2020 Toyota Camry
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 274 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 17th highest complaint count among 25 Camry model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 14 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 22 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 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.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 4, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Campaign 20V682000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine coolingFeb 6, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.
A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.
Campaign 20V064000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
33 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Sep 16, 2026
The transmission is premature wearing due to excessive heat causing pump to overheat
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 11, 2026
The vehicle contains a known manufacturing defect where the engine coolant bypass valve cracks internally, leaking pressurized fluid directly into the main electrical connector (covered under Toyota CSP 24TE04). This fluid intrusion has caused active electrical short-circuits to the battery and ground networks. As a direct result of this progressive component failure, the vehicle is actively dropping into 'Limp Mode' and experiencing severe transmission shifting failures while being driven on public roads, creating an immediate safety and crash hazard. Furthermore, a franchised Toyota dealership actively turned away an attempted preventive repair under the 'Prior Sought Remedy' rule while the vehicle was under the 100,000-mile warranty threshold, stating the dashboard light had to be on first, which directly allowed this hazardous electrical degradation to progres
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 30, 2026
Went in to get a service done for my vehicle and all the highlighted areas were the problem. They stated models from 2019-2022 The Camrys all have had transmission issues. I still have my car and it’s working, but I don’t want to pay for a new transmission when Toyal manufacturing has been aware of these models and issues.
Power train, Jun 25, 2026
Transmission is making a whining sound when accelerating. The car only has 99,000 miles on it.
Power train, Jun 19, 2026
Torque convertor issues when driving 30-50 mph
Power train, May 26, 2026
Transmission began failing. Whining coming from transmission when accelerating and shifting becoming more rough. Dealership said transmission is failing and needs to be replaced. Mileage is at 89,000 miles. Rough shifter made it dangerous to drive on the highways. Was inspected by warranty adjuster. No warning lamps or lights ever appeared.
Power train, May 21, 2026
This 2020 Camry's transmission will be fine and then when you let off the throttle it will begin to slow as it should. However, when you reapply the throttle the transmission slams very forefully into gear and jolts the car forward violently. Idl'd heard about this on numsrous Camry's before, but until I owned one I had no idea how bad this is... it is not safe. Toyota needs to correct this problem for all their vehicles.
Power train, May 14, 2026
The check engine light illuminated on my 2020 Toyota Camry XSE 2.5L with approximately 132,798 miles. An OBD2 scan revealed fault code P26AE — Engine Coolant Bypass Valve 'B' Control Circuit High. This is a known widespread defect affecting 2018-2022 Toyota Camry, RAV4, and Corolla vehicles equipped with the 2.5L Dynamic Force engine. The plastic valve casing is prone to cracking, allowing coolant to seep into the electrical connector and corrode the pins, triggering the fault. Toyota has acknowledged this issue through a Customer Support Program offering free replacement on qualifying vehicles, however many owners are still being quoted $900-$1,300 at dealerships. The faulty valve affects the engine coolant flow control system and transmission cooling circuit. Warning light appeared suddenly after a routine fuel fill. Vehicle has not yet been inspected by dealer. Component is available for inspection upon request."
Power train, Mar 14, 2026
I purchased my vehicle from a certified used car dealership in Connecticut in 2020 with a little over 1800 miles. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been very reluctant to down shift and had slight transmission whine. I was notified of a recall for I believe the TCM a few months after purchasing it, which i had remedied by the dealership. Over the years, my car has been maintained completely to Toyotas manufacturer standard. Around 50,000 miles i started experiencing shuddering during shifts and slipping during shifts and a louder whine Around 89,000 miles my transmission symptoms worsened. Sporadic shifting, obvious whine, grinding and clunking during shifts and shifting between gears, and clicking from a stop. At 97k i serviced the transmission fluid which seemed to help a little bit but did not get rid of the symptoms fully. The fluid was dark brown, which was serviced 3,000 miles before Toyotas recommended interval. I then replaced the driver side cv axle shaft which also did not remedy any symptoms and i was notified by my shop that it was premature transmission failure. Now at 100,998 miles, my transmission grinds and clunks during all lower gear shifts, will shift through gears while maintaining steady speed, and whines audibly from the exterior and interior. My car is still running and driving for now, but after research this is a very common issue with the UA80E transmission and Toyota has knowingly sold these cars with these production errors putting people at risk of injury and financial nightmares.
Power train, Feb 5, 2026
Around 67,000 miles I've been noticing a whining sound whenever accelerating. Sound disappears whenever foot is off the gas pedal.
Power train, Jan 8, 2026
My 2020 Toyota Camry is experiencing a premature and progressive transmission failure that creates serious safety risks. Symptoms include hesitation and loss of power during acceleration, harsh and delayed shifting, RPMs increasing without vehicle movement, failure to properly engage gears (including reverse), and loud whining/grinding noises. These issues make the vehicle unsafe to drive, especially when merging, crossing intersections, or accelerating from a stop. Toyota and the dealership have confirmed the transmission is failing, yet Toyota has stated that no new or used replacement transmission is available and no repair timeline exists. The vehicle was returned to me despite being unsafe. Toyota has provided no transportation assistance, no repair ETA, and no remedy, leaving me with an undrivable vehicle and ongoing financial obligations. I am aware of numerous similar consumer complaints and ongoing litigation involving Toyota’s 8-speed automatic transmissions exhibiting the same symptoms. This appears to be a systemic defect that poses a safety risk to drivers and the public. I am requesting NHTSA review and investigation.
