Head-to-head reliability
FORD GT vs Toyota Camry
How the FORD GT 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 GT vs Toyota Camry: The Ford GT has 10 complaints over 9 years (1.1 per year) and 11 recalls, while the Toyota Camry has 2,056 complaints over 10 years (205.6 per year) and 31 recalls. The Ford GT's main issue is air bag recalls; the Camry's are power train and brake problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD GT or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD GT
The Ford GT is a low-volume exotic sports car, so seeing only 10 complaints over 9 years is expected. The main pattern is air bag recalls, especially Takata inflators, with owners reporting repeat notices and parts shortages. There are also isolated reports of engine and suspension failures, including a head gasket leak and a loss of control over a speed bump. Overall, the Ford GT's issues are few but can be serious when they occur.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a high-volume family sedan, so 2,056 complaints over 10 years reflects its popularity. Owners most often report power train problems like hesitation, shuddering, and a stuck ignition key, plus engine throttle delay. Brake issues include the electronic parking brake not disengaging and ABS noise. Electrical and unknown-system complaints are also common, showing a wide range of electronic glitches.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD GT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 10 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.1 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
FORD GT
- 01AIR BAGS5
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
- 03SUSPENSION1
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
- 05POWER TRAIN1
Owners report Takata air bag recalls, with some saying the repair was done but they later got another notice, or parts were unavailable. This matters because the air bag may not work correctly in a crash.
One owner heard a loud noise, smelled fuel, and was told the head gasket needed replacing. Another report mentions an engine block fire that destroyed the car. These are rare but potentially major failures.
An owner lost control after driving over a speed bump at 65 mph and the car spun around. This suggests a possible suspension or handling defect that could lead to a crash.
A lawyer requested records about control arm recalls after a consumer lost control and crashed. This points to possible front suspension arm issues that may not be covered by a current recall.
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN PERFORMED CONCERNING THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS. A MONTH LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V384000 (AIR BA…”
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD GT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V319000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT O…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key gets stuck in Park, requiring a battery disconnect to remove it. Others describe hesitation and shuddering with the check engine light on. These can leave you stranded or make driving feel unpredictable.
A common complaint is a several-second delay when pressing the gas pedal, so the car does not move right away. This can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic.
The electronic parking brake may not disengage, requiring a tow and a new switch that sometimes does not fix it. Owners also hear a clicking or vibrating noise from the ABS system, which is described as common but still annoying.
Multiple systems can malfunction at once, including stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping. This can make the car feel unpredictable and hard to control.
“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.
FORD GT — 11 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer servi…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Maria…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall an…
The defect: Ford Motor Company, (Ford) is conducting a regional recall for certain model year 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall began January 30, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S28…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 10, 2016. Even if interi…
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
FORD GT or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Ford GT has far fewer complaints per year (1.1) than the Toyota Camry (205.6), but the Camry is a mass-market car with many more units on the road. In practice, the Ford GT's issues are rare but can be severe, while the Camry's issues are more frequent but often less catastrophic. Neither is problem-free, so the better choice depends on your tolerance for risk and how you plan to use the car.
Key differences
- The Ford GT has only 10 complaints over 9 years, while the Toyota Camry has 2,056 over 10 years, but the Camry sells in far higher numbers.
- Ford GT complaints center on air bag recalls and a few engine/suspension failures; Camry complaints focus on power train hesitation, stuck keys, and brake/electrical glitches.
- The Ford GT has 1 crash-related complaint and 1 death; the Camry has 171 crash-related complaints and 1 death, though these counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
- Camry owners report repeated electronic issues like ABS noise and multiple system malfunctions, while Ford GT owners report more isolated but potentially severe failures like engine block fire.
- Check for open Takata air bag recalls and confirm the inflator has been replaced with the updated part, as owners report repeat notices and parts shortages.
- Inspect for engine oil leaks, coolant loss, or white exhaust smoke that could indicate a head gasket failure, and listen for unusual noises from the suspension over bumps.
- Test the ignition key removal in Park multiple times, and check for hesitation or shuddering during a test drive, especially when accelerating from a stop.
- Listen for clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area and confirm the electronic parking brake engages and disengages smoothly, as owners report failures requiring a tow.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls, especially air bag recalls for the Ford GT and any seat or air bag sensor recalls for the Camry.
- Ask for a complete maintenance history and have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the Ford GT's engine, suspension, and air bag system.
- For the Camry, test the key removal, throttle response, brake pedal feel, and all electronic driver aids during a thorough test drive.
- Check for any signs of prior crash damage or repairs, since both models have crash-related complaints in the data.
- Confirm that any recall repairs were actually completed and documented, not just announced, because owners report parts unavailability and repeat notices.
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 | FORD GT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 61 |
| 2021 | 0 | 157 |
| 2020 | 0 | 274 |
| 2019 | 0 | 395 |
| 2018 | 0 | 744 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 FORD GT or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD GT vs Toyota Camry
- FORD GT total complaints
- 10
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- FORD GT total recalls
- 11
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- FORD GT avg complaints/year
- 1.1
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- FORD GT
- FORD GT top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN