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2007 Toyota Camry

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Comments

  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    I think we all recognize that this is nothing more than an insurance policy, and from a business perspective the insurance company that writes all of the policies collectively is making a profit on the total of all of the policies. Else, they would either raise the price of the policies or go out of business. The "average" payout, is less than the "average" policy cost, yielding the company an "average" profit for each policy written....after deducting of course their corporate salaries, rent, printers, etc. If you looked at an individual policy, some policies will be loosers (like in kdhspyder's case), and other policies will be money makers. On average however, they still make money.

    At the core of an individuals purchase decision, is his/her tolerance of risk, his/her perception of probability of that risk happening, the cost of the repair should the risk actually occur to him/her, the ability of the individual to cover financially the cost of repair if not insured, and the environment that the individual puts the car in.

    If one is a gambler, hasn't gotten burned with a large expense in the past over the years and doesn't know of anyone either, has plenty of cash to cover the repair cost if it occurs, and takes very good care of the vehicle.....roll the dice and 'self insure', with the potential savings if nothing occurs.

    On the other hand, if someone is living paycheck to paycheck, relies heavily on the vehicle, has had bad maintenance experiences, and is risk adverse......put yourself at ease and buy a policy.

    Each individual is different and comes at it from a different perspective and set of circumstances, nobody is right or wrong, just make the decision that is right for you!

    Not everyone buys life insurance, even knowing that at some point one will die.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    At the beginning I said it would average out to be more paid on the contracts than you get in coverage if your were to buy the extended warranty on every car you buy over your lifetime or they cannot make money, but people are saying that all these ultra expensive things are going to fail and it "makes economic sense" and is "imperative" to buy an extended warranty based on their anecdotes.

    You will have savings not only if "nothing" occurs (which is unlikely,) but also if things do fail, but total less over the years than the premiums you have paid on all your cars (extremely likely)or fail before or after the extended coverage would have paid for it.

    You are guaranteed to lose the money you pay into an extended warranty. You then hope they pay back more than you paid them. That is the risk and the gamble.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,151
    The point is that over a period of time, over a large group f cars, the amount paid for the "insurance" has to total out substantially more than the company is going to have paid out. The salesman gets a large cut of the premium paid as a commission, the company intends to make a lots of money on the deal to pay all the executives and pay the people handling the claims. There is lots of money in insurance. The companies aren't going to sell the policies for a loss.

    An example of the large profits in selling the insurance is the reduction in prices at a few dealers who sell over the internet. They are still making money on selling the product so other stores are making large chunks of money>

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Yep,

    I understand and personally don't buy extended warranty policies, but I also don't tend to buy leading edge technologies (CVT, Hybrid, 6/8 speed tranny's, etc). I also do most of the maintenance myself, so it's more just parts costs for me. Respect the decision however, of someone who buys a policy because for instance....they can't sit down and write a check for $6K should their tranny blow on their only vehicle. It's risk avoidance and the budgeting of the known...versus the unknown.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,151
    Those policies are usually only an extension beyond the standard manufacturer's times. So you're buying a 7 year 100K miles but it's really only 3 years beyond the existing 4 years and 40 K miles beyond the 60 K miles.

    The presentation of the data also turns me off. But I think most people believe they're paying for the extra rather than receiving a whole 7 years. The above numbers are examples only-not any particular manufacturer.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Hi jaxs1:
    Extended Factory Warranties are like insurance policies. If something happens, they are VERY nice to have at that point in time. I will own this 2007 Camry for at least three years. During that time, I will accumulate at least somewhere between 75,000 and 90,000 miles. I paid $1,600.00 dollars for a "top-of-the-line" Toyota extended warranty. One A/C compressor will give me back $1,000.00 dollars of that cost. One alternator or starter could easily cost $300.00 to $600.00 dollars with labor. A computer on this vehicle could cost $500.00 to $1,000.00 dollars or more. A transmission could cost $6,000.00 dollars. Once I make back the initial cost of the warranty, I am operating my vehicle on Toyota's dime! I think it is a wise investment. ------ Best regards. ------ Dwayne :shades: ;):)
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    They heavily overstate the cost on their invoices when you have an extended warranty to help market future extended warranties. You might have an extended warranty and something breaks that's covered. The manufacturers warranty pays $90 to the dealer under their deal, but the service writer prints that the repair was valued at "$401.54" on your copy of the invoice and you have no reason to care, question it or shop it around since you aren't paying. You are just impressed by how much you "saved" and are quick to run out and buy another warranty on your next car and tell 10 friends about it.

