The Lemon Index
The 2.4 L inline-4 in the Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Highlander, model years 2001–2009. Owners filed 7,176 complaints about cars with it (matched by VIN); 22% name the engine, #18 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most).
Known issues, checked against owner complaints
Problems owners of cars with this engine name much more often than owners of the other 38 everyday engines we track (at least 1.5× the median, and 10+ complaints):
- Oil consumption. 619 of 7,176 owner complaints (8.6%) mention burning or losing oil, against a median of 0.5% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
My engine recently start to burning oil. Toyota had an extended Warranty for this issue which had to do with piston rings failure. which has expired. Searching the internet this problem is popping up all over the internet. Calling you
2008 owner · NHTSA complaint 11682181 - Head gaskets / head bolt threads. 109 of 7,176 owner complaints (1.5%) mention a head gasket, against a median of 0.1% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
The engine burned excessive oil and finally the rings and head gasket failed causing the engine to misfire and finally break down at 186,000 miles.
2009 owner · NHTSA complaint 11641196
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 42/100 across 8 model years, from 160 videos about this engine and its cars (#130 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Problems to Look Out for When Buying a Used Toyota RAV4 - All Generations 1,874,445 views
- Here’s Why I’m Buying This Toyota RAV4 1,383,599 views
- This Toyota Rav4 Has a Serious Problem 1,150,202 views
- How To Set The Timing On A Toyota 1AZ FE/2AZ FE Engine 586,223 views
- 2AZ-FE Engine Timing chain✅ fix Of Toyota Camry 2.4L 410,853 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Toyota Camry20022003200420052006200720082009
- Toyota Highlander2001200220032004200520062007
- Toyota RAV420042005200620072008
Model years from NHTSA VIN decoding of owner complaints. Only years we have a car page for.
Owner complaints by model year
Counts of complaints filed so far. Older cars have had longer to collect them, and popular cars draw more because more were sold: no one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car rate. Compare the shares below instead.
By car
| Car | Model years matched | Complaints | Name the engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 2002–09 | 5,373 | 19% |
| Toyota RAV4 | 2004–08 | 1,564 | 28% |
| Toyota Highlander | 2001–07 | 239 | 46% |
“Name the engine” = the share of that car's VIN-matched complaints that list the engine as a problem area.
What owners complain about
Share of this engine's complaints that name each area (one complaint can name several).
What owners write
| Complaints that | Count | Share | Median, other everyday engines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mention burning or losing oil | 619 | 8.6% | 0.5% |
| Mention fire, flames or smoke | 269 | 3.7% | 3.2% |
| Say the engine stalled, shut off or lost power | 263 | 3.7% | 14% |
| Say the engine knocked, seized or failed | 213 | 3.0% | 2.7% |
| Mention coolant loss or overheating | 197 | 2.7% | 1.2% |
| Mention a head gasket | 109 | 1.5% | 0.1% |
| Mention an oil leak | 106 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Mention the water pump | 62 | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Mention a spark plug | 14 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Mention a lifter, rocker or ticking | 13 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Counted from the owner's own words in each complaint (all of the car, not only the engine). A share, not a failure rate.
When problems show up
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 27,912 and 98,000 miles; the middle report was at 59,894 miles (5,503 complaints with a mileage).
Recalls that name this engine 0
No NHTSA recall on these cars and years names this engine.
NHTSA recalls on these cars and model years whose text names this engine (its size or name). The rest (brakes, air bags, wiring ...) are on each car year's page.
In owners' words
Consumer stated that while driving at highway speed and without warning the vehicle will pull to the left causing it to be hard for the consumer to control. dealer notified. mr *jg
2002 owner · NHTSA complaint 8022587
Consumer states that while driving at 30-40 mph the consumer applied the brakes. the brakes went all the way to the floor. the consumer almost hit another vehicle. contacted dealer.
2002 owner · NHTSA complaint 8019678
Consumer was driving 30mph and slammed on brakes to avoid a collision. anti-lock brake system did not work properly. consumer heard a grinding noise, and vehcile skidded and collided with another vehicle. consumer had about 5 car lengths between his vehicle and other vehicle.
