1993 Toyota Camry Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around a few long-standing hardware problems rather than anything new: airbags that did not deploy in a collision, unintended acceleration traced by owners to a sticking throttle linkage near the PCV hose clamp, automatic transmission failures, and cooling-system and head gasket problems. Reported mileages are high, and most complaints were filed years after the car was new, so many entries describe wear on a vehicle with well over 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration / sticking throttle

   • 20 complaints (8%)
   • median 198,000 mi at 16.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2013

   Owners describe the car accelerating on its own or holding speed after the pedal is released, sometimes at highway speed, and report that braking only limits further acceleration while shifting to neutral and switching off the ignition brings it back under control. Two complaints trace the cause to the throttle linkage catching on a PCV hose clamp, and one owner reports that a dealer engineer confirmed the linkage had stuck on that clamp. Others mention cruise control being on or having been toggled without effect. Most reports are at mileages near or above 80,000, often at highway speed; the linkage-catch complaints were filed in 1999 and 2010.

   What to check: Open the hood and look at the throttle cable and linkage where it routes past the PCV hose and clamp for contact or chafing, and have the cable and linkage checked for free movement and correct return.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving at 25 MPH when let off the gas pedal but the car continued at that speed and when I attempted to tap the pedal it only sped up more. I held the brake pedal in attempt to slow it down to no avail. I shifted it into neutral and the engine went to 4000+ RPM. I had to turn the ignition off and let it coast to a stop. Of course when I turned off the engine I lost power steering and brake boost. On vacation in ohio when happened.”

   NHTSA complaint #10535075, filed 2013-08, 266,533 miles

   “1. April 2, 2009. We were driving on I-68 e less than 100 from our destination of washington, dc. We were driving around the hills there and suddenly, the car started to accelerate unintentionally. The brakes were pressed to the floor but it didn't slow the car but did help so that car didn't accelerate more than the 75+MPH it had accelerated to from 60-65mph. We tried to turn the cruise control on and off thinking it was a computer issue but it didn't help and it was on when the incident began. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10291435, filed 2009-11, 198,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission slipping or failing

   • 23 complaints (9%)
   • median 133,017 mi at 13.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2018

   Complaints describe automatics that slip out of or refuse to engage a gear, make a crunching noise and lock up, lose power shortly after a repair, or fail with a clogged filter full of metal shavings. Several owners report that dealer repair attempts did not resolve the problem, and in one case the transmission was replaced entirely. Reported from roughly 53,000 miles upward, with several failures between about 120,000 and 200,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the transmission fluid level, color and smell, and drive the car from cold through all gears including reverse and overdrive. Ask whether the transmission has been rebuilt or replaced and keep the shift linkage and park position in mind, since one owner reported the shifter failing in park.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We bought this car used, in the last two months we have had to replace the rings, and valves, we have replaced the battery because the battery moved around under the hoos, the lead was exposed, the rear side window froze in the down position, went up and the froze agin, had to disban, the automatic trans. Has to be replaced $2500.00, the car will not shift into 3rd gear, if we stop it won't go any farther. If we stop turn off the car and wait a min. It will start and go until you have to slow the car down, then you stop and turn off the engine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #713864, filed 1999-10

   “The transmission has not been repaired, although the dealer tried. The first gear slips with a loud noise as soon as it is engaged. This happens with or without the car in motion. Second gear is used instead. The dealership tried to repair it and was not successful, they however, replaced the clutch at that time. This did not solve the first gear problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #741890, filed 2001-03
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag did not deploy in a crash

   • 43 complaints (17%)
   • median 200,000 mi at 22.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 37 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2017

   Complaints describe frontal and side impacts in which one or both front airbags did not deploy, or in which only the driver airbag fired and the passenger side stayed closed. A few owners also describe the driver airbag inflating with a burst of hot gas or blue smoke that left burns on the arms or face. Dealers and the manufacturer are variously described as unable to find a problem, declining to inspect an out-of-warranty vehicle, or not being contacted. Reported at mileages from about 118,000 to over 320,000, usually after years of use and during a collision.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the airbags and seat belt pretensioners have ever been inspected, and note that a service bulletin describes how dealers are to respond to owner concerns about SRS performance. An SRS warning light that stays on after the bulb-check is worth investigating before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving north on the taconic parkway a car hits me on my passenger side from then I hit a guardrail then flipped then hit a rock and landed in the trees the only air bag that came out was the driver side my passenger air bag never came out.”

