Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

dekester

Wife called me before and says the tranny doesn't seem to be as smooth as it was. Car has 2100 miles on it (bought it 9/30/03). GUess I'll have to drive it and see what's going on.

Told her since she was out and realy close by to run over the the service dept and have them check it out. She went home instead. * Sigh * Women!

Deke

guevinj

The engine of my 1998 Camry LE 4 cylinder with 49,000 miles is very loud on startup, and makes a rattling noise on acceleration for the first several miles of driving. The noise lessens after the car has warmed up, but is still clearly noticeable. It sounds like valve lifters that are out of alignment. However I understand that there is no valve adjustment that can be made to these engines. Is that true? I do mostly city driving, 8 miles round-trip to work, with an occasional highway trip. Any suggestions on how I can get rid of this noise?

andrelaplume

did she perhaps turn of the overdrive?

dekester

Nah, she never read the manual - I did, though - so she doesn't know how to turn it off. I tend to turn the OD off when doing local driving; is it possible that form some reason, even though it automatically resets when the car is turned off it didn't really? I'll have to drive it tonight to see for myself.

She thinks she might have been on some slippery pavement (real big snow melt the past two days here). Told her I wanted the Trac and VSC packages in the car.....

Deke

canoe2

Dek
I noticed the tranny is not smooth as it supposed to be. If you put on brake but not fully stopping, then gently apply gas pedal, the car will be surging.

dekester

I noticed that; real neck-snapping. Almost as bad as my friend's 67 SS 427 Chevelle! I need a neck brace after riding with him!

I can really feel the difference between OD on and off. More noticeable than in my 98 Olds Intrigue. Fast slow-down.

I'll need to drive it a little to see for myself. I know that trans had an "adaption" period where it "learns" your driving habits. Maybe it doesn't like my ( or the wife's ) driving style?

Dealership called the other day to say time for next oil change. Wife said really? Bubbly Service Caller said "You should have 4000 miles". Wife said "Little over 2100. I'll be in in March."

Nice to see that they're keeping track!

Deke

andrelaplume

If you have the Continental tires on your car she likely was sipping and sliding...they are complete crap...replaced mine at 15K even though they had no treadware...

dekester

Yep, the ContinentaCRAP Tourings are standard on the LE V6. Checking out Tirerack to see what the most popular replacements are from other owners.

May look into the Traction T/As that I';ve been hearing about. Will need to wait until Spring, though.

Deke

hertie

I am looking at both the Solara XLE as well as the Acura TSX. Since I live in upstate NY, I would like to know how they handle through snow and ice. Has anyone driven their 2004 Solara (with traction & stability control) more extensively in winter weather? Thanks for any help that you can give.

canoe2

The V6 is very thirsty in winter (-10 to -20degC). I made 1600 Km on highway with speed 115-120Km/h (with cruise control on). The average gas mileage was about 9.5l/100Km which was 20% higher than Toyota stated.
Anyone has the gas mileage number in winter ?

dekester

Wife slammed a monster pothole last night blowing out the right front tire and then drove three miles home!

Was very surprised to see the Camry comes with a full-sized spare! I hate the donuts. Went to the tire shop this morning expecting to be told the rim was toast. Rim was fine, just a huge hole in the sidewall. Replaced the tire for a total of $89. Guy said nothing looked damaged suspension-wise but to have the wife stop in on Monday and they'll check the alignment for free.

Asked about replacements for the Continentals and he suggested a Falken tire. Never heard of them; I said I've been hearing about the Traction T/As and he said the Falkens rate high in Consumer Reports. Better wet traction rating.

Ideas?

Deke

canoe2

Should you dealership replace the tire for free (you only pay % of usage on damage tire)?

jodar96

I tried the earlier message instruction for 2002-2004 Model and the power lock did not respond.

Any other ideas out there? The car has everything except remote and my guess is that the previous owner just lost it. Now I bought a used remote and trying to figure out how to program it. I put new batteries in the remote and I am ready for suggestions.

