Carlexica

2021 Toyota Camry: problems, recalls and reliability

1 recall and 165 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (54% of complaints); the 2022 model year looks more trouble-free.

Data updated weekly · 2 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Dec 2023

1
recalls
165
owner complaints
2
fire reports
28,000
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★★
5-star NHTSA overall safety ratingWeak spot: air bags (54%)2 fire reportsProblems reported early (median 28,000 mi)

Common problems

Computed from 165 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)54% · 80 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)7% · 10 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)6% · 9 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)5% · 7 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)4% · 6 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance (automatic emergency braking, sensors)4% · 6 complaints
“Power loss, had to pull off road. multiple fault codes on this event. 2 broken plastic parts in intake duct, one stuck in throttle body butterfly. cleared plastic parts from intake to get home. Later determined 2 of 4 intake resonator tube internal catch bevels broke off. The remaining 2 were very weak and easily broke off as well. Serious FOD hazard to engine!”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2026
“I went to a toyota dealership June 24th to have my car checked for the airbag recall. They told me my car did have the recall on it and that they would have to order the part. I haven't heard anything from them at all.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2026
“We ordered this car custom what we wanted 2021 Toyota Camry xse awd. The car is great wife and I love driving it. But at 68,857 miles as of today 4/29/26 it's on its second set of tires with regular maintenance and rotations on tires it's eating them up on the inside. We have had 4 alignment checked by Toyota and les Schwab and everything time it comes out perfect. Two sets of tires within 30,000 give or take is a very bad problem as both times the inside of been to the cords. The last set was only 26,000 miles and half the tire was separated tread to tire. First set every tire was down to cords on the inside.”Owner report · Tires · Apr 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“While driving down the highway, the whole car and steering wheel of 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid started shaking side to side. Was able to exit safely and found a bubble in the sidewall of the 2021 Hankook Kinergy GT H436 BW 235/45R18 tire. Never had this happen with any tire before. 31,000 miles on tire. Could have caused a blow out if the exit was further away. No notification on Toyota Camry Hybrid screen or dash that anything was wrong with the tire before failure. I will check if the tire center will inspect the tire for me when they replace it in a few days.”Owner report · Tires · Apr 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. While the contact's wife was inside the parked vehicle and attempting to open the sunroof, there was an abnormal sound coming from the sunroof while attempting to close it. The motor to open the sunroof was covered and made a sound; however, the sunroof failed to close. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the rail had seized. The contact was advised that the sunroof assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2026
“I took it to a repair shop for a transmission issue, the technician noted the transmission fluid degraded or burnt fluid or And it is causing the torque converter shudder and transmission rpm to slip”Owner report · Power Train · Feb 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer twic,e and the recall repair was not performed. The contact stated that the dealer had brushed him off. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2026
“PANORAMIC SUNROOF Because I can not afford to inspect my sunroof, I have to resort to driving with a tilted panoramic defective sunroof that will not fully close. I fear for safety while driving, or parking anywhere when having to resort to shopping for groceries, weather hazards, highway hazards, and my own personal safety. I fear it could shatter from the sounds it makes at random times. It has presented to be such a fear and impacting my life with anxiety and fear. There have been no warnings lamps, messages prior or after the failure. This has not been inspected by dealer nor insurance because I can not afford for my premiums to have a higher cost. Dealer cost is too high. Please help!!”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2026
“Transmission is staying in a higher gear at lower speeds and making vehicle shutter. You have to push on gas quite a bit to finally get it to downshift.”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2026

When filing, owners marked a crash in 21 of these complaints and injuries in 16 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Recalls - 1 campaign

Occupant classification (air bags)23V865000 · Dec 2023

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Specifications

Factory options offered for the 2021 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.

Drive type4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 · 4x2

How other years compare

Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Camry years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.

Check your exact Camry by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

Open VIN decoder

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Toyota Camry reliable?

NHTSA has 165 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2021 Toyota Camry. The most complained-about area is air bags (54% of complaints).

At what mileage do 2021 Toyota Camry problems usually appear?

Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 28,000 miles or less.

Does the 2021 Toyota Camry have open recalls?

1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning air bags. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.