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Comments
I could not handle the anguish associated with paying $27,000 for a new vehicle to have the transmission fail (snap ring issue) or act up (rpm spike or transmission hesitation) a month later. I feel bad for the Camry V6 owners who are dissatisfied with their purchase because of the transmission problems.
Other than a few hundred (by Toyota's count) 6 speed trannies that did have a manufacturing defect (the snap ring you are talking about), don't know of any chronic history Toyota has had with transmission failures 4, 5 or 6 speed - more like drivability issues primarily related to the electronic controls. You would think it would relatively easy to 'reflash' a computer chip or two and correct the problem - but apparently this an oversimplification.
CVTs may end up being a solution, the historical limits with them has been that they have trouble handling higher power engines and also with low outside temperatures - although I guess some progress is being made - the Volvo/Ford and Nissan CVTs seem to be doing OK behind some reasonably powered engines and Lexus has now put a CVT in the hybrid LS450 that uses a modified version of the Camry V6.
Given that the Camry at 400,000+ units is Toyota's cash cow it will be interesting to see if Toyota really does 'come clean' with what IMO is really a design problem (as opposed to a mechanical defect).
Leather is nice, but you pay for it in many ways - sooner or later.
I've been on vacation and have missed a weeks worth of posts, but I have the exact same problem you have. If you search for my logon name (rollon1300) you will find my problems and interactions with Toyota detailed. Suffice to say - there has been no resolution as of this point, and I am not happy to hear that you are experiencing the same problems I am, but at least I know I am not nuts. Please keep us informed - as I will also do.
Thanks for your comments. I know we are not nuts even some of the toyota service guys knows we are nuts. I call my toyota dealership everytime it does it now. Matter of fact I need to call them today. I have a question for you? Do you notice when it gets really hot out it seems to do it more and seems like i loose power from the car even at speeds of 70mph. It is hard for the car to keep the speed with out haven to give it more gas or it downshifting?
I am not happy with the car and I am going to call them everytime it does it. I guess what is weird is that it doesnt do it all the time, But they are a few weird things about that car that just doesnt make sense and i have had enough cars to no. Well good luck with yours.
The dealership is at a loss to help you right now. Grinding them by calling them constantly will probably not get you anywhere.
Ask them if they have a new vehicle which doesn't exhibit the behavior. If they can produce one, ask them if they'd swap your accelerator pedal and throttle body assemblies with those from the other vehicle, or give you the other vehicle, their choice...
I use an 800x600 screen setting. Now I have to move the cursor all over the place to read the forums. Why the change to wide margins? Hope you reset to previous parameters. Everything was working fine.
I bought my 2007 Camry SE 4cyl/5AT (PZEV) on 6/1/06. I am also experiencing the same hesitation issue (on inclines, when attempting fast acceleration to pass, and after slowing due to traffic congestion or making a turn). While I love my car, this hesitation condition is somewhat disappointing and can be scary.
I plan on talking to my dealer's service manager about this on Monday. The strange thing that I just can't get over is that we also have an '05 Camry with the same engine and transmission and it never hesitates or shifts down excessively.
I think there are at least 2 ways to look at this problem.
1) The transmission is not down-shifting fast enough which comes across as a power hesitation when accelerating or while on an incline.
2) The engine is not providing enough power when accelerating or on an inclince which in turn causes the transmission to eventually down-shift excessively.
I looked at the '07 Camry New Features document (obtained from t^3's wonderful site). Based on this information, it appears that Toyota changed the ATF fluid that is being used. The '05 Camry's used ATF Type T-IV and the '07 Camry's use ATF WS. Other than this I didn't notice any other major changes from a transmission perspective. I guess the shift mapping could have changed as well.
If I look at this problem from an engine perspective, it appears that there are some differences with the intake manifold. There now seems to be an intake manifold runner valve assembly (on PZEV engines) that closes when the engine is in a cold condition and idling. Besides this, my other thoughts go toward either the throttle assembly or the ECM programming.
Anyway, I'll keep you updated on what happens at my dealer's service dept.
Your experience with the '05 is similiar to mine with an '03 Camry 4cyl/4AT that I traded for the '07 - wonderful car with no hesitation or excessively aggressive down-shifting.
Would you be so kind as to give me the URL for the t^3 site - I cannot seem to find it. Also, as my vehicle is a PZEV also, I am intrigued by your description of "the intake manifold runner valve assembly (on PZEV engines) that closes when the engine is in a cold condition and idling".
I've recently experienced motorcycle riders on an internet forum working to resolve engine performance issues on a newer 32-bit cpu controlled EFI system that was causing them grief. By studying the operation of the system and trying various reversible adjustments, they were able to resolve the problems and get better performance out of the engine. I'm willing to do this, but I'll need to study the systems first. Probably should get a shop manual.
Thanks, and don't expect to much from your dealer.
