Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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 turned on rear defrost and within few seconds back seat was on fire. Window burnt seat and seat belt also burned hand. It appears to have been a possible electrical cause. I figured a fuse would blow prior to a fire inside car. Had I been on fwy I would have not been lucky gas tank is inches below fire .
As I was driving my 1999 Toyota Camry to work, the vehicle caught fire, and was totally destroyed. The fire was preceded by a loud popping sound, which was followed by the loss of brakes/power steering, etc. I struggled to steer the vehicle off the road, coasting to a stop. Meanwhile, immediately following the firecracker-like "pop," smoke began to pour into the vehicle from under the dashboard, as well as through the vents on the top of the dash. Heavy smoke also began to pour out from under the hood of the car. As I finally brought the vehicle to a stop onto the shoulder of the road, a motorist stopped and hollered to me to get out of the car immediately as, he said, there were flames visible underneath the car. I exited the vehicle immediately, and within 3-5 minutes it was totally engulfed in flames. …
1999 Toyota Camry le 4cyl starter failed to disengage from flywheel causing fire. The starter kept running burning it out and also burning the positive cable to the battery. Damage to the battery is under investigation. I was sitting parked in a parking lot with the radio and the air on when I observed smoke coming from the engine then started to come into the car thru the air conditioning. I turned the car off but the smoke continued and the fire dept was called. After looking at the internet this seems to be a widely known issue with multiple postings. I have not seen a recall on this. It needs to be investigated. My insurer said that my claim will be denied due to mechanical failure. Toyota needs to he held accountable.
While driving home, the radio began skipping similar to a scratched cd when hitting a bump in the road. The radio was tuned to fm, not playing a cd. The same sound was heard four months earlier, but not since then. Suddenly the doors automatically locked and the engine cut off. The car was restarted and pulled onto a side street, where smoke was observed coming from the front of the hood on the driver side. Upon exiting the vehicle, noticed flames coming from under the hood. The fire escalated and fire department was called. They were able to put out the fire, but the front half of the car was consumed. Car was totaled.
Our son was driving our 1999 Camry on a major highway when all of the lights came on at once-check engine, check oil, check tires. Then there was a ding sound and a loud pop. The car shut off. He was able to move to the shoulder of the highway and exited the car. As he went to open the hood he realized it was on fire. He called 911. The responding state trooper tried to extinguish the fire but couldn't. By the time the fire department arrived the car was fully engulfed. We have properly maintained our Camry at our local garage, who has the records on file. Luckily only objects were lost, our son is fine.
For several years, the check engine light has been coming on and we have been told it was the gas cap. Our mechanic has tried many solutions to repair this and hundreds of dollars later, we are now being told it is a common problem to this vehicle - the evaporation vapor canister. Upon further research, this piece was part of a lawsuit against Toyota that Toyota lost. We can not afford to pay over $400 for a part so that it passes inspection. Especially when Toyota knew this part was a problem. Toyota should be responsible for the repair of this part.
On March 9, 2007 the Toyota Camry erupted into a fire during my normal driving. On nov 28, 2006, I repaired my vehicle at Toyota authorized service statin, fitzgerald Toyota, m for changing water pump and timing belt. My odo meter reading was around 93.213 miles and within 800 miles (close to 94100) the vehicle met with fire accident. Repeated letter Toyota corporation is being ignored and Toyota service station is yet to reply back my letter.
1999 Camry battery kept dying. Then one day, the car stopped working during driving, and smoke was coming out of the hood. When the hood was opened, I saw that the cables and battery had caught on fire. The battery cables and battery had to be replaced. Old parts were discarded.
On the afternoon of February 13, 2007 my wife drove our 1999 Toyota Camry le 20 miles from our house to a government facility where she volunteers as an income tax preparer for the irs through the city of phoenix. As she was waiting to make a left hand turn into the parking lot of the building the car stalled but she managed to get it started again with the gear shift in neutral and proceeded into the parking lot where the car stalled twice again. She was able to park the vehicle in a parking slot and she went into work. After about 30 minutes my wife was called out to the parking lot where she witnessed the city fire department extinguishing a fire coming from the engine of the Camry. The fire completely destroyed and melted the entire engine. A phoenix police officer was parked in the lot prior to the fire and took a statement from my wife after the fire was extinguished. …
My daughter was on her way to school on the morning of 3/28/2012, when our 1999 Toyota Camry started to accelerate on its own. My daughter tried to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake as hard as she could but the car continued to accelerate. She put the car in neutral and the engine's RPM's went to the maximum. The car at that point must have blown a piston rod or valve, oil was spraying inside the engine compartment. She made an attempt to bump the accelerator pedal several times to see if it would release. The car was stalled on a main street with emergency flashers on. She again tried to start the car and RPM's went to the max and the at that point smoke started rising from under the hood. Several people came to see what was going on and tried to help traffic move around the vehicle. …
Electrical complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Toyota Camry, 8% of the model year's 501 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › front underhood (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Toyota Camry electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system 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 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 15 fires and 1 injury and 1 death to electrical system 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.