Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 721 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota Camry, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 203 | 28% |
| Power train | 54 | 7% |
| Steering | 52 | 7% |
| Service brakes | 50 | 7% |
| Seat belts | 40 | 6% |
| Air bags | 37 | 5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 23 | 3% |
| Tires | 19 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 16 | 2% |
| Equipment | 14 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owned a 2005 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that his daughter's vehicle caught on fire while parked in a residential area. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire; the contact was alerted by the fire dep
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
car caught on fire in apartment complex over night. whole car was destroyed
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Toyota Camry. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 125,647; however, the contact fo
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
When slowly finishing my entry into a parking spot and braking the car suddenly accelerated to a high speed and bolted over the curb with a planter zone into another parked car directly facing my parking lane hitting the
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Camry. The contact’s brother performed brake repair on the vehicle and added Prestone DOT 3 brake fluid to the brake reservoir. The contact stated that several days later, while driving at
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Just bought this car on 3/12/2025 Was assured nothing wrong. When taking off it goes about 8 ft then hesitates causing the car behind to almost hit me. Twice it's happened. Pulling out of busy intersections is danger
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
While going about 15MPH the car accelerated on its own . Had a hard time finally stopping vehicle breaking and put the car in neutral.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Unattended acceleration. I was on a slight incline, trying to enter the highway. I was stopped with my foot on the break with all of a sudden acceleration, and I started to surge forward. I kept my foot on the break and
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2005 Toyota Camry. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Priu
Risk: 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. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE
Risk: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPA
Risk: 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. THE SAFETY RECAL
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Risk: 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. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT S
| Reliability | 65 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 76 | good |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 81 | excellent |
| Performance | 49 | below average |
| Efficiency | 46 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 721 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and vehicle speed control is the most reported area with 203 of them (28%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 65/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 76/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2005 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.