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The 28000 complaints to the NHTSA does seem to be an exageration given the facts though.
CA has so many different laws, and types of plates, I'm not sure this is the case today, but most likely the OP is correct.
I hardly ever trade in a vehicle but personally I would NEVER trust the dealership to send in the sold/trade-in registration slip.
Too bad I just bought a new car with Bridgestone tires and found out on your post that Bridgestone tires are no good, too.
Anybody has information on the safety record of Bridgestone tires and how the two tire manufacturers are related? Is Bridgestone actually the Firestone company surviving under a different name? Do they use the same or similar process in their plants? I shall be grateful for any information provided.
No bloggers working for or with family members working for Firestone or Bridgestone company, please.
What does TSB stand for?
It's where the Manufacturer would document to the service garages, special instructions as to how to fix a certain problem.
The easiest $800+ you can make is canceling that warranty, getting your money back and buy a 7 year/100,000 mile/zero deductible for $880 or less, from an online Toyota dealer.
There are 3 or 4 dealers that will sell for that or less.
Search the Camry extended warranty forum or even this forum awhile ago.
Wish I knew about it before I considered buying the 2007 Camry 4 cylinder.
Did you read that some 2007 Camry owners complained about the acceleration and were told by the Toyota serviceman that the transmission is normal and that it was designed to perform like that?
So what is the fact regarding the acceleration hesitation? Defect or design as intended? It appears that Toyota is not being honest and consistent with all the customers.
Actually, when I first found out the acceleration hesitation on the surface street, I was trying to explain the problem away as I naively believed that Toyota would never produce a new model with serious problems.
Since there was a very serious accident a few years ago in the farmer’s market in Santa Monica, CA, in which ten people were killed by a senior who mistook the accelerator for the brake. So I had the strange thought that may be Toyota is now aiming at the senior citizen market by re-designing the transmission of the 2007 Camry to make the acceleration hesitate for a few seconds, so that in case the senior drivers step hard on the gas pedal while thinking it is the brake, the acceleration hesitation may give them time to realize that they have made a mistake and to go back to the brake.
However, when I went to the freeway in the 2007 Camry, I did not expect the hesitation to be so severe that it would be a real hazard. So even if my strange explanation turn out to be true, acceleration hesitation is not a good way to deal with that problem. It doesn’t make sense to overcome one problem with a solution that turns out to be also a serious problem.
Later, I read that there is another explanation from the Toyota people. It says since Toyota cares about the environment so the Toyota technicians designed the transmission in the 2007 Camry with a drive by wire program which does not allow the driver to accelerate too fast, so less gas would be consumed in the gentle acceleration to the same speed and that would be good for the environment due to less carbon dioxide emission.
So what is the next innovative step Toyota will take?
Setting the top speed of all it’s new vehicles at 65mph even though the speedometer shows that the vehicles has the potential to go at a higher speed so that no matter how hard you press on the gas pedal, all new Toyota vehicles will never go over the speed limit on the freeway?
Survey time. Who wants to buy such a “safety conscientious” vehicle?
and as you've discovered, if there is no traction to be had, the traction control wont do much. there's no substitute for good winter tires for wintery conditions.
hope it helps.
Two years later, while the tire threads were still looked good, one of the Firestone tires burst(literally exploded, not just got flat) on a shallow pothole of only about two inches deep and one foot half in diameter. The wheel drum was also severely damaged and had to be replaced. I saw tens of other vehicle went over the same pothole without incident.
I did not want to risk my life so I had all four tires replaced with medium price tire of anothe brand.The ride on the new tires of the other brand was much smoother as if I have installed an improved suspension.Of course, no more bulges and tire burst.
One blogger on this website said that his new Camry came with Firestone tires, so he asked the dealer to replace the Firestone tire with another brand that he trust.
Thank you drjames for your assurance that Bridgestone and Firestone do make good tires but I am not sure if the ones on my car are the good ones or the one that would explode like a ballon on a shallow pothole.
