TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Toyota Camry cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2018 Toyota Camry have filed 32 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 5,845 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
32
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Camry | 8 |
| 2016 Camry | 16 |
| 2017 Camry | 16 |
| 2018 Camry (this page) | 32 |
| 2019 Camry | 14 |
| 2020 Camry | 7 |
| 2022 Camry | 3 |
2crashes
What stands out
Owners have filed 32 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control 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.
TSB: Some 2018 ? 2020 model year Camry vehicles may exhibit a Parking Brake Malfunction or Cruise Control Malfunction warning message on the MID (multi-information display) with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) C13B0 (Electric Parking Brake ECU Malfunction) present. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2018 Camry models report numerous issues affecting acceleration and cruise control. The most common complaint is a 1–5 second delay when pressing the accelerator from a stopped position or low speed, especially during freeway merges. Owners describe the sensation as engine revving without the vehicle moving, jerking during takeoff, or feeling like the car is stuck in Neutral. Some say multiple dealers told them the car was operating normally.
The dynamic radar cruise control and pre-collision system cause sudden, hard braking with no vehicle or obstacle ahead—sometimes dropping speed by 19 mph instantly. Owners report the system misinterprets road signs, debris, snow from other vehicles, or oncoming traffic as threats. At least one owner reported 50 such incidents. One owner was advised by multiple dealership employees to abandon the radar system and use standard cruise control instead.
Radar sensor failures also occur, especially in rain, displaying "CLEAN SENSOR" and "DYNAMIC CRUISE FAILURE" error messages. Some owners experienced total loss of cruise and pre-collision function for 250+ miles until weather cleared.
Transmission problems include rough shifting and jerking, as if the car will stall. One critical failure involved the brake system: a vacuum brake pump assembly broke internally, the broken piece entered the engine and damaged the camshaft, and brakes failed entirely while the car was being driven—nearly causing a collision. A few owners report engine stalling during reacceleration, particularly on inclines.
Same Toyota Camry cruise control reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Acceleration hesitation / lag from stop or low speed
Delayed engine response when pressing the accelerator, particularly from a stopped position or when merging onto highways. Owners report delays of 1.5 to 5+ seconds before the engine responds, with some describing the sensation as a disconnect between throttle input and vehicle motion (as if the car is in Neutral rather than Drive). The car may jerk, sputter, or misfire during these events.
When: Most common from first month of ownership; occurs intermittently when stopped and reaccelerating, merging, or accelerating to change lanes
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed acceleration response (1–5 seconds) after depressing the accelerator pedal; Jerking or sputtering sensation during acceleration from stop; Engine revs but vehicle does not immediately move forward; Sensation of a gap or air bubble in fuel delivery; Hesitation most pronounced when merging or changing lanes on freeways; Delayed response when attempting to pass or avoid oncoming traffic
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealers told owners the vehicle is operating normally; no permanent fix identified in narratives. One owner mentioned a software update attempt that did not resolve the issue; another (complaint #2) reported turning off Eco Mode and using higher-grade gasoline as a workaround.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota recall 20V682 mentioned as active since late October 2020 but with no remedy available as of the time of complaint.
Unintended acceleration / sudden surging
Vehicle accelerates on its own without the driver depressing the accelerator pedal, sometimes while the brake pedal is being held. In the most severe cases, the vehicle has crashed into houses and other vehicles. Failures occur at very low speeds during parking attempts as well as while driving normally.
When: Early in ownership (mileages as low as 275 miles and 10,000–13,000 miles reported)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle surges forward without accelerator pedal input; Spontaneous acceleration while parked or attempting to park; Acceleration continues even with brake pedal depressed; Vehicle accelerates at its own will during normal driving at low speeds; Vehicle stalls while motor revs as acceleration ceases
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer performed a software update; failure recurred. Vehicles taken to dealerships with no diagnosis completed in other cases.
Pre-collision system and dynamic radar cruise control false braking
The dynamic radar cruise control and pre-collision system brake hard or come to a near-complete stop when there is no actual obstacle ahead. Owners report the system misinterprets objects like snow falling from the vehicle ahead, road signs, oncoming traffic, metal in the road, or the quarter panel of nearby vehicles as collision threats, causing sudden emergency braking that endangers following traffic.