The document I referenced is within the Gen6 section and it's called "New Features". A lot of cool technical information is provided.
Yea..I'm not expecting too much from the dealer at this time. But I thought I would report it since the more people that notify them the better chance for a quick resolution.
Don't mean to sound rude,, but you have no idea until you experience the problemS first hand.
One thing I did do this weekend is start placing my foot higher up on the accelerator pedal as some have suggested. Since doing this I have not experienced any hesitation. Interesting. I plan on continuing to test this to see if this really does resolve the problem.
Didnt go well. I drove the car first and i got it to hesitate just about everytime. but then he said he could feel what i was feelin( which is a lie because my wife can feel it when it does) So he drove it and i could feel it hesitate. He got it to do it just about everytime he took off. Well at the end he said it is a camry and drives like a camry. So they are hidding behind that if they all do it it is ok. But i have test drove others and they dont and my didnt do it at first either. THen I told him about this forum and he told me that all information off the internet isnt always good. But anyways what do i do and i think it is a saftey issue since i have had close calls getting t-boned WHAT DO I GO I NEED HELP
First thing, if u haven't already done so, report the problem to the customer Experience center and get it documented and get a case number. Number is available from the Toyota website under "Owners".
Phone: 800-331-4331
Mon - Fri, 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PT
Sat, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT
http://www.toyota.com/about/contact/index.html
This lets Toyota know that there is a problem and they should be following trends and common problems.
2nd, they may send you a form for the National Center for Dispute Settlement if you are having problems resolving this with your dealer. File with them if you think you are getting the "runaround". I'm in that process now and you need to go through that in our state before you can seek remedy via the Lemon Laws.
NCDS will ask for information and set up a hearing date and ask if you want a live hearing or do it by paper.
But maybe you need to try taking it to another dealer with a more sympathetic service department who will recognize it as a problem. There have been many posts on you subject so Toyota should be working it. With the Electronically controlled transmissions it could be a software problem that they don't have a solution to yet. That's what I think my problem is.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
He/she is not the only person concerned about their safety in a vehicle that hesitates, and there are legitimate reasons for feeling that way.
I've also been keeping track of when it happens. It seems to be worse during the afternoon when it's hotter outside and the A/C is on. Rarely does it hesitate during the morning commute.
Anyway, I'm trying to decide whether I should take the car to the service dept at my dealer now or wait until the 1st oil change is due...about another 700 miles.
Reviewing this forum I noticed that you have commented several times on the 6cyl/6AT problems. Can you let us know if Toyota engineers are also looking into the 4cyl/5AT hesitation problems that we are experiencing? I think it would make those of us reporting this problem feel better if we knew Toyota was researching this.
Thanks!
I would hope that Toyota is working on a fix, but they won't tell us - even if a fix is finally released. You don't often hear or read of technical bulletins being released unless an owner comments on it on a forum like this.
Otherwise, the case of hesitation, spike RPM would put in back burner.
They may have some sort of TSB next year to cool down customers, but remember it may just be a patch not permanent fix.
Regarding your car was running better in morning because the coolant engine did not reach to operating temp, the fifth speed did not kick in. Try disable the override, to see any improvement...
It's transmission behaved in the same manner that you guys are describing the new 07 camry. Therefore knowing that 1+1 = 2 or 11, it appears to me that some one like bmw's mr.bangle in toyota is really pushing his "intelligent" transmission down the throat of the management. Otherwise how can you expect Toyota to repeat such an issue over a period of 3 years.
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howardmd,
Check earlier in this forum. "Corton" reported severe RPM spiking "Flaring" (engine RPMs increase 500 - 2,000 RPMs between shifts). His car was built in Japan. He is also known as "chuckotaco" on Toyotanation forum. Check the list of vehicles with and without problems there.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128303&page=49
My car also has RPM spiking and was built in Kentucky.
Built in Japan no longer means a better quality Camry. Even if they were, the only place you can buy Japanese built Camrys is on the west coast even then at certain dealers.
Thanks!
I actually was monitoring this on a trip this morning (cruising at 65, rpm=2000), and noticed that in a couple situations that just the unlocking of the torque converter in 5th gear was enough to get the rpm's up enough to yield more HP and Torque. RPM jumps about 400 when the torque converter unlocks. At 2000 RPM, the engine output is about 50hp, at 2500 it appears to be about 70hp.
As more perceptive drivers purchase the 2007 Camry 4-cyl 5AT, we are seeing increased reporting of this problem.
You can check my posts (rollon1300) to see what comments I've made regarding this issue and also how Toyota has responded.
Also check recent posts by "cwnickell" and "damon34". There have been others reporting this problem on this forum and other sites.
We can hope that Toyota takes the high road on this issue and owns up to the problem and acts to resolve it in the near-term.
Notify your dealer's Service Manager and tell him that this "normal" operation is unacceptable. Request a Scan-tool evaluation by a factory engineer.
Keep us informed of your "progress."