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 2010 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1)the engine died upon stopping at the stop light,but was able to start again.the engine light & stability control light came on. the service dept replaced the battery and neutral switch was also replaced. 2) check engine light & stability control light came on again in the same situation.the technician suggested to remove the aftermarket alarm system for less than $1k(6hours of labor). I took the car to alarm installer to have it remove for a fraction of the dealer's price. this time i sought the help of BAR agent.Who had not shown at the service dept according to the Technician. i provided him all the receipt I had on hand. 3. took the car to another mechanic whose diagnosis was the same as the dealers.was advised to take it back to the dealer for they do not touch something that the dealer has started. …
I am reporting a serious safety hazard involving a 2010 Toyota Camry purchased from GA Carz 4 Less, LLC through the GovDeals.com platform. The seller provided no disclosures of mechanical issues. Immediately upon receiving the vehicle, it exhibited violent engine knocking, shaking, heavy oil leakage, and repeated engine shutdowns. Two certified mechanics inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the engine has catastrophic internal damage involving camshaft timing system failure and severe internal wear. Both mechanics stated that attempting to operate the vehicle at highway speeds could have caused the engine to explode due to internal failure and pressure spikes. This was an alarming and dangerous finding, especially since the vehicle was advertised without any safety warnings or disclosures. …
I'm not sure exactly when the problems with unexpected acceleration began with this car, but they are fairly recent. All occurred when the car was stopped or moving very slowly. I do not have very good recollections of the earliest of these occurrences, but I can remember the last three clearly. The first of these was in March 2015. I was driving in an area where the speed limit was 35 MPH and had stopped for a traffic signal. I remember clearly that I had my foot solidly on the brake pedal; I had been making a special point of that as a result of the earlier occurrences. I felt the engine speed up, but the car did not move. The second occasion was on March 29th when I was driving in a residential area and had stopped at a four-way stop. I was waiting for a pedestrian (walking a dog) who was crossing the road on the opposite side from where I was stopped. …
We have owned this car since new and followed the maintenance schedule religiously. The car is at 76,000 miles and yesterday I discovered that the car had burned through 2.5 quarts of oil less than 3000 miles from the last oil change. Additionally the slave cylinder is leaking after the transmission was replaced at 23000 miles. Prior to the last 3000 miles, the car had never burned through oil between oil changes. Upon researching the issue I found that the previous generation of this engine had piston issues that Toyota eventually started fixing for free (after multiple class action suits). I took it in to my dealership and they recommended an entire engine overhaul to fix the pistons ($5000) of which they cover nothing. In addition they confirmed the slave cylinder was leaking and that the transmission would need to be overhauled a 2nd time ($2,600). …
The car maintenance has been kept up per the manufacturer and always taken to the Toyota dealer. The car was making a loud unusual noise from the engine; took it to Toyota and the oil stick was completely dry. This was after just having a routine oil change about a month earlier. About 1,000 to 1,200 miles later, the same thing, no oil on the dip stick. Interestingly, there is no oil leak in the driveway either. The service adviser explained they don't know what it could be and there was no recall on the 2010 Camry for this type issue. They topped off the oil again and said to come back at the 1,000 mile mark to have it checked again and to check it weekly as well. Made it to about 800 miles and again no oil. …
My 2010, 4 cylinder Toyota Camry is using extreme amounts of oil. It has been tested for excessive oil consumption in 5/2016 and I was told it qualified for Toyota's repair under enhanced warranty. Car was manufactured in 2009. Called 1/18/17 that they had gotten to my name on their very long list and to bring it in. After looking at the car to repair it, I was told the engine is a little different and it does not qualify for the repairs-even though it is obviously having the same problems. I was told to call corporate Toyota to see if it could be included. They said no and that I need another oiled consumption test because last one is more than 6 months old. Basically, just told that I am responsible for the repair of the extreme oil consumption (approx 1 qt/250 miles).
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that his wife informed him that, while making a turn, an abnormal clicking noise was heard and the oil warning indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving approximately 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken to Toyota of newnan [phone], 2 herring rd, newnan, ga 30265), but the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The technician added oil and advised the contact to return after driving 1,000 miles. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the piston was faulty and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 171,364.
The engine burns oil excessively over 5 qts per oil change every 5000 miles. I'm afraid this engine May fail on the highway and create unsafe situation during regular commutes . I also believe this problem is getting progressively worse, this oil burning started 4 years ago at a smaller rate 1 -2 qt per oil change now it has doubled. There has been a Toyota extended warranty issued from Toyota for this exact problem for 2009 camrys,but Toyota refuses to give this warranty to 2010 Camry owners.they say any engine damages is the customers responsibility. Toyota needs to issue another recall or warranty extension for this 2010 year and any others experiencing the same issue.
Brief engine knock/rattle noise at cold statup (1ar/2ar). Per Toyota t-sb-0041-13 -- immediately following a cold startup, some 2009-2013 model year vehicles equipped with the 1ar-fe and 2ar-fe engines May exhibit a brief knock/rattle noise from the engine compartment for approximately one second. Follow the repair procedure below to address this condition. This is due to worn / loose cam gears. A quick google search shows that this issue is rampant among many Toyota models. Toyota has issues a TSB, but not a recall. Failure of this part can cause engine stoppage while driving.
The first incident happend on 8/3/2019, my oil light blinked on and off and it was not time for an oil change. So I checked it the next day and I had no oil in my car. Well it happened again tonight 9/12/2019, I have synthetic oil and the light litteraly just came on at the 5K mark. Leaving my mom the oil light blinked on and off again. Took to oreily and I had no oil in the car. I do not have a leak so obviously my car is now burning oil like all the other complaints. Come on Toyota, you guys need to do better with this and recall the 2010's as well before I blow up my engine.
Engine complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2010 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2010 Toyota Camry, 10% of the model year's 604 complaints. The component named most often is engine (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Toyota Camry engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2010 Toyota Camry, though it has 9 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 2010 Toyota Camry engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries 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.