Most common 2005 Toyota Camry problems
Share of the 721 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Camry complaints by model year
Best Camry years: 2022, 2017, 2024. Years to avoid: 2009, 2018, 2007, 2002, 2008. Compare all years →
2005 Toyota Camry recalls (5)
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Engine and engine cooling
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 Lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 Lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the U.S. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a front passenger power seat, when installing certain rear-facing infant child seat bases onto the seat with an excessively high seatbelt tension, it May be possible to unseat a component called the buckle status switch from the seat belt buckle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger seatbelt buckle status switch. This safety improvement campaign (ssc 40m) began on December 20, 2004. Owners should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987..
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Toyota Camry:
Engine surging
The petitioner owns a my 2006 Toyota camry with a 4-cylinder engine that was purchased new in January 2006. The petitioner also previously owned a my 2005 camry. He alleges that both vehicles exhibited vehicle engine surging, which he described as a short duration (1 to 2 second) increase in engine speed occurring while the accelerator pedal is not depressed.
Vehicle speed control
In a letter dated July 8, 2005, and after experiencing two incidents (and one crash) where he alleges his model year (my) 2002 camry accelerated without driver input, mr. Jordan ziprin petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration?s (NHTSA) office of defects investigation (odi) to commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect within the etc system in my 2002 to 2005 Toyota and Lexus…
What 2005 Toyota Camry owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 272 →
When slowly finishing my entry into a parking spot and braking the car suddenly accelerated to a high speed and bolted over the curb with a planter zone into another parked car directly facing my parking lane hitting the front passenger side. My car was still accelerating and hit another car to the left of the first parked car, hitting it in the rear driver side door. My car kept going until I was finally able to get the brake to work and it stopped just before another parking lot curb with planter zone. As far as I can tell the brake and or accelerator malfunctioned dangerously and suddenly. It could also have been a malfunctioning TPS (throttle positioning sensor). I would like my car inspected to determine what caused this malfunction. While everyone involved said they felt fine. …
I initially had an unexpected acceleration, but was able to stop the car and didn't know why it had happened. I was unaware that this was a common issue. Later I was backing out of a parking space, then switched to drive in attempt to go forward. The car accelerated w/o my touching the gas. I couldn't stop the car and it plowed into several other cars. I didn't understand why this had happened. The police came and assumed it was my fault because after having this happen, I was confused. They took the car to a body shop that did the repairs. No one mentioned this is a common problem w/toyotas. By the time I heard about sudden unintended acceleration (sua), I contacted Toyota. As the insurance company had already arranged to have the car fixed before I called, the investigator said they wouldn't even look at the car as it had been repaired. …
Brakes all 95 →
When slowly finishing my entry into a parking spot and braking the car suddenly accelerated to a high speed and bolted over the curb with a planter zone into another parked car directly facing my parking lane hitting the front passenger side. My car was still accelerating and hit another car to the left of the first parked car, hitting it in the rear driver side door. My car kept going until I was finally able to get the brake to work and it stopped just before another parking lot curb with planter zone. As far as I can tell the brake and or accelerator malfunctioned dangerously and suddenly. It could also have been a malfunctioning TPS (throttle positioning sensor). I would like my car inspected to determine what caused this malfunction. While everyone involved said they felt fine. …
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the brake was depressed and failed to respond, and the vehicle drove over the parking block. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 84 →
I, robert, was sitting in the car when my wife came out of the store and got into it. I put my foot on the brake and started the car. It took off at a very high rate of speed. The car lunged ahead and steadily picked up speed. The car hit a lady walking with her groceries, then hit a parked vehicle and pushed it into another vehicle. The air bag never deployed. The brakes would not work. The only thing that made it stop was that it hit a large SUV. My wife did not have time to fasten her seat belt, thus sustaining injuries. It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was a police report filed. I was not charged with the accident. I purchased the vehicle on May 24, 2017 at a public auction in washington, dc. That means that these vehicles are still being sold as if there is not a problem with them. The vehicle had about 240,000 miles when I purchased it. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Toyota Camry. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration as if the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact held on to the steering wheel, crashed into a parked vehicle, and the vehicle continued to accelerate. While attempting to brake, it continued to accelerate. The contact had to crash the vehicle against the sidewalk and the only thing that stopped the vehicle was that the rim had no tire. The police department was present, but no police report was filed. The insurance company was notified of the crash. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer sent a third party company to investigate the crash and they found no evidence of manufacturing defect. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact also stated that the same failure occurred several times before. …
2005 Toyota Camry engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Toyota Camry a good car?
Based on 721 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Camry rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Camry at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Toyota Camry?
The speed control & acceleration — 272 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the brakes (95) and transmission & drivetrain (84).
How many recalls does the 2005 Toyota Camry have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2005 Toyota Camry, the most recent from June 2, 2016 (seat heater/cooler). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Camry?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2017 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009, 2018, 2007, 2002 and 2008. See the full Toyota Camry years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Toyota Camry problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 42,000 miles; 58% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.