2018 Toyota Camry Powertrain (other) Problems

The transmission quit moving the car forward in traffic which could have caused a collision. When the transmission started shifting weird and not accelerating normally, the ABS Sensor malfunction light came on. I towed the car to a toyota dealership in [XXX] and they said I needed the transmission replaced for $10000(new), which I could not afford. I was expecting it to be a sensor since that was the light that came on. I had the transmission rebuilt by an independent mechanic and during the first test drive, the car applied brakes and came to a complete stop. We took the car to the toyota dealership for a program update that the information we had said was needed. The dealership stated there was no update available. They also told me I could drive the car home. After going about three miles from the dealership the transmission stopped moving the car again in traffic which again could have caused a collision. There were codes being thrown that would not be there when the transmission was rebuilt and subsequent reevaluations. The car has been unusable since XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11766000

Incident

Mar 19, 2026

My regularly serviced 2018 Toyota Camry is now in need of a $10,000 transmission replacement. Based on research, it is not normal for a modern Toyota Camry to need a new transmission at 125k miles. Toyota has DOCUMENTED complaints that the 2018 Camry's 8-speed automatic transmission has a known history of premature failures and is the subject of thousands of owner complaints. A recall needs to be enforced as Toyota has sold DEFECTED 2018 vehicles! I purchased this vehicle in 2018. Anyone who bought the 2018 Camry in 2018 should be a part of a recall & not charged for Toyota’s defect with this being a WELL KNOWN issue.

NHTSA ID

11765476

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

After taking the car on a short drive: Pre-collision malfunction; parking brake malf; ICS malf; chk eng reduced power; secondary collision brake malf; rough idle and driving; sometimes won't accelerate (revs only); cruise control won't work; battery drained when off (12.5 v to 10.5 in one day; battery just under 3 years old); after replacing battery: OBD 2:P0302

NHTSA ID

11762531

Incident

Jul 8, 2026

The vehicle has developed a high-pitched whine that is most noticeable around 30 to 55 mph. The pitch increases directly with vehicle speed, not engine RPM. The sound occurs whenever positive throttle is applied and disappears immediately when the accelerator is released, before vehicle speed noticeably decreases. Gear changes do not appear to affect the pitch. I am concerned this may indicate a transmission/transaxle or final-drive problem. No warning lights are currently present.

NHTSA ID

11760528

Incident

Aug 26, 2026

I own a 2018 Toyota Camry SE with approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle is equipped with the 2.5L engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. I have recently developed a noticeable whining noise from the vehicle's drivetrain during acceleration. The noise is most noticeable at lower speeds, approximately 10–60 mph, particularly when accelerating from a stop or at lower speeds. The noise becomes less noticeable or disappears when cruising at higher speeds. The noise is load-dependent. When I release the accelerator while traveling at approximately 30–40 mph and allow the vehicle to coast, the whining noise stops immediately. The noise does not occur when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is revved. I am concerned that this may indicate premature wear or a developing problem with the transmission or related drivetrain components. I am particularly concerned about the potential for progressive transmission failure while driving, which could result in loss of motive power and create a safety hazard. At this time, the vehicle remains drivable, but the noise appears to be abnormal and has raised concerns about the reliability and safety of the drivetrain. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and investigate whether similar complaints involving 2017–2024 Toyota Camry vehicles with 8-speed automatic transmissions indicate a broader safety-related defect. I have not yet had the transmission replaced. I can provide additional information, service records, diagnostic results, photographs, or recordings of the noise if requested.

NHTSA ID

11759057

Incident

Apr 20, 2026

The transmission has begun failing, with less than 60,000 miles and a perfect maintenance record. While driving I noticed a "whine" while accelerating and it would go away when not pressing the accelerator. It also did not make the noise when in neutral. This is a known issue with the 2018 Toyota Camry and the manufacturer did not send out a notice, any type of additional support or maintenance recommendations to make customers aware.

NHTSA ID

11758575

Incident

Aug 21, 2026

My transmission is experiencing slipping, which causes the engine to rev up without delivering power to the wheels when I accelerate. This delay in gear engagement creates a high-safety risk during merges and passes because my vehicle cannot match traffic speeds predictably. Also, when pulling out onto a busy road I am not able to do it normally, I have to do it very slowly because it will miss and the engine revs up. This is a huge concern for all of us Toyota owners with this type of transmission. I see the history and issues have been know for quite sometime and Toyota has done nothing about it.

NHTSA ID

11753527

Incident

Jun 12, 2026

The transmission in my 2018 Toyota Camry XSE with 124k miles went out even after getting regular maintenance. There is currently a class action law suit for this issue and a recall needs to be initiated.

