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Toyota Camry Transmission Questions (MY Prior to 2007)

13

Comments

  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Owners have been reporting that while in cruise control the engine/transaxle ECU will actually command a downshift to retard roadspeed going down a hill.

    That's not true for either of my Camrys ('04 with 4-speed auto and '05 with 5-speed auto). If descending a grade at highway speeds with the cruise control on, the car will remain in top gear. If the grade is steep enough, the car's road speed will increase above the set speed.

    ONLY by braking rather firmly will the transmission then downshift into 3rd (for the 4-speed unit) and 4th or 3rd (for the 5-speed unit). Of course, braking cancels the cruise control until the "resume" feature is activated.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    >... engine/transaxle ECU will actually command a downshift to retard roadspeed going down a hill.
    ... the car will remain in top gear. If the grade is steep enough, the car's road speed will increase above the set speed.

    Is it the 2007 DBW model that downshifts? Your models act the way I want a car to do, even when cruise control is "off." I will move the lever to a lower gear if I want the car to downshift, and lose fuel economy in the process.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't believe there's any difference for the '07s, if the transmission is working properly. The Camry has had drive-by-wire since the 2002 models, at least for the 4-cylinder engine.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The issue of 1-2 second downshift delay/hesitation seems to exist across the industry, more prevalent for FWD and F/AWD but I see posts of these symptoms for Ford, VW, and Honda along with Toyota and Lexus.

    So my cruise control downshift statement may, or may not, have been taken from a Toyota or Lexus post.
  • bkamalibkamali Member Posts: 4
    Three days ago the problem just disapeared and there was very smoth shift in gears.
    However today I used my A/C (I haven't used it during these days) and I noticed that the problem came back.
    Any suggestions?
    Thanks.
  • sean300sean300 Member Posts: 41
    I still have the same issue that you seemed to have. Most of the time the car does shift smoothly but it does seem on particularly hot days that the shift issue is most prominent. What seems to work for myself is to allow the car to idle for a few minutes - this seems to settle the hard shift somewhat. The only other thing that I can think of is a possible transmission fluid change. I was advised by several mechanics and technicians not to flush the transmission. I usually change the fluid every 20k miles. Hopes this helps. Best regards.
  • carowp2carowp2 Member Posts: 1
    My daughter has a 2000 Camry with 95K miles. The check-engine light came on. She took it to the dealer who said she had the following codes:
    P0770 - Shift Solenoid E Malfunction
    P0773 - Shift Solenoid E Electical

    They suggested a new transmission. My daughter took it to a Transmission shop. They tried replacing an external solenoid. Didn't work. They dropped the pan and said there is metal in the fluid. Need to rebuild the transmission. The car runs fine, no shifting problems. He says it has to do with the Torque Converter. Symptoms would be poor gas milage. Said that the external solenoid filled with guck right away. So, is this a common occurance to have a Toyota with less than 100K miles and need a new transmission? I have had Honda's and no problems like this. Will cost $2200, including parts, labor and tax. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Very, very unusual, unless the fluid was never changed. Toyota and GM generally have the most reliable automatics.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..unless the fluid was nver changed.."

    Yet another totally unjustified "pilot error" post. Factory "shill"??

    The factory doesn't REQUIRE, nor even recommend, that the ATF be flushed/drained/refilled on my 2001 AWD RX300, EVER...!!

    So I rather doubt if the Camry does.

    ATF can NEVER, by CAREFUL design, be the initial cause of a transaxle failure. ATF can only contribute once it is contaminated or overheated as a result of some failure mode, design flaw, of the transaxle.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I hope you're not accusing mcdawgg of being a "factory shill?"

    His posts have always been forthright. No matter what the manual says, I think the common wisdom is still to drain and refill the auto tranny fluid at regular intervals, something like 30K to 60K miles. I've already done it once on my '04 Camry (47K miles currently).
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    > not accusing mcdawgg of being a "factory shill?"
    His posts have always been forthright.

    Agree.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • jhoneyjhoney Member Posts: 2
    98 camry, 4cyl,auto, car has a problem shifting into overdrive. have to let off the gas and push on the gas to get it to shift. it only happens when the car is getting warm the transmission shop says. they said they could not find anything wrong with it. they said they noticed the engine was losing power when this happens. they think the shifting problem has to do with the engine losing power. the car has 104,xxx miles. only things i had to replace was water pump,timing belt,hoses,thermostat,belts at 7x,xxx miles and just replace the catilytic converter at 103,xxx. the cat was replaced due to the flex pipe getting a hole in it.no codes show up on the engine. any help would be appreciated
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    It would not be altogether unusual for an I4 with that many miles to not have enough "GO" power to run at the low engine RPM required in order to operate satisfactorily in OD, most especially after a COLD start.

