1987 Toyota Camry Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1987 Toyota Camry most often describe automatic seat belts that fail to move, lock or latch, and some say a recall repair was not completed properly or was followed by new problems. Other complaints describe fuel leaks from the tank and filler area, and sudden or unintended acceleration. Most sampled complaints do not list mileage, and those that do report about 120,000 to 135,000 miles.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Seat belts fail to lock, latch or retract

   • 15 complaints (26%)
   • median 192,296 mi at 25.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2020

   Owners describe automatic seat belts that do not move across or retract, and belts that lock up before passengers can pull them out. Other complaints describe buckles, housings or straps that broke or deteriorated, and belts that do not lock during braking. Some say the dealer refused a replacement or did not complete the repair properly, and one says the passive restraints stopped working after a recall repair. Mileage is not given in these complaints; several describe belts failing as occupants get in, and some follow a recall repair.

   Recall 92V025000Recall 89V175000

   What to check: Ask the dealer whether recall 92V025000 or 89V175000 applies to this VIN and whether any work was completed. Check that the automatic belts move, retract and latch on both sides, and ask for the repair order if a belt or buckle was replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver's side automatic seat belt and the passenger's side automatic seat belt don't work. When getting into the vehicle consumer can hear the motor running, but the automatic seat belt won't go across unless the consumer pulled the shoulder belt part over them in order for the seat belt to work.”

   NHTSA complaint #832761, filed 1998-12

   “Driver's and the passenger's seat belt buckles disintegrated. As a result, seat belts won't protect the occupants in event of a crash. Please provide further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #850257, filed 1999-10
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Fuel leaks from tank and filler area

   • 12 complaints (21%)
   • median 127,500 mi at 14.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2005

   Owners describe fuel leaking from the tank, the filler inlet or underneath the vehicle, especially while filling the tank and when driving up or down hills. Some say the dealer was not aware of the problem or could not correct it, and one says a cracked filler inlet let fuel escape. One complaint describes an engine failure followed by a fire, with fuel leaking from a hole in the tank, and another reports a gas smell that could not be traced to a leak. The only complaint in this group with mileage gives about 120,000 miles; others describe leaks while filling the tank or driving on hills.

   What to check: Ask the dealer to check the tank, filler inlet and lines for leaks and to note any fuel odor after filling. Ask for any prior fuel-system repair records, since some complaints say the problem was not corrected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car keeps stalling out. I can smell gas most of the time. We cannot locate a leak - have changed the fuel filter, distributor cap & oxygen sensor but when it rains or is humid the cars stalls until it gets warm (after running for about 30 minutes). This happens when you press the gas pedal even slightly. No one can locate the problem - someone I work with had one that did the same thing until they sold it. You can pad the pedal and sometimes get past the point of stalling.”

   NHTSA complaint #10014123, filed 2003-04, 120,000 miles

   “While starting up the vehicle and when putting transmission in reverse and then in drive, the vehicle shut down. Upon starting up again the vehicle blew up, causing the engine to melt. A fire broke out. Fire department put out the fire, and saw a big hole in the tank, causing fuel to leak onto the ground.”

   NHTSA complaint #828576, filed 1998-10
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator sticking or unintended acceleration

   • 5 complaints (9%)
   • typically at 12.7 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2010

   Owners describe a car that accelerated without driver input when the engine was started, in one case ending in a crash into a building with major injuries, and a sudden surge at highway speed with cruise control engaged. Another describes the accelerator linkage sticking on cold mornings, so the driver had to press hard to free it. One complaint describes the throttle opening fully after shifts from park, with a high idle. The crash complaint says the dealer declined to help because of the vehicle's age. Mileage is not given in these complaints; they describe events at engine start, on cold mornings, at highway speed with cruise on, and when shifting out of park.

   What to check: Ask the dealer to inspect the accelerator linkage for sticking and to check throttle behavior when shifting out of park and at idle. Ask for service records and any prior repairs, since one complaint describes a dealer declining to help with an older vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In the morning after the car has not been used or in cold weather during short periods the accelorator linkage on the foot pedal sticks requiring me to press hard quickly to unstick the linkage. At times it will do this while traveling only when real cold and am afraid sometime that it will stick in traveling or leaving a congested area where I cannot contol the speed ot the car due to this jerk of acceration.”

   NHTSA complaint #707073, filed 1999-06

   “Vehicle was parked, put in reverse, and then drive, vehicle went open throttle position,had high idle, and then in drive, impact 6:00 and 12:00 position. Tt”

   NHTSA complaint #973163, filed 1995-10

Buying note. For a 1987 Camry, ask for service history on the seat belts and fuel system, and check that the automatic belts move and latch. Given the fuel leak and acceleration reports, a test drive that checks throttle response and a fuel-system inspection are practical.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 30 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.