Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I only had my 1999 Camry for 5 days. I was driving on the expressway doing about 35 MPH. I was going around a slight curve when the wheel locked and I couldn't turn. I tried to stop but couldn't and ran directly into the concrete median causing me to spin around and then hit the median again. Both air bags came out and my car was towed to a lot where it was declared "totaled." no one or any other property was damaged. I had my car for only 5 days and it malfunctioned.
I was driving on expressway doing about 35 MPH when the steering wheel locked as I driving around a curve. I drove into the left cement barrier, car spun around and hit the barrier again. I just purchased the car and didn't even have it for 5 days! The car was towed and salvaged.
I reported this to complaints.com on 11/12/2005 but wanted to also submit it to you due to all of the news lately. In November 2005, my parents were driving their 1999 Camry and pulling slowing into a parking spot. Just as they were about to complete parking and only going less than a mile per hour, their car accelerated very fast, left the curb and crashed into a building. We asked about if sudden acceleration could be investigated at this time but were told it couldn't. The car was totaled. My mom was injured (blunt force trauma to her chest) but recovered fairly soon after. She did go to the er. My dad, who was driving, was OK but following the accident was stressed due to worry about my mom's injury and having their car totaled since he was sure he hadn't done anything wrong.. The airbag did not deploy. …
Complaint via e-mail. Had learned that NHTSA investigated sudden acceleration in the 2002 and 2003 Toyota Camry. I experienced this effect recently with my 1999 Camry. The incident took place inside the garage of my apartment building. Although no injuries occurred, my car and another car suffered some body damage. I took the car to a Toyota service center , but the technicians were unable to find anything that would explain the sudden acceleration. The consumer was backing into his parking space when the vehicle suddenly lurched forward. The brakes did not slow the vehicle. The consumer hit a post, bounced of it and hit a parked vehicle. The air bag did not deploy.
Dt: the consumer's wife was driving when another vehicle pulled out in front of her, she then hit a utility pole and a fire hydrant with the front of vehicle. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The officer on the scene as well as firemen, were surprised that the airbags did not deploy. They told consumer that he should notify someone. The consumer noticed the airbag light on prior to the accident. Consumer said that nothing indicated that airbags or anything else should not be working correctly. No warning lights were on. Consumer has not had any problem like this before.
Dt: the contact states while driving contact's son vehicle crashed. The left front tire blew out, and the vehicle crash. Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. , there was one injury in the crash. The front end of the car was totaled. . The vehicle is a 1999 Toyota camary le. Th is a police report was taken. The at this point, Toyota has not been called. The mother did not have any of the information about the car that was in involved in the crash with her vehicle. The mother was enroute to the crash scene.
Dt: contact owns a 1999 Toyota Camry. Vehicle was pulling into a little store. The contact went to pull into parking space when all of a sudden car accelerated and hit the building . Police was called but because it was on private property they didn't have to take a report. Passenger had to go to hospital after seat belt locked so tight that they checked her for internal injuries. Body was bruised badly. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy no fire reported. Vehicle was totaled.
While driving at 25 MPH, the consumer fell asleep behind the wheel. The consumer lost control of the vehicle and struck another vehicle, then collided with a street light pole and subsequently the air bags did not deploy. The consumer broke her sternum and was hospitalized for a week. The consumer also had a grandson in the vehicle that broke two fingers in the accident. The police did arrive, but the consumer was not cited. The manufacturer and the dealer are aware of the problem.
(1) the vehicle I was driving in was proceeding to make a left turn on a green traffic signal when other vehicle failed to obey red traffic signal thus striking my vehicle between the driver's side front and driver's side rear doors ("b" pillar). (2) side airbag did not inflate contributing to more serious injuries sustained. (3) vehicle was totaled by insurance company. Could not find contact information on manufacturer to make notifcation of defect.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Toyota Camry. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the contact crashed into the front end of another vehicle. The contact's vehicle was completely destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. He sustained moderate injuries to his neck and shoulders from the crash. The contact has a copy of the police report and pictures of the vehicle. The failure and current mileages were 100,000.
Airbag complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1999 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 74 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Toyota Camry, 15% of the model year's 501 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (52 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Toyota Camry airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1999 Toyota Camry, though it has 1 recall 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 1999 Toyota Camry airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 62 crashes, 0 fires and 62 injuries to air bags 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.