Sorry killerpiece if you felt tmsusa shied away from addressing your questions. But please understand that it is not practical to reply to every unique question via this space. Our dealers and Customer Experience Center here in Torrance, CA are prepared to do just that, however. Also, tmsusa thought some of your good questions were previously addressed, like in post #47.
Any company competing in the marketplace would be foolhardy not to reach out to "help" its customers. But if there are Toyota owners with whom we've not connected that are calling out for assistance on other boards, they should get in touch with their dealer right away or call us at our HQ at 800-331-4331..
Some people have said that Toyota has gotten too big and arrogant, but after your (Toyota's) response to this issue (albeit, it seemed a little reluctant, which I hope will continue to improve) I happen to disagree. It has put to rest my doubts about Toyota caring for it's consumers.
The newest edition of the Toyota Camry is being recalled for a problem with the transmission. The problem, Toyota says, involved only a half-percent of Camrys built thus far for the 2007 model year. The new six-speed automatic transmission could lose second and sixth gear during operation. Toyota told Reuters the vehicle still will operate even if the gears are lost, and that the problem usually happens within the first 500 miles of use.
I dont know if tmsusa has enough time and resources to respond to every inquiry with which he/she has been deluged, but I can tell you, satul96, that if you test drove an LE 4 cylinder, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE way that it could be affected by the issue highlighted on this forum because the 4 cylinder and V6 have COMPLETELY different transmissions.
That said, if you are most comfortable with the Sonata, thats the vehicle you should purchase.
Thank you alpha01. You are correct, and as tmsusa noted earlier, this issue is specific to our early production V6 6-spd-engine transmission and countermeasures have been introduced. You are also astute in realizing that our resources for being responsive "online" to consumer interest in this important topic are a bit limited right now--but tmsusa will do its best to help assure prospective owners that they are protected against this transmission malfunction if they purchase or lease the 07 V6 Camry.
So satul96, tmsusa did not miss your post, but encourages you to talk to your local Toyota dealer or even other Toyota customers via forums like this one. Feel free to call us, too, at our Customer Experience Center (800-331-4331). You mention a few fine automobiles in your post--tmsusa happens to believe that the Camry 4-cyl is the best of the bunch.
I agree with you 100%.The immediate problem being addressed is indeed a manufacturing defect.I have no doubt Toyota will address the manufacturing defect. It is certainly not the same problem that owners of 5 speeds are complaining about. I for one do not want to buy another car with the same acting transmission I have lived with for three years.. I will still wait and see if shifting complaints considered "normal operation or as designed" start to pop up. My Camry purchase is on hold till my confidence is satisfied. BTW look at Consumer Reports, for one, you will see no transmission problems for 5 speeds, even after Toyota issued a TSB for tranny software.
tmsusa, I don't want to put you on the spot as I am sure your responses have to be very sensitive. I will understand if you limit your response.
I am waiting delivery of my XLE V6 any time now, and am concerned that it may be from a defective batch. If I am not satisfied it is not from the earlier defective batch, I may refuse delivery. Could you please share with us how we can identify whether a Camry is affected by any means (VIN, inspection, manufacturing date, etc.)
If the problem was due to a manufacturing process (not design), and the faulty manufacturing continued until it was recently identified, wouldn't ALL the V6 Camrys built in the U.S. have this defect?
How many manufacturing processes were there before issue was identified? I thought all the U.S. built Camrys were initially from the Kentucky plant, and there were only ONE process. If that's the case, I'd expect ALL the prior V6 to have the defect. How can only "half-percent" or 160 cars be affected.
Perhaps the ~160 number represent ALL (100%) the V6s from Kentucky plant, but only 0.5% of all the 2007 Camrys in the world. I am not sure.
This is the type of specific information that so far tmusa has not responded to in this forum. If they know the problem is confined to just 160 cars, then they must know the VIN's or the exact dates they were manufactured.
"....issue with the Camry transmission; this unit is already mated to the V6 in the Lexus IS...."
But isn't the IS RWD?
Assuming that is so the Camry 6-speed cannot be used in the Lexus IS. Even the controlling firmware for a FWD vs a RWD would need to be different due to the need to alleviate engine compression braking on the FWD for safety reasons.
Thank you for your reply. I am aware that V4 and V6 are completely different engine!.I had that feeling even before joining the forum. I was not even ware that such forum exist.When I saw people discussing about the issue I thought it might be possible that somebody also felt the same thing.It is also possible that it is just feeling there is nothing there since I am a new driver. However I did not go there alone and my friend also noticed the same thing and he is not a new driver.that was the reason I used this forum to put the question I will try to talk to local dealer about this issue.
Again thank you for your reply. I request If somebody has the same way feeling about initial jerk,please reply to me.
We know you've been following this issue in Canada supergoop and no problem with putting tmsusa on the spot. But be advised that tmsusa is in the USA, and our responses here are geared to our U.S. customers and dealers. That number you have read about is likely a high estimate on our part--and the number for Canada would be far less.
