In the latest of several recalls related to the issue of screens staring blankly back at drivers, a bunch of Camrys are being called back to the dealer.
Toyota has announced a recall for 508,000 2025-2026 Camry sedans in the U.S. due to a faulty driver’s display. There’s no word yet on a Canadian recall, but we expect one to follow shortly.
The problem
Toyota explains that “The 7-inch combination meter may become blank at startup. This can also deactivate the turn signal and hazard lamps and certain warning buzzer sounds (such as the smart key reminder and the driver/passenger seat belt reminder). This can cause the vehicle not to meet certain federal safety standards.”
Toyota doesn’t explain the precise cause of the problem at startup, so we’ll have to be content with using the trusty catchall phrase ‘computer glitch’ to explain it.
With cars integrating increasingly complex systems to do with infotainment, drive assist features and so on, we can expect to see more and more of these kinds of recalls. And it’s worth repeating that with so many functionalities concentrated on digital screens, when those screens don’t work, the vehicle becomes, if not undriveable, hazardous to drive – not to mention, illegal. If the driver’s display does go blank, for example, the turn signals may not function, which is an obvious safety hazard.
The Camry is one of Toyota’s best-selling vehicles in North America, so the size of the recall is not all that surprising. It is worth noting, however, that only certain trims of the model are affected, since upper trims have the larger 12.3-inch screen, which is not affected by the glitch.
The solution
Toyota isn’t exactly tripping over itself to get the issue resolved, as it says it will notify customers by early October 2026. Owners will be asked to bring their vehicle to a dealer for a no-cost software update.