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Toyota · 7th gen (XV50) · 2012–2017

Toyota Camry (2012–2017): Problems, Reliability & Repair Costs

The XV50 Camry is one of the safest used-car bets of its decade — boring on purpose and built to run forever. The two things that separate a great one from a tired one are the 2.5L four-cylinder's appetite for oil on early cars and a torque-converter shudder in the 6-speed automatic as miles pile up. Pick a clean V6 or a later four with a documented piston-ring repair and you've got a 250k-mile car.

8/10 CarCaseFile
reliability score

Engines

  • 2AR-FE — 2.5L gasoline, 178 hp
  • 2GR-FE — 3.5L gasoline, 268 hp
  • 2AR-FXE (hybrid) — 2.5L hybrid, 200 hp

Transmissions

  • U760E — automatic, 6-speed
  • cvt

Drivetrain

FWD

Body

sedan

Should you buy a 2012–2017 Toyota Camry?

Buy it with confidence — this is one of the most dependable used sedans you can find, and there's no single landmine year to fear the way some cars have. Two things deserve a check. First, the 2.5L four in 2012–2014 cars can burn oil from worn piston rings; Toyota covered it under a warranty extension, so confirm either that the car doesn't consume oil or that the ring repair was done. Second, the 6-speed automatic can develop a torque-converter shudder with age — a fluid service often quiets it. If you want to skip both worries entirely, the 3.5L V6 cars are bulletproof and only a little thirstier. The Hybrid is also an excellent, trouble-light buy.

Best years

2015, 2016, 2017

Years to avoid

2012–2014 2.5L (oil-consumption risk unless ring repair is documented)

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

  • ☐On 2012–2014 2.5L cars: ask to see oil-change records and check the dipstick — a car a quart low between changes points to the piston-ring oil-consumption issue.
  • ☐Confirm by VIN at a Toyota dealer whether the oil-consumption warranty-extension repair (piston rings/valve seals/PCV) was performed.
  • ☐Test-drive at 25–50 mph under light throttle and feel for a shudder or 'rumble-strip' vibration — the classic U760E torque-converter symptom.
  • ☐Pull the transmission dipstick or have the fluid checked; dark, burnt-smelling fluid means a neglected gearbox.
  • ☐Listen for a brief knock/rattle on a genuine cold start (the camshaft timing-gear noise on early 2.5L cars).
  • ☐Run the Takata airbag VIN check on toyota.com/recall — confirm the airbag inflator recall has been completed.
  • ☐Test all power-window switches and watch for any steering-assist warning lights; verify open recalls are closed.
  • ☐On the Hybrid, confirm the hybrid battery holds charge and the car still returns strong mpg.

Common Toyota Camry problems & repair costs

Excessive oil consumption (2.5L 2AR-FE)

$1,500–$3,500
engine severe 2012–2014 (2.5L) ~60k–150k mi

Symptoms: The engine quietly uses oil — often a quart or more between oil changes, sometimes with no visible leak and little smoke. Left unchecked, low oil can lead to engine damage. The cause is worn/stuck low-tension oil-control rings letting oil into the combustion chamber.

Fix: Toyota issued a warranty extension covering the repair (replacing piston rings, valve seals, and the PCV valve) within an extended window on affected engines — many cars were fixed at no cost. Out of coverage, the ring job is labor-intensive; a worn engine may instead be managed by checking oil frequently or replaced with a used/reman unit.

Sources: ToyotaNation forum — 2AR-FE oil consumption, CarComplaints — Toyota Camry

Torque-converter shudder (U760E 6-speed automatic)

$250–$2,500
transmission moderate 2012–2017

Symptoms: A shudder or vibration — many owners describe it as driving over rumble strips — felt under light-to-moderate throttle around 25–50 mph as the torque-converter lock-up clutch engages. It tends to appear after 80k–120k miles.

