2006 Toyota Camry Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2006 Camry most often describe unintended or sudden acceleration, frequently at very low speed while parking, backing up, or pulling into a space, with several reports of the vehicle surging into a curb, another car, or a structure. A second, distinctly different pattern is air bag problems: warning lights that stay on, and air bags that did not deploy in a reported crash. Brake complaints (spongy or delayed pedal, grinding over bumps) and steering noises or play also recur in the sample.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden unintended acceleration at low speed

   • 125 complaints (39%)
   • median 32,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (95 state mileage)
   • 70 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,350 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2022

   Owners describe the engine revving or the car surging forward or backward when the vehicle was nearly stopped, most often while parking, backing out of a space, or at a standstill. Some say the accelerator felt stuck or went to the floor; others insist their foot was on the brake. Reported outcomes include jumping curbs, hitting parked cars, poles and trees. According to the complaints, dealers often could not duplicate the condition or quoted a diagnostic fee. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few hundred to around 100,000 miles, and often at parking-lot or driveway speeds.

   What to check: Ask whether the accelerator pedal and floor mats have been checked against any open campaigns, and confirm the floor mat is properly secured. A test drive should include slow reversing and parking maneuvers.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was pulling into a parking space in a parking lot. My foot was on the brake pedal to slow down in order to turn into the parking space and stop in the space. I had already made a right turn and was most of the way into the parking space when my car suddenly accelerated jumping the curb, going down into a 8 ft. Deep ditch and coming half way up the other side.”

   NHTSA complaint #10447963, filed 2012-02, 73,000 miles

   “I was easing into a parking space in front of a bank and was nearly stopped when my car suddenly surged forward. With a full plate glass window in front of me, I wrenched the steering wheel as fast and as far to the right as possible and don't know how I missed the concrete pillar I then saw immediately in front of me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10493586, filed 2013-01, 38,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light on; air bags not deploying in crashes

   • 55 complaints (17%)
   • median 64,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (43 state mileage)
   • 25 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,350 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2026

   Complaints describe the air bag warning light coming on and staying lit, sometimes traced by dealers to the spiral cable, seat sensor or air bag module, with repairs that did not always clear the light. Other owners report that front or side air bags did not deploy in a collision. Several complaints note that the vehicle had not been included in a related air bag recall. Warning-light reports cluster from roughly 45,000 to 110,000 miles; no-deployment reports appear across a similar range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the air bag system scanned for stored codes before buying, and check with a dealer whether any open air bag campaign applies to the specific VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The airbags on my Toyota-Camry- le 2006 did not deploy during an accident. I have photos of the vehicle from the incident site if required. My wife was injured. I believe if the air bag would have deployed, the injury may have been prevented.”

   NHTSA complaint #10167793, filed 2006-09, 4,500 miles

   “2006 v6 Toyota Camry xle. Driver lost control of vehicle in icy conditions. Vehicle struck concrete embankment at high rate of speed, approximately 50-70 MPH. No other vehicles involved in accident. Significant damage to front, rear and left rear. Car determined to be total loss by insurance company. Neither front nor side airbags deployed. Driver suffered contusion to head with no other injuries.”

   NHTSA complaint #10222677, filed 2008-03, 59,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal feels spongy or slow to respond

   • 76 complaints (24%)
   • median 32,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (64 state mileage)
   • 38 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2022

   Owners report the brake pedal feeling soft or spongy and needing to be pushed hard to stop, sometimes after bumps or on rough roads, and one report describes grinding from a front wheel with reduced braking. Some complaints mention master cylinder or brake booster work that did not fully restore normal pedal feel. Dealers in some cases attributed the behavior to the anti-lock system. Reports span low mileage (a few thousand miles) up to roughly 115,000 miles, with several under 35,000.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check brake fluid level and pedal feel on a test drive, including hard stops and stops over uneven pavement; ask for service records on master cylinder or booster work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The brake does not work every time when I drive the car on rough road such as snow and ice road, and repairing road. I went to Toyota dealers trying to solve the problem, but they said that is due to the anti-lock mechanism! This is really dangerous. I drive very slowly when road is rough.”

   NHTSA complaint #10306581, filed 2010-02, 10,000 miles

   “Hi NHTSA, seems like our 2006 Toyota Camry vehicle has persistent ineffective brake booster problem for few years. We have changed the break master cylinder assembly recently and even after the repair, vehicle doesn't stop within safe stopping distance,the root cause seems to be stemming from ineffective booster. Apparently brake booster system supposed to last life time of the car cause of expensive parts and labor amounting to almost 5% of the actual cost of car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11258894, filed 2019-09, 145,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Steering noise or looseness from the intermediate shaft

   • 27 complaints (9%)
   • median 43,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (21 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2025

   Owners describe a popping or clunking noise when turning the wheel, especially at low speed, and steering that feels loose. Complaints identify the intermediate steering shaft universal joint as the source and report that the shaft had to be replaced. Reported from roughly 18,000 miles up to about 90,000 miles.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock while stationary or creeping and listen for popping; ask whether the intermediate shaft has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While on the street as I was backing my car into a parking space adjacent to the street curb the car suddenly accelerated in reverse at high speed, crashing over the curb and sidewalk, rear end first. My stepping on the brakes in an attempt to stop the car was unsuccessful; the car did not come to a stop until it crashed into an iron fence which bordered the yard causing damage to the fence and the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11309552, filed 2020-02, 66,136 miles

   “Well, nothing happened but I believe Toyota Camry, se, sedan, v6, has a problem with steering rack and pinion drive leak at 90 k. Many Camry vehicles have it, according to numerous reports on the web for models (2001 through whatever, sedans or not). Fixing it costs a fortune, sort of (1200 $ or so). They are selling lemons, and right under your nose ! The NHTSA should wake up for once and get Toyota flagged. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10722382, filed 2015-05, 90,120 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Battery drain and ignition key issues

   • 13 complaints (4%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2025

   Complaints describe the key being loose in the ignition and the engine continuing to run after the key was removed, requiring the key to be reinserted and turned off. Another report describes multiple warning lights, erratic gauges and the speedometer dropping while driving. Mileage ranges widely in the sample, from very low to around 68,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the engine shuts off cleanly with the key and that the key is not loose in the cylinder; ask about any history of electrical warning lights.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on the free way, suddenly many lights came on like ABS, engine check, brake and more. Meanwhile cluster went brighter and gauges went crazy. So I pulled over and got off from free way. Not car went more crazy. Speedometer show zero and brake applies by itself like emergency brake. So I am pregnant and scared . So I left the car b y the street and went home. It happened just today in the morning. I am living in zip 91367. Please advice and help.”

   NHTSA complaint #10852194, filed 2016-03, 3 miles

   “The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Camry. When the key was removed from the ignition switch, the engine remained on. The contact stated that the key had to be placed back into the ignition switch and turned to the off position. The failure recurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the key was very loose in the ignition switch. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000. Updated 08/04/16”

   NHTSA complaint #10759422, filed 2015-08, 68,000 miles

Buying note. Look closely at how the car behaves at parking speeds and on a test drive with hard stops, and have the air bag system scanned for stored codes. Ask for service records covering steering shaft, brake and ignition work, and confirm which recalls or campaigns have actually been completed for that VIN.

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.