This is not a recall, and it is not a recall in Canada either. Our friends at Toyota Canada subscribe to the same customer satisfaction philosophy as us, so tmsusa says look forward to your new Camry, enjoy and thank you for being a part of the Toyota family
I certainly don't want to jump on the bash Toyota bandwagon since I am the satified owner of two, but I will say it would be highly unusual in high volume manufacturing to build only 160 pieces that were defective. That represents only an hour or two of production. When an error is made, the quantity produced before discovery is more often in the thousands.
Having said that, perhaps Toyota has better in-process audits than most and really did catch the defect after only 160 pieces. I guess we'll have to wait an see.
If I was in the market for an '07 Camry (and might be had I not just leased on '05 a year ago), this news certainly would not stop me from buying or leasing one. They are going to make good on the problem.
I applaud Toyota for their quick response and this seems like a very minor issue in a car that I expect to be an industry leader for years to come.
I have a question that is slightly off topic. I'm intending to purchase a Lexus ES 350 shortly and it shares the same drivetrain as the Camry. Are any Lexus ES 350s affected with this transmission snafu?
First I want to thank TMSUSA for responding to the Public via this forum. My 07 XLE V6 (Japan) made in January of 06 is doing just fine with 2,300 miles on it. I am not a car expert let alone a Toyota expert. I do have a few questions about this matter that I would like to find an answer for if possible. As we all know, all types of opinions and ideas have made it to the forum world concerning this matter.
I have a few questions and observations:
I have seen several post on different forums that indicate this problem is "mostly" appearing in the US assembled cars. Again, this is just rumor and not fact that I can prove.
It has been stated by many people that the 6 speed transmissions are all made in Japan and shipped to the different assembly points.
If all of the 6 speed transmissions ARE made in Japan and the problem is "internal" it is hard for me to understand how "where" the car is assembled could have anything to do with the transmission problem.
As I said, these are just observations I have gathered from forums and how much is true or factual is something I have no way of knowing. Can anyone verify any of the above as being factual?
I know this is not a "recall" and is not being treated as such. I wonder if Toyota really released the "160" number to the media or if some media person "arrived" at this number by some other thought process? If the "160" number came from Toyota this would make you "think" they know exactly which 160 units were affected. I don't know how many of these transmissions they ship at one time to a certain plant, but I am sure it would be a large amount. Is it possible that all "160" went to the same plant? I suppose they "could" have gone to more than just one plant. Any thoughts ?
I really like my 2 Toyota vehicles and I think the Camry is a fine car and I am glad Toyota is talking about this. However, IF this "160" number is correct I think Toyota should notify the owners of those cars of the "potential" problem. If mine is one of them I would just like to know, I do not want anything done to it unless it starts giving trouble, but at that time I would expect relief from Toyota. A free 7 year 100,000 warranty would be nice in that case.
All of the above is based strictly on what I have read recently and I do not profess to know what is factual and what is not. Thanks.
I would like to let you all know what Toyota has done for me since I posted that my '07 Camry XLE wend south 2 days ago. This is an update and a short summary of what has transpired. The car had a bad episode of the lurching/revving/shift problem 2 days ago. The car was towed to my dealer 2 nights ago. TMSUSA called me yesterday and has been right on top of this. They said they will either give me a new car or do the following: 1)repair the problem, referred to as the "snap ring issue." 2)give me a free loaner for the duration of the time needed for repair, estimated to be 2 to 3 weeks. 3)the loaner was delivered to my door today, as I told them it is very inconvenient for me to go the 40 minutes to the dealer (my wife has to drive me there). 4)they will extend the warrantee to 7yrs/100,000 miles with the Platinum $0 deductible Toyota Warrantee (not the locally offered extended warrantee which is by Fidelity Warrantee Services, which I do not want). 5)they will reimburse the car payment I make. (sounds like 1 payment if 2 to 3 weeks is how long it takes). 6)I asked if initial acceptance of the package offer precludes the opportunity to get a new car. She told me no it does not. 7)TMSUSA has called today and followed up on the delivery of the loaner. All in all it seems fair to me, and I am giving them the opportunity to make good on their product.
I have had Toyota (Lexus) products for 17 years, and they are a good company, as far as I could tell. My faith in Toyota was shaken by this episode and Toyota is trying hard to earn it back.
More updates as things happen. Here is my loaner: Here is my car in better times:
Thank you nextmoon for that link, which confirms tmsusa's thinking that these kinds of stories fail to garner much attention without the "R" word!
Seriously, we're focused on providing immediate help to our early 07 V6 Camry buyers who experience this condition and working with our dealers to ensure these customers have confidence in their Toyota. If we're doing any "re-calling", it's in our call centers as we work to reach out to them.
Toyota seems to go to great lengths to avoid the "recall" word. Look at the problems Toyota has with the ball joints on their Tundra trucks falling apart. Toyota still has Tundra accidents occuring, yet Toyota is dragging their feet on including the newer models in the previous NHTSA recall for the same problem.
This discussion reminds me of the problem Toyota has with the sludging of the V6 engines. It took a lot of angry owners before Toyota would do anything about that defect.
That is a good question. If is supposedly only affects 160 cars, why not just contact those owners and out a new transmission in the car? I suspect the problem is more widespread than 160 cars.
here is a cut and paste from the usatoday test of the camry. tester specifically mentioned transmission maladies:
The test car, a preproduction vehicle, had a glitch in the powertrain. The transition between deceleration and acceleration was jerky, as if the fuel had been shut completely off while slowing and suddenly came back on, in excess, when the throttle was pushed. Toyota says that's unrepresentative and shouldn't be present in showroom models.
Also, the transmission sometimes went through a long, slurring upshift into third gear. Otherwise, fine.
makes you wonder how long toyo has known about these tranny issues?
I have one of those 2007 Camry XLE's that have the bad transmission after only 3 days of driving. I am going to have to wait 4-6 weeks for a new transmission to arrive from Japan. However, Toyota offered to buy it back and offered attractive incentives for me to wait for my car to be repaired. I am very happy with Toyota's handling of my issues.
I to had the same problem after driving for only 3 days the transmission failed. I too have received the same offer from Toyota and I am very pleased with the way they are handling it.
I contacted Toyota today regarding my 2007 Camry that I had towed to the dealership on 4.25.2006 after experiencing transmission problems. I have only had the car 3 days and 200 miles. I am very please at how responsive Toyota has been with me. I have been treated very well by my dealer as well as Toyota. Thanks for the great customer service!
I agree that Toyota seems to be doing everything in its power to avoid having to issue a recall. I certainly don't know if that is good, though. It's either great customer service or a serious cover-your-[non-permissible content removed]-before-the-boss-comes-back reaction. My guess is both. Hey, if this happened in D.C. people would be shouting cover-up, wouldn't they? I have a feelign Toyota is getting nervous about this one....
My dad has a highlander v6 which has significant hesitation issues and Toyota ignores him and downplays the reality of the situation. I guess you can't have a sterling reputation for quality if you get recalls or admit that many of your bread-and-butter transmissions have some problems. His highlander transmission and toyota's reaction has soured me on toyota...
Just reread some of the earlier posts. Now Toyota is saying only 160 cars, but we've got two owners right here posting complaints. My guess is the readership of this forum is about 0.005 percent of all Toyota owners....and to have one percent of all the faulty transmissions posting here seems a bit hard to believe. An earlier poster said this, too: if there is only 160 out there, track the vin numbers from that batch and haul 'em all in. Pretty simple.
Pretty clear Toyota doesn't know HOW many trans have problems and they put a nice specific and easy to digest number out there to calm all those potential buyers of it's biggest new launch in years....
"It's only 160 folks...don't panic. There hasn't been a shark attack here in more than 50 years...The beaches are safe!"
Actually I think the 160 unit figure makes sense. Please follow:
Production began on one line in KY on or about 2-13 and then a week later on a second line. Initially I'd estimate production to be about 2000 units per line weekly ramping up to 4000 units per line weekly by the end of Feb. As posted on the Georgetown website.
Feb production: 18,300 units Mar production: 28,900 units
The XLE V6's are the smallest volume trim level ( the most expensive ) in the Camry line. If as is typical this trim is less than 1% of total sales then the total number produced before Apr 1 is likely to be less than 450 units.
There is a huge difference between 'not performing as expected' ( your Dad's Highlander ) and a serious defect which might cause an accident. The former is not likely to cause an accident.
If I follow your numbers 160 of 450 is 35.6%...or for every 100 V6 that came out, 35 cars will have the potential of having the problem. That is a lot. Of course we do not really know the actual numbers as of now.
I am not really sure if Toyota has a good handle of what the problem really is. And if there are only 450 V6 so far, they should call them back for check up instead of waiting for someone to experience the problem while driving. I still like the car, and the big reason is because of the 6 speed! I will wait for a while before I buy. I expect to hear more about this from Toyota.
No you missed the point. I was estimating that V6 XLE's are probably at most about 450 units out of the 45,000 produced in the first six weeks of production of the new 2007's. The 160 units stated therefore is of the same order of magnitude.
Waiting seems prudent.
This is only the XLE trim. There are no reports at all thus far of any anomalies in the SE or the LE trims. This is why IMO that TMMK has isolated it to a specific 'model run' and a specific number of vehicles.
What we've seen here are actual buyers who've reported problems then taken the time to post here on Edmunds. Of the others, who may or may not have been contacted, they may not know about Edmunds and/or may not be the type to post on the internet. There's no way of knowing.
All we can say is that those who have experienced problems, reported them, have been contacted by Toyota and have posted here seem to have been satisfied with the way it's being handled. The final resolution will be most telling and that's still to come. The rest is speculation.
Since no one anywhere yet has reported any anomalies with the SE and LE trims it may not be any bigger. Again it's not the V6's where there is a problem it's the 6AT's, just to be precise.
"It's either great customer service or a serious cover-your-[non-permissible content removed]-before-the-boss-comes-back reaction."
CSI or CYA? Easy there splatsterhound . . .One moment you have us swimming with sharks and then you're shouting cover-up. Who wouldn't get nervous?
Yes--We have a few cars that broke. Our customers are understandably upset, angry, nervous. It is an embarrassment to a company that prides itself in producing dependable, high quality products and bringing joy and a feeling of pride to the owners (not disappointment).
On the same day that tmsusa started talking about this issue via the Edmunds forum, tmsusa sent an email to all of our U.S. associates so that they would know what is going on and be in a better position to help our customers. Some here may have seen our dealer communication that showed up on another board in which we asked them for help in getting to affected customers.
So with all of this effort to assist Toyota customers, which really is our job, tmsusa is sorry to hear about your dad's experience. It's not appropriate to address individual cases here, but could you please call or ask your father to call our Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331 so tmsusa can understand what's going on? I'll alert them to watch for splatsterhound's call.
Nevermind, I think I understand what you mean. You are simply pointing out that it is not the V6 engine that is affected; it is the 6-speed auto tranny.
However, ALL and ONLY the V6's and have the 6-speed tranny. Therefore all V6's (LE, SE, XLE) are susceptible, because they all have the 6AT tranny.
First, I have to say I'm impressed they way Toyota is handling this issue, those effected seem to be taken care of. Now, I just purchased an 07 Camry SE (4cyl) about 2 weeks ago, coming from a '95 Camry LE. I posted on another forum about an issue that I feel is strange:
1) Burning smell like plastic I have noticed. 2) When accelerating from stop I have this hesitation from the car to the point I have to step down more and the car jolts forward and goes. 3) Today I noticed when merging onto the highway I was stepping on the gas but the car was not going, only until I stepped almost all the way did the car go but not fast.
Others replied by saying it because I have the 4cyl.
But this morning, after paying for the bridge toll as I accelerated the car completely slow down as if someone turned the gas off, only until I released the gas pedal and tried to accelerate again did it go.
Thank you for your comments John. It is not uncommon to have some odor coming off of a new engine, just as some folks talk of experiencing that brand new car smell that eventually fades away with use.
Beyond that, tmsusa recommends you talk to your dealer about your concerns; have them take a drive with you so that you can better explain what is happening. If you are not satisfied with their response, give us a call.
Thank you tmsusa for responding to my post, I'll give my dealer a call to set something up with them.
Just seeing someone from the manufacture posting in a public forum is something that really makes me feel good that I bought a Toyota, I don't think theres any other manufactures that would take this step to reach their customers (I could be wrong).
I own a 2007 Camry and posted two questions to you two days ago.
1) Is there a way to identify if the new Camry V6 I am driving was in the original group that has this problem? (i.e by VIN, manufacturing location or inspection)
2) If not, at what mileage can I feel conformtable that I will not experience a problem with 2nd or 6th gears. I am particulary concened about using 6th gear while passing on a two lane highway....even it there is only a non-dramatic downshift. In my opinion, this is a safety issue.
You asked that I call the toll free number but I am not getting any useful response.
- On the first call, I heard a recording about the issue after which I spoke with a lady that transferred my call. I then spoke with a man that said I need to be transferred...He transferred back to square 1..the recording. On the second go around, I spoke with another lady and told her to transfer me to someone that could answer my questions and not back to the recording again.
-I talked to someone familiar with the problme but they were only able to read the press release to me. They did say they would check into my questions and get back to me and opened a case number. This process took an hour to hear the press release that I am already aware of.
-After waiting a day, I called back but and the person I talked to was not in. I transferred to another lady who said she would have the agent call me back.
-I called the service at the dealer and they weren't aware of the problem. They didnt have any more information than the release and couldn't do much unless I had an actual problem.
-After waiting 6 hours, I called the 800 number again and the phone rolled over to a lady that said the agent was on the phone and would call me back....I'm still waiting.
I am getting the impression that unless I have a transmission failure and have a picture of my new Camry being hauled on a tow truck and that posted on major auto internet sites, that I am not going to get anyone to respond to my questions. Is that correct or can you help me get in touch with someone to help with a situation that you referred to as "unacceptable".
I just need answers to some very basic questions. I am sure Toyota has records that can trace VIN numbers and determine if the car is in the batch of 160 or not ...or least assure me that I can safely pass in 6th gear on a two lane highway while facing oncoming traffic.
I may be wrong but it seems to me, the problem here is the 6speed automatic transmission, ALL THE 6SP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. It seems to me that the chance of having a problem exists in ALL the units. What I think Toyota is saying ,is that approximately 1/2 of one persent of the units on the road are reporting problems. It may be true that the ring that fails is installed in all the transmissions, up to a certain date, and all these units have the possibility of failure. I would guess that the cars being built now have corrected the problem. Toyoya seems to be saying, if the problem does not exist early in ownership, it probably will not happen. This is all just my openion,,,,but it does seem POSSIBLE to me....
