Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 1996 Toyota Camry with cooper dean alpha 365 tires, size p195/70r14. While driving 60 MPH he heard a loud popping sound and the vehicle spun 180 degrees and crashed into a concrete wall. The driver sustained a burn to the left inside forearm caused by the deployment of the airbags. The vehicle was drivable after the crash. NHTSA campaign id number: 05t015000 is related to the failure. The current mileage was 160,000 and the failure mileage was 125,900. The dot number and vehicle purchase date was unavailable.
Driving down the street one evening when I heard a noise coming from the front passenger tire. Pulled the car over to see that the tire had violently blown out releasing the hub cap and actually bending the rim. Upon further inspection the tire was shredded as if someone had put explosives under it. I placed the spare on the wheel well and attempted to drive. However, the alignment made such difficult. The car was towed, and the mechanic said that as a result of this tire explosion I would need a new axle, strut, knuckle, mud flap, and obviously a tire. He also said I was lucky that I was on the rode alone at the time and away from anything that I could have hit as a result of losing control of steering . Car is in the process of being replaced. And I have saved the damaged tire, as well as have pictures of the damage sent to the insurace company.
Consumer's vehicle rpms went to the red zone. Consumer pulled over and parked, and driver's side window would not go up. Aaa arrived, and vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that transmission was defective it was repaired at consumer's expense. Consumer found similar complaints on the website. The vehicle spun in a 360 degree turn on three separate occasions before it reached 24,000 miles. Consumer changed tires from the tires Toyota provided to a Michelin tire and the spinning stopped. On July 12, 2004 the transmission was slipping and had to go in for service. . In 2002 the rear seatbelt on the passenger side was stuck. The consumer had it repaired at her expense. The customer would like Toyota to reimburse her for their share of the expenses occurred due to this pre-mature defect. * tc
Tl contact owns a 1996 Toyota Camry equipped with Michelin radial tires. The driver was driving approximately 65 MPH when one of the rear tires blew out. The driver pulled over and put the spare on. Two days later, the failure occurred on the second rear tire. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop where the vehicle was repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that the tires were manufactured 17 years ago. The current and failure mileages were 133,664. Updated 1/25/11 updated 04/18/11
My car has 135,000 miles on it and I was recently noticing that it would run hard and not switch gears as smoothly as it once had. I took it in to a Toyota dealership to be evaluated and was told it had sludge in my engine probably due to infrequent oil changes I was then informed by the service advisor that it needed a new engine and that it would cost approximately $5000-$6000. I informed the advisor that I always had my oil changed as per the owner?s manual, and I requested a written estimate as to the exact details that formed the basis for this price quote. I was ultimately denied that information. The gentleman told me he would call me back and/or fax it to me, after which I received nothing. …
In aug 26, 2004 I purchased four new Goodyear allegra p205/65r15 from sams club in pearl city, hi. I started to have problems with my tires in January 2005 and took it back to sams club to have them look at my tires and find out what was the problem. They went on to tell me that my rim was bent and that was the problem, I took my car to a Goodyear shop in ewa beach to have my rims checked and I was informed that there was nothing wrong with my rims. So I took the tires back to sams club the following week on 02/16/2005, and I was informed that I indeed did have three defective tires on my vehicle. So sams club refunded my money and I bought another brand of tires in place of the recalled tires.
1. Idle speed control valve failed causing cold start problem ( very low RPM or engine dies). Toyota of cerritos claimed there is a defect on the valve it self. Toyota keep suppling them with old/defective valve for service. Per service manager, if Toyota keeps doing this, there is nothing they can do to fix this problem, it will happen again. Toyota customer service is not aware of such a problem. 2. Tires were cupped at 20000 miles under normal surface street and freeway driving. Goodyear claimed its not under warranty.( dot number: m6rw tire size: p195/70r14 )
Bought 2 tires on 3/4/2002 from ntb; neither has the dot tire grading information on them. Sent picture to george gillespie in NHTSA. At his request went back to ntb and looked at display tire; it was a different size but it also did not have the gradings on it. No safety defect listed.
While driving, the driver felt vibration throughout the vehicle. The driver took the vehicle to the dealer for analysis. The mechanic noticed that boot turned and the boot feed greased, this caused the wheel (provide details).
All four of the Firestone tires experienced blowouts at different times, consumer replaced all four tires, Firestone did not comply with the terms of the tire warranty (Firestone fr-14-195-70-14, fr-1416800). Nlm
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1996 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1996 Toyota Camry, 7% of the model year's 417 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Toyota Camry wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 1996 Toyota Camry, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Toyota Camry wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.