This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Toyota Camry engine problems
severe Owners of the 2015 Toyota Camry have filed 17 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 20,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Camry | 28 |
| 2012 Camry | 32 |
| 2013 Camry | 13 |
| 2015 Camry (this page) | 17 |
| 2016 Camry | 8 |
| 2017 Camry | 9 |
| 2018 Camry | 49 |
| 2019 Camry | 32 |
1crash
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 17 engine complaints filed for the 2015 Toyota Camry, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024. These products are ordered through the Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) website.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Any HVAC repair requiring reassembly of the quick connect fitting between the suction hose sub-assembly and the suction pipe sub-assembly located at the top right of the engine compartment.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2015 Camry's 2.5L and V6 engines show recurring problems that dealers have struggled to resolve. Throttle hesitation—where the engine loses power for 3-5 seconds during normal acceleration, usually between 2000-3000 RPM at highway speeds—started appearing around 20,000 miles on at least one vehicle. The event is intermittent and difficult to recreate, frustrating both owners and dealerships; one owner reported Toyota dismissing the complaint multiple times because technicians couldn't reproduce it, even though it occurred 10-12 times during ownership.
Oil burning is widespread. Owners report 2-2.5 quarts consumed every 1-2 weeks despite regular oil changes, with no external leaks. Some vehicles show symptoms as early as 4,000 miles. One owner with under 50,000 miles was already 3 quarts low at service. Dealers confirmed the burning but offered no repairs.
HVAC odor complaints describe foul, musty smells from the vents—strongest when the car sits, weaker when fans run. One owner discovered a class action lawsuit involving mold buildup on the evaporator. A valve or lifter tapping noise appeared in one vehicle, intensifying on restart and acceleration. Rare serious events include unintended acceleration causing a collision, sudden stalling at 35 MPH, RPM surges when braking, and one catastrophic engine fire at 5,626 miles that destroyed the vehicle.
Same Toyota Camry engine reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Intermittent throttle hesitation / power loss during acceleration
Engine does not respond to throttle input, losing power or RPM, typically lasting 3-5 seconds. Occurs while driving 40-60 MPH, usually between 2000-3000 RPMs when attempting to accelerate in traffic or change lanes. Very intermittent, sometimes months between events.
When: Starting around 20,000 miles; 40-60 MPH driving conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of throttle response for 3-5 seconds; Downward trend in RPMs; Engine feels turned off briefly; Occurs during lane changes and acceleration attempts
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to recreate issue or identify cause; no fault codes present. One case involved technician reproducing issue after week-long observation, though problem recurred afterward.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota initially denied address due to inability to recreate issue in dealer environment. Case eventually shuffled between case managers with no resolution provided.
Excessive oil consumption
Engine burns oil at abnormal rates with no external leaks detected. Owners report consuming multiple quarts between oil change intervals despite regular maintenance.
When: As early as 4,000 miles; persists through 120,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops rapidly between changes; 2-2.5 quarts consumed per 1-2 weeks; Dealer confirmed burning at 4,000 miles; No visible leaks underneath vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers confirmed oil burning but did not repair vehicle in reported cases. Owners advised to check oil weekly.
Foul odor from HVAC system
Bad chemical or musty smell emanates from heating and air conditioning vents, particularly pronounced when vehicle has been sitting. Odor weakens when fans run but returns when car is off. One owner found evidence of mold buildup on evaporator through online research and class action lawsuit.
When: Appearing after 8,000-25,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Foul odor from vents in cabin; Smell similar to gym locker room mixed with garbage; Odor stronger when car is off, weakens with fan operation; Indicates mold buildup on evaporator
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealer acknowledged class action lawsuit for defective HVAC evaporator causing mold buildup and odors. Manufacturer provided case number but deferred callback pending owner relocation.
Engine fire
Burning plastic odor detected inside vehicle followed by small flames under hood that rapidly escalated to large flames engulfing front end. Vehicle was destroyed.
When: Approximately 5,626 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Strong burning plastic odor inside vehicle; Small flames under hood; Flames progressively worsened; Front end completely engulfed
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed; fire department extinguished. Police and fire reports filed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure.
Valve or lifter noise
Clapping or tapping noise from engine sounding like lifter or valve noise. Noise intensifies when engine is restarted or accelerated.
Symptoms owners cite: Clapping or tapping noise from engine; Noise increases with restart and acceleration; Occurs at certain times
Repairs/costs cited: Owner maintains regular 5,000-mile oil changes.
Unintended rapid RPM increase when braking
Engine RPMs rapidly increase independently when brake pedal is depressed, creating unexpected engine surge while trying to stop.
When: 2,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: RPMs increase rapidly when brake pedal pressed; No warning or control by driver; Occurs independently of driver input
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to determine cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not notified.
Unintended acceleration / stalling
Two distinct events: vehicle accelerated on its own while stopped in traffic after brake release, striking vehicle ahead; another vehicle stalled without warning during normal driving.
When: 19,000 miles; low mileage (2,000 range for acceleration event)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerated without driver input; Sudden stall without warning; Caused traffic collision in one case
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle sustained major front-end damage from collision.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of stall issue.
Oil leak from rear of engine
Oil leak detected at back of engine during routine service, confirmed with dye detection method.
Symptoms owners cite: Oil leak visible at rear of engine block
Repairs/costs cited: Oil leak detected with dye during oil change.
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
After my 25,000 mile maintenance check I began noticing a foul odor upon entering the car. Oddly enough, this odor is most pronounced when the car has been sitting for a few hours. While the car is running and the fans are blowing, the smell reduces in strength. However, anytime the car is off, the cabin fills once again with this horrible foul odor. To describe the smell I would say that it's…
I was trying to pass a line of cars, and the car hesitated, for about 4 minutes, and I almost was hit by traffic coming from behind and would have been hit between the drivers door and passenger door, if the person coming had not been paying attention and managed to go around me. It has happened 3 other times. On a highway
Had engine trouble with your 2015 Toyota Camry?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2015 Toyota Camry?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 15 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 8,000 and 47,000 miles, with the median around 20,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 8,000; a quarter make it past 47,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Toyota/Camry.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.