2009 Toyota Camry Problems
What owners have reported about the 2009 Toyota Camry, which problems come up most, at what mileage, and which recalls to check.
From NHTSA owner complaints and recalls. Updated Oct 17, 2026.
Is the 2009 Toyota Camry a good year?
It's one of the worst years for the Camry. Owners have filed 1,293 complaints with NHTSA, the 1st most of 17 Camry model years. The most reported problems involve the acceleration and speed control, engine and body and structure.
1,293 complaints 10 recalls, 3 fire risk 1st worst of 17 Camry years
Top 2009 Toyota Camry problems
Acceleration problems
266 complaints (21%) name the acceleration and speed control, most often the accelerator pedal and cruise control.
Engine problems
252 complaints (20%) name the engine, most often the engine and cooling system.
Body problems
224 complaints (17%) name the body and structure, most often the body and dashboard.
Wiper and visibility problems
126 complaints (10%) name the wipers and visibility, most often the power window devices and controls and rear window wiper / washer.
Which parts fail most
Share of complaints that name each system. One complaint can name several.
Mileage when it failed
Each dot is a complaint that gave a mileage (918 of 1,293). The amber line is the middle value, about 50,000 miles.
When problems were reported
Complaints by the year the problem happened.
2009 Toyota Camry recalls
Seat heater / cooler
Fire riskThe 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.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory.
Recall 16V396000 · Jun 2016Power window devices and controls
Fire riskDuring 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.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge.
Recall 15V689000 · Oct 2015Seat heater / cooler
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.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge.
Recall 14V743000 · Nov 2014Sensor / control module-inactive
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. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary.
Recall 13V014000 · Jan 2013Power window devices and controls
Fire riskThe 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.
Fix: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge.
Recall 12V491000 · Oct 2012Switch
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. If this occurs, warning lamps could illuminate, a no start condition could result, the shift lever may not shift from the â“parkâ” position, or the vehicleâ’s brake lights could become inoperative. Inoperative brake lights would not warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.
Recall 12V091000 · Mar 2012Labels
110, "tire selection and rims." 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.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.
Recall 10V035000 · Feb 2010Labels
110, "tire selection and rims." 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.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge.
Recall 10V036000 · Feb 2010Accelerator pedal
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. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation (without a/c) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position. 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.
Fix: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. Gm will notify owners for the pontiac vibe please see 10v-018.
Recall 10V017000 · Jan 2010Accelerator pedal
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.
Fix: Toyota filed an amended defect report on november 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal. These changes address the risk of pedal entrapment due to interference with the floor mat.
Recall 09V388000 · Oct 2009Get an email when your 2009 Toyota Camry gets a new recall
We check NHTSA every month. If a new recall or safety investigation covers the 2009 Toyota Camry, you'll hear about it the same week.
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Camry years to avoid
Total NHTSA complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so their totals will keep climbing. See the full comparison.
2009 Toyota Camry problems by system
Common questions
Is the 2009 Toyota Camry a reliable year?
It's one of the worst years for the Camry. Owners have filed 1,293 complaints with NHTSA, the 1st most of 17 Camry model years. The most reported problems involve the acceleration and speed control, engine and body and structure.
What are the most common 2009 Toyota Camry problems?
Owners most often report problems with the acceleration and speed control, engine, body and structure and wipers and visibility. 266 complaints (21%) name the acceleration and speed control, most often the accelerator pedal and cruise control.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Camry acceleration and speed control problems start?
Reported mileage ranged widely, but most complaints fell between about 9,000–31,000 miles, with a middle value near 18,000 miles.
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Camry have?
10. Seat heater / cooler (16V396000); Power window devices and controls (15V689000); Seat heater / cooler (14V743000). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if the work was done.
Should I buy a used 2009 Toyota Camry?
Ask for service records covering the acceleration and speed control, confirm the recall work was done, and compare with the 2024, 2022 and 2023 models, which have the fewest complaints.
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls databases. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Counts include each complaint once per model year.