UsedScore

2017 Toyota Camry: Best bet

Owners filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Camry in its first five years on the road, about 26 for every 100,000 sold: 0.5× the rate of a typical Camry year. That's among the fewest of any Camry year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the air bags (15% of complaints, median 35,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.5×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Camry year
Rank
1st of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
101
first five years; 26 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
3
campaigns
7th generation, 2012–2017 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2017 Toyota Camry SE

Photo: 2017 Toyota Camry SE · MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Air bags15% · 15 complaints · median 35,000 miles
  2. Brakes18% · 18 complaints · median 32,000 miles
  3. Speed control17% · 17 complaints · median 7,000 miles
  4. Steering9% · 9 complaints · median 38,000 miles
  5. Electrical14% · 14 complaints · median 27,000 miles
  6. Body and structure10% · 10 complaints · median 22,000 miles
  7. Seats and belts4% · 4 complaints
  8. Engine6% · 6 complaints · median 40,000 miles
  9. Fuel and propulsion5% · 5 complaints
  10. Powertrain3% · 3 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Owners describe crashes, sometimes severe, in which the air bags did not deploy, leading to injuries requiring medical attention. A few also report air bags deploying unexpectedly or failing to deflate, and some mention hearing about a related recall.

Warning signs:
Most owners report no warning lights or indicators before the crash, though a few noticed a burning smell, popping sound, or an illuminated air bag warning light.
What shops did:
Some vehicles were towed and declared total losses by insurers; a few owners report dealers or the manufacturer investigated but found no fault or did not diagnose the issue.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 70,000 miles, among 16 complaints that give it

“The air bag did deployed but failed to deflate”

“The side airbags and the steering wheel airbag did not deploy”

Brakes

Owners describe brakes that intermittently fail to stop the car, sometimes with warning lights, clunking, or grinding noises, occasionally leading to crashes. Dealers often could not reproduce or permanently fix the problem, even after replacing parts.

Warning signs:
Owners report warning lights or chimes for brake, ABS and stability control, clunking or screeching noises when braking, hot wheels, and pedals that feel stuck or sink to the floor.
What shops did:
Dealers sometimes replaced brake pads, calipers, sensors, or updated the ECU, but several owners say the issue could not be duplicated or was not resolved.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 40,000 miles, among 20 complaints that give it

“Check brake system" on the dashboard and totally loss of brakes.”

“As I depressed the brake pedal, it went all the way to the floor with a noise, without braking.”

Speed control

Owners describe episodes of sudden unintended acceleration, hesitation, or loss of power, sometimes leading to collisions or near-misses. Many say dealers were unable to duplicate or fix the problem, leaving the cause unresolved.

Warning signs:
Some report warning lights (brake, ABS, stability control) illuminating, RPM surges at idle, jerking or bucking, or the pedal traveling to the floorboard before the incident.
What shops did:
Some report dealers could not duplicate or diagnose the issue; a few had the vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic or field technician with no clear resolution reported.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 30,000 miles, among 16 complaints that give it

“My car accelerated suddenly, I was not pressing gas pedal and I was able to stop barely before it hit my garage door”

“While these messages are displayed, every few miles there is an apparent loss of power, slowing the vehicle. Pressing the accelerator further does not restore power.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (3)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V503000June 20191,325 vehicles

    Equipment: other: labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 17V295000May 2017409 vehicles

    Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire

    Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.

    Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V906000December 201612 vehicles

    Air bags: knee bolster

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon, and 2017 Camry vehicles manufactured August 3, 2016, to September 12, 2016. The front passenger knee air bag module may have been attached to the lower instrument panel with incorrect fasteners.

    Risk: If the air bag was installed with incorrect fasteners, the fasteners may become loose over time, affecting the air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and if necessary, replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket and reattach the air bag assembly, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Toyota sent NHTSA 236 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2017 Camry. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • TSB003220 · August 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ?
  • 21TE04 - Dealer · December 2022DP: Although the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies are covered by Toyota?s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the…
  • T-SB-0094-21 Rev · November 2022TSB: Some 2005 ?
  • TTT063620 · March 2022TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
  • Toyota Safety Re · March 2021Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
  • T-TT-0636-20 Rev · March 2021TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
  • T-TT-0636-20 · December 2020TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
  • T-SB-0037-19 · April 2019TSB: Some 2015 ?

All 2017 Camry bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2017 Toyota Camry reliable?
Owners filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Camry in its first five years on the road, about 26 for every 100,000 sold: 0.5× the rate of a typical Camry year. That's among the fewest of any Camry year. Ratings compare Camry years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2017 Camry problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the air bags (15%), the brakes (18%) and speed control (17%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2017 Toyota Camry been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Toyota Camry, the most recent in June 2019 (equipment). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. The 2017 Toyota Camry on NHTSA.gov · How we rate