2009 Toyota Camry

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Comments

  • exlerexler Member Posts: 129
    I have read the Toyota filter has some special features to protect the engine. I wonder if the warranty would be affected in any way?
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Your warranty will not be affected. Some people say that some aftermarket filters are crap, and some say that there are a few that are better. My opinion is that the difference is what, about $2 more per filter, and that is only $40 more for 100,000 miles changing at 5,000 mile intervals. $40 is not much money to save over 100,000 miles. It is not worth the risk to me. I buy my Toyota filters on sale for about $4.00 each. When they are on sale, I'll buy at least a year's worth, or a case if the price is good. I would just stick with the Toyota filters and try saving money somewhere else.

    Oil - on my 2007, (same as the 2009) I use Castrol GTX 5W-20. Just picked up a case for $2.69 per quart.
  • gtgtcobragtgtcobra Member Posts: 268
    You are absolutely right. Toyota oil filters are safer and much better. I wouldn't use anything else.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..safer and much better.."

    Not really very likely.

    Most any premium brand filter is likely to be better.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,489
    >Toyota oil filters are safer

    Just how are they safer? What are the factors?

    >and much better.

    And how is this measured?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Toyota filters have a captive, assured, market. That's why they are generally more expensive and also why anyone of their right mind could/should assume they are sub-standard.

    Like the "captive" GPS systems.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,489
    Myself I'd trust a Purolator regulator filter or a Purolator PureOne filter. And The things I've bought by Purolator are made in the USA.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • exlerexler Member Posts: 129
    Does that anti-drainback valve and the bypass valve that Toyota touts makes it any different from other filters or do all other filters have the same features? Thanks.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Filters are constructed differently. All have bypass valves of some sort; some do not have effective anti-drainback valves. I have read here on Edmunds of people cutting open oil filters and examining their construction. Purolator is fine (both variants), but Fram is universally panned as being cheaply made. It's dubbed the "orange can of death," so I stopped using Fram years ago. I wouldn't worry about paying a couple of extra bucks by going with the Toyota OEM filter. I have used the both variants of Purolator occasionally in my Camrys, but the higher cost one is almost expensive as OEM.
  • donnamarie18donnamarie18 Member Posts: 1
    I've never owned a camry and am considering buying a certified used one, LE, 2009, with 25,000 miles on it. Asking price is 15,400. The carfax says it had an accident and when I asked the dealer, they said it was a newly painted bumper, but no structural damage and the air bag didn't deploy. The car is in Boston, MA.
    Any thoughts if this is a serious risk to buy? I've narrowed down my choices to the camry, but also have considered a nissan altima.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Thanks.
  • notmybmwnotmybmw Member Posts: 101
    I just got my 2007 Camry back from the garage after having repairs to damage caused by striking a herd of deer!!
    My airbags didn't deploy either. My hood, both fenders and the huge front bumper were all replaced (it's mostly a bolt-on procedure) and frankly, I can't tell the difference from NEW.
    It all depends on the quality of the work. But if it looks good and feels alright when you drive it, it's probably fine.
    (Just don't let that stop you from negotiating the hell out of the guy based on the fact that it DID have an accident. You can have a big accident with no airbag deployment! Mine was around $8K...but as I say, it looks like/handles like new.)
    Good luck,
    Mike.
    P.S. I like the Altima, too.
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    1. Is it a rental? I will stay away from rentals.

    2. Don't trust the dealer about the repairs...take it to a trusted body shop and let them check out...again I wouldn't touch a repaint car.

    3. 25k miles is very high for a '09 car. I just traded in my 2 years old '07 Altima w/ only 18k miles.

