TOYOTA CAMRY · model year

2021 TOYOTA CAMRY

175 NHTSA complaints, 31 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2021TOYOTACAMRY carries 175 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 31 crashes, 2 fires, 19 injuries, and 1 fatality. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 CAMRY is air bags with 72 filings, followed by unknown or other (19) and service brakes (11). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2021 CAMRY, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

175
Complaints
31
Crashes
2
Fires
19
Injuries
1
Deaths
2021 TOYOTA CAMRY — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 5.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

175 filings

Crashes Reported

31 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 5/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS72
UNKNOWN OR OTHER19
SERVICE BRAKES11
POWER TRAIN8
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
ENGINE6
STEERING4
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST4
VISIBILITY/WIPER3
STRUCTURE:BODY3
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING3
SEAT BELTS3
SUSPENSION2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS2

Recalls (1)

23V86500020/12/2023

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

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 cir

Recent Complaints

20260218UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2021 Toyota Camry Transmission failure. On November 28th, 2025, my car started doing a hard shudder. I pulled over, then turned my car off. When I started my car back up, it would only drive in reverse but not forward. I had my car towed to a Toyota dealership and explained to the man at the front desk what happened. The guy went to talk to the mechanic then came back and told me that the mechanic said that there is no need to do a diagnostic test and that I just need to get another transmission. Toyota never bothered to look at my car but gave me a quote for almost $8,000, then preceeded to tell me that they may not even be able to get the transmission at all. Now, I have a car that I'm still paying for and can't drive.

20260206POWER TRAIN

2021 Camry, original owner. Maintained through lot through Toyota Care, whining noise began at 67k miles, after 3-4 years of ownership.(with in timeframe, but outside of 60k warranty) Toyota Vacaville quoted 12k for total transmission replacement.

20260204AIR BAGS

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.

20251231ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that after starting the engine, the warning message "Engine Maintenance Required" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted and informed that there were no recalls or extended warranties related to the failure. The cause of the failure was not determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 205,000.

Mileage: 205,000

20251223POWER TRAIN

My 2021 Toyota Camry Se at 79,000 miles threw a PO705 code, neutral safety switch. I replaced it with a new part and it worked for about 10 minutes and then proceeded to throw code again and slip in the transmission

20251212CrashAIR BAGS

I was 165 mph and someone hit me and threw me into a sign that had big huge poles on it all the ones in California do I went right through it got banged all around I have to say the car is a tank because it got me home but it never deployed airbags when I know that it should have I’m pretty sure any other car would have the way that mine was wreck

20251212CrashSUSPENSION

I was 165 mph and someone hit me and threw me into a sign that had big huge poles on it all the ones in California do I went right through it got banged all around I have to say the car is a tank because it got me home but it never deployed airbags when I know that it should have I’m pretty sure any other car would have the way that mine was wreck

20251208AIR BAGS

There is an airbag recall with no remedy available. I’m very concerned about driving my car without this being fixed. Toyota shows the parts should have been available by now. How can they allow this to go unfixed when they are putting lives at risk? I called my dealer and they said it wasn’t fixable yet.

20251208AIR BAGS

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 local dealer was contacted several times. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251124AIR BAGS

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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251118VISIBILITY/WIPER

Purchased this vehicle at a big dealership and driving noticed glaring across the windshield try washing not helping took vehicle to glass shop that told me windshield damaged from rock chips and was pitted all the way through and could not be repaired has to be replaced dealership refuses to replace even though it has glare in sunlight and impairs my vision when driving The custom relation manager said it would have to be shattered or cracked before they would fix she referred me to go to a tint shop to have inside tint installed to help with the glaring that’s a negative because that can make it worse for seeing this damage was not disclosed during sale so this falls under deceptive sale practice and this is bad business the vehicle has car fax report and was a commercial vehicle so this all makes sense why the windshield is as bad as it is also dealership told me to contact my insurance and deal with it that way this is a safety issue when driving and the sun makes it glare and ha

20251118UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Purchased this vehicle at a big dealership and driving noticed glaring across the windshield try washing not helping took vehicle to glass shop that told me windshield damaged from rock chips and was pitted all the way through and could not be repaired has to be replaced dealership refuses to replace even though it has glare in sunlight and impairs my vision when driving The custom relation manager said it would have to be shattered or cracked before they would fix she referred me to go to a tint shop to have inside tint installed to help with the glaring that’s a negative because that can make it worse for seeing this damage was not disclosed during sale so this falls under deceptive sale practice and this is bad business the vehicle has car fax report and was a commercial vehicle so this all makes sense why the windshield is as bad as it is also dealership told me to contact my insurance and deal with it that way this is a safety issue when driving and the sun makes it glare and ha

