FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2021 Toyota Camry
The 2021 Toyota Camry has 1 NHTSA safety recall on file, 153 owner complaints, and gets about 26 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2021 Toyota Camry at a glance
- Engine
- 6-cyl 3.5L
- Cylinders
- 6
- Displacement
- 3.5 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (S8)
- Body
- Midsize Cars
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 11, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
1 openAir Bags
20/12/2023
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 circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 11, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
153 filed- 74
AIR 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
- 15
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PANORAMIC SUNROOF Because I can not afford to inspect my sunroof, I have to resort to driving with a tilted panoramic defective sunroof that will not fully close. I fear for safety while driving, or parking anywhere when having to resort to
- 11
POWER TRAIN
I bought this car a couple of years ago. I didnt think much of it because I never owned a Toyota. I noticed that the transmission was doing some weird hesitation when going from 1st to 2nd gear. There is an intermittent lag on when the tr
- 10
SERVICE BRAKES
Owner bought new 2021 Camry XLR 4 cylinder all wheel drive. It currently has 39,000 miles on it. No problems until January 25, 2026. It was 11 degrees below zero, my car had the original battery. Car started without issue, I return to house
- 7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. While the contact’s wife was inside the parked vehicle and attempting to open the sunroof, there was an abnormal sound coming from the sunroof while attempting to close it. The motor to open the sunroof
- 6
ENGINE
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 war
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 11, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★★
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★★
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 11, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 26 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 22 / 33
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,400
- CO₂ / mi
- 338 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 11, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recall was fixed
This model has 1 open NHTSA recall (including the air bags). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Have a mechanic check the air bags
Owners report problems with the air bags more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
-
Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
-
Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
-
Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2021 Toyota Camry? +
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for the 2021 Toyota Camry, including the air bags. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Toyota Camry get? +
The EPA rates the 2021 Toyota Camry at 26 mpg combined (22 city / 33 highway), about $2,400 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2021 Toyota Camry? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2021 Toyota Camry 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 Toyota Camry? +
Owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Camry, including 20 involving a crash. The most-reported area is air bags.
MORE TOYOTA RESEARCH
FREE IN THE APP
Comparing a few cars? Save the 2021 Toyota Camry and line it up against the others in the app.
No account. Saving and comparing cars is free; the per-listing report is $3.99.
THE FULL BUYER'S REPORT · $3.99
Found a 2021 Toyota Camry for sale?
The research above is free. The app takes a screenshot of one real listing and returns a verdict, a fair-offer number, the red flags specific to that car, a walk-away floor, and a message you can send the seller, word for word.