YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

89/100

#3 most-complained of 20 Camry Hybrid years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid has 118 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 89 out of 100 — #3 highest of 20 Camry Hybrid model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is brakes (61 complaints, 52% of the total). Complaints report 10 crashes, 3 fires, and 4 injuries.

Complaints
118
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
10 / 3
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
34
33 city / 34 hwy

Top 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes61 (52%)
  2. Engine32 (27%)
  3. Structure & Body18 (15%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers11 (9%)
  5. Electrical System9 (8%)
  6. Other9 (8%)
  7. Airbags6 (5%)
  8. Steering3 (3%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (3%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain2 (2%)
2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid complaints: complaints filed per quarter192010 Q22012 Q22014 Q12015 Q22016 Q42018 Q22021 Q2
154 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q2 to 2021 Q4; peak 2014 Q1 (19).

2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V689000Oct 22, 2015Visibility & Wipers1,814,284 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.

    Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.

  2. NHTSA 13V014000Jan 16, 2013Structure & Body3,235 vehicles

    Seats

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

    Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

    Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

  3. NHTSA 12V491000Oct 10, 2012Visibility & Wipers2,519,424 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.

    Risk: If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. General Motors will contact the Pontiac Vibe owners affected by this recall and GM dealers will inspect and repair switches as necessary. Those owners may contact Pontiac Customer Care at 1-800-762-2737.

See all 4 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid →

2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid fuel economy and fuel cost

City
33 MPG
Highway
34 MPG
Combined
34 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,900
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Camry Hybrid years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Avoid95602334
2008Avoid84162234
2009Avoid89118434
2010Good2610234
2011Caution5823233

All Toyota Camry Hybrid years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid ranks #3 of 20 among Camry Hybrid model years (Complaint Index 89/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 118 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (61 complaints), engine (32 complaints), and structure & body (18 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 74,750 miles.
Does the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid, most recently reported 2015, covering visibility & wipers, structure & body, and engine.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid?
EPA rates the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid at 34 MPG combined (33 city / 34 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,900. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.