    Yes a transmission on some car "could" cost $6000. The engine and transmission could both fail during the window after the 60,000 mile factory powertrain warranty expires and before the service contract expires. The $2000 nav system "could" completely fail and need to be gutted and reinstalled from scratch. Everything on a $25,000 car could fail and cost $50,000 or more in parts and labor to fix.
    If you buy 10 or 20 cars in your life and pay for extended warranty on every one of them, would you save more money in repairs that you spend on the purchase of the 10 or 20 warranties. No.
    Would you have one or a few seem to pay for themselves based on the prices printed on your invoice? Probably, but it won't add up in your favor in the long haul.
    If it were any different than that, the warranty companies would not be able to make money.

    The warranty companies know better than car buyers what it costs to repair cars and they take into account the cost of all the electronics, AC compressors, transmissions and other things that may fail and are included in their coverage.
    If it worked your way where they pay you more than you pay them on more than an occasional basis (slot machine payout analogy) how can they stay in business?
  • msindallasmsindallas Member Posts: 190
    Yes, I think they are great cars. Some objectivity - hope this will help you. I drive a 1998 Camry 4-cyl LE with 130,000 miles on it.

    mine is seven and not immortal

    After 7 years, you are questioning the life of your current car. After 9 years, I believe my Camry should run trouble free for another 9.

    I paid a HUGE amount of money for it seven years ago

    I bought the Camry through some deals with my Credit Union and the local dealers, paid $100 over invoice.

    it's starting to get pretty "needy." ... One of the reasons I have tended to shy away from foreign cars is the cost of parts and maintenance.

    You seem to have spent a lot of money on repairs already. Till date, I have not spent a dime on anything other than the scheduled maintenance - oil/filters/battery/tires etc.

    does it get decent gas mileage

    When I bought the car new, I used to get 28/33 for City/Hwy driving. After 130,000 miles (now) I get 27/33 for City/Hwy. Hwy mileage drops to 31 if I drive at more than 80 or 85 mph (Yes, thats over the speed limit, but thats how traffic moves between Dallas and Houston on I-45).

    One of my biggest issues with my Intrepid is that it seems to be falling apart around the engine

    Last time I took the car to dealer was at 120,000 miles, for their scheduled 120K maintenance. The service adviser believed the car should run trouble free for at least another 120,000 miles. I do the oil change at every 5K miles at the local Jiffy Lube. I drive the car every day, and the engine just purrs, no noise. I have to look at the Tach to figure out if it is running.

    How has the car "held together" over the long term?

    I bought the car when I lived in Phoenix. I made 3 trips to Los Angeles, 1 to San Francisco, 1 to Vegas/Reno, 1 to Grand Canyon, 1 to Bryce Natl Park, once to Moab, Utah. Drove it to Dallas when I moved. Drove (may be) 6/8 times to Houston/Galveston, 4/6 times to St. Louis, MO, 3/4 times to San Antonio and a few more times to Austin. Yes, trips to State Parks in Oklahoma, too (Turner Falls and Broken Arrow). Other than that, my daily commute is about 20 miles. All that in 130,000 miles. Is that holding together good enough?

    Problems with the car:
    (1) Very low. while parking with the front bumper over a curb stone, the chassis touches the concrete.
    (2) Speedometer not accurate. Reads about 8% higher than actual speed. I discovered this when I installed a GPS based navigation system.