Power train, Dec 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while the local dealer was performing preventive maintenance on the vehicle, there was an abnormal winding sound detected. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had not experienced a failure prior to the service appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Dec 8, 2025
Have whining from transmission. When trying to accelerate the car does not shift into gears correctly and there is hesitance and delay. Have issues merging on highway and regular traffic due to hesitance and delay. Car can jerk when accelerating. Had dealership inspect twice at different dates. The dealership said nothing was wrong and that the hesitance and delay was just how the car operates. Discovered that other Toyota Camry's had same issue under T-SB-0008-21. Would like for our model year Toyota Camry be added for repairs.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Dec 5, 2025
My 2020 Toyota Camry SE suffered a sudden and premature transmission failure at only 114,000 miles. I am a college student and I cannot afford a major repair like this on top of my monthly car payment. The car began showing hesitation and sluggish acceleration on cold starts for a few months, but then suddenly went into limp mode with the Check Engine and Traction Control lights on. The screen displayed a warning saying ‘Malfunction in the electronic control of the engine/throttle/transmission.’ The vehicle became unsafe to drive because it would barely accelerate. If this had happened while I was merging onto a highway, it could have caused an accident. Lakeland Toyota told me the transmission has ‘internal failure’ and quoted me over $8,000 for a replacement. They did not provide detailed diagnostic codes or open the transmission to confirm the mechanical failure — they just saw a code and declared it dead. As a student with limited income, this puts me in a terrible financial situation. I still owe monthly payments on this car and now cannot even drive it. After researching online, I learned that MANY 2018–2020 Camry owners are experiencing similar transmission problems (UA80/UA80E), including hesitation, shuddering, harsh shifting, and early failure. Some owners have reported full transmission failure under 100k miles. There is even a public petition documenting these issues. This appears to be a PATTERN, not an isolated case. A transmission should NOT fail this early on a Toyota, and this sudden loss of power poses a serious safety risk. The vehicle is currently at a transmission specialist for a second opinion, but this may become a widespread issue affecting thousands of Camry owners. I am asking NHTSA to investigate the 2018–2020 Camry transmission problems before more drivers experience unexpected failures in traffic
Power train, Dec 2, 2025
transmission just stopped shifting yes its available for inspection. car suddenly wouldnt accelaerate on the highway. independant service center. has not been inspected by them. no warning lights prior to the incident also the junkyards want double the amount of money for these transmissions cause they say theyre in high demand because they tend to fail
Power train, Oct 6, 2025
2020 Toyota Camry 8 speed transmission hesitant and jerking This has led to me being unable to avoid accidents. It is unsafe to accelerate to avoid bad situations. Car has been back to Toyota and they can’t find the cause of the issue but have been able to reproduce it.
Power train, Oct 1, 2025
Transmission failed on a major parkway. A loud noise was heard and engine over-revved. Car started to vibrate and no forward gears worked. I had to drift across two lanes of a coming high speed traffic with no drive power. I eventually got to the side of the road. I put my hazards in as soon as it happened. The vehicle was towed to the location from which it was purchased new in 2020, and serviced at all intervals. The dealership has changed ownership and is now Ourisman Toyota of Richmond. They ran a diagnostic and confirmed that the transmission has failed. There were no warning lamps, however the day prior I noticed the transmission shifting seemed off. I made an appointment to take the car in for checking at the earliest available date. However the failure occurred two days before this date.the car’s mileage is just under 85k. We purchased a 6yr 75k VSP warranty however it has expired by mileage. Car is still financed by Toyota financing. Problem has been reported to Toyota Brand engagement center and has been escalated. We have not received a resolution yet and the case is still in queue after 3 business days:
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 24, 2025
Started vehicle and went to back up. Car slammed into reverse and disply showed Drive start control malfunction. The service engine light came on. I removed the battery to reset the error message and the following dayi took it to the dealership. They checked it out and told me that they didnt find anything wrong with it since it wasnt displaying a service engine light. So i went home with it. The next day it did it again so i took it back to them while the condition was happening. Which insisted of the error message, serv eng light, gearshift indicator displaying drive and park at the same time. Also the door locks were continually locking and unlocking. They put a new water valve plus a neut switch assy and a new xmission lever in it and told me it was fixed. I picked it up and the next day it did it again. Returned it to them and they said that the new part was possibly bad from Toyota, ordered a new one, put it in and said it was all good now. I picked car up and 9 months later its happening again. Not sure what to do. Please help
Power train, Feb 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that upon approaching the vehicle, the contact became aware of an excessive fluid leak underneath the transmission. The contact decided not to drive the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission oil pump seal. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact filed a claim with the manufacturer; however, the claim was declined. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Power train, Jan 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the failure cause was unidentifiable. The dealer informed the contact that the engine might need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the parts would not be available until March 2025. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.
Power train, Jan 21, 2025
Driving normal about 60mph. Car seems to go into limp mode with no acceleration response. Toyota confirms the clutch actuator is failing causing the vehicle to not have acceleration pressure and that the transmission needs to be replaced. There are no indications or lights showing a malfunction and acceleration from a stop can be unresponsive. Turning the vehicle off and on will temporarily reset the car without issue. This problem is intermittent but increasing in frequency.
Power train, Engine, Jan 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
Power train, Jan 13, 2025
There is a progressing whine sound when accelerating, it's a common sign of a transmission failing, others online have described the same issue and they had to replace their transmission, I'd be worried about my transmission failing mid drive and not being able to control the car.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 11, 2024
took my 2020 Camry to Toyota they told me the catalytic converter had issues and the engine cooling bypass valve as well. They also stated that they have a ton of Camrys and rav 4 coming in with the same issue
Power train, Electrical system, May 30, 2024
While driving my car lost all power and my check engine light came on saying it needed to go to Toyota for inspection!