Thanks,
Joe

teacherjim

I am going to put on new struts, but was told I need to know if my 1995 Camry was built in the U.S. or Japan. I was told that the first letter of the VIN tells you. If it's a 1 or a 2 or a J.
Well the problem is when I look at my Vin it starts out: 4T1SK12E4....... Can someone tell me where my car was built from this much of the Vin? Thanks---Jim

dekester

I don't think that a blowout due to a pothole would be covered under the tire manufacturer's wattanty since it was not a defect of the tire.

We're taking steps to have New York City reimburse us...I know, good luck. They've been pretty good about paying for repairs because the roads are in such crappy shape. Years ago, the pothole would have to have been reported and marked on a repait list before they would pay for repairs when it was hit. They just couldn;t keep up with the crop! From now until about the end of April is pothole season - the constant freeze/thaw cycle.

Has anyone bought Falken tires? Testimonials?

Deke

bronzemaxell

jodar96, i was one of the unlucky one that has the remote not responding. mine is a 2003 camry se, and in my further obversation, i found that the remote responds fine in warmer weathers like 50 or 60 degree outside, and wont' respond around or belove freezing. The remotes are original that came with the car. took to dealer 2 times for fix, first time, dealer replaced the battery cell on the remote, and probably they also had the vehicle in a closed door garage with heats on. when i went pickup the vehicle, i asked the service rep if they have fixed it, and they said yes, so i when i tried the remote, it didn't respond, the door lock and unlock by key fine though, outside temp is around freezing 20 degrees. and i asked the service manager to try himself, but he tried with no luck either, and told to bring the vehicle back in 2 days after they have the remote module ordered. The remote works fine now after 2nd visit, all repaired under warranty, no cost.

paul29

Normally impact tire damage is covered under a "road hazard warranty" on the tire , if included in a package or offered at extra cost. Tire Rack and other retailers offer this , for a fee of course . Sounds like it might be a good idea for your area at this point in time.

dekester

The tire was the original Continental - we've had the car four months and only 2200 miles on it - and I really don't want to waste time with Continental trying to get reimbursed for the new tire. We're pursuing a claim against the City due to the poor conditions of the roads. It may take a while to get my $89 back, but it'll serve to put the DOT on notice that maintenance of the streets can cost more than just the asphalt and manpower.

When the wife told me she saw the car in front of her hit the hole, I asked why she didn't slow down or stop.....she had no response except to say she wasn't driving very fast. Went by the scene Saturday morning and there was a pile of about a dozen wheel covers against the curb by these monsters. Kinda reminds me of tombstones....

Deke

andrelaplume

Do yourself a favor...if you get the $89 put towards a new set of tires...those Continentals are garbage in rain or snow...as you will soon find out. I got a set of BF Goodrich Traction TAs for about $80 each installed. Consider your $89 mishap blessing in disguise!

(Of course in you only drive in the city and never go more than 15-20 mph the Contis may suite you fine.)

atibaba

I have a 1999 Camry that i bought new from the dealership. I just have 84,000 miles on the car. in the past i had some problem with the engine that the dealer's service department told me that it was a manufacturing fault. Now Once I was driving, all of a sudden the whole dash Board went blank, no lights, nothing, the Door system stopped working, windows stopped working. one mechanic replaced the alternator & the battery, it worked just for one day & then i went thru the same situation. This tiem I took the car to the TOYOTA dealer again. I was told that there is a problem with the elctrical wires, & the whole Wire Harness has to be replaced, that will cost me $1400.00

can some one , who is good at this tell me if it is a fair price for this kind of Job to be done Or I am being ripped of by the dealer (As usual)

dekester

I'm going to replace the Contis as soon as I see my way clear for the expense.

I asked the tire shop about the Traction T/As and he said there is a Falken tire that's rated better for wet traction than the Goodrich by Consumer Reports.

I never heard of Falken and wonder if anyone here has bought them. What are they like, etc. Said they would run me the same $79.95 per that the Conti did.