    Once the engine warms up and the "worn" compression rings expand to more completely seal the cylinder you will have more "go" power.

    How "comfortable" are you that the timing belt was/is properly installed? A few "cogs" off + or - can make a HUGE difference.
  • jhoneyjhoney Member Posts: 2
    i put it on and the car has always ran good.i was wondering if the timing might be off now. i was wondering if it might have jumped a tooth.we have close to 3x,xxx miles on the timing belt.i am thinking about taking it apart and checking it and installing a new one. might even just get rid of the car and get a new one.
  • dandl67dandl67 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 2004 V6 Camry with 45000 miles and i want to do my first drain&refill, should i drop the pan and check the filter at this time
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    A reporter aims to connect with a V6 Camry owner who has encountered quality problems, particularly with the car's six-speed transmission. If you have a relevant experience to share, please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com with a few words about your experience along with your daytime contact info and the model year of your Camry. Please respond no later than Monday, November 5, 2007.

    Thanks,
    Jeannine Fallon
    Corporate Communications
    Edmunds.com
  • rfg99rfg99 Member Posts: 2
    I'm planning on changing the tranny fluid in my '99 Camry V6 LE which has 60K miles on it. The manual recommends DEXRON III but I see Castrol makes a new Import Multi-vehicle ATF equal to DEXRON III(H) and a whole lot of other ATF fluids. Am I asking for trouble using this product in my '99 Camry?

    Any insight appreciated! :D
  • rfg99rfg99 Member Posts: 2
    I'm planning on changing the tranny fluid in my '99 Camry V6 LE which has 60K miles on it. The manual recommends DEXRON III but I see Castrol makes a new Import Multi-vehicle ATF equal to DEXRON III(H) and a whole lot of other ATF fluids. Am I asking for trouble using this product in my '99 Camry?

    Any insight appreciated! :D
  • dchen2003dchen2003 Member Posts: 34
    I brought my 03 camry to the dealership for 30000 mi maintainess. The people at the dealership suggested me to change the transmission fluid, but I said no. I checked my service manual and it doesn't mention to change the fluid at 30000 mi or any milage. I opened the hood and there is a sticker says "No need to change transmission fluid" right beside the transmission fluid deep stick. I am kind of confused about this. I don't mind to spend some money to change the fluid, but on the other hand I don't want to waste my money. I really need your suggestions on this, I should follow the manufacturer's suggestion or the dealership's.

    Thank you in advance for any suggestions and opinions
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    I would use the dipstick to check the ATF condition at each oil change interval. If it remains clear and pink then ignore the dealer.
  • mcar2mcar2 Member Posts: 1
    1994 Camry 6 cyl 114k miles. Regular trans service. Suddenly lost power to wheels both in drive and reverse. Engine fine. Could a broken motor mount cause this, or is the trans the problem?
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    you say that you suddenly lost power to wheels in both drive and reverse do you mean the car will not move in fwd and rev ? if the answer is yes check the atf level is it real high on the dipstick?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    That question, initially, confused me.

    But no, now that there is no mechanical connection between the shifter and the transaxle the motor mounts should not have this effect.
  • camry2k5camry2k5 Member Posts: 38
    I just did a drain and refill over the weekend @ 43k. I used CASTROL IMPORT MULTIVEHICLE MTF instead of Toyota T-IV. It needed 3.5 qts. I got 4 @ 3.19 each at Pep Boys. This MTF outperforms the original fluid. I noticed that it shifts smoothly and does not abruptly downshift when you step on your gas and driving uphill . This works on my Camry and might solve the tranny issue with 5th gens. I wish I had changed the fluid earlier. I plan to change again at 60K.
  • camry2k5camry2k5 Member Posts: 38
    Ooops! I stand corrected.
    This is Automatic Trans Fluid not MTF that I mentioned earlier.
    .
  • brew23brew23 Member Posts: 1
    when i put the car in gear it does nothing ....... then when i try to put it back in park it grinds in the gears ......
  • torque48torque48 Member Posts: 3
    2001 Camry 4 cyl auto, trans replaced by Toyota at 56k miles (trans totally gone). Now, 30k miles more, no first gear. Fluid smells great (as far as fluid smells go) and level is OK. Does Toyota have a problem? Any TSBs available? Anyone think Toyota will help?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    No mention of transmission failure issues in the TSB list.