    Good luck with your car shopping. Best wishes, - MS.
  • murphydogmurphydog Member Posts: 735
    Hmmm...Used to work at a big name retailer - sorry can't share the name. Lauched a low cost extended warranty program as it was nearly ALL PROFIT even though it was 40% lower than what was offered at other places.

    I agree that an extended warranty does bring piece of mind, especially if the providers stand behind it and make it easy to service. However from a dollars and cents perspective I have never purchased one for anything, and likely never will.

    The high margins on them mean one thing, most of the items covered do not break... :shades:
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    The high margins on them mean one thing, most of the items covered do not break...

    And many of the items that do break... are not covered. :blush:
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    I know that ESC's are an insurance policy. All such policies have a lot of analysis done before they're priced in order to insure a profit for the offerer.

    That being said. I also believe that there is a ticking time bomb in the retail auto industry that never existed before. Catastrophic repairs to tiny but complex parts. Without these tiny complex parts the vehicle just doesn't run.

    There is much more risk for the buyer now. What level of risk are you willing to accept. IMO it was small in the past. Now it's much larger.
  • ctsangctsang Member Posts: 237
    That's why there is insurance for everything and those insurance companies make tons of money even accounting for catastrophic events. They are garranteed a profit in their business model. If there is no profit in an area for example, they don't do business there.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    I think the risk of problems is getting smaller. Cars are more reliable every year. This is supported by the CR reliability data - the very reason than many buy the Camry.

    Personally in over 25 years of owning cars the most I have ever paid to fix one of them has been $500, and the most put into any one car for repairs has been less than $1,200 total. This includes a 1990 Integra I bought new that now has 230,000 miles.

    I would expect the Camry to be the same.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    I gather some of you would like to go back to changing points and condensors, distributor caps, rebuilding carburators, etc.

    Not me.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Not me, thank you very much.

    I don't buy the "ticking time bomb theory." I have to agree with dudleyr that cars are getting more reliable. Just stay away from those with excess complexity and poor reliability records, like Mercedes!

    Basically, the only time my vehicles go to the shop is for their annual safety inspection. (I do my own maintenance.)
  • papsephuspapsephus Member Posts: 15
    Has anyone seen a camry with the special edition package? It has front, rear, and side skirts (not like the SE) and the grills are chromed. I was not a fan of the look of camry, but I really did like this look on that car. Now, if I can get past that blue-like look of the console.
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    I am new to this site and have been thoroughly impressed with the amount of information in the various Forums around 2007 Camry's.

    That being said, I am considering the purchase of a 2007 Camry SE (V6) and would like some feedback on the following points to help me with my decision:

    1) What is a good out the door price for the SE (V6) with VSC, JBL Radio, Rear Spoiler, Body Side Molding, Floor mats, and Cargo net? Cars Direct lists the invoice price at $24,865 and the Cars Direct Price at $25,915. Neither is an out the door price, so I am seeking recommendations of a good OTD price for the New York City Area.

    2) Transmission Flare issues seem to be more prominent in the earlier versions made prior to October or November 2006 (Correct me if I am wrong). Would you say that the probability of encountering the Transmission Flare issue is low for vehicles built in 2007 or are there other variables to consider such as the plant the car was built in?

    3) Looking to add Vehicle Stability Control for my wife who will rarely use the car and have not heard about any issues with it. Let me know your experience with VSC.

    4) Are the stock tires (P215/55R17 93V SM) acceptable for North East driving (four seasons) or should I have the All Season tires installed?

    5) Is the JBL Radio a huge improvement over the standard Radio? I will listen for my self during the test drive but any feedback is welcomed.

    6) Last but not least, what is the difference in the rear spoiler options beside cost? One spoiler lists as color-keyed and costs less than the other.

    Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer and please point me to the proper forum if I unknowingly posted in the wrong place. Thanks again!!
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    VSC is a definite must have as far as I'm concerned. If the stock tires are the Bridgestone EL400s like on my 2005, they are acceptable for all season driving. We get a lot more snow here in Indiana than NYC and I've never had a real problem.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I'll second Imacmil on the VSC -- it's a very important safety feature. I'd recommend all-season tires over "summer" tires, but I have no experience with the Bridgestone EL400s. I think the JBL radio is a big improvement, but it's fairly costly now compared to the standard radio. (The price gap wasn't so huge on my '04 Camry.)

    Spoilers: personally, I'd delete them if possible. YMMV.

    Regarding price, have you checked right here on Edmunds for true market value?

    I've stopped following the tranny flare issue, so I can't really comment on this.
  • dllharwooddllharwood Member Posts: 10
    I saw the 50th anniversary edition of the Camry at a dealer in Manhattan, Kansas about a month ago. They literally had it under wraps. I was back there a week or so ago and they still didn't have it out. The salesman did show it to me and it was beautiful. A very nice trim package.
  • stlpike07stlpike07 Member Posts: 229
    I can answer question 5. I have an '07 LE.

    The JBL stereo sounds MUCH MUCH MUCH better than the standard stereo. Definitely go with the upgraded stereo. I am used to having all after market component speakers and subwoofers and I am not going to touch this stereo.

    -I'm not sure about the rear lip spoiler. A dealer should be able to tell you the difference.
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    Imacmil/210delray,

    The VSC system is the most important option on my list so I am taking your advice and adding it.

    I will also get the All Season tires because summer tires are not desirable.

    I am still up in the air about the radio upgrade because of the cost.

    By the way, Edmunds has a TMV of $26,006 for the car including my listed options, which is within $100 of the carsdirect price.

    Thanks for your help!! My test drive is this weekend and If all goes well I will be a new Camry owner.
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for taking time to provide your feedback. I didn't consider adding a custom system before your post and it is definitely up for consideration. What custom system did you install or are you considering and is it more Stereo for less than the $870 that Toyota is charging for their upgraded JBL system?
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    Doesn't the upgraded stereo add a 6-disc changer? That's quite handy if you take trips longer than the duration of a single CD or even if you just want to load up 6 and not have to change any for a week of normal commuting. Just a thought.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    We just leave an MP3 player in the car, don't even fool with CD's anymore.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Why are summer tires not desireable? It is summer.

    Summer tires are better every day there is not snow on the ground. All seasons are a compromise every day there is not snow. The best is to use snows in the winter, and summers in the summer.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Summer tires are a lot quieter and more comfortable riding. I run them all year 'round on my AWD RX300 and resort to tire chains only on the rare occasions when the going requires them. And keep in mind that all-season of winter tires are only good on a somewhat "loose" surface, not much help on ice or packed snow.
  • stlpike07stlpike07 Member Posts: 229
    Gainesmb,

    In my last camry, 1998 LE a-cyl., I installed two after market 6 1/2" speakers in the front doors, two tweaters in the front, two 6" by 9" speakers in the rear deck, and two 12" subwoofers in the trunk. I also purchased an after market cd player in order to play mp3's and wma's. For the subwoofers I also purchased a box, and amp, and a wiring kit.

    It can get pretty expensive if you want a "LOUD" system like the one I had.

    As far as the 2007 Camry, I am very happy with the JBL stereo. I tested both stereos in the Camry......hands down, there is no competition with the JBL. It may be costly, for some, but for me was essential.

    If I purchased a Camry with the regular stereo, I would need to "rip apart" the dash and custom fit a new cd player (the cd player in the Camry is large and takes up a lot of the dash. You can't just pop it out and put a different cd player in). I would have also needed to purchase all new speakers because the factory ones would need to be replaced. It may also need some new wiring too.

