YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

95/100

#2 most-complained of 20 Camry years

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

The 2009 Toyota Camry ranks 2nd worst out of 20 model years, with a complaint index of 95 and 1,293 complaints. Engine problems dominate, making up 39% of complaints, and the year carries 10 recall campaigns, earning an Avoid verdict.

Complaints
1,293
Recalls
10
Crashes / fires
150 / 19
Injuries / deaths
86 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25
21 city / 31 hwy

Top 2009 Toyota Camry problems

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

  1. Engine508 (39%)
  2. Structure & Body237 (18%)
  3. Other193 (15%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers124 (10%)
  5. Brakes112 (9%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires101 (8%)
  7. Electrical System97 (8%)
  8. Airbags66 (5%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain51 (4%)
  10. Steering47 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration where the vehicle sped up on its own despite braking, sometimes tied to the accelerator pedal recall.
  • Some report the gas pedal sticking repeatedly over several months, causing the car to race out of control.
  • Brakes have been described as locking up mid-turn at highway speed, leading to loss of control and a crash into a guardrail.
  • Engine compartment fires have been reported both while parked and while driving, in one case starting near the front of the engine bay.
  • A driver-side door fire was reported after only about half a mile of driving, forcing the family to evacuate the vehicle.
  • Side airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a collision that struck the passenger side of the car.
2009 Toyota Camry complaints: complaints filed per quarter2442008 Q32010 Q42013 Q12015 Q22017 Q32019 Q42022 Q12024 Q3
1573 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (244).

2009 Toyota Camry recalls

10 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 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

See all 10 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Camry →

2009 Toyota Camry fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
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 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
2007Avoid1002,886924
2008Avoid79933725
2009Avoid951,2931025
2010Caution74602926
2011Avoid84600525

All Toyota Camry years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Toyota Camry reliable?
Compared to other Camry model years, the 2009 ranks near the bottom, 2nd worst out of 20 years tracked, with a complaint index of 95 versus a low of 0 for the best years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2009 Toyota Camry?
Engine issues are the top complaint area, accounting for 508 complaints (39% of the total) and a median failure mileage of 35,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Toyota Camry have recalls?
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2009 Camry, covering areas including structure and body, visibility and wipers, and the electrical system, though none are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2009 Camry compare to the 2007 Camry?
The 2007 Camry has a higher complaint index (100) and more total complaints (2,886) than the 2009 (95 index, 1,293 complaints), but both carry an Avoid verdict.
What year Toyota Camry should I avoid?
Based on NHTSA data, 2007, 2005, 2009, and 2011 all carry Avoid verdicts, with 2007 having the highest complaint index at 100.

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.