Is the 2009 Toyota Camry a bad year?
1,293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 248, 13× a quiet Camry year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 13× the complaints of a quiet Camry year, spread over 54k–120k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2009 Camry owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 82,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 243 (19%) | 56k–121k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 225 (17%) | 40k–97k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 126 (10%) | 40k–102k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 106 (8%) | 22k–91k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical system | 82 (6%) | 34k–103k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 66 (5%) | 36k–116k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 21 (2%) | 12k–120k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Exterior lighting | 18 (1%) | 19k–86k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 12 (1%) | 30k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 12 (1%) | 74k–149k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 266 (21%) | 8k–31k miles · mostly behind | — |
| SuspensionSTANDS OUT | 70 (5%) | 30k–56k miles · mostly behind | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 51 (4%) | 9k–41k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 47 (4%) | 25k–81k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 82,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 1,293 complaints: 151 mention a crash · 19 mention a fire · 67 report an injury · 18 say the car was towed.
12 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
This model of car has a manufacturer's defect in the pistons that is well documented in various resources, causing the engine to rapidly burn oil.
I have a 2009 Toyota Camry se with 53,000 miles on it. There was a noise coming from the engine during driving .
2 complaints: 1. When I depress the gas pedal. It sometimes get stuck where I have to press even harder and then the front wheels start spinning too rapidly.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 82,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2009 Toyota Camry: 10
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts. If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position.
The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat. If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
During assembly of the contact-type stop lamp switch, silicone grease may have come in contact with the surface of the switch which could cause contact resistance. Inoperative brake lights would not warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of a crash.
These vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
These vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. This does not meet the standard requirements.
Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.
The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Toyota: 215
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2009 Toyota Camry. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 - 2025 model year Toyota vehicles
In limited cases vehicles being serviced for ZE7 will require a replacement short block
There has been some concern with 3 Piece Ring installations for 2AZ-FE and 2AZ-FXE engines
The vehicle may be difficult to start or have an abnormally low or rough idle after the battery has been disconnected or power to the Engine ECM has been…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Power Window Master Switch Fire
Power Window Master Switch Fire
Neighbouring years
2008 Camry: 932 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2010 Camry: 604 complaints, keep it.
Every Toyota Camry year
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Questions
Is the 2009 Toyota Camry a bad year?
1,293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 248, 13× a quiet Camry year. At 82,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 13× the complaints of a quiet Camry year, spread over 54k–120k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Camry?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (243), body structure (225), visibility and wipers (126), brakes (106), electrical system (82). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 54k–120k miles.
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Camry have?
10 recall campaigns list this model year: Seats (NHTSA 16V-396), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 15V-689), Seats (NHTSA 14V-743), Seats (NHTSA 13V-014) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.