    Not messing with the dash was a big deal for me. I also don't know if doing that voids the factory warranty. For an upgraded stereo, you would have to purchas a new component system with speakers, woofers, tweaters (for trebble, mid-range, and bass), which the JBL stereo provides.

    It can be rather costly to do so. The JBL stereo sounds great. A good cd player can run $200 to $500. A good component system can run $300-$1000+. Then you have to account for installation and misc. costs. AND, the JBL stereo is covered under the factory warranty so if anything happens to the cd player or a speaker blows you get a new one. Most after market stereo equipment has a one year warranty.....altough some offer a longer warranty.

    Like I said in my earlier post. I am 23 years old and am used to loud music with a lot of bass. I am happy with the JBL system. The system gets loud and puts out a lot of bass. It shakes my leg when I rest it on the door and with hip-hop and rap songs. Any audiophile will love the stereo.

    If I do anything, I will put the subwoofers from my old can into my new one because I like HARD HITTING bass.
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    Based on your post and the others around tires it is clear that I don't have a clue as to the difference between all Season and Summer tires. I have always purchased All Seasons assuming they were the best. It is time to have a good discussion with my tire guy. I will post my findings.
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    All of your JBL System advice as well as others on this post has been exceptional and greatly appreciated. The upgrade will satisfy my need for rich Audiophile grade sound, My wife's CD passion (I can control loose CDs all over the car) and my sons Ipod.

    The upgrade is staying on my option list. So far VSC and JBL system are in. I will look over the spoilers tomorrow and discuss tires with my local tire distributor before buying.

    This may be my most informed car purchase ever thanks to this forum and participant advice. I will share the outcome of this journey for future reference to benefit others.
  • stlpike07stlpike07 Member Posts: 229
    I'm glad I was able to assit you with some of your questions/concerns.

    I love my 2007 Camry LE I-4 AT. This is my first "brand new" car and I don't have any major complaints. There were a couple rattles, but those have been fixed by the dealer and I fixed one myself. The car runs great, shifts smoothly, and looks awesome!

    Test the two different stereos and you will definitely be able to tell the difference. Trust me. I dropped my car off over night one time for an oil change and tire rotation and was given a camry with the regular stereo.......I couldn't wait to get my car back :)
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I don't know where you live, but unless you have "real" winter with lots of snow and ice, you don't need to go with snow tires in the winter and switch to summer tires when the weather warms up.

    It's true that all-season tires are a compromise, in that summer tires give you better at-the-limit handling at the cost of faster tread wear. And in snow, all seasons won't provide the level of traction that snow tires do.

    Still, the Camry, even in SE guise, is not a high-performance car, so unless you have a get a lot of winter weather, I'd say just go with the all seasons.

    I'm sure the tire dealer will disagree with this, as he'd surely like the extra business. ;)
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    210delray- My tire guy is actually a good friend and he gave me the same advice as you...

    More importantly your comment about the SE not being a true High-Performance vehicle added to the car buying equation and will save me at least $2K when all is said and done. Thanks in advance for motivating more brainstorming sessions between myself and my family...Reason being, test driving the SE (V6) today did not provide the experience that I have dreamed about for the last few weeks, not to say that it is not a wonderful vehicle, and since I cannot defend my position as passionately as before the road test, I decided to settle down, agree with my spouse and purchase a 2007 Camry LE (V6) instead. The only give back will be the JBL Radio, which surprised me because forum member "stlpike07" has it in his 2007 LE (I4). The dealer told me that Toyota does not install the JBL radio for the LE model in the factory. He could not verify if this was something that was discontinued or never done on the 2007 models. Anyway I have requested the same vehicle with same options from other dealers and I may get a different story from the rest.

    All- This is the current out the door price for the car I am requesting as per the dealer who I test drove the vehicle with. Please let me know if this deal is flawed in anyway for the Long Island, NY area.

