Toyota Camry 2006 and earlier

mcgirl0730

Do you guys turn off overdrive in the city and turn it back on when you get on the freeway? My friend said it's not good to have the car on overdrive all the time.

bd21

Your friend is wrong. Read your manual, very rarely do you need to take the car out of overdrive. Going down a steep mountain can be one of the rare exceptions. This keeps you from over braking, but other than that cars are designed to stay in overdrive constantly for the best MPG and performance.

mcgirl0730

Thanks for the reply, bd21. I'll keep my overdrive on all the time.

fredvh

Are current owners of the new 2005 Camry with the 4-cylinder engine and automatic transmission having any hesitation or other transmission problems? I certainly would like to hear from current owners of this Camry.

masonmi

I've been looking at the 2003 and 2004 Camry's are these very reliable? any issues that crop up on these cars?

slov98

They are reliable but you should go back and reread as many messages as possible. I was scared a little when reading about the various problems such as rattles or spongy brakes, I test drove one and heard nothing and brakes respond better then in our old camry.

mcgirl0730

Camry is very reliable. I have an 04 V6 LE and it's only 4 months old. I don't have any problems with it. It's quiet and it shifts very smoothly. The car does rattle a little bit, though. But then it goes away. My 99 and 94 Corollas had the same thing. Honda Accord owners complain about the same thing, too.

vtec2

Can anyone on here tell me if the "extra mile" aluminum wheels on the 2005 XLE 4-cyl are different from the ones shown in the brochure?

manamal

I have an 02 LE with stock (steel wheels) and OEM 15" tires. I am thinking of going to 16 or 17" rims and grippier tires to improve handling. I will keep the old rims, and put winter tires on them. My question is: how much of an improvement in handling will I get between the 15" and the 16" or 17" wheels? And is the 17" worth the cost difference (about $50/tire)?

By the way, 16" wouldbe fitted with r16's 205/16R16 Yohohama Avids, and the 17" would be fitted with 225/50R17's with tires to be determined.

I figure the tires are cheaper than a new car. I do not car about straint line performance, but would like to get some more feel in the corners. I am leaning to the 17" with either Continental ContiTouringContact CV95 or Bridgestone Turanza LS-V tires. (all from tirerack).

Any thoughts/suggestions?

dudleyr

I would not overdo it as the gains are diminishing. 16" wheels should be fine.

masonmi

I did notice there was a forum for Camry Rattles, hopefully the dealer has been able to fix any rattles, the 2003 I test drove didn't have any rattles.

mcgirl0730

My 04 V6 LE came with side and curtain airbags, front and rear. According to Edmunds, the package should also include vehicle stability control. I'm not sure if my car has this also. Does anybody have an 04 V6 LE with side and curtain airbags? Does it also have vehicle stability control? And what's the difference between this and traction control?

fredvh

Are current owners of the new 2005 Camry with the 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed automatic transmission having any hesitation or other transmission problems? I certainly would like to hear from current owners of this Camry.

bd21

Simply look at the window sticker that came with your car. It will clearly spell out all standard features and options that came on your car.

vtec2

cam2003

Look in "Toyota Camry Owners: Accessories & Modifications" Message 133 "17" wheels on 2003 Camry"

dplachta

Thanks for the info on my '92 Camry, which starts poorly.

Any idea how difficult and costly it is to replace this part? Can I do it myself?

Thanks!

a_l_hubcaps

vtec2-

The "Extra Mile" wheels are aftermarket junk made by PRIME, which also manufactures the crappy wheels they sell at Pep Boys for $99 each. THEY ARE JUNK. If you want alloy wheels, get the OEM Toyota ones.

-Andrew L

18fan

I have a 2004 Camry that is 7+ months old now and has 11K miles on it. No problems with it whatsoever, except that the original Continental tires are junk. Only thing it's needed so far is oil changes. Also, I have not experienced any of the rattles that others have noted (except, of course, the occasional times the tire guage rolls around a little inside the glove box!)

slov98

I will be upgrading the rims from 15 to 16 after the winter, I want to finish off the stock tires first. I thought the proper tire for 17s was 215/50/17? this way your speedometer will be off by only -0.1%. I'm not sure why tirerack has changed this, must be a recent change. Now it would be +1.4%
check out this site
http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi

typesix

The part is expensive, about $140. Get shop manual first and check it out before replacing it.Need an ohmmeter to test resistance values of the timer. Your local library may have info. It is not hard to replace, draining some coolant and unscrewing the old timer out and installing the new timer in along with coolant.

fredvh

Are current owners of the new 2005 Camry with the 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed automatic transmission having any hesitation or other transmission problems? I certainly would like to hear from current owners of this Camry.

kneisl1

Im going to change the oil on my 2005 and need to know how many quarts of oil to put in the engine. Thanks!

mcgirl0730

5 quarts

bd21

Read your owner's manual very carefully. It will tell you exactly how much oil your particular engine takes. Regardless, after you change the oil you should always start the car and turn it off after a minute or two. Then wait a couple of minutes and check your oil level. This will ensure you have the correct amount.

kneisl1

Yes Ill look at it today before my wife drives to work. Five quarts I wouldnt have thought it.

kneisl1

Its interesting thaq the four cylindar takes 5 quarts of oil but the six cylindar takes only 4.

cam2003

Not sure about 4 cyl but 6 cyl takes 4.8 quarts.

epond

My 2002 4 cyl XLE takes only 4 quarts and I have been doing that for the last couple of years.

epond

cam2003

I just checked Toyota Manual

2AZ-FE (4 cyl) : 4 qt (with filter), 3.8 (without)

1MZ-FE (6 cyl): 5 qt (with filter) and 4.8 (without)

kneisl1, if your 4 cyl took 5 qt, you might want to check any leak of oil pan, or you engine might burn oil.

speeddemon2

Need help selling Toyota Camry. I know someone who has a 1989 Camry in good condition that would like to sell it for $1000. Can you recommend some places in the tri state area (CT, NY, or NJ) where it would be best to sell it to? Do you guys think donation would be something to consider for him?

epond

I drive a 4 cyl 2002 Toyota Camry XLE. I have not had one problem the 28 months I have driven it. In addition, I regularly change the oil and filter myself.

