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2013 Toyota Camry Engine Problems

13 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data

13
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
Jan 2015Nov 2018
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (13)

highENGINE
Filed: Oct 2025

The transmission in your 2013 Toyota Camry required replacement. This is a major repair that addresses a significant drivetrain failure.

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NHTSA #: 11695113
highENGINE
Filed: Feb 2024

Your 2013 Camry Hybrid is burning about a quart of oil every 2,000 miles due to low-tension piston rings sticking and damaging the cylinder walls. This is a known issue affecting many owners of 2AR-equipped Toyotas that Toyota has not addressed despite similar problems in earlier models. Fixing this typically requires replacing the engine short block, which is an expensive repair.

NHTSA #: 11573236
mediumENGINE
FireFiled: Jun 2023

We purchased Toyota Camry in 2013. Currently, it has a mileage of less than 100K. We regularly serviced it at Landers Toyota dealership, and the last maintenance was performed a week before the accident. Driving home from work, my wife heard a bang and felt a jolt after which she was forced to stop. There were no warning signs. The car was filled with smoke and seconds later the flames appeared from underneath the car (luckily, she managed to escape without injuries). I towed the car to the garage for inspection and a large (about 4-5 inches) and wide (about 1 inch) crack was found on the engine. I contacted my insurance rep and the adjustor will inspect the vehicle within 1-3 business days.

NHTSA #: 11525445
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2023

Toyota engine are still having the excessive oil consumption issue that has caused deadly concerns. My vehicle is doing the same

NHTSA #: 11500594
mediumENGINE
Filed: Aug 2019

THE VVT CAMSHAFT GEAR IS DEFECTIVE ON MANY TOYOTAS THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM HAS ISSUED RECALLS ON LEXUS MODELS ONLY THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE MINE HAS ONLY 67000 MILES IS MAKING THE RATTLING NOISE

NHTSA #: 11252072
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2018

THE CAR HESITATES WHEN YOU PUSH THE GAS AT AROUND 20 TO 25 MPH.

NHTSA #: 11154092
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2018

CAR SEEMS TO HAVE SLIGHT FUEL FEED PROBLEM - YOU CAN FEEL THE CAR SLIGHTLY HESITATING SOMETIMES WHEN JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO BUSY BOULEVARD, AFTER YOU HAVE PULLED HALF WAY OUT IN THE ROAD, THE CAR WILL NOT GO, EVEN THO YOU ARE STEPPING ON THE GAS. THIS IS VERY SCARY, BECAUSE THE OTHER CARS ARE COMING AT YOU, AND THEY ARE EXPECTING YOU TO MOVE ON OUT OF THE WAY. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT: IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A LITTLE BIT, LIKE GOING TO THE STORE, THEN CAR SITS FOR AWHILE, THEN YOU GET BACK IN AND DRIVE, AND THAT IS WHEN IT HAPPENS.

NHTSA #: 11091061
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2015

I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 26MPH INTO AN INTERSECTION AND MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN FOR NO REASON. AS I ENTERED THE INTERSECTION, I STARTED PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE OTHER MA 10/22/2015 CARS TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. AS I KEPT PUMPING ON THE ACCELERATOR MY TRANSMISSION APPARENTLY DOWN SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THE CAR TOOK OFF IN A GIANT LEAP FORWARD, ALMOST BROAD SIDING THE CAR THAT WAS PASSING IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR HAS CONTINUALLY STALLED MANY TIMES SINCE THEN. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING BEFORE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW? UPDATED 10/26/2017*CN

NHTSA #: 10726629
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN
Filed: May 2015

HESITATION OCCURS WHEN ACCELERATING ACROSS AN INTERSECTION OR PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, USUALLY FROM A STOPPED POSITION. CAR INITIALLY STARTS THEN HESITATES & FEELS LIKE IT WILL SHUT OFF. TO GET ACROSS THE INTERSECTION YOU NEED TO "FLOOR IT" WHICH MAKES THE ENGINE "ROAR" BUT LITTLE ACTION FOR ALL THE NOISE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN 2 YRS (ESTIMATED DATE & MILEAGE FOR 1ST OCCURRENCE). SOMETIMES THERE ARE LONG STRETCHES BETWEEN OCCURRENCES. IT IS DANGEROUS & I LACK CONFIDENCE AT TIMES TO PULL OUT. THE TECHNICIAN DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM WHEN MENTIONED ON 2 STOPS AT THE DEAL FOR AN OIL CHANGE. TORQUE CONVERTER SOFTWARE UPDATE MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MY PREVIOUS CAMRY NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA #: 10720909
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CrashFiled: Jan 2015

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 14, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 2PM. I WAS LEAVING MY DENTIST'S PARKING LOT. I BACKED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT, STOPPED AND WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR SHOT BACKWARD AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. TO AVOID HITTING THE BUILDING I TURNED THE WHEEL SHARPLY, BUT COULD NOT AVOID HITTING A PARKED CAR. DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS ALMOST $3000. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA AND THEY DID AN INSPECTION ON MY VEHICLE AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG SO I MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA #: 10681250
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,STRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2015

ANYTIME DURING WARM WEATHER WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS BEEN/IS BEING USED THERE IS A DISGUSTING FOUL MILDEW ODOR IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS NAUSEATING AND CAUSES HEADACHES. EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN, I HAVE TO TURN ON THE HEAT AND PUT ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES TO GET RID OF THE ODOR. APPARENTLY THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH CONDENSATION FROM THE AC NOT DRAINING PROPERLY. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. SOME DEALERSHIPS CLAIM THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE, WHILE OTHERS ADMIT THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF IT BUT THAT TOYOTA HAS NO "FIX" FOR IT. BREATHING IN MOLD IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE WINTER WHEN AC IS NOT USED. *TR

NHTSA #: 10670031
mediumENGINE
Filed: Oct 2014

AN INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD FLASHED AND ALARM SOUNDED AND BOTH THE GAS AND ELECTRIC MOTORS SHUT DOWN. I WAS IN HEAVY SINGLE LANE TRAFFIC WITH LIMITED ROAD SHOULDER BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OF AND GET TO A STOP. THE ENGINE SYSTEM STARTED NORMALLY AND NO INDICATORS WERE OBSERVED. I TOOK IT TO LIBERTY TOYOTA IN EDGEWATER PARK NJ AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. *TR

NHTSA #: 10651465
mediumENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Jul 2014

WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS AFTER THE 10,000 MILE CHECK-UP(JULY 3,2014) MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A STAGNANT ODOR COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS ON FIRST START UP IN THE MORNING. A/C HAD BEEN SET ON RECYCLE AIR. WE SET THE A/C TO RUN WITH AIR FLOW ON VENT AND ODOR IS STILL THERE. A/C RAN FOR AWHILE AND ODOR WOULD GO AWAY. ODOR JUST GOT WORSE ON EVERY START UP. CARRIED TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE PURCHASED CAMRY AND LET THE SERVICE MANAGER SMELL THE ODOR COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS AT 8 AM JULY 20, 2014. HE SAID HE COULD SMELL IT. THE SERVICE DEPT. KEPT THE CAMRY JULY 20 AND 21. I TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AROUND 3:20 PM ON THE 21. HE SAID TOYOTA TECH. DEPT. HAD SENT THEM A BULLETIN STATING TO CHANGE THE CABIN AIR FILTER WITH A CHARCOAL LINED CABIN AIR FILTER AND TO RUN THE A/C ON VENT FOR AWHILE BEFORE SHUTTING ENGINE DOWN SO A/C SYSTEM COULD DRAIN. JULY 24TH., SERVICE DEPT. INSTALLING CHARCOAL LINED CABIN AIR FILTER. SERVICE DEPT. SAID A/C SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO DRY OUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT MOLD AND BACTERIA BUILD UP. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED BY SERVICE DEPT. EXCEPT FOR TURNING ON CAR HEATER TO DRY A/C SYSTEM OUT. ODOR DID NOT GO AWAY. MY WIFE DROVE CAMRY ON A TRIP JULY 12-14, 2014 WHERE SHE DROVE FOR SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS EACH WAY. SIX DAYS LATER SHE DEVELOPED A SEVERE SORE THROAT. SHE WENT TO OUR LOCAL DOCTOR ON JULY 23RD. HE GAVE HER A STEROID SHOT AND SAID IT COULD BE RELATED TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM BUT WAS NOT STREP THROAT. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE BUILD UP OF MOLD AND BACTERIA. *TR

NHTSA #: 10616061

Other 2013 Toyota Camry Issues