Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti M37 vs Toyota Camry
How the Infiniti M37 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
Infiniti M37 vs Toyota Camry: The M37 has 28 complaints per year and no recalls, while the Camry has 214 per year and 31 recalls. M37 owners report powertrain hesitation and air bag sensor issues; Camry owners report transmission grinding and brake failure. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti M37 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti M37
The Infiniti M37, a luxury sedan from the 2011-2013 era, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 28 per year, with no recalls. Owners frequently report issues with the powertrain, steering, and air bags, often involving hesitation or jerking during acceleration, unstable rear-end behavior, and persistent air bag warning lights. These problems can affect daily drivability and safety, but the absence of recalls suggests they may be less widespread or not yet recognized as systematic.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry, a popular midsize sedan, has a much higher complaint volume (over 214 per year) but also spans a longer period and includes many recalls. Owners report a wide range of issues, from transmission grinding and sudden acceleration to brake failure and HVAC odors. While the Camry's higher numbers partly reflect its larger sales base, the variety and severity of complaints, including crashes and injuries, indicate that reliability can vary significantly by model year and maintenance history.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti M37 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 84 Better | 2,143 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 6 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.0 Better | 214.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 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.
Infiniti M37
- 01POWER TRAIN26
- 02STEERING22
- 03AIR BAGS15
- 04ENGINE12
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
Owners report hesitation or temporary loss of power when accelerating, such as the car stalling for a few seconds when trying to pass, which can be dangerous in traffic. Some also mention jerky behavior and a 'learning' transmission that doesn't smooth out.
Complaints include the rear of the car feeling unstable, swaying or jerking, and the steering wheel being off-center even after alignments. Warning lights for 4WD and stability control may stay on, indicating potential issues with the stability system.
The air bag warning light blinks continuously, and the front passenger air bag status light stays on regardless of occupancy. Dealers often diagnose a faulty Occupant Classification System control unit, which may disable the passenger air bag.
“I LEASED MY INFINITI M37 SPORT THE FIRST MONTH IT CAME OUT IN 2010 (2011 MODEL). THE FIRST DAY I DROVE THE CAR THE ISSUES WERE APPARENT. I DROVE IT DIRECTLY BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE..ITS LEARNING YOUR DRIVING STYLE..(I TOO HAVE HA…”
“I HAVE NOTICED PROBLEMS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH MY M37 NOT ACCELERATING WHEN I HIT THE GAS. WHILE GETTING OVER INTO ANOTHER LANE TO PASS A VEHICLE MY CAR STALLED FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR. TWO M…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN395
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER342
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM246
Owners report grinding noises from the front end upon acceleration, often leading to transmission replacement. Some also describe sudden unintended acceleration, which can result in crashes, though this may be a rare but serious issue.
Engine-related complaints include sudden acceleration incidents and maintenance lights related to coolant valve bypass recalls. Some owners note that even with recalls, their specific VIN may not be covered, leaving potential safety issues unaddressed.
Brake failure is reported, such as no response when pressing the pedal on a hill, leading to loss of control. Other complaints involve brakes not engaging properly in low-speed situations, like parking lots, increasing collision risk.
“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.
Infiniti M37
No recalls on record.
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
Infiniti M37 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Infiniti M37 has fewer complaints per year (28 vs. 214) and no recalls, suggesting a lower frequency of reported issues. However, the Camry's higher numbers are partly due to its larger sales and longer reporting period. In practice, the M37 may offer a more trouble-free ownership experience in terms of complaint rate, but the Camry's issues are more varied and include serious safety concerns.
Key differences
- The M37 has no recalls, while the Camry has 31, indicating more recognized safety issues in the Camry.
- M37 complaints focus on powertrain hesitation and air bag sensor problems, whereas Camry complaints include sudden acceleration and brake failure.
- Camry has a higher rate of crash-related complaints (181 vs. 6) and injuries (163 vs. 2), suggesting more severe incidents.
- M37 steering issues involve instability and off-center wheel, while Camry's top issues are transmission and engine-related.
- Test the air bag system: check if the warning light blinks or the passenger air bag status stays on, as this may indicate a faulty occupant sensor.
- During a test drive, accelerate from a stop and at highway speeds to feel for any hesitation or loss of power, and check for steering drift or instability.
- Listen for grinding noises from the front end when accelerating, which could signal transmission problems.
- Test the brakes on a hill and in low-speed maneuvers to ensure they respond promptly, and check for any warning lights related to engine or coolant.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the Camry; for the M37, verify no recalls are outstanding.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the transmission and brakes on both vehicles, especially the Camry's transmission and the M37's steering.
- Check the air bag system on the M37 by observing warning lights and having the occupant classification system tested.
- Test drive both cars in conditions similar to your daily commute, including highway merging and hill driving.
- Review service records for any previous repairs related to the top complaint areas.
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 Infiniti M37 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti M37 vs Toyota Camry
- Infiniti M37 total complaints
- 84
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,143
- Infiniti M37 total recalls
- 0
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Infiniti M37 avg complaints/year
- 28.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 214.3
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti M37
- Infiniti M37 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN