Toyota Camry Hybrid Owners Problems & Solutions

mikeocmikeoc Member Posts: 1
in Toyota
Discuss post-ownership questions, not pre-ownership questions.
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  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    We'll turn this into our TCH problems & solutions discussion.
  • hamm3rhamm3r Member Posts: 55
    Well, I learned the hard way that there is a typo in the owner's manual about programming the homelink.

    The owner's manual states:

    3. Simultaneously press and hold the handheld garage transmitter button along with the selected HomeLink button. Do not release the buttons until step 4 has been completed.
    4. When the indicator light on the HomeLink changes from a slow to a rapid flash after 20 seconds, you can release both buttons.

    This is not accurate. I would rewrite the manual to say:

    3. Press and hold the selected HomeLink button for approximately 20 seconds. After this time, the HomeLink light will turn from solid to slowly flashing.

    4. After the HomeLink light begins to flash slowly, press and hold the button of the handheld transmitter that you are programming while continuing to depress the selected HomeLink button until the HomeLink light begins to flash rapidly. Once the light is flashing rapidly, you can release both buttons.
  • rscotts54rscotts54 Member Posts: 47
    hamm3r: Thanks for the correction.

    If that is the worst problem we find with our Hybrid, we'll be doing just fine!!!!
  • bnewinsbnewins Member Posts: 25
    Thanks!! I was trying to program that last night. I was going to ask the garage door people tomorrow. Now I can try it again. :)
  • jjaxonjjaxon Member Posts: 27
    im sure it wont be the worst problem...
  • quan1quan1 Member Posts: 2
    Hey fellow lucky people. How cool is this car. I have 2 concerns though, and I would love to hear from you if you have noticed the same thing.
    1. From a complete stop, push the accelerator and there is a pause, a bump, a jerk, and then it takes off.
    2. As I pull up to a complete stop at a light, the mpg needle moves up to 0 mpg, sits there for a few seconds, I feel a bump, and then it goes down to the bottom ( E ).
    Does this sound familiar to anybody ?
  • bnewinsbnewins Member Posts: 25
    Normal. It's just the engine starting and stopping. If you move up to a stop light slowly the guage will indicate E as the motor has already stopped.
  • quan1quan1 Member Posts: 2
    Not so sure, it doesn't happen all the time and it doesn't matter how slowly I approach the stop. I can glide to the stop, mpg needle is on E, stop, and the needle shoots up, stays there, bump, and it goes down. I would love to hear from a bunch of owners, does your car do that ? And the acceleration thing too, really doesn't seem right.
  • lungdoc63lungdoc63 Member Posts: 55
    Hammr3 - Thanks for the heads up. I got my TCH and tried to follow instructions. Then remmebered haveing seen your post. However, that too didn't work. Went to homelink.com. Got instructions for 2006 Camry and followed it. Worked great the first time. So folks, if the hammr manuver doesn't work, try the web site.
  • orgalorgal Member Posts: 27
    I went to homelink.com, and saw other car brands listed, but not Toyota, where did ou find the info for the 2006 Camry?
  • gc77584gc77584 Member Posts: 65
    I went to homelink.com, and saw other car brands listed, but not Toyota, where did ou find the info for the 2006 Camry?

    Click on the Training tab at homelink.com. Under "choose a process" select "program a garage door opener" (assuming that's what you want to do) then click Go. Under "tell us about your vehicle" choose Toyota first, then Camry, then 2006. They don't have 2007 models listed. Click Go. Then choose your garage door opener type and click Go.

    I don't know if the garage door opener has to be "Homelink-ready" or if this will work with any opener. I haven't tried it yet -- that'll be this weekend's project.
  • lungdoc63lungdoc63 Member Posts: 55
    You saved me a lot of typing. Thanks. Reading the site, I get the impression that most openers will be programable. In fact I was even able to do the gate to the neighborhood, something I couldn't do with the other car. If you have a rolling code, you have to climb a ladder and hit the "train" button on your opener. Orgal - Congrats on your car. I have put 400 miles on this first week - saving $54 in gas versus my Land Cruiser!!!!!!
  • gordo203gordo203 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased the first hybrid camry in Connecticut and have had it for a few weeks (about 1200 miles on it so far). As I pulled into my driveway today, I noticed a trail of fluid up the driveway sort of centered along the center axis of the car...Does the hybrid system tend to give off a lot of condensation in the warm weather with the a/c going or is this a problem I should be more worried about?

    any input is appreciated!
    thanks
    jason
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    It's probably just condensation from the a/c system. Does it look, feel, and smell like plain old water?
  • spiff72spiff72 Member Posts: 179
    10 bucks says it is just water from the A/C condenser. Sometimes they can puddle in the undercarriage, and as you turn or slow down, or go up/down a hill, it can create this type of leaky appearance. It is especially bad when it gets really hot (and especially when the humidity is high).
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    it is water...mine does the same...don't worry..be happy...you got :) a TCH
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    If it ain't green, brown or won't burn, I wouldn't worry about it.
  • lungdoc63lungdoc63 Member Posts: 55
    I have had a great time with my TCH last 10 days, putting 550 miles on it. However, as you yesterday, the ICE is behaving completly different. It is no longer turning off with the frequency it used to. I am driving on the same roads. It is no turning off as I coast on long gently sloping downhills, as I coast to a stop light. It won't turn off at a traffic light until I have come to a full stop for 2 to 3 seconds. The battery is always charged up to point of only having one or two of the top 2 bars white.

    What gives? Appreciate any ideas.
  • lvwlvw Member Posts: 14
    Have you increased the load on the system, such as by having the air conditioning on full, or the headlights on at all times? If not, a discussion with your dealer, in the hope they have someone who can diagnose the TCH behaviour, might be worthwhile.
  • lungdoc63lungdoc63 Member Posts: 55
    NO increase in load. Same routes and driving pattern. I hope I don't have to take it to the dealer. Its scary, b/c I am not sure they know that much about the car yet.
  • shuddlestonshuddleston Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1991 Olds Calais, 4 door. Awhile back, it quit starting. We eventually replaced the battery, and then it was fine. While it was broken down, you could jump it and it would drive fine, it just wouldn't start without a jump.
    It's been fine for like... a month and a half or so now.. but tonight while driving home, the battery light was flickering on and off. I went to two different stores, and it started up fine when I was ready to go. But when I got home, I turned it off, then tried to turn it back on, and it was dead. No noises, no turn over, nothing. I haven't tried to jump it yet, but hopefully that will work since I have to be to work tomorrow. But what could possibly be causing this? The battery is brand new! When I hit the turn signal, it takes it like 10-15 seconds before it'll click...it just remains green. This is really starting to bug me. I haven't finished paying for this stupid car but it has no warranty, and I can't afford a new one. What can I do?? Please help!
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    Shuddleston, I assume since we drive battery powered cars that you think we are experts on electrical systems????

    Actually someone here may be able to help. Let's see.

    My 70 Chevelle did something similar to this but for the life of me I can't remember what I did to it.
  • cgulcgul Member Posts: 3
    I would say your alternator is bad and not charging the new battery. You must not drive much and it took that month and a half to drain the new battery. Go to Autozone or another parts place that will check the alternator for you.
  • houtex1houtex1 Member Posts: 82
    The last two times I have driven my TCH, when I get out of the car and try to lock it with the rubber button on the door handle I hear a few beeps. Looking inside the car, I see a "Key is not detected" message on the dashboard. The key is in my front pocket.The key seems to be detected fine when I unlock the door to get in. I guees it could possibly be a weak battery, but after only two weeks of use???

    Has anybody else experienced this?
  • droid13droid13 Member Posts: 29
    There was a post on the GreenHybrid forum about someone that sometimes couldn't get the doors to open. Some suggestions were to try on the passenger door, try the 2nd key, try putting the key right up to the door handle. Check to see if you are in an area with possible high radio interference. What you find by checking this stuff will help you determine if it's a low battery, malfunctioning key, or malfunctioning antenna in the door handle.
  • houtex1houtex1 Member Posts: 82
    I think I solved the mystery. The order in which you do things matters when powering off the car.

    If you shift to Park and then power down, the key is detected fine.

    This morning I powered down while still in Drive. I then shifted to Park. This seems to confuse the key FOB system. When I shifted to Park, beeping started right away. When I tried to lock the door, I got the "Key not detected" message. I had to get back in the car and power on and back off to get things to work normally again.

    I just went to the parking lot and replicated both cases again. So always shift to Park before powering down.
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    I don't know if it really matters but I believe the manual also said to touch the button "as you move away" from the car. It mentioned something about 3 seconds. Maybe that's a subtle way to say when you touch the button you have to step away from the car for it to work right? I don't have my manul here but that's that I thought it said and I've always made o point of trying to follow that procedure.