Fix: Toyota's first step (per TSB) is a full Toyota WS fluid flush, which often resolves a mild shudder ($250–$450). If the shudder returns, the fix is torque-converter replacement, and in stubborn cases a transmission rebuild — that's where the high end of the range lives.

Sources: Camry Forums — U760E transmission shudder, ToyotaNation — torque-converter shudder fix

Cold-start knock/rattle (camshaft timing gear)

$400–$1,200
engine minor 2012–2014 (2.5L)

Symptoms: A brief knock or rattle for a second or two on a cold start, from the front of the 2.5L engine. It usually quiets once the engine warms and oil pressure builds. Toyota traced it to the camshaft timing-gear assembly.

Fix: Toyota addressed the noise in TSB T-SB-0041-13 with a revised camshaft timing-gear assembly. The noise is more annoying than dangerous on most cars, but a worsening rattle warrants inspection before it becomes a real problem.

Sources: Samarins — Toyota Camry 2012–2017 problems, TheWeeklyDriver — 2012–2017 Camry engine problems

Takata front airbag inflator (safety recall)

$0–$0
safety safety 2012–2017 (specific VINs)

Symptoms: No driving symptom — the danger is in a crash. Affected Takata inflators can rupture when the airbag deploys, firing metal fragments at occupants. Affected VINs were recalled.

Fix: The fix is free at any Toyota dealer — the inflator is replaced under the recall. Always run the VIN through Toyota's recall lookup before buying and confirm any airbag recall is completed.

Sources: Toyota — Takata airbag safety recall, NHTSA — recalls by VIN

Electric power-steering (EPS) faults / loss of assist

$300–$1,500
steering moderate 2012–2017

Symptoms: Owner reports range from the steering wheel suddenly tightening or losing assist at speed, to warning lights (ABS/brake/traction) appearing with a heavy wheel. Some cases trace to the power-steering ECU; a 2015-only recall (F0J) addressed a specific ECU defect.

Fix: Diagnose first — many warning-light events are sensor- or software-related and cleared cheaply. A genuinely failed EPS ECU or steering-rack assembly is the expensive end. On 2014–2015 cars, confirm whether recall F0J applies and was completed.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2013 Camry steering, NHTSA — recall 15V144 (F0J power steering ECU)

This is a cheap car to live with. Parts are everywhere and inexpensive, maintenance is simple, and both the 2.5L and the V6 are timing-chain engines with no timing belt to budget for. Outside the oil-consumption repair on early fours and a possible transmission service, most spend is ordinary wear — brakes, tires, a battery, and fluid changes. Keep the engine oil topped and the transmission fluid serviced, and these routinely clear 200,000 miles. The V6 and Hybrid in particular have very few chronic issues.

DIY repairs & parts

Drain-and-fill the automatic transmission fluid (U760E)

moderate 1–1.5 hrs saves ~$120–$250

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Socket set + 24mm for drain/fill plugs, Fluid pump / funnel, Drain pan

  1. Warm the car briefly, then raise and support it level on jack stands.
  2. Place the drain pan, remove the drain plug, and let the old WS fluid drain fully; measure how much comes out.
  3. Reinstall the drain plug, then remove the fill plug on the side of the transmission.
  4. Pump in the same measured amount of fresh Toyota WS (or equivalent) fluid through the fill hole.
  5. With the engine running and the trans at temperature, cycle the gear selector, then top up until fluid just trickles from the fill/overflow — and reinstall the plug.
  6. Repeat the drain-and-fill once or twice over a few weeks to refresh more of the fluid; a mild shudder often eases.

Parts

Engine oil + filter change

easy 30 min saves ~$40–$90

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands or ramps, Oil filter cap wrench (cartridge filter), Drain pan + funnel

  1. Raise the front, remove the under-tray access panel, and drain the oil from the pan plug.
  2. Use the cap-style filter wrench to remove the cartridge oil-filter housing; replace the cartridge and O-rings.
  3. Reinstall the drain plug with a fresh washer and the filter housing, then refill with the spec'd 0W-20.
  4. Run the engine, check for leaks, then recheck the level on the dipstick — and on early 2.5L cars, start tracking consumption between changes.

Parts

Cabin & engine air filter change

easy 20 min saves ~$50–$110

Tools: Hands only (some trims need a small screwdriver)

  1. Open the glovebox, squeeze the side stops to drop it down, and pull out the cabin-filter cover.
  2. Slide out the old cabin filter and insert the new one with the airflow arrow pointing down.
  3. For the engine filter, unclip the airbox lid, drop in the new panel filter, and re-clip the lid.

Parts

Some parts links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only list parts that fit this generation.

The short version

The 2012–2017 Toyota Camry is the definition of a safe used-car buy — plain, durable, cheap to run, and built to clear 200,000 miles without drama. There’s no single year to fear here the way some cars have a “bad” model year. But two things are worth knowing before you hand over money.

First, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder in 2012–2014 cars can burn oil — sometimes a quart or more between changes — because of worn oil-control piston rings. Toyota covered the repair under a warranty extension, so the question is simply whether this car was fixed or doesn’t have the issue.

Second, the 6-speed automatic can develop a torque-converter shudder as the miles climb, felt like a faint rumble-strip vibration around 25–50 mph. A fluid service often calms it.

What that means when you’re shopping

If you’re looking at a 2015–2017 car, you’ve cleared most of the oil-consumption window — buy on condition and maintenance history like any used car. If you’re looking at a 2012–2014 2.5L, treat the oil burn as the first thing to check: ask for oil-change records, look at the dipstick, and have a Toyota dealer confirm by VIN whether the ring repair was done.

Want to skip both worries? The 3.5L V6 is one of Toyota’s most bulletproof engines and avoids the four-cylinder’s oil issue entirely. The Hybrid is just as trouble-light and returns excellent mileage.

On every car, run the Takata airbag VIN check and confirm the recall is completed — that’s a safety item, not a maintenance one. Beyond that, this generation is ordinary, well-understood, easy-to-keep transportation. None of these issues should scare you off a clean example.

How this file is built: failure modes and cost ranges are compiled from NHTSA complaint and recall data, Toyota’s own warranty-extension and TSB actions, and owner reporting, then sanity-checked against shop-floor experience. Cost figures are independent-shop estimates and vary by region. Spot something off? Tell us.

Viral car myths, checked

Frequently asked questions

Which 2012–2017 Toyota Camry years should I avoid?

There's no year to outright avoid — this is a very reliable generation. The one caution is the 2012–2014 2.5L four-cylinder, which can burn oil from worn piston rings. On those cars, verify the engine doesn't consume oil or that Toyota's ring repair was done. 2015–2017 cars and any V6 or Hybrid are the safest picks.

Is the Camry oil-consumption problem covered by Toyota?

Toyota issued a warranty extension covering the piston-ring/valve-seal/PCV repair on affected 2.5L engines, and many cars were fixed at no cost within that window. If a car is now outside coverage, the repair is on you — which is exactly why you check for oil consumption before buying.

What is the transmission shudder, and is it serious?

It's a vibration — often described as driving over rumble strips — felt around 25–50 mph under light throttle as the torque-converter lock-up clutch engages, usually after 80k–120k miles. A full transmission-fluid service frequently quiets a mild case. If it persists, the torque converter (and rarely the transmission) needs work.

How many miles will a 2012–2017 Camry last?

A maintained Camry of this generation routinely reaches 200,000–250,000 miles and often more. The V6 and Hybrid are especially durable. Keep the oil topped (watch early 2.5L cars), service the transmission fluid, and most of these cars die of rust or neglect long before the drivetrain gives out.

Four-cylinder, V6, or Hybrid — which should I buy?

The 2.5L four is the cheapest and most common; just check it for oil use on early cars. The 3.5L V6 is smooth, quick, and remarkably trouble-free if you want to sidestep the four-cylinder concerns. The Hybrid is the mileage champ with a durable battery and very few chronic issues — an excellent buy if the price is right.