Toytota says the problem will likely happen in the first 500 miles. But many are reporting failures from 1000 - 2000 miles.
I'm not so sure this problem will show up early in ownership. I doubt there is much high mileage data yet to establish a failure curve for failures vs. mileage. What happens if this fastener isn't seated right, doesnt fail early but begins to wear at higher mileage?
I have asked to know when "early" is over since 500 miles doesn't seem to fit. I have tried all the channels and don't get an answer.
What is up with the paranoia? THIS IS NOT A RECALL folks. It doesn't affect every car produced with a V6. It almost seems as if a certain "batch" of production has been affected. This is bourne out by the fact that it seems only a production run of XLEs have reported the issue.
The only problem, it seems, is an unwillingness on Toyota's part to identify the 160 VINs that are affected. But then, since its not a recall, they technically don't have to.
If your vehicle isn't experiencing an issue, enjoy it. Personally, this issue would not stop me from enjoying my Camry, nor would it deter me from buying one. Also, there are MANY satisfied V6 owners that post here, on the dedicated Camry thread, and in the many comparo forums.
Max_99, you state "What happens if this fastener isn't seated right, doesnt fail early but begins to wear at higher mileage?"
Although I am not familiar with the manufacture of this vehicle, I cannot understand how this could be the case. BUT, even the fastener does fail at a later date, and its clear that a transmission issue was related to this fastener, its seems as though Toyota would support its customer as they are doing for the early failures.
"I have tried all the channels and don't get an answer."
There are two possible reasons for this that I can think of IMMHO....
1). It's because they really don't have an answer. They have calculated the "most likely situation" and run their response on that. When that "most likely situation" doesn't occur they have to rethink everything, leaving you without an answer.
2). It's because the answer they have, they don't want to tell! Just like a little kid who did something "bad", the motto is - Downplay, Ignore, or Deny.
I REALLY hope it's not the later! Or the former. But.....
Killerpiece :shades:
P.S. tmsusa, what do you think is going on :confuse:
Most of the information I have gathered was on the Toyota Nation forum. 6 cars have been identifed there and at least one is an LE. Many were over 500 miles. So I don't think this is limited to XLEs and that is why I question the mileage.
Many have questioned like myself if this is a Japanese vs. US, VIN number, manufacturing location or any thing that would identify whether the car is in the group that Toyota defined as an early model. It would be nice if owners could eliminate the possibility.
I expect that log will continue at Toyota Nation and owners will strive to find out one way or another. And perhaps nobody really knows at this point until all the information has been compiled there and a trend begins to appear.
well, my point was that the only automatic available with the v6 is the new 6 speed slushbox. and that tranny is being "put" in NOT just XLE versions of the camry.
anyway, if only approximately 160 cars have the problem, why didn't toyota just contact those customers and fix those cars instead of issuing a public notice? the problem is bigger than 160...you can almost count on that. good thing though that toyota seems to be willing to do what it takes to keep customers happy.
Comments
Any company competing in the marketplace would be foolhardy not to reach out to "help" its customers. But if there are Toyota owners with whom we've not connected that are calling out for assistance on other boards, they should get in touch with their dealer right away or call us at our HQ at 800-331-4331..
Thanks for keeping us on our toes killerpiece.
Some people have said that Toyota has gotten too big and arrogant, but after your (Toyota's) response to this issue (albeit, it seemed a little reluctant, which I hope will continue to improve) I happen to disagree. It has put to rest my doubts about Toyota caring for it's consumers.
Killerpiece :shades:
The newest edition of the Toyota Camry is being recalled for a problem with the transmission. The problem, Toyota says, involved only a half-percent of Camrys built thus far for the 2007 model year. The new six-speed automatic transmission could lose second and sixth gear during operation. Toyota told Reuters the vehicle still will operate even if the gears are lost, and that the problem usually happens within the first 500 miles of use.
That said, if you are most comfortable with the Sonata, thats the vehicle you should purchase.
~alpha
http://today.reuters.com/news/newssearchresults.aspx?srch=2007%20camry&searchtyp- e=a
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060426/BIZ/604260377/1001
160 cars. Sounds like one bad day at the factory. Probably the affected owners will be contacted directly.
So satul96, tmsusa did not miss your post, but encourages you to talk to your local Toyota dealer or even other Toyota customers via forums like this one. Feel free to call us, too, at our Customer Experience Center (800-331-4331). You mention a few fine automobiles in your post--tmsusa happens to believe that the Camry 4-cyl is the best of the bunch.
I for one do not want to buy another car with the same acting transmission I have lived with for three years..
I will still wait and see if shifting complaints considered "normal operation or as designed" start to pop up. My Camry purchase is on hold till my confidence is satisfied.