When: Occurs throughout ownership; initial incident reported October 1, 2018; one owner reported at least 50 instances; failures happen on both streets and highways
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden hard braking (drop of up to 19 mph instantly or to near-complete stop) with no vehicle or object ahead; False activation triggered by road debris, snow, signs, oncoming traffic, or side panels of adjacent vehicles; Braking while in cruise control mode with clear road ahead; System engages when approaching the quarter panel of another car; Jerking in cruise control at highway speeds (70–75 mph) with no cars nearby
Repairs/costs cited: Toyota dealers confirmed the system is operating as designed per owner accounts. One owner was advised by multiple dealership employees to use the alternate (non-radar) cruise control instead.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota responded to complaints stating the vehicle is operating as designed. Recall 20V682 is mentioned as active but without remedy available.
Radar sensor malfunction and "Clean Sensor" error
The radar sensor for the dynamic cruise control and pre-collision system fails intermittently, particularly in rain or damp conditions. Error messages reading "CLEAN SENSOR" and "DYNAMIC CRUISE FAILURE" appear. The sensor may be clean and dry but still malfunction; disabling radar cruise control and pre-collision systems until the car is turned off and back on.
When: Failures occur during or shortly after rain; one owner experienced the issue over 250 miles of highway driving in light rain
Symptoms owners cite: Error message: "CLEAN SENSOR" or "DYNAMIC CRUISE FAILURE" displayed on dashboard; Radar cruise control and pre-collision system stop working during rain; System resumes normal operation after weather clears or vehicle is restarted; Radar sensor continuously malfunctions and turns itself off even in sunny conditions; Vehicle must be turned off and restarted to restore radar cruise control functionality
Codes mentioned: CLEAN SENSOR error message, DYNAMIC CRUISE FAILURE error message
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer advised this is normal with no fix available.
Radar cruise control disengagement and sudden braking when lead vehicle exits
While using radar speed control with a lead vehicle engaged, if the leading vehicle turns off the road to the right, the radar speed control suddenly disengages and the vehicle brakes hard. This creates a serious rear-end collision hazard when traffic is following behind.
When: Occurs under all road conditions and in all weather per owner report
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden brake application when radar-tracked lead vehicle exits the roadway; Unintended hard braking with following traffic present; Radar cruise control disengages without warning when lead vehicle leaves
Transmission jerking, rough shifting, and stalling on acceleration
Transmission shifts roughly, causing the car to jerk as if it will stall. Issues occur when accelerating and decelerating. The car may take over 5 seconds to engage and move forward, with excessive engine revving but limited vehicle motion. Some owners describe the sensation of the transmission missing shifts or struggling to find the correct gear.
When: Occurs from early in ownership (sometimes within the first week); most noticeable during initial acceleration from a stop or when trying to increase speed
Symptoms owners cite: Rough, jerky transmission shifts during acceleration and deceleration; Vehicle jerks as if it will stall but does not; Extended lag (5+ seconds) before vehicle begins moving when accelerating from stop; Excessive engine revving without proportional increase in vehicle speed; Vehicle hesitates to shift up to higher gears; Stalling during acceleration attempts, particularly on inclines
Brake system failure (vacuum brake pump assembly malfunction)
The vacuum brake pump assembly malfunctions, causing the brakes to become extremely hard to press and the vehicle to not stop properly. In the reported case, the pump failed catastrophically; a broken nipple inside the pump fell into the engine and damaged the camshaft. This failure occurred during normal driving and nearly resulted in a collision.
When: Occurred at approximately 6 months into ownership (June 2024 in the reported case)
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal becomes extremely hard to press; Vehicle does not stop properly or with sufficient braking power; Motor oil leak visible under the vehicle; No warning messages before failure; error message appears in info center after failure
Repairs/costs cited: Vacuum brake pump assembly replacement required; internal pump component (nipple) broke and caused engine damage (damaged camshaft).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall applies to this failure; dealership Butler Toyota initiated contact with Toyota and the southwest Toyota service contact but received no answers or assistance from manufacturer.
Engine stalling during deceleration and reacceleration
Engine stalls when the driver slows down and then attempts to reaccelerate, especially on inclines. Vehicle may also delay upon acceleration from a complete stop at traffic lights. In severe cases, sudden acceleration is needed to prevent being rear-ended, but the delayed response prevents timely evasion.
When: Occurs during normal driving, particularly when slowing for turns, merging, or gaining speed on inclines
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls as vehicle reaccelerates after slowing; Delay of a couple seconds upon acceleration from complete stop; Vehicle jerks slightly during reacceleration; Stalling more likely on inclines (e.g., when getting onto a bridge); Dangerous delay when attempting to accelerate quickly to avoid rear-ending or being rear-ended
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2018 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 cruise control problem on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
It's a meaningful issue. 32 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 16 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 2,800 and 32,000 miles, with the median around 5,845. A quarter of owners report trouble before 2,800; a quarter make it past 32,000. 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 $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control 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/2018/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.