Deke

andrelaplume

Never heard of them but we have a brand I have used exclusively for years out my way known as Jetson. Just because its not a well known name does not mean they are bad but check up on them. The BF Goodrich's rates a little better for traction though so I Opted for them.

motownusa

Have the dealer fixed all the rattles yet in your 02 Camry ? Please keep us informed. I am interested to know if they have come up with a permanent fix.

themoon77

A friend of mine here in North Carolina buys nothing but Falken tires for his Eagle Talon turbo. He says for the price they are the best high performance tire he has ever had, and I would say they would do well in all-season form.

andrelaplume

I posted a followup regarding my recent visit for an oil change and rattle fixes...I think it is in the rattles forum. Essentially they told me there is new cowl part (as of 2004) and they were ordering it for my car. That sounded promising until the tech pulled me asided and said the tape he usually placed under the cowl (on the 2002 and 2003 models) to quiet these rattles was usually more effective than the new cowl. Still I said to order the part and lets give it a try. Sadly I have seen a few posts here of 04 owners who still have the cowl rattles.....my guess is that if Toyota has not been able to fix the problem in 2 years they likely can not.

On the radio area vibration/buzzing issue, the tech said they ordered a new 'bezel' and that the old one's warp and vibrate. I have no idea what a bezel is and whether or not it will quiet the 'bad' vibrations.

If either of the parts eliminate these offensive rattles I will post the part numbers in the rattle forum. I will also be joyously cruising down the highway in a rattle free car...well...except for the door pillars...but at least those come and go and are not always present.

htt

I have a '96 Camry V6 LE. A few years ago the car stopped response to the original key fob. I called a Toyota dealer and a service manager wanted to charge about $150 just to look at it. I declined. Now every time that I have to disconnect the battery, the alarm goes off when I reconnect the battery. I have to insert the key and reset the switch next to driver side door to turn off the alarm. It's kinda annoying.

luv2portage

I have a new '04 camry xle 4 cylinder. Just over 5k on it . In checking the gas milege, my math and the computer calculations are not close. some examples : Drove 346 miles, filled the tank with 12.530 gals. Trip computer says I averages 35.7 mpg. Drove 343 miles, filled up with 13.026 gals. Trip computer says I averaged 38.5 mpg. Drove 417 miles, filled tank with 12.313 gals Trip computer says I averaged 62 mpg. I have a few more like these. I didn't notice any other messages of owners with this problem. Am I the only one? Am I missing something in the process. ( I have the owners manual out and am clearing/re setting the computer with each fill) Dealer says it test out o.k. and that it isn't expected to be accurate but only give an approximation of my mileage. this is the same dealer that told me that it they fixed the "car pulls to the left" problem now ( at 900 miles) that if it needed correcting later that they would have to charge me. I was to live with it until my first oil change and the parts may wear themselves in.

larryk7

Where is Bank 1 Sensor 1 on the 2000 V6 Camry? I have code PO135 failure, as indicated above. Where is this O2 sesor located in the engine bay?

Thanks

parksr

My new 2004 Camry XLE with 4cyl and only 700 miles has a "hesitation" or vibration when starting out at approximately 20-25 mph. It sounds like riding over a railroad track (maybe a little exaggerated). The dealer said it was the torque converter and it was normal. My 1998 with 129,000 miles was smooth as silk compared to this brand new vehicle. Any one else encountered this problem. If it is indeed "normal," Toyota has a design problem. Thanks for any suggestions or replys in advance.

alcan

In the rear exhaust manifold.

qibble

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to clean my IAC valve. Can someone tell me exactly where it is? The other posts in the forum weren't to helpful.

Thanks.

jodar96

The search is over. I can't use this used fob since my (when new)$29,330 Camry did not come with remote lock module.

I went to Toyota Dealer. Service dept. wanted $38 to program the fob. They said check with parts to see if your car came with remote module.

It was interesting to see that by putting in VIN, he could tell what came with the car and how much the options cost.

In 1996, Base XLE-V-6 ($25,000), Sunroof ($1000), Leather ($1300), 3 in 1 cd/cassette w/6 speakers ($1200), Gold package ($600), Carpet/Cargo ($140).