    Could be an electrical issue (ECM, shift solenoid, etc.).

    You need to have the transmission scanned for trouble codes to learn more.
  • torque48torque48 Member Posts: 3
    A) Sorry for duplicate posting. First time I have ever posted anything anywhere. B) are you saying an electrical issue could be causing 1st gear to shudder and slip when trying to connect up? That is what is happening. Thanks
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I thought you said you had no first gear?

    Anyway hard to say from here what's going on, but a code reading should tell something, as should a pressure test. Might be valve body issues as well.
  • torque48torque48 Member Posts: 3
    1st gear just about dead. Thanks for reply. Will do these checks 1st thing Monday
    I
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    With these electronically controlled automatics, you have to eliminate electrical issues first before tearing into anything. I'm not sure what the effects of a bad ECM might be precisely--I just don't have that hands-on experience. Seems to me that actual severe slipping would have resulted in fluid that would be quite dirty and would have a pungent smell (coming from the damaged clutch material).
  • xbbusterxbbuster Member Posts: 145
    My '02 Camry 82,000 miles has recently been experiencing a rapid cycle of hesitations when decelerating at highway speed. also with the cruise on and going down an overpass. I took it in to a garage I trust and I was told that the trans needed to be reprogramed. I was also told there should be no cost to me for this as there was a TSB from Toyota for this complaint. Naturally the service writer at the dealer told me he never heard of it, therefore nothing was done. Has anyone else exerienced this problem before and what was the solution? Thanks.
  • oilcan93oilcan93 Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 95 Camry. The problems with the transmission are twofold:
    1.) Above 45-50 mph the RPM's are too high for the engine speed based on my last Camry (1996) that this car replaces. At 60 mph I am around 3200 RPM. At 70 I'm over 4000 RPM. I am used to 2600-2800 for around 70 mph. It seems that the car will go through all gears normally but the overdrive gear never kicks in.
    2.) If I'm at 60 mph (or ANY other speed just for example) and around 3200 RPM and I remove my foot from the accelerator, the engine tachs down immediately to around 1000-1100 (idle speed) and when I want to accelerate or just engage the engine to speed up, the engine revs ups freely until the RPM's meet the point where they engage. It works the same if I allow cruise control to take over.

    This car was an engine rebuild by a mechanic so it could be as easy as he just didn't put in the correct ATF so the friction agents aren't working or the whole tranny could just be junk and I can replace it with the one from my old car (235k miles). I'm certainly no mechanic. I'm just going by the posts I have read on here.

    Any thoughts or questions to help me hone in on this issue? Should I drain the tranny through the drainplug and just refill with what I KNOW is the correct ATF? I don't want to mess it up more without some guidance. So thank you for any offered.
  • mbumgarnermbumgarner Member Posts: 1
    i have a 1994 camry V6, suddenly my car just started to give me problems with what i think is the transmission, or so i am told
    when i first leave in the car it does fine, but after i come to a stop my car acts like it cannot shift (struggles from 1 to 2 then goes on to 3 & 4 with no problem)
    and sometimes won't go at all. will go into drive and reverse
    i recently had the radiator replaced and then afterwards i had a day where hit was trying over heat again , thought maybe the water level was too low cause after we topped it off and got it to my mechanic , he could not find anything wrong at all and never did it again until this started to happen with my shifting issue.
    any suggestions, cannot get a computer on it to see if it throwing a code
    could it be related to the radiator issue or a sensor
    was told that i have 3 sensors that could be going bad as well but don't know which one to start with
    any help or suggestions are welcome!
  • echo33echo33 Member Posts: 2
    I had the same problem on my 2002 camry V6. Gear 1 and 2 hesitation. I also has this problem. When the transmission cold (e.g. at 15'C). It won't change gear at the first 1 km. And I had the dealer reflash the ECM computer doesn't solve the problem. My friend said it is comment on camry transmission.
  • echo33echo33 Member Posts: 2
    Month ago. I had the toyota dealer flush my car trans system. Now the hesitation problem occur. Dealer said nothing related to the flush it is my transmission failing.
  • xbbusterxbbuster Member Posts: 145
    Same problem.......... rapid hesitation, bucking. seems like the engine is just cutting out like it had bad plugs. Only after driving a 100 miles or so and only when decelerating from highway speeds or going down the slightest hill. No check engine light so the dealer says they can't do anything unless they drive it with a scanner. It has real good power and gets 30 mpg highway. I'm lost. Local dealer suggested next time we take a trip schedule an appointment with a dealer on the way so they could test it.
  • prob1prob1 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2005 Camry LE 4 cyl with 41000 miles and is still under PowerTrain Warranty. I am getting a gurgling noise like metal flowing thru liquid during low speed acceleration 2 to 10 MPH. It does not occur everytime. My engine oil level is reading high 1/2 inch above full mark.
    I am concerned about a transmission problem.
    Any comments.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Get that engine oil down to the correct maximum level.......... if there is too much oil the crankshaft can end up slapping it and foaming the oil up, and splashing it on the cylinder walls. Pull the drain plug and drain about a quart+ out. Drain more or refill as needed. This is assuming that someone overfilled the oil.