    You should be able to get the new 2010 LE for around 19k. I think it's a better investment.
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    My leather seat meets the criteria to settle my claim in the Toyota Dispute Settlement Program...regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Under Federal Law , NCDS has 40 days to close my case. It is such a pleasure that Toyota stands behind their products, NOT....
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Did you ever take it to a seat repair shop and get a price on fixing the unravaling of the seat? I know it seems to be a matter of principle on this problem but I'm betting when over and done with you will be paying rent so to speak on the time you had the car and the mileage and I think you will find that it is going to cost you a whole lot more than the few bucks to sew up the seam on the seat. :sick:
  • comuscomus Member Posts: 24
    I have always loved Camrys. Yu better chek my posts.........
  • notmybmwnotmybmw Member Posts: 101
    Interesting comment, Michael: "orange can of death"? Can't say that in my 55 years of maintaining my own vehicles I've ever heard that expression.
    My Camry certainly didn't mind being fed a steady diet of Fram filters over the 150,000 miles I drove it before giving to my daughter (she drove it for two more years and recently sold it to her boyfriend!)
    Plus, I don't think a company that sells a product with as bad a reputation as you imply would still be around after 70 years.
    To each his own, I guess, but I plan to put a Fram in my BMW next week when it gets its annual change of Mobil 1.
    Happy New Year to all!
    (the other......or, should I say another...) Michael
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Not often when I get addressed by my real name here, so this caught my eye for sure!

    Anyway, I mostly used Fram all through the 80s and 90s with no apparent issues, but I read some info here on Edmunds around 10 years ago that caused me to switch to Purolator or Toyota OEM (I get a pretty good discount on the latter through my workplace).

    You can Google "orange can of death" and make you own call. This is one of the best analyses. IMO, it just isn't worth taking a chance with Fram. Plus as is the case with most brands that may have once been independent, they're now typically owned by much larger conglomerates.

    Happy new year also to everyone reading this!
  • cshondacshonda Member Posts: 12
    I'm having a couple problems with my 2009 camry, but haven't been able to bring it in yet.

    1) When I use the heat and have the recirculate button on, recirculating turns off after about 4 minutes. I notice it because I start smelling fumes from the cars in front of me, and when I look down, the recirculate button light is off. It happens consistently after about 4 minutes in the on position.

    2) When I drive the car after it has not been in use for about 4 hours, the whole car vibrates somewhat excessively when I come to a stop at a light or stop sign (also vibrates like this sometimes when in reverse). The vibration is originating from under the hood. Turning the wheel slightly while stopped makes the vibration stop instantly for about a couple seconds, but then it resumes. Also, shifting from drive to neutral while the vibration is present stops the vibration. Shifting to reverse amplifies the vibration. Turning the a/c off stops the vibration permanently, but that isn't often plausible in FL. I described the problem briefly to a service guy who said I am filling up with bad gas. I will not be going back to that dealer. Anybody have a better guess?
  • notmybmwnotmybmw Member Posts: 101
    Hi, cshonda. Re: "I'm having a couple problems with my 2009 camry, but haven't been able to bring it in yet."....I'm sure you meant to say "take" it in yet. :-)

    But, grammar lessons aside......here is my 2c worth:

    On the recirc......I'm guessing only (but Toyota factory [probably not your dealer, cause they're typically not smart enough] could confirm) that the 'recirculate' mode has a timer or humidity control that kicks out so that you don't end up either a) with fog inside your car due to high humidity, or b) suffering oxygen deprivation caused by breathing the finite amount of air in the closed cabin space. It COULD be more complicated than that, but I doubt it. Toyota MAY have a fix/adjustment for this, but I wouldn't "hold my breath", as it were!

    On the vibration: have a look at your tachometer when the vibration is occurring; I'm (again guessing) you'll see that your engine is turning at a rate of close to 500-700 RPM when this vibration is heard/felt. This is simply a function of the fact that few engines, especially four cylinders, which I suspect yours probably is, were meant to be able to sustain such low rotational speeds with any level of smoothness. There are such things as flywheels and vibration dampers and counterweights built in to all engines to overcome the inherent "thumping" of centrifugal force present in piston-up/piston-down engines.....but at extremely low RPMs, even these measures cannot undue the forces of physics. In other words, they ALL do it. (at least both mine have!)

    I wouldn't worry about that one at all.

    Happy New Year!
    Mike
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    1) This is normal as designed. Your owner's manual will tell you this. It is to prevent the fogging of the windows, and it varies depending on the environment/temperature. In the summer, it will stay on recirculate for a longer time.

    There IS a way to make it stay on, but you have to be careful, like you used to in older cars. All you do is push and hold down the button for 5 seconds, then release it. If you do this, it will stay on recirculate until you either shut the car off, or switch the vent controls into or out of the defrost positions.

    I agree with notmybmw on #2.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    It depends on how bad the vibration is, which is hard to tell over the Internet. Has this condition worsened over time? If so, I'd suspect something is wrong. Presumably the car's still under warranty, so I'd take it back to the dealer (not the one who gave you the "bad gas" line).
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Thank you for your thoughts on the poster's problems, but next time please withhold the grammar correction. It doesn't belong here. Thanks.
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    I have a meeting with the Toyota rep and the arbitrator at the end of the month...at the dealership. A weird thing happened this pass Monday at the same dealership, two salesmen got into a fight and one stabbed the other one...what a crazy place to work out this problem....
  • cshondacshonda Member Posts: 12
    The vibration is pretty bad or else I would not be concerned. In addition to making it go away by shifting into neutral or making it go away temporarily by turning the steering wheel, you can also make it go away when it is cold outside -- just discovered that this past week.

    Also, I saw another quirk with the car on the forum (though I wouldn't bother getting it fixed) -- up until I read the post I didn't think it was a Toyota problem, but since someone else had the exact same problem, it must be another Toyota quality issue. The plastic on the inside of the door developed white spots. Almost looks like (and I thought maybe someone in my car did) got some sort of chemical or bleach on the plastic that caused white bloches. Someone on the forum reported they had the plastic on the door replaced twice due to white bloches developing. In my view Toyota quality is lacking in the '09 model.
  • camryatlantacamryatlanta Member Posts: 3
    Unfortunately my 2009 4 cyl Camry LE, which was made in August 2008, has this problem too. The car slows down quickly after I release the gas pedal slowly. However there is a “tipping point” where the strong engine brake disappears. The “tipping point” is 30mph if I release the pedal when the speed is over 40mph or 20mph when the speed is less than 40mph. After a jerk at the “tipping point” you can feel the car coasting free now. It is really annoying!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    You're describing the standard shift pattern that Toyota/etc adopted out of concern for FWD loss of control potential due to inadvertent engine compression braking should the roadbed be too slippery.

    As you coastdown, throttle fully closed, brake use or no, the transaxle will upshift as the speed declines below 40-35MPH, "slingshot" effect as some call it. The same thing happens just below 10MPH, and the transmission then, unless you decide to accelerate, will only downshift into 1st once the vehicle has come to a full and complete stop.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Forget the part about loss of control. I think it's just normal behavior for the 6-speed transmission, and it's done for fuel economy purposes. Front-wheel-drive cars have no inherent dangers compared to rear-wheel-drive cars when driving on slippery surfaces.

    If you're still not sure your car is right, you could ask for a test drive of a new 2010 or 2009 Camry, if the dealer will let you (these cars are not allowed to be sold right now because of the recall).
  • camryatlantacamryatlanta Member Posts: 3
    Thanks to both wwest and 210delray for the explanation. I like the slingshot effect. My question is why it doesn’t happen right after the gas pedal is fully released, instead it has to wait until the tipping points. Normally there is little chance to coast down to 30mph before someone honks behind, unless there’s a stop ahead. So I have to keep stepping on the gas pedal to maintain speed, which results in lower MPG. I owned a 1999 Camry for 10 years before having the 2009 Camry. It did not have such a strong engine braking during coasting. With the same commute, 1999 Camry was 27MPG, while 2009 Camry is 24MPG. But the dealer blames it on the 2009 Camry being heavier.
  • paul3637paul3637 Member Posts: 45
    I think the important thing here is that Toyota is not building vehicles that deliver consistent results that can be "tracked." I would sure like to know why my 09LE V6 is FLAWLESS. No rattles, no wind noise, no sudden acceleration, delivers 36 mpg highway. I did change out the tires and wheels for 17" SE (albeit Avalon 9 spoke) style wheels when the original equipment Bridgestone 16 inch tires on the front wore out in 8500 miles.

    Now I wonder should I worry that it will get another set of problems at 20,000 miles other than the vvt-i rubber oil line that is certain to rupture for which there was a recall in Canada but none in the USA.