NHTSA ID

11752699

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

Transmission began jerking and sputtering which caused the vehicle to lose acceleration ability while traveling at highway speeds. Transmission was confirmed to have failed by an independent shop and required a complete rebuild. No warning lamps or notifications prior to failure

NHTSA ID

11747211

Incident

Feb 5, 2026

2018 XSE Camry 4Cyl, 114k Miles, 2026. Transmission is failing, and I bought the car used in Oct of 2025, 86k Miles. As of 2026 the car has started to make a noise that sounds like a jet engine when accelerating, and the transmission fluid is black. Went to a local transmission shop, and they told me the transmission is on its way out. I'm disappointed in Toyota's engineering this time around. I have a 2008 Tacoma with 320k miles, and I know a family member with an 2006 Matrix 310k miles with 0 Reported drive train issues. I will not be buying newer Toyotas moving forward until this issue is resolved. I also would like to note that Desert Toyota in Arizona told me the transmission was okay. I'm for sure they blew me off, because they didn't want to deal with my extended warranty at the time. They told me black transmission fluid was normal, and the metallic flakes were normal. I've been told by two independent shops this is not normal, and the transmission fluid should be pink or red and not metallic/sparkly. I wish I had pictures of the fluid, but we tossed it after the dealer said it was ok initially. I had a transmission fluid drain and refill from Desert Toyota and I'm positive that made my issues worse and now the jet engine noise is present. Right now I'm not driving the car because I'm nervous the tranny is going to completely fail before figuring out what to do with the car. I also would like to note, there are many online forums with other consumers stating the same issues and concerns. There are YouTube videos of "jet engine" like noises coming for the 8th gen Camry and Reddit Forums sharing similar experiences. I really wish Toyota would put out a recall to fix the issue! I see there is a class action law suit for the concern but with older vehicles like mine reaching higher mileage it looks like we will be the ones with no luck or answers from the manufacture.

NHTSA ID

11746311

Incident

Apr 15, 2026

The Transmission has developed a leak around the torque converter. The front pump seal has failed, a worn pump bushing and or the torque converter hub is damaged. The risk of the transmission failing and leaving me stranded on the highway puts me at risk and also the oil leaking causing a slip hazard and ruining my driveway! Independent Service (Rhode island state inspection station (#901fea) Independent Service (Rhode island state inspection station (#901fea) NO

NHTSA ID

11746119

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

The 8-speed automatic transmission (Aisin UB80, the 4-cylinder variant of the UA80 family) failed at approximately 53,000 miles. Symptoms prior to failure: harsh shifting, RPM flare to 4,000 between gears before hard engagement ("thud"), loss of power in Reverse, and a metal-on-metal noise from inside the transmission when power was applied. No dashboard warning lights illuminated at any point. Safety risk: the vehicle would not shift normally and lost power in Reverse, with the engine revving to high RPM before abrupt gear engagement. This created a real risk of sudden loss of forward propulsion in traffic, abrupt unintended acceleration on engagement, and inability to safely reverse. The failure occurred without prior warning indicators. The problem was confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Toyota dealer. The Toyota dealer performed a road test and a transmission fluid sample analysis. The dealer documented, verbatim: "vehicle will rev up to 4k before shifting and will only shift if you let off the gas... took a transmission fluid sample and found fluid was burnt with clutch pack material suspended in fluid. Transmission will need to be replaced." Quoted repair: approximately $10,747. The failure mechanism — burnt fluid with suspended clutch pack material from heat-driven internal wear — matches the defect alleged in three active federal class-action lawsuits naming this transmission family (filed in U.S. District Courts in Texas, California, and New Jersey, late 2025 through early 2026). It also matches multiple Toyota Technical Service Bulletins (T-SB-0330-17, T-SB-0010-18, T-SB-0152-19) and the defect Toyota has acknowledged on the 2017-2018 Sienna and Highlander under Customer Support Program ZJC by extending warranty to 10 years/unlimited miles on the same transmission family. The failed transmission is no longer in my possession; the vehicle has been sold. Diagnostic documentation is available upon request.

NHTSA ID

11743918

Incident

May 16, 2026

Transmission has been having intermitten issues with slow or sluggish acceleration. The RPM dial would oscoliate before it would shift or you would it feel the car jerk while driving like its attempting to shift. Ive had this vehicle in and out of multiple toyota dealerships and they always said they could not find any issues with it this was starting back when the car had like 30k miles on it maybe 2 years of ownership now that its out of warranty they find issues with it now and tried to give me a repair for a complete new transmission for 6,000 They did a software update however did not fix the issue now the transmission is noisy and making a loud whinning noise

NHTSA ID

11743602

Incident

Jun 11, 2026

Who’s driving in the transmission went out I looked up online and Toyota has had a problem with the transmissions on the 2018 to 2024 Toyota cameras

NHTSA ID

11742927

Incident

May 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH on the highway, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 100 MPH, and the vehicle started to slow down independently. The contact removed the foot off the accelerator pedal for a second, depressed the accelerator pedal again, and the vehicle worked as intended. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

NHTSA ID

11742176

Incident

May 29, 2026

Mileage

102,000 mi

Transmission is broken at 110,000 miles. It's happening to everyone that owns Toyota's.