    If the oil level was correct, and now it is high....I would suspect a blown head gasket, allowing radiator fluid to contaminate the oil. Get this looked at pronto.
  • prob1prob1 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for your comments. I removed 1 1/2 pints of oil from the engine. The oil level is now at the full mark; not over. The noise is still there. The noise lasts for only a few seconds. It seems to occur when we need to accelerate; in the 0 to 10mph range. However, it is not consistent. Hard to take to a mechanic to solve the mystery if I can't duplicate it. Racking my brain trying to find a word that describes this noise accurately. Do you know of anything else that may cause a noise that sounds like metal traveling through liquid? Coincidentally, the noise started after my last oil change and I have 4200 miles on the oil.

    Please advise.
    .
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Do you know what the sound of an engine knock is (cylinder detonation knock).....usually first noticed with a bad load of gas or low octane fuel? If so, does it sound like that?
  • prob1prob1 Member Posts: 4
    No,It does not sound like a engine knock. I know what a knock sounds like due to low octane gas. I am due for a oil change. I am going to report this problem to the Toyota Service Manager to get it on record.
    Thanks for your help.
  • clk2clk2 Member Posts: 1
    I need some advice, I did oil change on my camry and was told I had to change the tranmission fluid because it is dark and the fluid should be clear and pink, some friends advice that I should leave it alone, as long as there is no problem with it. Please advise me.

    thanks
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited March 2010
    What does the scheduled maintenance guide (should be with your owners manual) say when you should change it, given how many miles you have on your vehicle, and whether you've changed it before or not?

    If it's discolored, personally I'd change it if you haven't done it in say 60K miles. If I remember correctly, if you are in special operating conditions they recommend changing it every 30K miles, but most people don't run in really bad operating conditions on a consistent basis.

    If you are not the original owner (and know how hard the prior owners drove it), or drive it hard yourself, then I'd definitely change it.
  • mrfphatsmrfphats Member Posts: 1
    i think my transmission may be slipping. not every time but fairly often when i accelerate from a stop it will have a hard time speeding up even when i am stepping on the gas half to just about full way. also when i am stopped and leave it in a gear it will shudder and idle very heavily (most violently in reverse). my friend tells me the trans is slipping and could cost almost 3k to repair. any ideas?
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    Have you checked fluid level as stated in owner's manual. If it is up to proper level, is the fluid nice clean pinkish color, or does it look dark and smell burnt. If the latter, low cost try is to have the fluid flushed and replaced. If that still doesn't work, there are plenty of tranny fluid additives that claim to fix your problem, try one as another low cost fix.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    No offense to your friend, but I would take it and have a professional garage look at it. When I first read your post, it sounds more like an engine problem than a transmission problem (lack of power, shuddering while idling).
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    +1 on engine first, especially the idle air bypass.
  • inspector000inspector000 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 camry and I was having transmission issues and check engine light came on, we replaced the transmission solenoid with a used one because it was only one that was not working. I had a mechanic friend do the work. After reading the post by toyota this is a common issue? They recommend replacing it with a newer one. COST $3000. But it feels rough and i think it is not engaging the last shift into the 5th gear. it is automatic with overdrive. 4cylinder. I thought it was going to go out but it still runs. My question is after so long it hasn't gone out what is the problem? Maybe it is not the transmission but it lags in reverse or my friend did not install properly. If anyone has info please help
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