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1983 Toyota Camry: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1983 Toyota Camry, most recently filed February 1990. Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the seat belts.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Recalls 2campaigns 1 vehicle speed control · 1 electrical Source: NHTSA Complaints 6filed Owner reports, 1983–1992 shown Source: NHTSA ODI
Compare

Recalls (2)

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1983 Toyota Camry. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 1983 Toyota Camry. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 90V040000 Filed Feb 28, 1990

EQUIPMENT:SPEED CONTROL

Vehicle speed control
Official NHTSA text
Summary
CRUISE CONTROL COMPUTER MALFUNCTION COULD OCCUR UPON SHUTTING OFF THE CONTROL AFTER CONTINUOUS USE FOLLOWED BY COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.
Consequence
THERMAL SHOCK TO THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPUTER COULD RESULT IN ENGINE RACING IF THE ENGINE IS RESTARTED WITH THE MAIN CONTROL SWITCH IN THE 'ON' POSITION. THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT IF THIS IS PERFORMED IN NORMAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
Remedy
REPLACE COMPUTER WITH ONE OF IMPROVED DESIGN.
Repair progress not yet reported121,389 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 90V040000
Listed for 1983 Toyota Camry. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 83V133000 Filed Dec 8, 1983

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:REGULATOR

Electrical system · alternator/generator/regulator
Official NHTSA text
Summary
VOLTAGE REGULATOR WHICH CONTROLS THE AMOUNT OF FLOW IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR, MAY HAVE MANUFACTURING ERRORS IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT. THE REGULATOR MAY OVERCHARGE THE BATTERY.
Remedy
DEALER WILL REPLACE THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR AT NO CHARGE.
Repair progress not yet reported48,737 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 83V133000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Which Camry years had the most recalls?Best & worst years →Every recall for the Toyota CamryAll model years →Where is the VIN on my car?VIN location guide →

Owner complaints (6)

6 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The seat belts is mentioned most often.

1involved a crash
0involved a fire
0injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1983 Toyota Camry, by component (top 5). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 6.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 1983 compares with other Camry years

Best and worst Camry years →
6 8 13 32 58 64 113 134 149 565
1983198419851986198719881989199019911992
This year (1983)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 1983 Camry for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Camry years

Where to next

Which Camry years drew the fewest complaints?Best & worst years →1984 Toyota Camry report8 complaints · 2 campaigns →Have a VIN? Decode itVIN decoder →

1983 Toyota Camry FAQ

How many recalls does the 1983 Toyota Camry have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 90V040000 (vehicle speed control), 83V133000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 1983 Toyota Camry problems?

Owners filed 6 complaints with NHTSA. Seat belts (2), Child seat (1), Electrical system (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

How does the 1983 Camry compare with other years?

Among the 1983–1992 Toyota Camry model years at least five years old, the 1983 drew the fewest complaints (6) and the 1992 the most (565). The 1983 drew 6. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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