Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Camaro vs Toyota Camry
How the Chevrolet Camaro and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Chevrolet Camaro vs Toyota Camry: The Camaro averages 86.8 complaints per year with 73 crash-related and 45 injuries, while the Camry averages 205.6 complaints per year with 171 crash-related and 158 injuries. Both have 1 death reported. The Camaro has fewer complaints but more severe issues like steering failure. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Camaro or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sports coupe that can be a thrilling but potentially troublesome used car. Over 10 years, it has averaged 86.8 complaints per year, with electrical and power train issues being the most common. Owners report serious problems like the car not staying in park, sudden power loss, and transmission failures. These issues can lead to expensive repairs and safety risks, so a thorough inspection is crucial.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a popular midsize sedan known for reliability, but it's not without issues. With 205.6 complaints per year on average, it has more complaints than the Camaro, but many are for less severe problems. Common complaints include hesitation, brake noises, and electronic glitches. While generally dependable, buyers should still check for these recurring problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Camaro | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 868 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 17 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 86.8 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 45 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Chevrolet Camaro
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM238
- 02POWER TRAIN195
- 03ENGINE166
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER150
- 05STEERING120
Owners report the car saying 'shift to park' when it's already in park, which can cause the car to roll and drain the battery. Others experience sudden 'engine power reduced' messages and check engine lights, often while driving.
Complaints include steering wheel failure leading to crashes, transmission control module failures causing the car not to respond when shifting, and other transmission issues that can leave you stranded.
Owners describe the car stalling while driving uphill, rolling backwards in Drive, and experiencing vibrations, jerking, and abnormal noises at highway speeds, often with the check engine light on.
Steering problems are reported, including failure to steer in the intended direction, which can lead to loss of control and crashes.
“When shifting the vehicle into park and attempting to turn off car, vehicle will give a message on dash “shift to park” when the vehicle is already in park. This issue can cause possible rolling of vehicle for not properly being in park. Power draining due to…”
“At random times the car will get the check engine light (Code P2138 when scanned) & show a message on the dash saying “engine power reduced”. This happened to me twice while driving on the highway & 4 other times while driving on city streets. When this happe…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key getting stuck even when the car is in Park, requiring battery disconnection to remove. Others experience hesitation and shuddering while driving, often with the check engine light on.
Complaints include delayed throttle response when pressing the accelerator, causing the car to hesitate for several seconds before moving, which can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic.
The electronic parking brake may not disengage, requiring a tow to the dealer. Owners also report clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area, which dealers say is common but still concerning.
Multiple systems like stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping can malfunction simultaneously, which could compromise safety.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Chevrolet Camaro — 17 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-8…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
The risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC custome…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles. The plastic "Camaro" emblem, located on the steering wheel air bag cover, may separate during deployment of the frontal driver air bag.
The risk: In the event of a crash, plastic pieces of emblem may act as projectiles from deployment of the driver air bag can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the frontal driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N21232…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-8…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Chevrolet Camaro or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Camaro has fewer complaints per year (86.8) compared to the Toyota Camry (205.6), but the Camaro's complaints often involve more severe safety issues like steering failure and transmission problems. The Camry's higher complaint count includes many less critical issues, but it still has its share of serious problems. In practice, the Camaro may require more careful inspection for major faults, while the Camry might have more frequent but less dangerous annoyances.
Key differences
- The Camaro has fewer complaints per year (86.8) than the Camry (205.6), but Camaro complaints include more crashes (73 vs 171) and injuries (45 vs 158) relative to its lower volume.
- Camaro owners frequently report 'shift to park' errors and sudden power loss, while Camry owners report key stuck in ignition and delayed acceleration.
- Camaro has 17 recalls, including power train and fuel pump issues; Camry has 31 recalls, including seat and air bag sensor problems.
- Both have 1 death reported, but the Camry's higher complaint volume suggests more frequent, though not necessarily more severe, issues.
- Check for any signs of transmission issues, such as delayed engagement or slipping, and ensure the 'shift to park' message doesn't appear when parking.
- Test drive at highway speeds to feel for vibrations, jerking, or power loss, and scan for stored check engine codes like P2138.
- Test the ignition key removal in Park; if it sticks, it could be a costly fix.
- Listen for clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal and ensure the electronic parking brake engages and disengages properly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the NHTSA website.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on transmission, electrical, and brake systems.
- During the test drive, simulate various driving conditions: highway merging, parking, and braking to elicit any symptoms.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for transmission fluid changes and software updates.
- Scan the OBD-II system for pending or stored trouble codes, even if the check engine light is off.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Chevrolet Camaro | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28 | 50 |
| 2023 | 105 | 64 |
| 2022 | 14 | 61 |
| 2021 | 20 | 157 |
| 2020 | 31 | 274 |
| 2019 | 53 | 395 |
| 2018 | 81 | 744 |
| 2017 | 189 | 148 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Chevrolet Camaro or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
No VIN yet? Ask the seller.
A genuine seller should be happy to share it. Send this, then paste the VIN into the box above when it comes back.
Going to see one?
Get the Chevrolet Camaro inspection checklist by email, so you know what to look for when you're standing next to it.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Camaro vs Toyota Camry
- Chevrolet Camaro total complaints
- 868
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Chevrolet Camaro total recalls
- 17
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Chevrolet Camaro avg complaints/year
- 86.8
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Camaro top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN