Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's sister-in-law owns a 2008 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while his sister-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon inspecting the engine, the contact noticed there was no engine oil in the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle had consumed an excessive amount of engine oil, causing the engine to fail. The independent mechanic advised the contact to tow the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as there was no recall associated with the VIN and the vehicle warranty had expired. …
Excessive oil consumption and vehicle acts like it wants to stall when trying to take off. It stalls when trying to take off after stopping at a red light, stop sign etc. I'm also drive 50 miles daily to work and back home. I'm putting in oil about every other day. No oils on ground, changed gaskets and oil changes- excessive consumption. I bought the car in 2014 from carmax
Oil light went on. I took the car to sun Toyota, holiday, fl. They advised me to have an oil change at my expense and to come back later to see if there were any issues. I called later and they said it was too early and to come back at about 1100 miles. In the meantime, I received a letter from Toyota re. Warranty enhancement up to 10 years and 150K miles for excessive oil consumption. I was unable to return until today (3/28/15) despite my best efforts. The mileage was 1568 since the oil change and they said it was too late and outside their parameters. They would not do the test again for 6 months. I asked them to at least check the oil and they did so at my insistence and 2 quarts needed to be added and they advised me it was dangerous to drive the car with low oil and to check the oil every week and add oil as necessary. …
On dec. 27, 2018 while driving on the expressway I heard a severe/loud knocking noise in front of my vehicle that I had never heard before. I could still drive however the vehicle had slowed down and began shaking. I hurried off the expressway. I decided to to go to the Toyota dealership the street way as I was in that area. At that time I was advised that internal engine damage had occurred and the engine will have to be replaced, nothing further.the estimated cost would be $10,435. I had the vehicle towed to my home.they later indicated via email that my case would be filed with Toyota motor sales U.S.A. Inc. Under file#[redacted]. Why does a 2008 Camry ce with 60,896 miles breakdown without warning. I decided to research the matter. …
While driving highway, approx. 50 MPH, my car engine quit running with no unusual noise, no warning lights or indicators. Oil was gone, but the oil indicator light had not lighted. No warning to quit driving before engine damage was experienced. The engine has not been disassembled for definitive diagnosis, but two auto repair shops, one being a local Toyota dealer service dept., have indicated that the engine must be replaced because the engine is knocking loudly and the bearings are probably overheated and "welded" to the part surrounding them. I learned from Toyota corp. About their "excessive oil consumption" extended warranty program, but they are refusing to stand behind this defect in my car and refuse to perform repairs at their cost. …
When I took my 2008 Camry in to the dealer for an oil change they found no oil in the car. They said I needed to take an "oil consumption test". They did something to my car and I drove for another 2000 miles and brought it back in. I was told it had failed the oil consumption test and that I would be put on a waiting list for repair which is covered by an extended warranty from Toyota. I was told the wait could be as long as six months and that in the meantime if my car runs out of oil and anything happens to the engine, the warranty would be void. My car might have oil in the morning and the be completely out of oil by the afternoon. I feel I should be given a loan car to drive while I am waiting for these repairs. I contacted Toyota directly in california and they would not approve this request. The parts needed for the repair are having to be manufactured and this takes months. …
I have noticed exceessive oil consumption since 2015 is 2016 and have gone through numerous repairs only to still have the same problem. The latest estimate is for an engine replacement because after all of this time one guy actually noticed that the oil was literally burning up right after he changed the oil. I have been stranded on the interstate at night with a toddler for hours, as well as not being able to start the car at times. I have also experienced my car randomly shaking and smoking in traffic, after which the check engine light would come on. My car has been stationary for weeks at a time, most recently this past week after I was unable to find out who could fix it and not keep ripping me off. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 12V491000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the passenger's side window failed to operate correctly. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after pumping the accelerator pedal several times, the vehicle responded and operated as intended. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. …
I have owned my Camry for several years, and I bought it from the original owner (family), who purchased it new off the lot in 2009. Since 2010 the car has started to burn more and more oil. In late 2015-2016 (after the oil consumption recall was closed) my catalytic converter failed due to the oil consumption. During the recall, I had it checked by a dealership who said that it passed. At that time I was adding at least a quart every 1000 miles. They told me that was normal. Currently I run through all of the oil, mid way through the oil change period. I'm burning through roughly 4 quarts of oil every 1500 miles. It cost me over $1000 to get the catalytic converter replaced, and at this current rate I'm going to need to get the second one replaced soon. I love my car and this is the only problem I've had with it. But the rate of oil burning is excessive and needs to be fixed.
The last oil change I had with my Camry 2008 was in February 2017. After driving about 2000 miles in 1.5 months after that oil change, I began to notice my car performance had degraded so much that I decided to check the oil level. When I checked my oil level I was shock to find there was no oil on my dip stick! I went to a local auto shop to pick up 2 quarts and added to my engine. The next day I went to drop it off at a Toyota dealer to perform the oil consumption after I found out about this defect in the engine online. It failed the test. At this point my mileage was 194,600 and my cars was 7 months short of turning 10 years old. The excessive oil consumption problem had occurred well after the extended warranty of 150,000! I am out of luck and Toyota refused to service my car due to the expired warranty!! I feel cheated out of the warranty! This should have been recall. Help!
Engine complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2008 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 143 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2008 Toyota Camry, 15% of the model year's 933 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Toyota Camry engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2008 Toyota Camry, though it has 7 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 2008 Toyota Camry engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.