NHTSA ID

11741449

Incident

Jan 7, 2026

The transmission on the 2018 Toyota Camrys are the worst. Ever since I got my car it has had loss of power with acceleration it jerks randomly when driving and it’s very unpredictable. It makes me nervous every day I drive it & it gives me anxiety that at any second my transmission will just completely fail. I did research and soooo many people are having the same issue. This needs to be fixed.

NHTSA ID

11741074

Incident

Mar 1, 2025

I own a 2018 Toyota Camry equipped with the UA80 8-speed automatic transmission. I have experienced the following symptoms: burning smell coming from the transmission, hesitation and jerking during acceleration, and previously noticed a knocking/clunking noise that eventually stopped on its own. These symptoms are consistent with the known UA80 transmission defect involving excessive heat buildup, premature fluid degradation, and torque converter failure. I am aware that Toyota has known about this defect since at least 2016 and has issued multiple Technical Service Bulletins without offering a permanent fix or recall. The transmission has not yet been inspected by a dealer. I am filing this complaint to add to the public record and support a formal NHTSA investigation.

NHTSA ID

11740517

Incident

May 28, 2026

I brought my 2018 Toyota Camry in for servicing a few days before 12/09/2024. They gave me no bad reports. However DAYS AFTER I received my car back, it just stopped on [XXX] with me and my [XXX] grandson in the car. I got no warning lights, I had no symptoms that it was failing. When I towed it to Toyota, it was closing time, so the next day I was told it was my TRANSMISSION, for the price of $10k!! I was livid!! Then I started looking into the Camrys issues and found that ALL THESE CARS WERE HAVING THE Ame issues after they changed transmission parts. When I confronted the service manager he knocked the price down to $5,500 but I’m on [XXX] and that was an astronomical price especially after I had paid the car off a week prior. Toyota had my car for TEN MONTHS, it was backed up due to so many cars having issues, and tariffs. I could’ve had a baby by the time I got it back, then my hood strut broke when they had it but they didn’t know how that happened🤬 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11739924

Incident

Dec 9, 2024

Check engine light came on getting to highway speeds about 50 mph. Transmission went into limp mode at around 75k miles. Dealership told me my transmission was low on fluid. I had a transmission issue due to that same week. They told me to hold off on the flush because it was odd that a Toyota transmission is going in limp mode and with a check engine light at this mileage.

NHTSA ID

11739437

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle's speed slowly reached 20 MHP. In addition, the contact stated that while driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle lost motive power and seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure.

NHTSA ID

11737571

Incident

May 6, 2026

Mileage

130,000 mi

2018 Camry XSE, Vacuum pump went on my car less then a year ago. I had my car towed to the dealership for the recall to be fixed. Since that incident my car hasn’t been the same. While stopped at a light my dash board lite up with every issue the car could possibly have. Lane departure assist, secondary breaking system failure, engine coolant too hot, emergency brake failure and then the check engine light came on. I was able to get my cat to the side of the road and eventually make it home. I brought my car back to Toyota and a day later I was informed I might need a new engine, 8,000 dollars. I am very diligent about oil changes, tune ups etc. My car has 140,000 highway miles. I travel a lot for work. This car has never had a major issue until the recalled vacuum pump was repaired. All these complaints from other people with primarily the same issue cannot be wrong. It is definitely a manufacturing issue and I shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for an issue that the dealership caused. Now I either have to buy a new car or pay 8000 to repair my current vehicle. I will never buy another Toyota again

NHTSA ID

11737096

Incident

May 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speed the vehicle had experienced acceleration hesitation and had stalled on several occasions. The vehicle eventually towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100.

NHTSA ID

11736083

Incident

May 6, 2019

Mileage

100 mi

harsh/delayed shifting, acceleration hesitation, and, total transmission failure

NHTSA ID

11730072

Incident

Dec 11, 2025

The vehicle experienced a complete transmission failure following a period of abnormal operation. The component that failed is the automatic transmission (8-speed). Prior to total failure, the vehicle began exhibiting multiple symptoms, including delayed engagement when shifting into drive and reverse, hesitation during acceleration, and inconsistent power delivery at low speeds. At times, the engine RPM would increase without corresponding acceleration, followed by sudden jerking or surging once the transmission engaged. These issues created unsafe driving conditions, particularly when attempting to merge into traffic or accelerate from a stop, as the vehicle did not respond predictably or immediately to driver input. This posed a safety risk to both the driver and surrounding vehicles. The symptoms progressed over time and ultimately resulted in a complete transmission failure, rendering the vehicle undrivable. The problem has been confirmed by a dealership, which diagnosed the vehicle as requiring a full transmission replacement. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. There were no prior warning lights or dashboard indicators before the onset of symptoms. The initial symptoms appeared suddenly and worsened over a short period of time. The vehicle has been regularly maintained according to recommended service schedules, with no known gaps in maintenance. Based on the nature of the failure and similar reports of transmission issues in comparable vehicles, this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. This issue appears consistent with broader reports of transmission malfunction in similar model vehicles, raising concerns about reliability and safety.

NHTSA ID

11728186

Incident

Mar 25, 2026