20251024AIR BAGS

I own a 2021 Toyota Camry XSE (VIN: [XXX] ) with a malfunction in the SRS airbag system related to the front passenger seat frame Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor. The airbag warning light remains on, and diagnostics indicate a failure in the OCS sensor that could prevent the passenger airbag from deploying correctly, or could deploy it at the wrong time during a collision. I contacted Toyota for assistance, but they declined to cover the repair, stating the vehicle is out of warranty and not covered under any current recall or extended warranty. However, this is a critical safety issue that affects the airbag system’s ability to protect occupants properly. I’ve discovered that Toyota has already issued multiple airbag- and sensor-related recalls in recent years, including: – The Takata inflator recall, affecting many Toyota models for potentially explosive airbag inflators. – A December 2023 recall for approximately 1 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles (model years 2

20251016AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, parts for the recall repair were not yet available. In addition, the contact stated that several times the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a scheduled service appointment, and the contact was informed that the parts were still not available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the recall was initiated in 2023, and that parts were still not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure regarding the unrepaired recall.

20251015FireSTEERING

Upon driving the vehicle the steering wheel fluid light came on, the car instantly shut off and restarted 3 times repeatedly. Once it cut back on the 4th time the car began smoking from the interior. Once I exited the vehicle and popped the trunk looking for where the smoke was coming from. The car engulfed into flames. It is so badly burnt up you can’t see what started the fire.

20251009UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The subject vehicles have Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat, that could have been improperly manufactured. i have not received a Recall Notice advising of the repair since i bought the vehicle.

20251002CrashAIR BAGS

I was involved in a multi-impact collision while driving my 2021 Toyota Camry. Certified crash data from the Airbag Control Module (ACM) confirms five crash events including a frontal collision (delta-V of -9.3 mph) and a rollover (roll angle 9.8°, roll rate 45.6°/sec). Despite these conditions, no airbags deployed—not the frontal, knee, or curtain airbags. The driver was belted, there was no airbag warning light, and power was maintained. Toyota later stated the system worked “as designed” and found no defects. However, federal safety standards (FMVSS No. 208 and 226) suggest this type of crash should have triggered the airbags, especially due to the frontal delta-V and verified rollover. I request a formal investigation. Crash report available upon request.

20251002CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

I was involved in a multi-impact collision while driving my 2021 Toyota Camry. Certified crash data from the Airbag Control Module (ACM) confirms five crash events including a frontal collision (delta-V of -9.3 mph) and a rollover (roll angle 9.8°, roll rate 45.6°/sec). Despite these conditions, no airbags deployed—not the frontal, knee, or curtain airbags. The driver was belted, there was no airbag warning light, and power was maintained. Toyota later stated the system worked “as designed” and found no defects. However, federal safety standards (FMVSS No. 208 and 226) suggest this type of crash should have triggered the airbags, especially due to the frontal delta-V and verified rollover. I request a formal investigation. Crash report available upon request.

20250922AIR BAGS

THIS FIRST PORTION OF THE DESCRIPTION IF AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION FROM THE LATTER PART, WHICH WAS RECEIVED IN SPANISH. Complaint to NHTSA – Unresolved Recall on 2021 Toyota Camry I own a used 2021 Toyota Camry purchased from an authorized Toyota dealer. After purchase, I discovered that the vehicle has an open recall related to the airbag system. According to information from NHTSA, there is currently no solution available from the manufacturer. My concern is twofold: 1. The vehicle makes a constant daily noise, apparently related to the problem reported in the recall, which increases my distrust in the car's safety. 2. The dealership did not inform me before purchase about the existence of this active, unrepaired recall, which I consider a serious lack of transparency and a safety risk to consumers. This puts me in a situation of road safety concerns, as I am driving a vehicle that does not meet minimum safety standards due to a defect recognized by the manufacturer, but with no

20250918AIR BAGS

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Compare 2021TOYOTACAMRY to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY have?
The 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY has 175 NHTSA complaints, 31 crashes, 2 fires, 19 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY?
The 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 5/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY?
Yes, the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY?
The most-complained component for the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY is AIR BAGS with 72 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.