began maybe 5-6 years ago and has kept getting worse. The blinding reflections are now so bad at times that we are concerned about having an accident because we are sometimes blinded by reflections from the shiny dashboard.”

   NHTSA complaint #11416615, filed 2021-05, 49,769 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Brief unintended acceleration or surging at low speed

   • 14 complaints (17%)
   • median 15,629 mi at 3.5 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2019

   Owners describe the car lurching or surging forward or backward at parking-lot speeds, sometimes while shifting between reverse and drive or while the brake is applied, and in a few cases while cruise control was engaged at highway speed. Some say the engine raced and the vehicle could not be stopped with the brake alone, requiring neutral, the parking brake, or switching off the ignition. Several report the dealer found no fault or could not duplicate the condition. Mostly reported under about 35,000 miles, often during low-speed parking maneuvers.

   What to check: On a test drive, practice low-speed reverse-to-drive shifts in an open area and note any lurching; ask whether the throttle body or pedal assembly has been serviced and whether any prior complaint was documented.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is the second or third time this has happened. This am I started the car, put in reverse, started to back out and as I straightened the car it lurched forward before I put in forward gear..... I've had the car jump in traffic a couple of times but so quickly I didn't think anything of it. Now I'm seeing a pattern that is worsening. I bought the car in 2011 from carmax in tn. The car originated in il. With 16,000 miles. I have complained about turning the engine on and it being louder than normal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10578992, filed 2014-04, 44,000 miles

   “Was reversing out of a parking space in my 2008 solara and when I went to shift into drive, the car lurched several times and then accelerated. When the car took off, I was unable to stop it accelerating using the brakes. A passenger pulled up on the parking brake, launching us into a series of tight spins and colliding with concrete bumpers in the lot. We were about to head out into a major roadway when they did so. Once out of the spins, the car had come to enough of a halt that I could shift into park and turn the car off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10442060, filed 2012-01, 27,750 miles
3. 3
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights go out while driving

   • 6 complaints (7%)
   • median 77,935 mi at 6.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2013–2016

   Complaints describe one or both low beams or daytime running lights turning off while the car is moving, with the light coming back after the switch is cycled off and on. Some owners mention this happening repeatedly over months, and a few note the lights going dark without warning until they saw the reflection on another vehicle. Dealers are described as unable to diagnose the intermittent fault or as saying there was nothing they could do. Spread widely, from very low mileage up to about 120,000 miles, with no clear pattern in the sample.

   What to check: During a test drive at night, watch whether the low beams stay on continuously; ask whether the headlight switch or bulbs have been replaced and whether the problem has recurred.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2008 Toyota solara convertible sport v6. Upon driving on the freeway I noticed the low beam headlight (l) went out and had to flip the headlights off and on to turn it on. After a few miles the (r) low beam headlight went off and had to flip the headlights off and on again to turn it on. I noticed after seeing the reflection off another vehicle that they were both off and had to switch the headlights off and on once again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10723965, filed 2015-06, 93,640 miles

   “Headlights go out while vehicle is in motion turn switchoff and back on headlights work again till they go out again, safety concern.the daytime running light go out also supposed to be on for s afety not very safe.as for dates been happening for almost a year called Toyota they said there was nothing they could.”

   NHTSA complaint #10837862, filed 2016-02, 2 miles

Buying note. Check the dashboard in bright daylight first, since it is the most common complaint and replacement may no longer be covered, then verify headlight function at night and look for steering rack leaks. A pre-purchase inspection covering the A/C system and front suspension is worthwhile on this age of car.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.