Head-to-head reliability
FORD Excursion vs Toyota Camry
How the FORD Excursion 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
FORD Excursion vs Toyota Camry: The Excursion averages 206 complaints per year, with frequent tire and engine stalling issues, while the Camry averages 214 per year, with transmission and brake problems. The Excursion has 9 deaths reported, the Camry 1. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD Excursion or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD Excursion
The Ford Excursion is a heavy-duty SUV that owners report can be unreliable in daily use. Complaints center on tires that develop bubbles and vibrations, engine cooling and EGR valve issues that can cause stalling, and electrical problems leading to sudden power loss. These failures often occur at highway speeds, affecting steering and brakes, which is a serious safety concern.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan with a higher total number of complaints, but over a longer period. Owners report transmission grinding and replacement needs, sudden acceleration incidents, and brake failures, along with HVAC odors and engine coolant valve issues. While some problems are serious, the pattern is less dominated by sudden power loss than the Excursion.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD Excursion | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,236 Better | 2,143 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 27 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 84 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 206.0 Better | 214.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 92 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 9 | 1 Better |
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.
FORD Excursion
- 01TIRES297
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING202
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM164
- 04SERVICE BRAKES122
- 05HYDRAULIC111
Owners report tires developing large bubbles on the tread or being out of round, causing significant vibration and excessive wear within a short time. This can affect ride comfort and handling.
The EGR valve gets stuck, causing the vehicle to stall on the highway. Some owners describe sudden stalling at 65 mph with loss of brakes and steering, leaving them stranded.
There are reports of complete power loss while driving, with the accelerator becoming unresponsive and the engine shutting down. This makes steering and braking very difficult and can take 20-30 minutes to restart.
The emergency/parking brake assembly can fail due to metal backing plate failure, causing brake shoes to detach and brakes to not work. This is a critical safety issue.
“I PURCHASED A 2005 FORD EXCURSION LIMITED USED IN MAY OF 2011. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH NEW BCT RADIAL A/P LT265/75R16 TIRES. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ONE OF THE TIRES WAS FOUND TO BE OUT OF ROU…”
“LT275/65/R18 Tire developed a massive approximately 18in x 3in bubble on the inner section of tread causing significant vibration and excessive wear in that area in less than 50 miles”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN395
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER342
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM246
Owners report grinding noises from the front end upon acceleration, with dealers confirming transmission issues that often require replacement. Some note recalls for similar problems on other model years.
There are reports of uncontrollable sudden acceleration, leading to crashes. Also, engine maintenance lights come on due to coolant valve bypass issues, which may not be covered by recall for all VINs.
Brake pedal can have no response when pressed, especially on hills, leading to dangerous situations. This is a serious safety concern.
While not as prominent, there are electrical issues that may contribute to other problems, but specific details are limited in the sample.
“I turned into a restaurant’s parking lot, found a spot and slowly drove into the lot, I eased off the gas pedal and gently applying the brake as the lot has a slight downward slope. When I reach the chunk (the parking block), I added more force to the brake,…”
“Grinding noise coming from front end upon acceleration. Brought to dealership who confirmed noises coming from transmission. Transmission needs to be replaced per dealer recommendation. Recalls on 2021 Toyota Camry for same issue. Transmissions on backorder a…”
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.
FORD Excursion — 27 recalls
The defect: FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RANGER TRUCKS BUILT FROM JANUARY 25, 2011, THROUGH APRIL 25, 2011 AT THE TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND SERVICE PARTS DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERS FOR CERTAIN 2004 THROUGH 2011 MODEL YEAR RANGER TRUCKS, 2002 THROUGH 2005 MODEL YEAR EXCURSION VEHICLES, AND 2002 T…
The risk: NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCHES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
The defect: CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH 6.0L DIESEL ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AND MAY OR MAY NOT RESTART.
The risk: SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
The fix: DEALERS WILL UPGRADE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE (FICM) WIRE HARNESS OR REPLACED, AND/OR HAVE A NEW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE (ICP)) SENSOR CONNECTOR INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FO…
The defect: FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RANGER TRUCKS BUILT FROM JANUARY 25, 2011, THROUGH APRIL 25, 2011 AT THE TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND SERVICE PARTS DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERS FOR CERTAIN 2004 THROUGH 2011 MODEL YEAR RANGER TRUCKS, 2002 THROUGH 2005 MODEL YEAR EXCURSION VEHICLES, AND 2002 T…
The risk: NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCHES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
The defect: CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH 6.0L DIESEL ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AND MAY OR MAY NOT RESTART.
The risk: SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
The fix: DEALERS WILL UPGRADE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE (FICM) WIRE HARNESS OR REPLACED, AND/OR HAVE A NEW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE (ICP)) SENSOR CONNECTOR INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FO…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
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…
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…
Buyer analysis
FORD Excursion or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Ford Excursion has fewer complaints per year (206.0) than the Toyota Camry (214.3), but the Excursion's issues are more likely to involve sudden power loss and brake failure, which are critical. The Camry's higher rate is partly due to a longer reporting period, but its problems also include serious safety issues like sudden acceleration.
Key differences
- The Excursion has more complaints about tires and engine cooling, while the Camry has more about transmission and brakes.
- Excursion owners report sudden stalling and power loss at highway speeds, while Camry owners report sudden acceleration incidents.
- The Excursion has a higher number of crash-related complaints (84) and injuries (92) compared to the Camry (181 crashes, 163 injuries) relative to complaint totals, but the Camry has more total crashes.
- The Excursion's recalls focus on lighting and wiring, while the Camry's recalls involve air bags, seats, and wheel studs.
- Inspect tires for bubbles, uneven wear, and vibration at highway speeds.
- Check for any history of stalling or electrical shutdowns, and have the EGR valve and wiring inspected.
- Test the transmission for grinding noises during acceleration and check for any recall notices.
- Verify brake responsiveness, especially on slopes, and ask about any sudden acceleration incidents.
Before you buy
- Get a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic focusing on engine, transmission, brakes, and electrical systems.
- Check NHTSA recall status for both vehicles using the VIN.
- Test drive at highway speeds to feel for vibrations or stalling.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for EGR valve, transmission, and brake repairs.
- Research common issues for the specific model year you are considering.
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 FORD Excursion or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD Excursion vs Toyota Camry
- FORD Excursion total complaints
- 1,236
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,143
- FORD Excursion total recalls
- 27
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- FORD Excursion avg complaints/year
- 206.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 214.3
- More reliable overall
- FORD Excursion
- FORD Excursion top complaint area
- TIRES
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN