Toyota Camry 2002–2006
6th generation (XV30)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20264,226 complaints, 3,107 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,800 and 89,495 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 75 complaints (2.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,700
- 25%
- 15,800
- Median
- 47,000
- 75%
- 89,495
- 90%
- 136,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 431 | 13.9% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 158 | 5.1% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 154 | 5.0% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 129 | 4.2% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 127 | 4.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 117 | 3.8% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 106 | 3.4% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 132 | 4.2% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 131 | 4.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 125 | 4.0% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 138 | 4.4% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 92 | 3.0% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 93 | 3.0% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 78 | 2.5% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 77 | 2.5% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 86 | 2.8% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 80 | 2.6% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 80 | 2.6% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 62 | 2.0% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 64 | 2.1% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 84 | 2.7% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 41 | 1.3% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 72 | 2.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 36 | 1.2% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 45 | 1.4% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 20 | 0.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 27 | 0.9% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 33 | 1.1% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 33 | 1.1% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 24 | 0.8% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 25 | 0.8% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 31 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 20 | 0.6% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 20 | 0.6% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 7 | 0.2% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 12 | 0.4% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 23 | 0.7% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 5 | 0.2% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 13 | 0.4% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 200,000+ | 75 | 2.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 4,226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2006 Toyota Camry, and 3,107 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,800 and 89,495 miles. The median is 47,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are throttle and speed control (27.6% of complaints, typically around 40,000 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (9.4% of complaints, typically around 15,000 miles), the airbag system (8.9% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Throttle and speed control40,000median 40,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 70,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit15,000median 15,000 miles, middle half 4,000 to 47,000
- Airbag system60,000median 60,000 miles, middle half 29,000 to 113,000
- Engine and its cooling system73,000median 73,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 100,000
- Steering42,000median 42,500 miles, middle half 16,000 to 76,000
- Transmission and driveline31,000median 30,750 miles, middle half 1,500 to 81,000
- Engine112,000median 112,000 miles, middle half 85,000 to 147,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Throttle and speed control | 1,166 | 27.6% | 40,000 | 16,000–70,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 398 | 9.4% | 15,000 | 4,000–47,000 |
| Airbag system | 375 | 8.9% | 60,000 | 29,000–113,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 300 | 7.1% | 73,000 | 39,000–100,000 |
| Steering | 276 | 6.5% | 42,000 | 16,000–76,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 263 | 6.2% | 31,000 | 1,500–81,000 |
| Engine | 167 | 4.0% | 112,000 | 85,000–147,000 |
| Electrical system | 154 | 3.6% | 74,000 | 30,000–104,000 |
| Body structure | 139 | 3.3% | 52,000 | 24,000–110,000 |
| Tyres | 131 | 3.1% | 20,000 | 10,000–42,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 47,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 27.6% of complaints (1,166 reports, 895 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 40,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,901 and 70,000 miles.
A single system taking 27.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 9.4% of complaints (398 reports, 269 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 15,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 47,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 8.9% of complaints (375 reports, 255 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 29,269 and 113,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.1% of complaints (300 reports, 223 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 73,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 100,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 6.5% of complaints (276 reports, 221 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 42,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,565 and 76,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.2% of complaints (263 reports, 196 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 30,750 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,408 and 80,558 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2002 model year drew the most — 1,183 complaints — while 2006 drew the fewest at 393. The median year sits at 905.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around seats (2), equipment (2), the engine and its cooling system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 4,226 complaints filed against this generation, 1,319 reported a crash; 76 reported a fire; 775 reported an injury; 49 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 31.2% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 15,800 and 89,495 miles, with a median of 47,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, throttle and speed control and the hydraulic brake circuit are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The hydraulic brake circuit in particular shows a median failure mileage of 15,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 2002–2006
2AZ-FE cylinder head bolt threads strip in the aluminum block, causing head gasket leaks and coolant loss; Toyota issued a warranty enhancement and revised the block with larger head bolts.
Engine 2002
Tail end of the 1MZ-FE oil gelling program (engines built through 2002).
Airbags 2002–2006
Takata front airbag inflator propellant degradation; large-scale recall coverage across this generation.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1,183 | 766 |
| 2003 | 946 | 677 |
| 2004 | 799 | 644 |
| 2005 | 905 | 721 |
| 2006 | 393 | 299 |
Recalls (5)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 16V396000 | 2016-07-14 | Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler |
| 14V743000 | 2015-01-29 | Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler |
| 11V539000 | 2011-12-31 | Engine and Engine Cooling |
| 10V036000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 10V035000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:other:labels |
What owners reported
Brakes(ABS) are mushy and pedal travels so far down i feel it takes a longer time to stop the car. I took it back to the dealer shortly after purchase but was told this was normal with the 2002's Camry. They adjusted the brakes but it made no difference. I took other 2002 Camry's out for a test drive only to find…
2002 · Hydraulic brake circuit
Vehicle shimmies and vibrates from front end at all speeds. Particularly bad between 40-50mph. At high speeds, not as noticeable, but loud wump-wump-wump noise emanates from front end. Brakes pulsate when decelerating, particularly noticeable at speeds from 50-40mph. This has been problem since car was new. Dealer has…
2002 · 5 miles · Suspension
My Camry has pulled to the left since the day purchased. It has been aligned or checked for alignment numerous times. I have been told there is notheing wrong with my car. I have been told all Camry's pull to the left. I have been told i should upgrade. I have been told yes, it does pull to the left, but it is…
2002 · 6 miles · Steering
I took delivery of a 2002 Camry xle on 3/12/03. From the drive home to this date the car has had a significant pull toward the left when driving. This pull is such that even relatively minor changes in road surface result in a worsened pull that requires constant correction by steering toward the right. Approximately…
2002 · 10 miles · Steering
Built from 3,107 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page