1990 Toyota Camry Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report a wide spread of problems on an old car, most often door locks and power-door wiring, the motorized automatic shoulder belts, accelerator pedals that stick, and fuel leaks from a corroded tank. Many complaints are tied to corrosion, age and cold weather rather than a single repeated failure, and the reported mileages range from roughly 50,000 to over 230,000.

1. 1
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Power door locks fail to lock or unlock

   • 27 complaints (20%)
   • median 150,000 mi at 15.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2014

   Owners describe power door locks that stop working, sometimes one door at a time and sometimes all four at once. Several report being unable to open a door from either the inside or the outside, and a few describe being briefly shut in or needing to climb out through a window; others say a door must be opened with the key from the passenger side. Complaints also name broken plastic clips in the latch linkage, linkages stiffened by dirt or corrosion, and door relays or wiring as the parts involved; owners say they asked the dealer about recall 92V135000 and were told their vehicle's VIN was not included. Reported from the 1990s through 2014 across a wide mileage range, from about 50,000 to 240,000 miles, with some cases occurring in freezing weather or in hot climates.

   Recall 92V135000

   What to check: Try every door lock by key, by button and by the interior switch, and ask whether the door-lock recall work was ever performed on this VIN. Have the latch linkage cleaned and lubricated as part of routine upkeep.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dear sir, I have a 1990 Toyota Camry and the driver side lock doesn't lock or unlock. I have been experiencing this since march of 2005. The lock doesn't work manually also I.e. Inserting a key from outside trying to open the door doesn't open it. This has been a lot of discomfort coming in and out of the car as I need to use the passenger side door. I have seen on the NHTSA website that there was a recall notice for the same defect that I have been experiencing for the past one year with my car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10160039, filed 2006-06, 151,000 miles

   “Right/passenger side door is stuck in a locked position. Not able to open lock manually either. All other doors working properly with automatic or maual door lock use. All power windows work properly. There was a previous recall #92v135000 , but Toyota states it's not my vehicle. The same problem is occuring, and is a safety issue if ever I was trapped and me or my children needed to get out that door.”

   NHTSA complaint #10066016, filed 2004-04
2. 2
   Seat belts

   Automatic shoulder belt stuck or not moving

   • 18 complaints (13%)
   • median 224,126 mi at 14.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2015

   The motorized shoulder belt on this model year is a frequent subject: owners say the belt stops sliding along its track, gets stuck in the forward or open position, or will not retract, leaving only the lap belt. Some report the belt riding too high and pressing against the neck, and others describe the warning light and buzzer staying on. Complaints mention broken parts inside the door, snapped wires, and wiring in the door jamb; dealers are described as unable to duplicate the problem or as quoting paid repairs on a car outside warranty. Most complaints arrive with no mileage given, but reported examples include failures around 87,000 miles and on cars more than eight years old.

   What to check: With the ignition on, watch the shoulder belt travel the full length of its track on both sides and confirm it moves back and locks. Ask whether the door-jamb wiring or the belt track motor has been repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My husband was a passenger in this car when a dump truck smashed into the drivers side door, the impact caused the passenger side door to open which unlocked the seat belt which allowed my husband to be ejected from the car. He suffered broken back, crushed tibia, broken ribs....all because the door opened and the automatic seat belts unlocked when door opened. Seats where supposed to keep you in the car and not ejected from the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #10704076, filed 2015-04

   “Electrical windows/seat belts, and the air conditioner do not work, the same problem occurred one year ago, the vehicle was repaired at local dealer and problem has reoccurred. Dealer stated that the problem was a wire in the door/a fuse, and a short in the harness.”

   NHTSA complaint #825010, filed 1998-07
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator pedal sticks or resists then surges

   • 13 complaints (10%)
   • median 50,000 mi at 15.7 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2005

   Owners describe the accelerator becoming hard to press and then releasing suddenly, so the car lurches or the engine races; some say the pedal stays down after stopping and needs to be pulled back up by hand or freed by shutting the engine off. Others report the pedal sticking in the up position and needing heavy pressure to break loose. Complaints mention the throttle linkage or cable and, in one case, a dealer saying the problem came from inside the engine. Reported mostly on cars with no mileage stated, from the mid-1990s through 2010, often when pulling away from a stop.

   What to check: With the engine off, press and release the accelerator several times and feel for sticking or grit in the pedal and cable. Ask whether the throttle cable and linkage have been cleaned or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Gas pedal sticks. Is intermittent. Appears to happen only when applying the brakes to stop. When you attempt to depress the pedal to go. The pedal will stick until enough pressure is given, at that time it is to late to realize the pedal is stuck and your foot pushes the pedal to the point of unsticking the pedal and the car lunges forward.”

   NHTSA complaint #712598, filed 1999-09

   “While driving and coming to a stop, and when trying to accelerate again, accelerator pedal was stuck and couldn't push it down. Consumer had to shut off engine, took hand and pushed pedal up and down, to loosen it up. Dealer said problem was coming from inside of the engine. Consumer felt that something in the engine needed to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #856485, filed 2000-02
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell and leaks from the fuel tank

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • typically at 7.3 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1998

   Owners report a gasoline smell after filling up or while the car sits in a garage, traced in some cases to a tank leaking at its seams from corrosion inside, and in others to cracks around the filler neck. Complaints describe the tank being replaced and, in a few cases, heavy corrosion of the fuel and brake lines running under a cover beneath the car. One complaint describes flames appearing near the fuel tank while driving. Reported with no mileage given, mostly between 1995 and 2006, and several complaints link the corrosion to road salt in winter.

   What to check: Fill the tank and then check underneath and around the filler neck for wet spots or a strong fuel smell. On cars from snowy regions, have the tank and the covered fuel and brake lines inspected for corrosion.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Owner took vehicle to a Toyota dealer when she started to smell gas fumes, dealer stated the fuel tank was leaking from the seams due to corrosion on the inside of the fuel tank. The fuel tank has been replaced. Owner paid for the labor costs. Also the was a small exhaust leak.”

   NHTSA complaint #829134, filed 1998-10

Buying note. These are old cars, so condition matters more than the model year: check that every door locks and unlocks, that the automatic shoulder belts travel their full track, that the accelerator moves freely, and that there is no fuel smell around the tank. Service records showing the door-lock recall was completed and the hinges and linkages kept lubricated are worth asking about.

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.