It is amazing that after 8 years, you can buy identical 2004 XLE-V-6 for the same price. It just tell me as great as my car is, I think it was overpriced in 1996.

Joe

joescar

In 1993 I bought a new Camry LE 4 Cyl for $16,600.
Last month I bought a new 2004 LE for $17,300. When you consider all the upgrades and additioinal standard features i.e. remote entry, CD player, power seat, bigger wheels & Tires, Outside thermometer, improved engine & transmission, etc. I'd have to say that the '93 was overpriced OR the 2004 is one heckuva bargain!The '93 now has 290,000 miles on it and is still running just fine so either way, you're still getting 2 cars (or more!) for the price of one.

golgo31

Interested in purchasing camry. please help in making this decision easier. what are the best models and also common problems. desperately seeking a reliable and comfortable vehicle.

gavin3

Hello and thanks for your time I have recently purchased the mentioned car and I am having the thumping echo as discussed in post #1444.

Fourseas please can you confirm that these are the bushing I need to replace.
http://www.gemma.shorters.ukonline.co.uk/camry/images/IMGP2210.jp- g

I want to at least give it a go for the sake of a few quid before possibly being ripped off down the road.

Many Regards
My first posting, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

civic2001

My 87 Camry has recently developed a problem with the instrument temperature gauge. As the car warms up, the gauge would gradually move up to the middle range correctly. However, once it reaches the operating temperature, the gauge needle starts to move back to the "cold" zone. It will then flucture constantly between "cold" and "normal". There is no coolant leak and the car functions normally otherwise(not over-heating).

Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.

lilybeans

It's a nice car, but one thing is driving me crazy, and there is probably no fix. In the rain, or after a car wash, water will drip on the seat when the door is opened. Not much, but it still is a little thing that bugs me.

Jeff

golgo31

i am definately considering a 04 camry however the mirrors not being foldable are killing me(due to my narrow driveway),does anyone know a solution besides not getting the car.

msag

Sorry if I posted it twice, can't find my first post...

Can someone please send me to the site with the engine diagrams, I am afraid I am going to need one soon...

Just bought myself (actually for my wife) a “project” car, a 95 Toyota Camry with 145k. Engine and mechanicals seems to be sound and I got all bunch of service records from the previous owner. A couple of questions , regarding maintenance on this car:

1. Should I change the water pump?
according to the shop that serviced the vehicle, the timing belt was replaced at 125k but NOT the waterpump??? or drive belts....
Since my wife is going to be a primary driver I am concerned of missing that first leak of the waterpump and having the thing overheat, with 145k could be fatal .
Is there a coolant level warning light on the 95 Camry. If not is there any quick and dirty way of installing one? I was going to hook this light up to the security system’s siren and see what happens....
Is there any possibility that waterpump shaft is worn out to the point where it just snaps quietly and then overheats the engine without any leaks? By the way the radiator is replaced too.
2. I am going to bring this car to a closest shop and have them flush the break system, looks like it has never been done before. Is there any way power steering can be flushed too? If yes can I do it myself of ‘trust’ the shop with it?
3. Since I am now out of the money for another project, what can I do to extend the life of the engine/transmission? Synthetic oil, any additives?
4. Just today I noticed an oil leak, right below the water pump housing and while replacing the drive belts noticed that timing belt housing (the part of it that's adjacent to the engine) is all cracked. Could the oil be coming from there. I always thought that timing belt is "dry" and there should be no oil in there...
Also, how do you fix the weather seal on the door? I’ve tried spraying some silicone spray on it hoping it would expand, but it did not work.

Thank you,

slov98

I noticed the water dripping from the start also but it's only a few drops after you open the door..I don't really notice it anymore

alcan

This what you were looking for?:

http://www2.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=RG001&UserA- ction=processModel&Parameters=001

msag

Thanks a lot that is what I was looking for!

mycar11

The windshield glass needs to be replaced on a 97 Camry. The cause is the rust build-up between the glass and the roof. So the rust needs to be removed and the roof needs to be painted. The dealer (North Dartmouth, MA) has a body shop. There are also a couple of independent shops. The dealer shop will be $100 more expensive.

