YearToAvoid

2012 Toyota Camry Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 116 engine complaints for the 2012 Toyota Camry, 20% of its 589 total complaints. Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while parking or braking, engine fires, and stalling, with median mileage at failure around 37,000 miles. No related recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
116
20% of 589
Crashes reported
24
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
12
Median mileage
37,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle suddenly accelerates on its own while parking or pulling into a space, despite the driver's foot on the brake.
  • Brake pedal is pressed but the car fails to slow down and instead lunges forward, leading to a crash into a wall, fence, or gate.
  • Engine warning light flashes intermittently, then stays illuminated before the vehicle catches fire.
  • Smoke and fire develop under the hood while driving on the highway, sometimes preceded by a clicking sound.
  • Unintended acceleration occurs at low speed (around 2 mph) and escalates to roughly 30 mph before impact.
  • Failure to stop when approaching a stop sign despite pressing the brake pedal.

When 2012 Toyota Camry engine complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 15, 2011, latest Aug 18, 2026.

2012 Toyota Camry engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter92011 Q42013 Q32015 Q22017 Q22019 Q22021 Q32023 Q32026 Q1
116 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q1 (9).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Toyota Camry

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Camry model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010214 (36%)
  2. 2011113 (19%)
  3. 2012116 (20%)
  4. 201360 (22%)
  5. 2014113 (25%)
  6. 201542 (15%)
  7. 201637 (20%)
  8. 201731 (21%)
  9. 2018188 (25%)
  10. 201998 (25%)
  11. 202070 (26%)
  12. 202110 (6%)
  13. 202210 (17%)
  14. 202310 (16%)
  15. 20245 (10%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA lists 116 engine complaints for the 2012 Camry, which is 20% of the 589 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Toyota Camry engine?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint area on the 2012 Camry.
What do owners report about the 2012 Camry engine problems?
Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration, especially while parking, along with stalling and engine fires, often occurring around a median mileage of 37,000 miles.
Did the 2012 Camry engine issues cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data tied to this engine complaint area for the 2012 Camry shows 24 crashes, 2 fires, and 12 injuries reported.

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.