   NHTSA complaint #11047912, filed 2017-11, 153,000 miles

   “I was in a car accident on sept. 19 2015(saturday). I was stopped at a red light. And as I proceeded driving down a main street I was only going 5-10mph as I left the green light and less than a min. I couldn't see nothing. Until and a dark huge SUV with no lights on cuts me off and made a sharp left turn and hit me head on. Causing my radiator other parts pushed to the back and to right of my car where the battery was...the man who hit me, hit me so hard that my stirring wheel airbag exploding and caused damages to my chin, neck and my chest.”

   NHTSA complaint #10854245, filed 2016-04, 202,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Hood support and door check failures

   • 24 complaints (9%)
   • median 94,100 mi at 13.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2006

   Owners report the hood strut or support no longer holding the hood open, especially in cold weather, so the hood drops on its own and has struck people working underneath. Related complaints describe hoods detaching at speed after body or latch work, and doors that swing shut by themselves and strike the person getting out. Spread across the sample from the mid-1990s onward, with several reports tied to cold weather.

   What to check: With the hood raised, see whether the support holds its position when the hood is nudged, and open and close each door to check that the check strap holds the door open. Confirm the hood latches securely and sits flush.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The doors always fall back shut when opened, even when the car is parked on a perfectly flat surface. I have struggled with the door many times while trying to get out of the car, because it swings back closed before I can move. Today it finally bashed me on the shin when I opened the door and reached in to get something from the center console.”

   NHTSA complaint #10171498, filed 2006-10

   “I am talking about what holds the hood up will fall after a minute and there is no manual stick to hold it up, there were no injuries, I tried this procedure three times”

   NHTSA complaint #703275, filed 1999-02
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Cooling system and head gasket failure

   • 24 complaints (9%)
   • median 124,000 mi at 11.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2011

   Owners describe coolant loss without a visible leak, a temperature light that never warned them, and then a failed water pump, cracked radiator, blown head gaskets or a damaged engine block. One owner of the V6 reports cylinder damage attributed to electrolysis in the cooling system, and another reports a connecting rod failure that put a hole in the block. Several complaints note that the problem appeared shortly after service work such as a radiator flush. Typically reported from about 70,000 to 135,000 miles, in some cases soon after cooling-system service.

   What to check: Check the coolant level and condition in the radiator and reserve tank, look for residue or staining around the head gasket area and water pump, and ask whether the timing belt and water pump were replaced and at what mileage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The engine failed on my 1993 v6 3.0l Camry with only 70,000 miles, due to electrolysis on the cylinders and resulting damage to the cooling system and engine block. My second opinion mechanic states that this is the same v6 engine that was used in Toyota trucks in the early 90's that had head gasket defects that LED to the exact same problems. I understand that Toyota recalled and replaced these gaskets and fixed any resulting damage. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10047564, filed 2003-11, 70,000 miles

   “Our Camry ran fine until firestone did a radiator flush/oil change etc. They used recycled antifreeze. 8 days later our water pump/timing belt/radiator cracked/head gaskets blew. There was no water/fluid evidence at breakdown. Mechanic thinks firestone did improper fill/did not fill radiator. Firestone says head gaskets went out. Again no fluid in radiator at all, nothing on road. Please advise asap!!! We traveled about 800 miles in 8 days following firestone's work. No temp. Light went on.”

   NHTSA complaint #10038862, filed 2003-09, 120,000 miles

Buying note. This is a high-mileage older car, so the condition of the transmission and cooling system matters more than the model's reputation: ask for service records and have both checked before purchase. Also confirm the airbag system is intact, the SRS warning light works, and the throttle linkage moves freely around the PCV hose.

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.