Any advice on whether to go for the dealer body shop or the independent? Thanks in advance.

pv223

I'm noticing something similar. After 3 weeks
and 800 miles of smooth driving, my 2004 Camry LE
suddenly started making this growling noise
while accelerating. The auto gear shifting seems
distinctly jerkier. There's also a slight
rattle at 20-30mph, and overall, the engine noise
seems to have increased.
I'll be going to the dealer as soon as possible -
in the meantime, any suggestions/advice would
be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance !

typesix

Your temp gage may not be at fault. It could be the thermostat. If the needle goes to the middle "normal range" while idling and then goes to the left while driving, especially at higher speeds(above 30mph), the thermostat is not closing properly as the water temp decreases and needs replacing.

brett12268

I just purchased a brand new 2004 Toyota Solara V6 SLE. After 300 miles of driving, I have noticed that there is a very high pitched whining sound when I hit around 3000 RPM that stays for a few seconds and then fades away. Does anybody have any idea what this could be? I would REALLY REALLY apprecitae a response.

jade1

Hi,all.
I bought a used 96'camry le v6 last week.it is wonderful except some noise from the front wheels when i make a turn. So i have a mechanic to repair the cv axles,after that,the ABS indicator will come on while driving,(but the vehicle self-check is ok,the indicator will turn on then turn off).the mechanic told me that is just a sensor promble.I had the toyota dealer check it yesterday,the dealer told me that there is a incorrect part in the right front wheel,and the sensor bolt borken in the spindle,i remembered that the mechanic did told me that he cann't remove the old bearing and went to another repair shop had it done and changed a new one .I think the mechanic most did something wrong,and the bill will be huge (about $1000).what shall I do? can i ask the mechanic pay the bill ? at least ,a part of it,or let him repair the camry again(i dare not)?

jade1

All the indicators on the control panel are good, after vehicle self-check, all the indicator lights will turn off. But that is before I have the mechanic of unlimited engineer Frank to repair this vehicle’s ( TOYOTA CAMRY 96LE V6 ) CV axles of the front wheels and change the pads of the rear wheels.

After the mechanic repair my vehicle, the ABS indicator comes on after I drive for about 5 seconds. And he told me that just one sensor of ABS was burn . But I think , it is his mistake to broke that one ,or maybe worse ,he could have damaged my ABS system.It is costly to repair the sensor or the system.. I do think the mechanic has the responsibility to give me a reasonable answer and have all things work good .

jade1

The mechanic told me that the ABS system is ok,and there are another three sensors which can make the ABS works ,and a friend of mine said almost the same thing.Is that true? I don't know about vehicle things.And without abs,can the vihcle run safely.the dealer said yes.thx in advance.

bronzemaxell

a couple years ago i took my gen3 v6 le to dealer for oil change, and they discovered the cv boots broke and asking $400 or $600 to replace both, but i shopped around for price and went to one of the local shop, they charged $110 to replaced both, it was too good to be true, after i took the car and drove it home, it felt funny, when i was going at around 15 mph, then hit the brake at the stop sign, i could clearly hear a click from front of the vehicle, and the car hesitates a bit while stopping, another weird thing is, when i was on highway, speed reach 60mph, the abs indicator on dash board would come on, and stay on until i shutf off the engine, went back to the local shop, they couldn't find the problem, ended brought it back to dealer and cost me $85 to have it check, and they find my left axial speed sensor ring has a couple stripped tooth, the dealer gave me that ring, and in my close examination, those broken tooth were not newly break, and the local shop guy also told me those axials were remanufactured, and it looks like those broken gear were long broken before it was put on my vehicle, ended up cost me another $300 for parts and labor at the dealer because the don't just sell the speed sensor ring by itself. the local shop offered a free replacement and labor if i brought it back, but i got headache from that problem, and bit the bullet, spent $300 one time deal and no more pain. it is still working fine after 3 years.