YearToAvoid

2005 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

89/100

#3 most-complained of 20 Camry years

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

The 2005 Toyota Camry has 721 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 89 out of 100 — #3 highest of 20 Camry model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is engine (318 complaints, 44% of the total). Complaints report 223 crashes, 10 fires, 126 injuries, and 18 deaths.

Complaints
721
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
223 / 10
Injuries / deaths
126 / 18
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22.5
19.5 city / 28.5 hwy

Top 2005 Toyota Camry problems

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

  1. Engine318 (44%)
  2. Brakes99 (14%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain84 (12%)
  4. Steering71 (10%)
  5. Airbags65 (9%)
  6. Other51 (7%)
  7. Seat Belts46 (6%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires39 (5%)
  9. Electrical System37 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body32 (4%)
2005 Toyota Camry complaints: complaints filed per quarter2132004 Q42007 Q22009 Q42012 Q22014 Q42017 Q22020 Q42025 Q4
879 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2004 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2010 Q1 (213).

2005 Toyota Camry recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  2. NHTSA 11V539000Nov 9, 2011Engine420,326 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from june 1, 2004 through march 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine. The amount of adhesive agent applied between the outer ring and the torsional rubber damper (inner ring) in the crankshaft pulley may be inadequate. If the adhesive is insufficient, there is a possibility that the outer ring may become misaligned and it may not properly rotate with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the battery discharge indicator light.

    Risk: In some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in a loss of power steering and a sudden increase in steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the u.s. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during early january 2012. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

  3. NHTSA 10V035000Feb 3, 2010Other271,417 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.

    Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.

    Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.

See all 5 recalls for the 2005 Toyota Camry →

2005 Toyota Camry fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
28.5 MPG
Combined
22.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,900
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.

2005 compared with other Camry years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid89721522.5
2006Good42317522.5
2007Avoid1002,886924

All Toyota Camry years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Toyota Camry a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Toyota Camry ranks #3 of 20 among Camry model years (Complaint Index 89/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 721 complaints and 5 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota Camry?
The most reported problem areas are engine (318 complaints), brakes (99 complaints), and transmission & powertrain (84 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 42,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Toyota Camry have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2005 Toyota Camry, most recently reported 2016, covering structure & body, engine, other, and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Toyota Camry?
EPA rates the 2005 Toyota Camry at 22.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 28.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900. 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.