Toyota Camry Solara Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2007 draws 3.23 complaints per run and the 2001 1.31, a 2.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 75.4% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Structure, with 125 complaints, typically at 6.5 years.

Toyota Camry Solara years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Toyota Camry Solara — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2008	2.88	75	26	yes
2007	3.23	100	31	yes
2006	2.71	95	35	yes
2004	2.64	124	47	yes
2003	1.36	19	14	yes
2002	1.67	45	27	yes
2001	1.31	38	29	yes
2000	1.48	40	27	yes
1999	2.42	58	24	yes

ROWS 9·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2007 Camry Solara asks a median $3,900, against $4,500 for a 2008, the next model year: about 13% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 6 Toyota Camry Solara years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2007, 2006, 2004; the three worth hunting are 2001, 2000, 2002.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Toyota Camry Solara — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	63	11.7%	covered
1 year	32	17.7%	covered
2 years	37	24.6%	covered
3 years	42	32.4%	you pay
4 years	37	39.3%	you pay
5 years	51	48.8%	you pay
6 years	68	61.5%	you pay
7 years	46	70%	you pay
8 years	41	77.7%	you pay
9 years	28	82.9%	you pay
10 years	26	87.7%	you pay
11 years	20	91.4%	you pay
12 years	11	93.5%	you pay
13 years	9	95.2%	you pay
14 years	12	97.4%	you pay
15 years	14	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 24.6% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 75.4% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 11% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Toyota Camry Solara, the early trouble is Power Train — reported at around 2.3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Structure at 6.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Toyota Camry Solara — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Structure	125	6.5 yrs	7	1
Air Bags	91	7.1 yrs	38	—
Vehicle Speed Control	89	5.5 yrs	51	1
Unknown Or Other	43	9 yrs	4	—
Service Brakes	40	6 yrs	18	1
Steering	37	4.9 yrs	4	—
Power Train	33	2.3 yrs	6	—
Engine And Engine Cooling	32	4.2 yrs	5	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Camry Solara's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Corolla draws 5.16, the Lexus IS 1.31 and the BMW M3 1.49, against 2.32 for the Camry Solara.

FIG.05·Toyota Camry Solara — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Camry Solara	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Corolla	12,389	219	1981–2026
Lexus IS	47	118	2001–2026
BMW M3	565	78	1988–2026
Acura TLX	893	41	2015–2026
Ford Focus	22,576	138	2000–2026
Subaru WRX	290	17	2015–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Toyota Camry Solara

Recalls15 campaigns Fuel economy25 mpg best DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space14 cu ft Used prices668 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1999–2009

Frequently asked questions

Is the Toyota Camry Solara reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.32 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Camry Solara years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2007, 2006, 2004. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2001, 2000, 2002. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Camry Solara problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Structure, typically at 6.5 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Camry Solara problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 24.6% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 11% of the complaints here.

Is the Camry Solara more reliable than the Toyota Corolla?

Yes: 2.32 complaints per production run for the Camry Solara against 5.16 for the Toyota Corolla.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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