    2007 Camry LE (V6) $22,906
    Options:
    1) Titanium Metallic exterior color
    2) Ash Interior color
    3) Vehicle Stability Control $520
    4) JBL AM/FM w/In Dash 6 CD Changer N/A
    5) Body Side Molding $199
    6) Floor/Trunk Mats INC
    7) Cargo Net $49

    Sub Total = $23,674
    Tax = $2041.89
    DMV = $67.50
    *Total = $25783.39

    *Plates Extra
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    That's good that the tire man is your friend, so you can get the straight story. And I agree with your logic about getting the LE instead.

    About the JBL audio, it could be that in Toyota's NY region, LEs may not be optioned this way, but I'm somewhat surprised. There is fine print on the Toyota website about not all options or option packages being available in all regions (Toyota has 12 in the US). You can "build" a Toyota on their website, punching in your zip code, to see what options are possible.

    The price seems to be "in the ballpark," but I'm not fully up to speed on today's market conditions. You New Yorkers really have high taxes though!
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    You might also ask opinions of the deal in the Camry Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion. Keep us posted!
  • gainesmbgainesmb Member Posts: 17
    The taxes are high!!!! :cry: . You should see the property taxes!

    I tried to build a car on the Toyota.com website with the JBL radio as an option using a NY and NJ zipcode but the radio upgrade was unavailable just as the local dealer informed me. I then used a Maryland zipcode to test your theory and the option was available. I found the car I want in Maryland at Fitzmall.com. I may consider buying out of state. I will keep you posted.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Maryland is in Toyota's Central Atlantic region, the same as VA where I live. I understand Fitzmall has very good prices, so that is definitely an option to consider. In VA, you pay only a nominal cost for a temporary license plate if you reside out of state -- there are no other state-mandated fees.

    I'm not sure of the situation in MD, but undoubtedly Fitzmall will know.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    I have 2,600 miles on my '07 CE with a manual transmission, and I am very pleased with my gas mileage. I have a 60%highway, 40% city commute, and I am getting 32.5 mpg. This is great, considering only 2,600 miles on the car and I know I could do better if I was a little less aggressive on the throttle. The EPA rates this car at 34 highway, 24 city.

    As a comparison, my manual Corolla averages 36.8 on the same route, and is rated at 31 city, 38 highway.
  • jmpinmoonlitejmpinmoonlite Member Posts: 12
    I'm purchasing a new 2007 Camry XLE. What do I need to do or not do in the break in period? And how long is the break in period?
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    It is in the owner's manual. Basically, do not drive at the same speed for long periods of time for the first 1,000 miles.
  • kmausskmauss Member Posts: 72
    MS and everyone else -- THANK YOU for your insights and information. There are obviously a lot of very loyal Camry owners out there! Sorry I've not been back on the boards to read more of your replies lately. I really appreciate all of your time and thoughts. :) Hopefully I will have a lot of time to make a decision, but I will take all of that into consideration. Karen
  • jeauxsrjeauxsr Member Posts: 9
    Karen:
    I bought a new 07 Camry LE 4 cyl/automatic inAugust o6. Although it had a n electrical problem in the harness the dealer loaned me a comparable car till they could fix it. It has not caused any problem since the last 6 months so i feel like its corrected. the plus side is that my gas mileage is increasing with evry fill up, now up to 31 mpg combined town & country,W O W . i highly recommend a new 4 cyl/automatic A/c /Leather interior camry since the last time i had this kind of mpg was in the 60's with a stripped down VW jeaux :)
  • stevemp170stevemp170 Member Posts: 3
    My new (year old) Camry LE has been exhibiting frightening behavior. The first time was a month after I bought it. I was attempting to accelerate to merge on a high speed on ramp and the car just died momentarily and roared to life in time for me to slam on the brakes and stop, because there wasn't time to merge at that point. About a year later the throttle stuck open and revved to 6,000 rpm and would not come down. I had to shut the car off. The dealer has had this car after each situation and cannot find anything wrong with it. It hesitates sometimes and it is a nightmare to drive; it is "haunted." I called Toyota's 800 number and they were "nice enough to document the first incident," but I would think they would be concerned about this. This new model has a computer controlled throttle, no more throttle cables. If anyone has experienced this and can offer some help I'd greatly appreciate it. :mad:
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    Our Highlander moonroof system doesn't have the optional deflector [it would be difficult to detail around too] nor did my Tundra D'cab. To avoid the fluttering at speed a rear window must be opened about an inch when the glass is fully retracted.

