YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

26/100

#15 most-complained of 20 Camry years

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

The 2013 Toyota Camry has a complaint index of 26, ranking 15th worst out of 20 model years, earning a Good verdict relative to other Camry years. NHTSA lists 274 complaints and 2 recalls, with Transmission & Powertrain as the top problem area at 24% share.

Complaints
274
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
42 / 1
Injuries / deaths
27 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26.5
23 city / 32 hwy

Top 2013 Toyota Camry problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain67 (24%)
  2. Engine60 (22%)
  3. Other48 (18%)
  4. Airbags36 (13%)
  5. Electrical System32 (12%)
  6. Structure & Body31 (11%)
  7. Brakes26 (9%)
  8. Steering26 (9%)
  9. Fuel System12 (4%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires12 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe sudden, unintended engine acceleration that overrode braking and led to collisions.
  • Several drivers report airbags failing to deploy in moderate-to-severe crashes, including T-bone and rollover impacts.
  • Some vehicles rolled away after the driver exited using the key fob without shifting into park.
  • Reports mention a sudden loss of acceleration power at low speed leading to a rear-end style collision.
  • One driver reported the steering wheel seizing during a low-speed turn, causing a crash and injury.
2013 Toyota Camry complaints: complaints filed per quarter212013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12021 Q42023 Q32025 Q3
370 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q1 (21).

2013 Toyota Camry recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 13V442000Oct 17, 2013Other802,769 vehicles

    Equipment:appliance:air conditioner

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.

    Risk: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

  2. NHTSA 13V505000Oct 17, 2013Visibility & Wipers9,795 vehicles

    Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring

    Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."

    Risk: A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2013 Toyota Camry fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
32 MPG
Combined
26.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,450
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.

2013 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
2011Avoid84600525
2012Caution63589226
2013Good26274226.5
2014Caution58455326.5
2015Best21271126.5

All Toyota Camry years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Toyota Camry reliable?
Compared with other Camry model years, 2013 rates Good. It has a complaint index of 26 and ranks 15th worst out of 20 years tracked, meaning most other years have more reported problems.
What problems does the 2013 Toyota Camry have?
NHTSA data shows Transmission & Powertrain complaints lead at 24% of the 274 total, followed by Engine issues at 22% and Airbags at 13%. The median mileage at failure for transmission complaints is 56,500.
Does the 2013 Toyota Camry have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2013 Camry: one for a clogged air conditioning condenser drain hose and one for a wiper switch assembly. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2013 Camry compare to other years like 2007 or 2017?
The 2013 Camry's complaint index of 26 is much lower than the 2007 model's index of 100, the worst year in the lineup. The 2017 Camry has an even lower index of 16 and carries a Best verdict.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Toyota Camry?
EPA rates the 2013 Camry at 26.5 mpg combined (23 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,450.

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.