1986 Toyota Camry
This year had at least 30% fewer complaints than this model's typical year.
This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.
- Complaints
- 33
- Recalls
- 0
- Investigations
- 1
- Top problem
- Seat belts
None on file
Opened by NHTSA
30% of complaints
Complaints per year
1986: 33 complaints
View as data table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1983 | 6 |
| 1984 | 8 |
| 1985 | 13 |
| 1986 | 33 |
| 1987 | 58 |
| 1988 | 69 |
| 1989 | 117 |
| 1990 | 136 |
| 1991 | 155 |
| 1992 | 569 |
| 1993 | 263 |
| 1994 | 306 |
| 1995 | 303 |
| 1996 | 417 |
| 1997 | 555 |
| 1998 | 600 |
| 1999 | 501 |
| 2000 | 454 |
| 2001 | 272 |
| 2002 | 953 |
| 2003 | 782 |
| 2004 | 638 |
| 2005 | 721 |
| 2006 | 317 |
| 2007 | 2,886 |
| 2008 | 933 |
| 2009 | 1,294 |
| 2010 | 604 |
| 2011 | 599 |
| 2012 | 590 |
| 2013 | 274 |
| 2014 | 455 |
| 2015 | 269 |
| 2016 | 182 |
| 2017 | 148 |
| 2018 | 754 |
| 2019 | 399 |
| 2020 | 275 |
| 2021 | 157 |
| 2022 | 62 |
| 2023 | 64 |
| 2024 | 52 |
| 2025 | 146 |
Known problem areas
Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.
Seat belts
30% · 10 reportsMost commonly citing buckle assembly and retractor.
Tires
18% · 6 reportsMost commonly citing tread/belt.
Show complaint excerpts
3/28/04-purchased 4 new tires from wal-mart tire center (P185/70R13 bw x-trac). 4/16/2005- broke down on side of road due to vehicle shaking violently. Had vehicle towed; mechanic said that belt in tire slipped.
NHTSA ODI report, 2005-06-28
I was driving on the freeway at 70MPH when I heard an explosion and my car began to vibrate. I pulled over to the shoulder and saw that my right front tire had blown out. I did not hit anything on the road nor was my tire punctured.
NHTSA ODI report, 2003-09-08
Right front michelin tire blew out due to sidewall failure.
NHTSA ODI report, 1994-12-27
Vehicle speed control
12% · 4 reportsMost commonly citing accelerator pedal.
Show complaint excerpts
Driver got into vehicle, had foot on brakes, shifted vehicle into reverse, started backing up vehicle out of garage, vehicle suddenly took off without warning, went across street, jumped curb.
NHTSA ODI report, 1996-10-15
Throttle pedal broke which caused it to stick, vehicle impact 12:00 position, hitting a wall, speed 30 *ak.
NHTSA ODI report, 1996-10-01
We are the original owner of a 1986 Toyota Camry that we bought new. We had an issue with sudden acceleration back in 1986 and brought the car back to the original Toyota dealer. They were unable to find anything wrong.
NHTSA ODI report, 2016-05-10
Engine and engine cooling
12% · 4 reportsMost commonly citing gasoline and engine.
Show complaint excerpts
Engine makes clanging sound between 1500-2500RPM which increases in freq along with engine speed then stops . Heard in park as well as driving car? What is it? How can it be fixed?…
NHTSA ODI report, 2002-12-03
Service brakes
9% · 3 reportsMost commonly citing hydraulic.
Safety timeline
No recalls on file for this model year.
0 recalls · 1 investigation · oldest first
To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →
-
I
1987-09-10Preliminary evaluationClosed 1988-03-30 Igniter assembly failure
Buy-smart checklist
1986 Toyota Camry — pre-purchase inspection
Inspect
- Seat belts: 10 reports on file for this year.
- Tires: 6 reports on file for this year.
- Vehicle speed control: 4 reports on file for this year.
Other years of this model
See all years ranked →FAQ
- Is the 1986 Toyota Camry reliable?
- Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 1986 Toyota Camry is rated "better than typical".
- What are the most common problems with the 1986 Toyota Camry?
- The most-reported component is seat belts, accounting for 30% of complaints on file.
- How many recalls does the 1986 Toyota Camry have?
- No recalls are on file for this model year.
Data updated 2026-11-01 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.