    I would avoid a deflector but make sure my vehicle has the optional ($650) vehicle stability control/traction control.
    More important IMO than a moonroof as NHSTA is mandating it by 2010 or 2012. Advanced ESC/Traction, VDIM, is standard on the Camry Hybrid.

    Folks challenged by extreme vision loss or total blindness are concerened about hybrids being virtually noiseless. They depend on engine sounds for safe navigation.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    perhaps you should document your case on the NHTSA web-site. you might find that there have been others who have experienced un-controlled acceleration events.

    my suggestion to you would be to strongly demand they replace the entire throttle-body assembly (valve, position sensor and actuator). if it were me, i'd also demand they replace the accelerator pedal and sensor assembly.

    until they did those things, i don't think i would have confidence in the vehicle.

    some people have complained of hesitation in their vehicles; then there were a few TSB issued. seems like in the 4CYL they have gotten the issue under control as people don't seem to be complaining at the rate they were upon the new model introduction.

    it's been my opinion from the beginning that some of the odd behaviors experienced by new owners with an accleration hesitation issue *might* be attributed to mechanical (sticktion) or electrical (non-linearity) problems either in the area of the throttle body position feedback and/or actuator, or the accelerator pedal position.

    this possibility could also fit with uncontrolled acceleration.

    some people just aren't complaining of problems. therefore i've always believed it was a parts issue in one of these two areas.

    good luck.
  • stevemp170stevemp170 Member Posts: 3
    Just wanted to thank you for your advice. I really feel like Toyota "dropped the ball" with this one. I too have had hesitation problems with this new design; one time I had to accelerate quickly to avoid an accident and when I depressed the accelerator, the car "died" again for an instant--lucky for me the other driver stopped. I will try your suggestion. Thanks again.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    Hmmmm . . . . .this consition doesn't seem to have happened to any of the Consumer Reports respondees in their latest owner's survey. We have been driving our '07 4cyl auto Camry for just under 3 months and almost 6K miles now. I've randomly asked other Camry owners during routine service trips and can't find anyone with your problem - guess we are lucky.
    Additionally, my friendship with an asst. service mgr. at the local Toyta Dealer has provided me with straight answers and this is not a problem for this Virginia dealership.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,151
    >an asst. service mgr. at the local Toyta Dealer has provided me with straight answers and this is not a problem for this Virginia dealership.

    Toyota also didn't admit any problem with sludging. The dealers never heard of any problems and the fault was solely with the customer's oil change pattern--not the motor, was what the customers were told.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    It's there no doubt.. but it is nowhere as prevalent as one would gather from these boards.. Do an NHTSA search and you'll come up with complaints less than 100 intoto over the 15 mo's the vehicles been on the road. It might even be less than 50, I havent checked in a while.

    My feeling is that those that had it either worked through it and it disappeared, those that couldn't work through it had it fixed by a TSB, those that got later production vehicles had the TSB's done prior to delivery.

    It's a good issue for discussion but in the overall volume of sales it's miniscule.
  • jack47jack47 Member Posts: 312
    It's a good issue for discussion but in the overall... it's miniscule.

    If so, than why did the CEO of Toyota find it necessary to publicly apologize in both August 2006 and January 2007 for the number of recalls.

    Hmmmmmm, could it be that where there is smoke there is fire.

    Nah...that's silly. Couldn't be...after all Consumer Reports voted it the car of the year.
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