The 2018 Toyota Camry is a reliable car with a solid reputation. But onboard computer glitches, power steering issues, and a recall for a faulty fuel pump prove even the best midsize sedans have their problems.
Key Points
- Over 13 million Toyotas were recalled in 2020, including the 2018 Toyota Camry, with around two million of those for a faulty fuel pump that could cause the car to stall while driving.
- The transmission software in the 2018 Camry has had technical glitches like stalling and rough shifting. Yet, many of these may be able to be fixed with a simple software update.
- The testy software can also lead to stiff power steering. Other than these issues, the 2018 Toyota Camry comes out a sure winner in our book, as reliable a car as you’ll find.
Faulty Fuel Pumps are a Serious Issue on 2018-2020 Camrys and Can Lead to the Engine Stalling While Driving
One noteworthy recall issued in 2020 that included the 2018 Camry, dealt with a faulty fuel pump, which is worrisome enough, but the big concern is the potential safety risk. If your fuel pump isn’t working, your engine may stall, meaning sudden stopping and starting. If that happens at low speeds, that’s bad enough, but if it happens at high speeds on crowded highways, that could cause some serious accidents.
This recall affects over 1.5-million Toyota and Lexus vehicles, including 2018-2020 Camrys.
A smaller recall had to do with the 2.5-liter engine stalling due to incorrectly sized pistons, which, like the previous recall, is a potential safety risk.
The 2018 Toyota Camry’s Transmission Software Glitches may be Due to its Newly-released Automatic Option
This issue is found on 2018 and 2019 Camrys. It involves jerking while shifting, and the transmission acting unresponsive or behaving erratically. Car Complaints lists this as the model’s #1 issue, with 22 reported incidents at an average mileage of just 2,900.
This is a leading complaint on the NHTSA website with the 2018 model, with powertrain issues comprising 105 of the 374 registered complaints on file, and vehicle speed control making up another 61.
A New Jersey driver reports that the “transmission has a shock when shifting.” Another driver reports the car “shifted to neutral independently.” A driver in Texas had the car fail to respond even with the rpm revved up.
In more cases than not, this will point to an ECU problem, as the car’s computer has trouble managing shifts. The 2018 Camry was one of the first Toyotas with their new Direct Shift-8AT transmission system, which, when working, allows for smoother, more efficient shifting. Like a lot of new technology, it had its share of first-year bugs to iron out.
You won’t find this listed on the NHTSA recall page, but Toyota did issue a technical service bulletin, offering to install the necessary software updates at Toyota dealers. This works just like a recall, with Toyota footing the bill. If you run into a problem at the dealership, just show the documentation.
Some 2018 Camry’s Have had the Power Steering System Fail, Making it Difficult to Turn the Wheel at Low Speeds
The biggest problem facing the 2018 Camry is not related to the above-mentioned engine, transmission, and ECU issues, but rather, stiff power steering.
You’ll find 27 complaints regarding the steering on the NHTSA website, and they all tell the same story. A Columbia, La., driver states it about as well as it can be stated, “It’s Really Hard to Turn.”
The good news is that it’s unlikely anything is leaking or broken. The 2018 Camry uses electronic power steering, and the power steering issue is often accompanied by problems with radios, headlights, etc. Chances are that you just need a software update.
Really, that summarizes the vast majority of issues with the 2018 Camry: The problems may seem quite severe at a glance, but it usually comes down to the ECU having some kinks that need to be worked out.
Despite some Past Problems, Toyota’s Camry is Still One of the Safest, Most Reliable Cars Available
Don’t let these issues scare you off. Transmission troubles are no fun, but the rate of incident here is fairly low, and the car has nothing but five-star scores across the board with the NHTSA, and a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, their highest honor. Starting at under $20,000 in Kelley Blue Book, it’s a darn fine deal on a proven trouper.
Photos: Toyota