    As to my car ......... which should be consistent with others (build date 04/08 in Kentucky) ................... is it so flawless that the inconsistent behavior with the transmission is going to pop up later? Is my virtually flawless car going to become a lemon in a few months and possibly kill someone?

    If there is anyone with enough knowledge to know what's going on here; please respond. It is absurd enough aleady that I have to stand on the brakes at stoplights in fear of Sudden Acceleration problems ........ that I have another cause for worry......... that the transmission may go out. Obviously, the Toyota drive by wire system SUCKS. I just love the message placed on my last oil change receipt ..... "owner refuses floormat removal" ........... uh duh ........... they are in fact the rubber all weather floormats (factory installed carpeted floormats are in the garage) secured by pinhooks which make the accelerator pedal over 5 inches from the darn floormats.

    Thanks
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    No, your car should continue to be fine. Despite the recent hysteria about sudden acceleration, it's still a very rare event. The transmission should be fine also. Obviously, you will want to get the recalls done when the parts are available at dealers.

    I have two Camrys, a 2004 and a 2005 with a combined mileage of 114,000. Both have been great cars.
  • dinky_dodinky_do Member Posts: 2
    This car has a dash-mounted sensor, it automatically switches between DRLs and the normal intensity low beams according to the lighting conditions out side. Should the dash lights be changing as well? Does anyones car have this feature? Does you dash lights dim and brighten?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Dash lights dim, when headlights come on, which is typical of vehicles........... to lower the in cabin lighting intensity when it is dark outside to avoid eye glare. All my vehicles do this.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    And if you want your dash lights to STAY bright in the daytime with your low-beams on (say in snowy conditions, where the ambient light is still fairly bright), just turn up your dash lights to the highest setting.
  • dinky_dodinky_do Member Posts: 2
    Okay...so I thought there was a mechanic shortage......I didn't even know I had the sensor until recently.......
  • maddog23maddog23 Member Posts: 1
    I took my camry into the dealer and they were at a loss for answers as to why the recirc air would only stay on for less than 4 minutes. It doesn't matter if its 80 or 2 degrees, AC or heat, it shuts off in just under 4 minutes. The dealer changed the computer head and it still didn't fix it. After reading your advice I went out and held the button for about 7 seconds and it stayed on for over five minutes until I switched it over to defrost. I will inform my local dealer in case he runs into this again. You said "you have to be careful," in what reference are saying this? Thanks.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    You have to be careful using recirc continuously in the winter or whenever you're not running the a/c in cool, damp conditions. This is because the inside surfaces of the glass can fog over.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..have no inherent dangers.."

    But RWD and R/awd have a definite advantage when it comes to these Toyota/etc run-a-way engine episodes. With RWD the brakes will bring the front wheels, and the car, to a full and complete stop, even with the rear wheels spinning madly due to the floor mat,.....no correct that....the stuck gas pedal....no, correct that...the faulty firmware.....
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    With recirc on there is very little passenger cabin air outflow through the provided air exhauster ports. That will result in the Rh, relative humidity, of the cabin atmosphere rising higher and higher due to human metabolism, breathing, perspiration, etc. The more passengers the higher and quicker the humidity will rise.

    In the summertime, not an issue/problem.

    In the wintertime with the windshield interior surface chilled due to impinging COLD outside airflow....a problem, potentially a BIG problem. Should the temperature of the interior surface of the windshield decline to the dewpoint of the passenger cabin atmosphere...INSTANT condensation covering the entire windshield surface.

    Suddenly...NO forward vision.

    Recirc + A/C + wintertime = BAD NEWS...!!

    We currently have no method of determining if the A/C will be efficient, efficient enough, at dehumidifying cabin airflow, or even incoming FRESH airflow, to advise its use at all.

    So my advice is to NEVER use recirculate mode in the wintertime, and furthermore NEVER allow the A/C to be operational during cool or cold weather driving. The results may not be favorable.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    It makes no difference even under these extreme conditions whether the car has fwd or rwd. Only the strength of the brakes matter compared to engine torque. Have you seen the March issue of Car and Driver where 3 cars were tested with wide-open throttle and full braking from 70 and 100 mph?