    I did have to read the manual to see that there are different things happen when you push the start depending on if the brake was depressed or the car was in park.
    That one took me a while to figure out on my own and caused me to read the manual.
  • hamm3rhamm3r Member Posts: 55
    This is simply a matter of exiting the car (with the key) without first shutting off the engine. As houtex1 discovered on his own, you can not shut off the engine when the car is in drive.

    I think we are prone to trying to do so because the car is so quiet when it is stopped.
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    I meant pushing the black button on the door handle. I thought it said to do this as you move away from the car, left me wondering wht if I push it and stand there for a while, does it mess up the activation of the door locks?
  • houtex1houtex1 Member Posts: 82
    I don't think there is a problem with standing at the door after you've locked via the black button. The manual says after you lock the door using the black button, you have 3 seconds to test to make sure the doors are really locked. After the 3 seconds if you attempt to open the door, it will unlock as the key will be within range. If you just stand there for however long but do not touch the door handle, the car should remain locked. Atleast that is how I interpret the manual.
  • houtex1houtex1 Member Posts: 82
    This may very well be what's happening, but when you hit the power switch (to power off) while parked but still in D shift, all indications are that the hybrid system is off. It's only when you shift to Park that the beeping starts and you are kind of left wondering why it's beeping at you. Then when you exit the car and try to lock it, it won't let you and you get the "Key not detected" message. It's all a bit confusing until you backtrack thru the steps you took. Of course the proper thing to do is always to shift to P before shutting down
  • hamm3rhamm3r Member Posts: 55
    I was they would make it smart enough that if they key leaves the car, the car would shut down.
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    I have noticed on damp mornings that the rear de-icer grid wont clear the top few inches of dew. I looked at the lines (grids) and noticed that on the drivers side rear glass the lines dont go all the way over to the edge like lower down on the glass. Any comments...Do everyones else look the same? 2007 TCH Desert Sand ..have had it 2 weeks today !!
  • njeraldnjerald Member Posts: 689
    Ever wonder where your radio antenna is?
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    On the front windshield...the dotted grid in front of the rear view mirror?
  • sibbaldsibbald Member Posts: 106
    The dotted grid may just be a sun shade between the two front sun visors. I am guessing a bit here as I am just one of many waiting for delivery with two deposits out there.
    Cheers, Tom
  • stinger123stinger123 Member Posts: 4
    The antenna is on the rear window. Looks like part of the defroster grid. :D
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    is it the section at the top that wont clear with the rear de-icer? If so it makes sense what I am seeing..
  • njeraldnjerald Member Posts: 689
    Yes, because you didn't get the subtle answer.
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    I got the subtle answer...just didn't like the way you think you are so smart..some people might call you a smart a**
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Please don't let this turn into a personal thing.
  • pandcpandc Member Posts: 13
    some of his other replys were a little sarcastic too... just didn't think his tone was quite necessary...won't happen again from me....
  • berg32berg32 Member Posts: 56
    Has anyone succeeded in transferring his/her phonebook from a Verizon Motorola E815?
  • bnewinsbnewins Member Posts: 25
    My dealer phone guy said verizon doesn't support phonebook transfers. I also have Morotola E815. :cry:
  • primo2primo2 Member Posts: 31
    i have heard that windown tinting sometimes causes reception interferance...any thoughts would be appreciated :)
  • spiff72spiff72 Member Posts: 179
    This should only be true of metallic tint films. Non-metallics shouldn't have any affect on radio/xm/nav reception.
  • primo2primo2 Member Posts: 31
    thanks spiff72...makes sense
  • gc77584gc77584 Member Posts: 65
    Don't know what else to call this. It's not really a problem - yet - just wondered if anyone else has seen this. The other day I had the AC on (at least I think I did) and the air flow was coming from the upper vents, and that's what the display showed. Going about 35 mph, I drove by a guy with a weed-whacker whacking weeds right next to the road and something relatively small (piece of mulch?) flew up and hit low on the driver's side of the car. All of a sudden I hear and feel a change in the air flow. Took me a minute to figure it out, but it had changed so that the air flow was coming from the lower vents, like when the heat is on. I put it back to the upper vents.

    Today I'm driving, about 30-35 mph, AC on and hit a little pothole in the road. I mean little, barely felt it. Next thing I know, the air flow has shifted from from the upper vents to the lower vents, and the display indicates this.

    Anybody else experienced this??
  • kevcorkevcor Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know how to disable that WAY over the top seat belt chime from hell??
  • njeraldnjerald Member Posts: 689
    Your dealer can modify that Parameter along with 50 or 60 others.
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