BTW look at Consumer Reports, for one, you will see no transmission problems for 5 speeds, even after Toyota issued a TSB for tranny software.
I am waiting delivery of my XLE V6 any time now, and am concerned that it may be from a defective batch. If I am not satisfied it is not from the earlier defective batch, I may refuse delivery. Could you please share with us how we can identify whether a Camry is affected by any means (VIN, inspection, manufacturing date, etc.)
On this link... http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060426/BIZ/604260377/1001 "Toyota Motor Sales USA said the problem affects about 160 cars."
If the problem was due to a manufacturing process (not design), and the faulty manufacturing continued until it was recently identified, wouldn't ALL the V6 Camrys built in the U.S. have this defect?
How many manufacturing processes were there before issue was identified? I thought all the U.S. built Camrys were initially from the Kentucky plant, and there were only ONE process. If that's the case, I'd expect ALL the prior V6 to have the defect. How can only "half-percent" or 160 cars be affected.
Perhaps the ~160 number represent ALL (100%) the V6s from Kentucky plant, but only 0.5% of all the 2007 Camrys in the world. I am not sure.
But isn't the IS RWD?
Assuming that is so the Camry 6-speed cannot be used in the Lexus IS. Even the controlling firmware for a FWD vs a RWD would need to be different due to the need to alleviate engine compression braking on the FWD for safety reasons.
~alpha
Thank you for your reply. I am aware that V4 and V6 are completely different engine!.I had that feeling even before joining the forum. I was not even ware that such forum exist.When I saw people discussing about the issue I thought it might be possible that somebody also felt the same thing.It is also possible that it is just feeling there is nothing there since I am a new driver. However I
did not go there alone and my friend also noticed the same thing and he is not a new driver.that was the reason I used this forum to put the question I will try to talk to local dealer about this issue.
Again thank you for your reply.
I request If somebody has the same way feeling about initial jerk,please reply to me.
This is not a recall, and it is not a recall in Canada either. Our friends at Toyota Canada subscribe to the same customer satisfaction philosophy as us, so tmsusa says look forward to your new Camry, enjoy and thank you for being a part of the Toyota family
Having said that, perhaps Toyota has better in-process audits than most and really did catch the defect after only 160 pieces. I guess we'll have to wait an see.
If I was in the market for an '07 Camry (and might be had I not just leased on '05 a year ago), this news certainly would not stop me from buying or leasing one. They are going to make good on the problem.
I applaud Toyota for their quick response and this seems like a very minor issue in a car that I expect to be an industry leader for years to come.
I have a question that is slightly off topic. I'm intending to purchase a Lexus ES 350 shortly and it shares the same drivetrain as the Camry. Are any Lexus ES 350s affected with this transmission snafu?
Thanks for all of your help.
I have a few questions and observations:
I have seen several post on different forums that indicate this problem is "mostly" appearing in the US assembled cars. Again, this is just rumor and not fact that I can prove.
It has been stated by many people that the 6 speed transmissions are all made in Japan and shipped to the different assembly points.
If all of the 6 speed transmissions ARE made in Japan and the problem is "internal" it is hard for me to understand how "where" the car is assembled could have anything to do with the transmission problem.
As I said, these are just observations I have gathered from forums and how much is true or factual is something I have no way of knowing. Can anyone verify any of the above as being factual?
I know this is not a "recall" and is not being treated as such. I wonder if Toyota really released the "160" number to the media or if some media person "arrived" at this number by some other thought process? If the "160" number came from Toyota this would make you "think" they know exactly which 160 units were affected. I don't know how many of these transmissions they ship at one time to a certain plant, but I am sure it would be a large amount. Is it possible that all "160" went to the same plant? I suppose they "could" have gone to more than just one plant. Any thoughts ?
I really like my 2 Toyota vehicles and I think the Camry is a fine car and I am glad Toyota is talking about this. However, IF this "160" number is correct I think Toyota should notify the owners of those cars of the "potential" problem. If mine is one of them I would just like to know, I do not want anything done to it unless it starts giving trouble, but at that time I would expect relief from Toyota. A free 7 year 100,000 warranty would be nice in that case.
All of the above is based strictly on what I have read recently and I do not profess to know what is factual and what is not. Thanks.
Mike
The car had a bad episode of the lurching/revving/shift problem 2 days ago.
The car was towed to my dealer 2 nights ago.
TMSUSA called me yesterday and has been right on top of this.
They said they will either give me a new car or do the following:
1)repair the problem, referred to as the "snap ring issue."
2)give me a free loaner for the duration of the time needed for repair, estimated to be 2 to 3 weeks.
3)the loaner was delivered to my door today, as I told them it is very inconvenient for me to go the 40 minutes to the dealer (my wife has to drive me there).
4)they will extend the warrantee to 7yrs/100,000 miles with the Platinum $0 deductible Toyota Warrantee (not the locally offered extended warrantee which is by Fidelity Warrantee Services, which I do not want).
5)they will reimburse the car payment I make. (sounds like 1 payment if 2 to 3 weeks is how long it takes).