2002 owner · NHTSA complaint 8016377
Against the other everyday engines
| Engine | Years | Complaints | Name the engine | Stalled or lost power | Burning oil | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 EcoBoost | 2014–25 | 5,622 | 66% | 15% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 6.2 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 7,219 | 65% | 24% | 2.2% | 2 |
| 2.4 Theta II | 2010–22 | 21,551 | 51% | 20% | 8.1% | 8 |
| 2.4 Ecotec | 2010–17 | 6,096 | 51% | 21% | 18% | 0 |
| 3.0 EcoDiesel | 2014–23 | 2,871 | 50% | 24% | 0.2% | 7 |
| 3.3 Lambda II | 2013–21 | 3,254 | 50% | 17% | 5.9% | 2 |
| 2.0 EcoBoost | 2012–25 | 9,735 | 48% | 12% | 0.1% | 0 |
| 2.0T Theta II | 2011–22 | 3,325 | 44% | 18% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1.4 Turbo | 2011–22 | 3,926 | 39% | 17% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 2.4 Tigershark | 2014–22 | 9,631 | 35% | 34% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2016–25 | 4,471 | 33% | 27% | 0.3% | 1 |
| EA888 2.0T | 2009–25 | 7,443 | 29% | 16% | 3.7% | 5 |
| A25A | 2018–25 | 2,979 | 26% | 12% | under 0.1% | 1 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2017–22 | 6,390 | 26% | 14% | 0.2% | 0 |
| J35 V6 | 2003–25 | 24,038 | 24% | 14% | 0.9% | 4 |
| Skyactiv-G 2.5 | 2014–25 | 2,631 | 22% | 11% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 2.7 Turbo | 2019–25 | 1,090 | 22% | 12% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 2AZ-FE | 2001–09 | 7,176 | 22% | 3.7% | 8.6% | 0 |
| 5.4 Triton | 2005–14 | 3,952 | 21% | 15% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 5.7 HEMI | 2003–24 | 23,895 | 19% | 23% | 0.1% | 6 |
| QR25DE | 2002–20 | 16,161 | 19% | 14% | 1.5% | 4 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 13,191 | 18% | 13% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 3.6 Pentastar | 2011–25 | 34,634 | 18% | 16% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 2.3 EcoBoost | 2015–25 | 3,975 | 16% | 9.9% | 0.1% | 12 |
| 3.8 Lambda II | 2020–25 | 4,423 | 16% | 8.0% | 5.6% | 0 |
| FB20 | 2012–25 | 2,336 | 15% | 8.2% | 1.7% | 0 |
| 3.6 V6 | 2009–23 | 14,214 | 14% | 14% | 0.1% | 1 |
| K24 | 2002–19 | 15,062 | 14% | 5.1% | 1.6% | 0 |
| 2GR-FKS | 2016–24 | 3,758 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 3.5 Cyclone V6 | 2007–19 | 21,313 | 12% | 11% | 0.1% | 0 |
| VQ35 V6 | 2002–25 | 12,613 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 3UR-FE | 2007–21 | 1,377 | 12% | 8.8% | 0.4% | 0 |
| FB25 | 2011–25 | 9,853 | 11% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0 |
| 2AR-FE | 2009–18 | 4,673 | 11% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 2GR-FE | 2005–18 | 8,680 | 10% | 3.5% | 0.3% | 0 |
| 3.8 V6 | 2007–11 | 7,877 | 9% | 17% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen IV) | 2007–14 | 9,241 | 8% | 4.5% | 1.3% | 0 |
| 1GR-FE | 2003–24 | 5,757 | 7% | 4.0% | under 0.1% | 0 |
| 4.8 V8 | 2007–13 | 726 | 6% | 4.8% | 0.1% | 0 |
Shares of each engine's own complaints, matched by VIN. They show what owners complain about, not how often engines break.
Quick answers
Is the Toyota 2AZ-FE 2.4 reliable?
No one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car score. Of the 7,176 complaints owners filed about cars with it, 22% name the engine, #18 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most). 619 (8.6%) mention burning or losing oil, against 0.5% for the other engines. 109 (1.5%) mention a head gasket, against 0.1% for the other engines.
What cars have the Toyota 2AZ-FE 2.4?
In our data: the Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Highlander, model years 2001–2009, matched by the VIN in each owner complaint.
What are the most common 2AZ-FE problems?
In owner complaints to the government: engine, speed control, body structure.
How many recalls name the 2AZ-FE?
0 NHTSA recalls on these cars name it.
Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints filed under each car's own NHTSA names (the same ones its car pages count), all years filed, one per complaint number. Engine: decoded from the complaint's VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (displacement, cylinders, engine model, turbo, hybrid) and the engine maker's model years; a VIN that doesn't decode to exactly one engine is left out. Older cars have had more years to collect complaints, and popular cars draw more because more were sold. Source: NHTSA owner complaints (FLAT_CMPL + COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED_2025-2026), received through 20261111; engines: NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (batch); NHTSA recalls API. Engine names and model years: Toyota.