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Reliability report · 2019 Toyota Camry · Updated July 2026 · ~$1,950/yr fuel · what it costs to keep →

The redesign settling down — screen the eight-speed and verify the free recalls, and it's a strong used buy.

The 2019 is the 2018 with a year of running changes: fewer complaints overall, same shape. The eight-speed automatic is again the largest cluster — the accelerator-linked whine, hesitation, and out-of-warranty failures carry over, and Toyota still offers no warranty program to catch them.

But the mechanic view keeps this a Chirping year rather than a Squawking one: a shop that sees these transmissions constantly puts Camry failures at roughly a tenth the rate of the V6 Highlander that shares the design, notes that most of the low-speed jerkiness owners report is normal, and says 60,000-mile fluid changes largely prevent trouble. So screen it — warm the car, accelerate, listen for the whine, confirm the fluid was serviced — and handle the rest with free recalls for the fuel pump, the brake vacuum pump, and (on the hybrid) a fuel-filler pipe that can leak. A clean 2019 is a lot of car for the money.

Evidence: 395 NHTSA complaints · 6 recall campaigns · 5 mechanic & forum sources

Canary status

Chirping

What that means: Second year of the eighth generation: complaints fall to roughly half the 2018 (395 total). The eight-speed automatic is still the top cluster and worth a deliberate test drive, but mechanics who see these daily report the four-cylinder Camry's transmission failing far less than the volume alone suggests. The recalls — fuel pump, brake vacuum pump, and a hybrid fuel-filler fire risk — are free fixes.

CalmChirpingSquawkingFainted

395

Federal complaints

6

Recalls

$3,000–$9,000

Out-of-warranty transmission replacement

Federal crash tests

5-star scale
Overall
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover

Tested variant: 2019 Toyota Camry 4 DR FWD (NHTSA VehicleId 13200)

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) →

Known issues

Ranked by the cost of ignoring them. Every claim carries its source.

Eight-speed automatic — screen it, but keep it in perspective

major

The eight-speed automatic is again the top complaint cluster on the 2019, in the same two forms as 2018: normal-but-annoying jerky low-speed shifting (first gear's high ratio makes it lurch off the line), and the failure tell — a whining noise that rises with the accelerator and fades off-throttle, appearing around 60,000 miles. Toyota has no warranty extension, and a class-action alleges premature fluid burning. The reassuring context from mechanics: the four-cylinder Camry's UB80 fails far less than the V6 Highlander's UA80; the worst of the acceleration whine was concentrated in early 2018 builds that Toyota later revised; and much of the odd shifting is an adaptive trait a dealer resets with a scan tool, not a fault. Fluid service is the main preventive (though not a guarantee). Screen it — warm the car fully, accelerate, listen for the whine, feel for hesitation — and weigh mileage and fluid history, because a replacement is quoted at $3,000 up to $7,000–$9,000.

Fluid service (prevention, DIY-able)

$150–$300

Dealer transmission-memory reset (adaptive relearn)

$0–150

Out-of-warranty transmission replacement

$3,000–$9,000

Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2019 Camry and Camry Hybrid · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (8th-gen Camry 8-speed, incl. shop teardown)

Low-pressure fuel pump — stall recall (20V682)moderate

The 2019 is squarely inside the Denso low-pressure fuel-pump recall: the in-tank pump can fail and stall the engine while driving. Toyota replaces it with an improved pump free, and a December 2022 federal settlement created a support program for 2014–2020 cars tied to the campaign. Confirm the remedy was performed by VIN.

Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2019 Camry and Camry Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (fuel-pump settlement; UB80 transmission tech tip)

$0

Recall pump replacement

Brake vacuum pump — loss of assist recall (21V890)moderate

As on the 2018, the 2019's brake booster vacuum pump can lose assist if the vane cap breaks. Toyota's remedy is a free repair or replacement. It's an easy VIN check and a free fix — just make sure it shows closed.

Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2019 Camry and Camry Hybrid

$0

Recall pump repair/replacement

Hybrid fuel-filler pipe — fire-risk recall (19V097)moderate

On the 2019 Camry Hybrid (and Avalon Hybrid), the fuel filler pipe may not have been properly reconnected to the tank during a post-assembly inspection, which can leak fuel near an ignition source. Toyota inspects and replaces the pipe as needed, free. It's specific to the hybrid — verify 19V097 is closed on any 2019 hybrid.

Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2019 Camry and Camry Hybrid

$0

Recall inspection/replacement

Occupant-classification airbag (recall 19V567)moderate

Some 2019 Camrys had the occupant-classification system miscalibrated, which can keep the front passenger and knee airbags from deploying as designed. Free recalibration, no warning light — so this is a VIN-only check. Confirm it was performed.

Sources: NHTSA complaint and recall databases, 2019 Camry and Camry Hybrid

$0

Recall recalibration

For every 10 2020–2022 Highlanders with a whining transmission, we maybe will see one Camry from 2018 and up with a transmission issue.
5 mechanic & owner sources

Open recalls

Free fixes at any Toyota dealer. Run the VIN — “completed” isn’t always completed.

  1. 20V682Low-pressure (Denso) fuel pump may fail and stall the engine (2018–2020). Free pump replacement; related federal settlement added a support program.open
  2. 21V890Vacuum pump vane cap may break, causing loss of brake assist (2018–2019). Free repair/replacement.open
  3. 19V567Occupant-classification system may be miscalibrated; passenger/knee airbags may not deploy as intended. Free recalibration.open
  4. 19V097Hybrid only: fuel filler pipe may not be properly reconnected to the tank and can leak fuel — fire risk. Free inspection/replacement.open
  5. 19V244Gulf States Toyota load-capacity label text may become illegible. Free corrected labels.open
  6. 19V503Southeast Toyota factory floor-mat load-capacity label may be incorrect (2017–2019). Free corrected label.open

What it costs to keep

The purchase price is what you negotiate. These are the numbers you live with afterward — each one sourced, none of them blended into a fake total.

The ownership picture — 2019 Camry

Three sourced numbers. No fake total.

Fuel

32 MPG combined (28 city / 39 highway) for the FWD, 2.5L on the EPA federal fuel-economy test.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (EPA) — EPA’s federal fuel-economy test, recomputed with current gas prices. EPA record 40605 (Camry LE/SE).
Other builds EPA lists: FWD, 3.5L 26 MPG · Hybrid FWD, 2.5L 46 MPG.

$1,950/yr

at $4.15/gal · 15,000 mi/yr · 55/45 city/hwy · pulled Jul 12, 2026

Theft

Stolen at about the average rate.

Source: HLDI — the insurance industry’s loss-data institute — HLDI whole vehicle theft losses, 2019–21 models, published April 2022 (report WT-21). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Toyota Camry.
Other series: Toyota Camry hybrid 77, where 100 = average.

108 vs 100

8% above average

Repair risk

What this specific year is known to need. Pulled from the issues above — the repairs owners actually report, at the costs they report them. Averages from other sites blend every year together; these are this year’s own numbers.

Source: this report — 01 Known issues.

Fluid service (prevention, DIY-able)$150–$300
Dealer transmission-memory reset (adaptive relearn)$0–150
Out-of-warranty transmission replacement$3,000–$9,000
Recall pump replacement$0
Recall pump repair/replacement$0
Recall inspection/replacement$0
Recall recalibration$0
Why there’s no single “cost to own” number: sites that promise one are guessing at your insurance quote, your annual miles, and your luck. These are the numbers we can actually source — and each one carries its receipt.

Shopping this year?

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Have a specific one in your sights?

The VIN is on the listing. We’ll check this exact car — build, open recalls, and whether the “completed” repairs stayed fixed.

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Before you buy

Print this
  1. 01Screen the transmission: warm the car, accelerate, and listen for an accelerator-linked whine — that's the failure tell. Jerky low-speed shifting by itself is normal.
  2. 02Ask whether the transmission fluid was changed around 60k; it's the main preventive against the whine-to-failure path.
  3. 03Run the VIN for the free recalls: 20V682 (fuel pump), 21V890 (brake vacuum pump), 19V567 (airbag calibration), and on a hybrid 19V097 (fuel-filler pipe).
  4. 04Confirm the airbag calibration recall specifically — it gives no warning light.
  5. 05On a hybrid, verify the fuel-filler recall is closed and check for any fuel odor at the filler.

Own one already?

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