6)I asked if initial acceptance of the package offer precludes the opportunity to get a new car. She told me no it does not.
7)TMSUSA has called today and followed up on the delivery of the loaner.
All in all it seems fair to me, and I am giving them the opportunity to make good on their product.
I have had Toyota (Lexus) products for 17 years, and they are a good company, as far as I could tell. My faith in Toyota was shaken by this episode and Toyota is trying hard to earn it back.
More updates as things happen.
Here is my loaner:
Here is my car in better times:
Seriously, we're focused on providing immediate help to our early 07 V6 Camry buyers who experience this condition and working with our dealers to ensure these customers have confidence in their Toyota. If we're doing any "re-calling", it's in our call centers as we work to reach out to them.
You are correct, the number of affected Camrys is extremely small, high production volume or not.
We appreciate your comments.
This discussion reminds me of the problem Toyota has with the sludging of the V6 engines. It took a lot of angry owners before Toyota would do anything about that defect.
TMS - Is this the same transmission problem that has affected the Lexus ES?
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef14656/654
here is a cut and paste from the usatoday test of the camry. tester specifically mentioned transmission maladies:
The test car, a preproduction vehicle, had a glitch in the powertrain. The transition between deceleration and acceleration was jerky, as if the fuel had been shut completely off while slowing and suddenly came back on, in excess, when the throttle was pushed. Toyota says that's unrepresentative and shouldn't be present in showroom models.
Also, the transmission sometimes went through a long, slurring upshift into third gear. Otherwise, fine.
makes you wonder how long toyo has known about these tranny issues?
My dad has a highlander v6 which has significant hesitation issues and Toyota ignores him and downplays the reality of the situation. I guess you can't have a sterling reputation for quality if you get recalls or admit that many of your bread-and-butter transmissions have some problems. His highlander transmission and toyota's reaction has soured me on toyota...
Pretty clear Toyota doesn't know HOW many trans have problems and they put a nice specific and easy to digest number out there to calm all those potential buyers of it's biggest new launch in years....
"It's only 160 folks...don't panic. There hasn't been a shark attack here in more than 50 years...The beaches are safe!"
Production began on one line in KY on or about 2-13 and then a week later on a second line. Initially I'd estimate production to be about 2000 units per line weekly ramping up to 4000 units per line weekly by the end of Feb. As posted on the Georgetown website.
Feb production: 18,300 units
Mar production: 28,900 units
The XLE V6's are the smallest volume trim level ( the most expensive ) in the Camry line. If as is typical this trim is less than 1% of total sales then the total number produced before Apr 1 is likely to be less than 450 units.
160 units seems reasonable.
I am not really sure if Toyota has a good handle of what the problem really is. And if there are only 450 V6 so far, they should call them back for check up instead of waiting for someone to experience the problem while driving. I still like the car, and the big reason is because of the 6 speed! I will wait for a while before I buy. I expect to hear more about this from Toyota.
Waiting seems prudent.
This is only the XLE trim. There are no reports at all thus far of any anomalies in the SE or the LE trims. This is why IMO that TMMK has isolated it to a specific 'model run' and a specific number of vehicles.
What we've seen here are actual buyers who've reported problems then taken the time to post here on Edmunds. Of the others, who may or may not have been contacted, they may not know about Edmunds and/or may not be the type to post on the internet. There's no way of knowing.
All we can say is that those who have experienced problems, reported them, have been contacted by Toyota and have posted here seem to have been satisfied with the way it's being handled. The final resolution will be most telling and that's still to come. The rest is speculation.
CSI or CYA? Easy there splatsterhound . . .One moment you have us swimming with sharks and then you're shouting cover-up. Who wouldn't get nervous?
Yes--We have a few cars that broke. Our customers are understandably upset, angry, nervous. It is an embarrassment to a company that prides itself in producing dependable, high quality products and bringing joy and a feeling of pride to the owners (not disappointment).
On the same day that tmsusa started talking about this issue via the Edmunds forum, tmsusa sent an email to all of our U.S. associates so that they would know what is going on and be in a better position to help our customers. Some here may have seen our dealer communication that showed up on another board in which we asked them for help in getting to affected customers.
So with all of this effort to assist Toyota customers, which really is our job, tmsusa is sorry to hear about your dad's experience. It's not appropriate to address individual cases here, but could you please call or ask your father to call our Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331 so tmsusa can understand what's going on? I'll alert them to watch for splatsterhound's call.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
I thought all the V6's were affected, and all V6's are automatics (6AT's). I don't understand your statement.
However, ALL and ONLY the V6's and have the 6-speed tranny. Therefore all V6's (LE, SE, XLE) are susceptible, because they all have the 6AT tranny.
Now, I just purchased an 07 Camry SE (4cyl) about 2 weeks ago, coming from a '95 Camry LE. I posted on another forum about an issue that I feel is strange:
1) Burning smell like plastic I have noticed.