    All could be braked to a stop, including the Camry, although it took over 900 (!) feet to bring the 500+ hp Roush Mustang to a stop from 100 mph.

    The conclusion that faulty firmware is the problem on the Camry is pure speculation (that is, armchair engineering) by the way.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I was under the impression that a/c is disabled whenever the ambient temperature drops to 40 degrees or below, at least in most cars.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    There can and should be no doubt that your front brakes provide 70-80% of the overall braking HP. If your engine is DRIVING those same front wheels then the front brakes must not only overcome the forward momentum of the vehicle but must also overcome the engine torque, WOT full bore engine torque, applied to those very same wheels.

    With RWD who cares if the engine is still spinning the rear wheels MADLY, the 70-80% primary braking HP will still bring the front wheels to a full stop, or at least under ABS control.

    "...pure speculation.."

    No, more like an EDUCATED guess.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Back in the 80's the A/C shutdown was more in the range of 45-47F, nowadays it is as close to 32F as technology allows. And that "shutdown" is quite clearly beginning to be exposed as a REAL problem.

    Drive along for say, an hour, with the OAT not quite down to the shutdown point. Or even WORSE, drive from a fairly warm and humid climate (HIGH A/C dehumidification efficiency) into a COLD climate and LOW Rh (Seattle to anyone of the nearby mountain passes).

    In this latter case you can be certain that when the A/C is finally shut down due to declining OAT the 10,000 square inches of evaporator vane cooling surface area will be SUPER-SATURATED with condensate, MOISTURE. Now you MUST use fresh intake airflow, SUPER DRY fresh intake airflow, and that incoming airflow will "absorb", QUICKLY absorb, much of the moisture previously STORED on the evaporator vanes.

    Passenger cabin Rh will now rise RAPIDLY...

    Cold windshield due to COLD outside impinging airflow.

    BLAM...!!

    Your windshield is now suddenly so fogged over with condensate you have no forward vision.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Still doesn't matter -- look at the C&D test results. Either way, you want the brakes -- front or rear -- to stop the front or rear wheels from spinning "madly."

    "Educated guess" -- let's just say "guess."
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't live near such rapid elevation changes. Our "gaps" in the Appalachians are no more than about 4000 feet high at most (typically only 2500 feet).

    How about if you open the car's windows or as a last resort, keep a towel handy?
  • oilandwateroilandwater Member Posts: 50
    Be careful... recall fixes a mechanical problem when it might be an electronic one... this is the easter egg hunt approach to repairing the car(s) and truck(s) in question....
  • exlerexler Member Posts: 129
    What is your opinion of this drive by wire system? I have had Toyotas in 1995 and 1998 with no problems regarding computers affecting acceleration or smooth shifting as I guess they had none. Cars worked fine with good gas mileage. Computer stuff came and had to get my 07 re-calibrated. The cars of the 90's worked fine--why does Toyota have to change stuff that does not need changed? I see no better gas mileage or anything else from this drive by wire. Your thoughts?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't think drive-by-wire is the villain it's made out to be. I have it in both of my Camrys, a 2004 and a 2005. No problems in over 114K miles of combined driving. I don't think there's a car built today that doesn't have drive-by-wire.

    Drive-by-wire is a must for precise response of traction and stability control, where power to the engine must be cut very quickly. In theory, it should also permit better fuel economy, but I think for the average driver, the improvement wouldn't be measurable.
  • santocssantocs Member Posts: 54
    Hi,

    I have a 2009 Toyota Camry LE. I am going on a long vacation and i would need to leave the car for around 45 days at a airport parking. Is it ok to leave the car for such a long time. Will it have any effects on the tires, batteries, engine etc?

    Thanks,
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Should be fine, assuming nobody has taken it.

    Given the price of parking at most airports I've been to however, I would think you'd be better off getting a ride/cab/limo to and from the airport.....rather than paying 45 days of parking.
  • notmybmwnotmybmw Member Posts: 101
    Hi there, Santocs.

    You asked this question last November and got 15 replies (including mine.)

    Was there something we neglected to tell you?

    How did it work out last time?

    Mike
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