However, just today I was cruising on the freeway and noticed on the bottom right of my instrument panel what looked like a check engine light. The manual says it's a "Engine Malfunction Lamp" and that I am suppose to take it to a Toyota Dealer for them to check it out.

The light came on around 24,500 miles on the odometer. Is this just a reminder to get some upcoming 30000 miles service done on the car, or could it actually be something serious?

Thanks for the help in advance.

epond

pat

Speeddemon2, there should be some discussions on our Smart Shopper board where you can get some help with those questions. Just click on that link and have a look at the discussion list. Good luck!

june24

I've been driving a 97 XLE V6 and is very satified. Looking to change to a 05 XLE V6. The horsepower and torque are improved in the newer version. But by how much? Is it noticeable in acceleration and highway passing?

alan_s

Difference is immediately apparent. Drive one and see.

motownusa

The 05 Camry XLE V6 is rated at 210 Hp and 220 lb-ft of torque. Your 97 XLE V6 is rated at 194 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque. Also, V6 Camrys made before 03 came with a four speed automatic whereas once made in 2003 and after have five speed automatic which helps acceleration. But my personal opinion is that the SE V6 is a better buy than the XLE V6. The SE comes with 3.3L V6 rated at 225 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. It is also less expensive than the XLE V6. But the downside is that the SE rides a little harsher than the LE and XLE. Why don't you test drive both the XLE and SE and see which one you like better.

alpha01

Motown, you know I truly enjoy your posts, and I dont mean to sound nit-picky, but because the SE V6 lacks many standards on the XLE V6, equipping the two as similarly as possible actually equalizes the pricing, and the XLE V6 will have more lux/convenience items (power passenger seat, auto climate control), but the SE V6 will have more performance items (sportier suspension, bigger/better and better looking wheels/tires, etc.).

~alpha

june24

Thanks for the posts. I don't plan to get a SE V6 and in Canada, SE V6 cannot be equipped with VDC & TRAC other than lux items. Security is paramount as it'll be my family car. Any notes on comparing the older 3.0L V6 with the newer one by actual daily use?

alan_s

I have a 2002 Avalon which has the same engine as the 2005 Camry XLE V6. I had a 98 Camry V6 before and the Avalon is quicker off the mark an generally at all speeds. You really can feel the torque difference.

davidm1

Hi All,

I have a 2003 4cyl XLE that has a constant vibration in the steering wheel. I honestly dont know if its always been there, but something tells me no. It is not as strong as a shake and there are no noices, but it almost numbs my hands after a long drive.

Is this normal? Or should I take it to the dealer?

petl

It should not be there. Sounds like a wheel balance, rim and/or radial tire problem (warped or broken belt). Take it to a trustworhty shop. Someone who will inform you if the problem is covered under warranty. Have you hit any curbs or potholes? Sometimes it doesn't take very much. Good Luck.

alpha01

I would strongly agree that your first bet is to have the wheels balanced. If you've rotated your tires without balancing them, the steering wheel is bound to vibrate to some degree, as switching out of round tires to different places on the car is going to lead to an unbalanced ride.

~alpha

cam2003

I would check the air pressure ALL tires before doing something else. They should be 29 PSI at cold.

motownusa

Something is wrong with either my PC or Edmunds. Every time I log onto edmunds.com, my screen is filled with numerous car related pop up ads trying to sell everything from cars to car insurance. This is extremely annoying. Do edmunds get money from these websites? Or is it my computer infected with Adware. I do have adware remover installed on my computer?

P.S. nice to hear from you, Alpha. Haven't seen you around here for a while.

pat

Motownusa, it's not Edmunds - it is most likely spyware. Try SpyBot - I've had a lot of success with it and read many positive reviews.

Here is a link to one source which also contains links to other antispyware products: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.- - - - - - asp. Or you can just google "spybot" to find other sources and information.

That should fix it. However, you might also want to google "popup blocker" and find one of those as well.

Hope this helps. If you need further assistance you can email me or post in the Our Software discussion.

davidm1

Thanks very much...as a matter of fact two things have happened recently that suggest your theories make sence:1) I had my tires rotated and 2) the weather has started to get cold.

Ill check these out...thanks!

r0de099

Im hearing some noise on the right rear suspension
of my car when i hit a hump or pothole so i replaced the struts, but i still hearing that noise.What do you guys think is the problem?Its like a knocking noise or something.Maybe you have any idea what the problem is.THANKS...

alpha01

Thanks Motown, you too. I started my first full time job in June, and dont have nearly as much time as Id like to be reading these boards.

~alpha

themoon77

I have that too. It's accompanied by a "chuff" sound that gets faster the faster I go. Also, there's a brake pulse. I have a feeling these are symptoms of the same problem. I drove slowly on my street, and the sound, vibration, and brake pulse happen at exactly the same time. Any ideas? It's an 89 Cam V6 with new CVs on both sides and recently machined rotors.

Steve

speeddemon2

Thanks Pat