2) When accelerating from stop I have this hesitation from the car to the point I have to step down more and the car jolts forward and goes.
3) Today I noticed when merging onto the highway I was stepping on the gas but the car was not going, only until I stepped almost all the way did the car go but not fast.
Others replied by saying it because I have the 4cyl.
But this morning, after paying for the bridge toll as I accelerated the car completely slow down as if someone turned the gas off, only until I released the gas pedal and tried to accelerate again did it go.
Anyone else experience these issues?
Thank you,
John
Beyond that, tmsusa recommends you talk to your dealer about your concerns; have them take a drive with you so that you can better explain what is happening. If you are not satisfied with their response, give us a call.
Thanks for being a part of the Toyota family.
Just seeing someone from the manufacture posting in a public forum is something that really makes me feel good that I bought a Toyota, I don't think theres any other manufactures that would take this step to reach their customers (I could be wrong).
Thanks again.
John
I own a 2007 Camry and posted two questions to you two days ago.
1) Is there a way to identify if the new Camry V6 I am driving was in the original group that has this problem? (i.e by VIN, manufacturing location or inspection)
2) If not, at what mileage can I feel conformtable that I will not experience a problem with 2nd or 6th gears. I am particulary concened about using 6th gear while passing on a two lane highway....even it there is only a non-dramatic downshift. In my opinion, this is a safety issue.
You asked that I call the toll free number but I am not getting any useful response.
- On the first call, I heard a recording about the issue after which I spoke with a lady that transferred my call. I then spoke with a man that said I need to be transferred...He transferred back to square 1..the recording. On the second go around, I spoke with another lady and told her to transfer me to someone that could answer my questions and not back to the recording again.
-I talked to someone familiar with the problme but they were only able to read the press release to me. They did say they would check into my questions and get back to me and opened a case number. This process took an hour to hear the press release that I am already aware of.
-After waiting a day, I called back but and the person I talked to was not in. I transferred to another lady who said she would have the agent call me back.
-I called the service at the dealer and they weren't aware of the problem. They didnt have any more information than the release and couldn't do much unless I had an actual problem.
-After waiting 6 hours, I called the 800 number again and the phone rolled over to a lady that said the agent was on the phone and would call me back....I'm still waiting.
I am getting the impression that unless I have a transmission failure and have a picture of my new Camry being hauled on a tow truck and that posted on major auto internet sites, that I am not going to get anyone to respond to my questions. Is that correct or can you help me get in touch with someone to help with a situation that you referred to as "unacceptable".
I just need answers to some very basic questions. I am sure Toyota has records that can trace VIN numbers and determine if the car is in the batch of 160 or not ...or least assure me that I can safely pass in 6th gear on a two lane highway while facing oncoming traffic.
Thanks,
Max99
I'm not so sure this problem will show up early in ownership. I doubt there is much high mileage data yet to establish a failure curve for failures vs. mileage. What happens if this fastener isn't seated right, doesnt fail early but begins to wear at higher mileage?
I have asked to know when "early" is over since 500 miles doesn't seem to fit. I have tried all the channels and don't get an answer.
The only problem, it seems, is an unwillingness on Toyota's part to identify the 160 VINs that are affected. But then, since its not a recall, they technically don't have to.
If your vehicle isn't experiencing an issue, enjoy it. Personally, this issue would not stop me from enjoying my Camry, nor would it deter me from buying one. Also, there are MANY satisfied V6 owners that post here, on the dedicated Camry thread, and in the many comparo forums.
Max_99, you state "What happens if this fastener isn't seated right, doesnt fail early but begins to wear at higher mileage?"
Although I am not familiar with the manufacture of this vehicle, I cannot understand how this could be the case. BUT, even the fastener does fail at a later date, and its clear that a transmission issue was related to this fastener, its seems as though Toyota would support its customer as they are doing for the early failures.
~alpha
There are two possible reasons for this that I can think of IMMHO....
1). It's because they really don't have an answer. They have calculated the "most likely situation" and run their response on that. When that "most likely situation" doesn't occur they have to rethink everything, leaving you without an answer.
2). It's because the answer they have, they don't want to tell! Just like a little kid who did something "bad", the motto is - Downplay, Ignore, or Deny.
I REALLY hope it's not the later! Or the former. But.....
Killerpiece :shades:
P.S. tmsusa, what do you think is going on :confuse:
Many have questioned like myself if this is a Japanese vs. US, VIN number, manufacturing location or any thing that would identify whether the car is in the group that Toyota defined as an early model. It would be nice if owners could eliminate the possibility.
I expect that log will continue at Toyota Nation and owners will strive to find out one way or another. And perhaps nobody really knows at this point until all the information has been compiled there and a trend begins to appear.
Max99
anyway, if only approximately 160 cars have the problem, why didn't toyota just contact those customers and fix those cars instead of issuing a public notice? the problem is bigger than 160...you can almost count on that. good thing though that toyota seems to be willing to do what it takes to keep customers happy.