Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving my 2006 Toyota Camry on a level residential road at 35 mph and stopped at a red light. Upon turning left, the car unexpectedly accelerated at a high speed. I stepped on the brakes but the car did not stop nor slow. I was driving towards a very busy intersection. I tried to shift the gear to park, but the car was still running out of control. I turned left onto a side street in order to avoid the intersection. I was going too fast and jumped the curb, crashed into a Toyota Tundra truck parked on the driveway, and ricocheted into the retaining wall of the neighboring property. I was wearing my set belt, the airbag deployed and hit my chest. There were long tire marks on the street and a witness reported the squealing sound of brakes. Paramedics and police arrived immediately. My blood pressure was checked and I was advised to go to the ER. …
On Friday, October 4th (2019) I was waiting in line at a red light (on state street at the intersection with haywood road in asheville, north carolina). Suddenly my Toyota 2006 lurched forward and banged into the car ahead of me. I stomped on the brake. The car stopped, then jumped forward again and banged the car ahead of me again. My husband, sitting in the passenger seat, threw the gear shift into 'park' and our car stopped. As I was just waiting in line at the light when the car spontaneously surged forward, we feel this was a case of 'Toyota sudden unexpected acceleration.' our insurer has appraised the damage to car at just below $3000. We no longer consider this car safe to drive. Our insurer did not require a police report. There were no personal injuries, so police were not called.
Car was placed in reverse while stopped to parallel park along curb with steering wheel turned slightly to the right. Car accelerator went full throttle with very little driver input. Driver hard pressed the brake to stop, skids marks of rear tires confirm, car kept accelerating, driver turned to avoid a parked vehicle causing the car to aggressively slide sideways up and over the curb while still accelerating. Driver slapped the shifter into neutral and straightened the wheel. The car straightened out and the momentum carried it forward (rather than reverse from the unintended j turn) colliding into a house. Car mileage approximately 71,000. No floor mats in floorboard, no other debris. Air bags did not deploy. No injuries. First reported incident of accelerator (speed control) malfunction.
Tl* the contact owned a used 2006 Toyota Camry. While driving low speeds, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning and the brake pedal failed to operate. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed head on into a pole. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was leaving a hospital when the failure occurred and was treated at the same hospital for a cracked cervical spine, a cracked jaw, and a cracked tooth. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was totaled and towed to a tow yard. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 149,000.
While on the street as I was backing my car into a parking space adjacent to the street curb the car suddenly accelerated in reverse at high speed, crashing over the curb and sidewalk, rear end first. My stepping on the brakes in an attempt to stop the car was unsuccessful; the car did not come to a stop until it crashed into an iron fence which bordered the yard causing damage to the fence and the car. A similar incident occurred quite a few years ago when the same car suddenly accelerated in reverse out of control and I was unable to bring it to a halt until it hit a parked car. I do not know what caused either of these incidents to occur.
I had my foot on brake and was putting into reverse to back into a parking space when suddenly it lurched forward and hit an escalade that was parked about one foot in front of me. It totaled my car and her car. It was so sudden I don't know if it went into reverse or not. I believe the only thing that stopped me was the impact with SUV. This was reported to Toyota, I am waiting for an inspection of vechicle.
I terminated a lease on a 2006 Toyota Camry on feb. 28. I only drove it from nov. 1 to jan. 9 when for the third time in those two months it surged ahead when I was parking. The surge was so powerful, that the car flew thru the air and damaged another car in the parking lot. My foot was on the brake. The car suffered $6000 worth of damages. I contacted the dealer to say I would have the damaged car towed to their shop and they said the body had to be repaired before they would check to see why it malfunctioned. I was told that a regional engineer from Toyota would inspect the car. I had great hopes that they would find the problem and fix it but the report said there was nothing wrong with the car. Of course there is something very wrong when the car will not stop but rather surges ahead when you are braking. …
I am concerned that my 2006 Toyota Camry is not on the recall list. While reversing out of a parking place the vehicle accelerated and crashed into a tree then surged forward at a high rate of speed back into the parking area with trees that I had reversed out of. My foot was firmly on the brake but the vehicles engine revved and surged back through the trees. Impact with tree on left drivers side first then vehicle slammed into tree on the right side. There is no time to react to this type of deadly speed acceleration. When my vehicle did come to a stop it was in neutral. The damage to the vehicle was $4,300, my insurance doubled and I am lucky to be alive and that I didn't kill someone in the parking lot. Toyota has no recall for 2006 Camry but I have counted 50 to 60 plus complaints on this site alone under brakes, ignition, acceleration etc. …
On Sunday, April 7th, I was traveling westbound on the southern state parkway at exactly fifty-five MPH and exited at exit 17n. The exit ramp there is sloped uphill and parallels taylor road. There is a stop sign at the end of that ramp at hempstead avenue. Just as I was coming to the end of that ramp at very slow speed and almost to that sign, the engine suddenly sped up with extreme acceleration and the car lurched forward. I slammed my foot onto the brake pedal which kept the car from moving further forward and then before I could do anything else, the phenomenon ended and the engine returned to its normal idling speed of approximately 700 RPM on the dashboard tachometer. I drove home and parked the car in my driveway. The following morning, Monday April 8th, I made an appointment for that day to bring the car to a Toyota dealer. …
My car 2006 Toyota Camry had sudden accelerate from stopped position at a yield and hit the car in front though damage to the front car was not significant. I still could not figured it out why this would have happened since I drive carefully. No other accident on the record since I started driving from 2003. It happened around 9 am on my daily route to workplace. Recently I heard about Toyota recalls for Camry 2007 to 2010. But I am not sure if my car also have similar problem. Once I visited to service center after the incident for regular service then they mentioned that my car's brake & gas pedals need clean-up or I have to get it replaced. Since they told little higher amount I told no for repair. I am not sure if my Toyota Camry 2006 too have the problems described in recall. …
NHTSA investigations
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2006 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 108 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2006 Toyota Camry, 34% of the model year's 317 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota Camry acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2006 Toyota Camry, though it has 5 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 2006 Toyota Camry acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 64 crashes, 1 fire and 37 injuries and 2 deaths to speed control & acceleration 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.