Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling there was an abnormal fuel odor detected. The contact stated that there was also a grinding sound while applying the brakes. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with a fuel leak and ABS sensor failure. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the tank was rusted and was also replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor detected. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was made aware of a fuel leak. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
I went to a local store to shop. I was attempting to park in the store lot, saw a space close to the front of the store. I slowed down to start turning (maybe 5-10 MPH) into the parking space and when I tried to brake, my brake pedal went straight to the floor and the car started speeding up. It kept going like someone else had control of the car! I couldn't stop it and it ran into a car that was parked in front of the space. It pushed the other car completely out of the parking spot and rammed her car in the front area. We both suffered vehicle damage and I was charged. There was smoke coming out from under my car and as I was attempting to stop my runaway car, my foot slipped onto the accelerator. I thought maybe my brakes had given out but the officer said the brakes were not bad. There were skid marks showing I tried to stop and I was able to drive it home, very slowly. …
I was slowly pulling into a parking lane, started to turn left towards a parking spot when my 2004 Toyota Camry xle accelerated suddenly and pressing on the brake did little to stop the car. This happened in a shopping center parking lot. As a result, two other cars were damaged and the my Camry was totaled. The car had approximately 148000 miles on it. The car had been routinely maintained. The car had previous accelerated without warning using the cruise control but the problem had never been traced down as to what caused this issue. On several occasions the RPM needle jumped from low RPM to high RPM. In addition, warning lights on the dash had come on un-expectedly. These issues were never reproduced when taken to the mechanic and the problems never resolved.
A smell of gasoline inside the cabin of the vehicle was noticed and intensified over the span of 2 days. Vehicle was only driven due to the fact that it is the only vehicle owned by the family and having a chronically ill son transportation was needed to take him to his doctors appointment. Before usage of the vehicle a visual inspection was done by the father trying to locate the source of the smell with no avail. After the sons doctors appointment the car was inspected by a mechanic who has over 25 years automotive experience and an associates degree in automotive. The vehicle was stationary with the engine being at operating temperature from being driven to the location and the engine bay was visualy inspected with the engine off with no signs of fuel leakage. Being safety conscious, the mechanic obtained a fire extinguisher and water hose incase of a fire. …
I own a 2004 Toyota Camry. It has a defective throttle body which has left my wife stranded and cost $1000 to fix from the dealer. This is a common problem and a few of my friends have had to pay twice to get this fixed. The other issue is there a defective part in the steering linkage that pops when you turn. This eventually leads to slop in the steering and it cause my to go in the ditch. This accident has given me a chronic back condition and prevented me from commissioning in the military. This issue is also known to be a problem with the camrys but Toyota refuses to do anything about it.
When attempting to leave parking space my 2004 camery v6 with brake depressed car car accelerated with very high RPM. Could not stop the car hitting a GMC truck. When car could not move the truck it stopped.drove home with no problem. Called dealer they stated if the car was not having the problem now they couldn't fix it . After driving it my husband had the same problem, we took it to the dealer and didn't want the car back until the problem was corrected. Dealer could not duplicate problem. Returned car after stating they would start file .
I was driving down the road from my home when my car stopped working. It died on me. It just stopped working completely without any notice whatsoever. I was able to maintain control of the steering wheel and I pulled over to the side of the road. At the time I was driving approximately 45 miles an hour (when the car engine stopped working). I turned the key in the ignition to the off position. When I turned the key in the ignition to start the car, the car started up immediately.
The consumer stated on October 17, 2004, after being out of the vehicle for about 1 1/2 hours, the vehicle burned to ashes. The firemen seemed to think the problem was the air fuel flow and or electrical. Consumer just got the vehicle. It was locked so no one could have done this. The consumer heard a popping sound and a pedestrian yelled about the fire. The vehicle burnt to ashes, totaling the vehicle.
The car will suddenly stop. Initially, we thought that it was a battery issue. In fact, we changed the battery with a brand new one, it happens again. Two more times, I did own a Toyota car more than 25 years ago. It was identified as fuel pump issue. For sure, this is the case. Can I get a replacement for free on the fuel pump.
Fuel System complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2004 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2004 Toyota Camry, 5% of the model year's 638 complaints. The component named most often is delivery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Camry fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2004 Toyota Camry, though it has 3 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 2004 Toyota Camry fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 2 fires and 5 injuries to fuel & propulsion 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.