And the Ford Exploder tire issue was absolutely positively Ford's fault. Their engineers recommended lowering the tire pressure in order to lower the center of gravity and thereby make the vehicle less subject to rollover.
I guess they completely forgot that an under-inflated tire tends to overheat and explode when running with a heavy load and at high speed for long periods. Bottom line is that Ford's attorneys were better shysters than the tire company's.
If you start driving a car in the snow in a cold country like Canada, your must never accelerate too fast or the tires would lose traction. So acceleration hesitation that limits the rate of the acceleration no matter how hard you step on the accelerator is a good thing if you drive in the snow.It reduces the possibility of skidding.
But that good feature for driving in the snow would become a bad feature when you drive in Southern California or southern states with no snow but heavy traffic and aggressive drivers near you.
A skillful driver may learn to accelerate gently in the snow without the automatic acceleration hesitation,but a skillful driver would still have a hard time if a freeway onramp is very short and the gaps between vehicles on the far right lane are relatively close together during rush hours.
So I think acceleration hesitation should be an optional feature in countries that has snow and light traffic but not as a standard feature in all vehicles.
However, with the Firestone tire that hit the shallow pothole, half of the tire near the ground burst open completely. The burst Firestone tire could not support the weight of the car so the rim of the wheel drum hit hard on the road surface and buckled. That's what I meant by severely damaged because once it is buckled at the rim, it can no longer be used. I didn't mean the whole wheel drum is completely destroyed like crashes on the freeway.
I do agree with you that under-inflated tires are more likely to overheat and explode and I see that Ford was also to blame for the death of the 42 people in the accidents. But Firestone should have initiated an investigation why its tire would blow out on the Ford Explorer right after the first blowout instead of engaging in the blame game after 42 people died.
You see, once the reputation of a product is damaged by death of a large number of consumers, it is very difficult to restore the image of that product. That's why I advice Toyota to take the complaint of acceleration hesitation seriously and to solve the problem before its too late.
Still, all-season tires are nowhere near as good as dedicated winter tires for driving in snow.
I drive my Dad's Saab frequently and I also drive my Mom's BMW all the time. Both are new cars and if I "stomp on the gas" there is a short delay with them too, depending on the speed I am going. If I am going 40+ mph and step on it there is a delay.
I have a 2007 Camry LE I-4 5sp. AT and just had TSB EG056-06 performed to help with the hard downshift and shifting. The problem wasn't huge before, but the TSB improved how the transmission handled.
If you want to be able to "stomp" on the gas and take off right away you should get a new Corvette. Most cars have a delay.
If people are honestly having a 3-second delay, then there is a problem. I have never had any problems accelerating on the highway. I step on the gas and watch the rpm's go up as I accelerate.
Just my two cents.
I've read through discussion boards on other websites for the Camry, Accord, Ford 500, kias, hyundais, and so forth and it seems like everyone has something to complain about. Some people are not as forth coming because they do not want to talk badly about a car they own.
If you think the 2007 Camry LE V4 5sp AT has no problem at all, why did you need to have TSB EG056-06 performed? So after you have improved your Camry, you turn around and heckle the one who have experienced unacceptable acceleration hesitation in their unserviced Camry.
Are you tauting or just being smug?
You claim that Toyota has addressed the problem of acceleration hesitation since last September.
How come even in the year 2007, there are still 2007 Camry owner reporting that the Toyota dealership tell them the acceleration hesitation is normal when they complained about the problem?
Read the following messages #2738,2784,2847,2946,2997 posted in the year 2007 or search under the word "normal".
How can Toyota insists that the hesistation is normal to some customers who become dissatified but provide techical service to the others who may turn out to jeer at those who are refused the service?
Toyota should clean up its act and behave like a real Japanese company like it used to?
I have a 3 months old Camry 2007 and I found the engine and surrounding areas are now full covered with dust and mud and I used to go for full wash every month in Car wash centre but engine compartment is not washed yet. I used to wash my honda once in 2 months. Is it advisable to wash the Engine in carwash centers?, if so how often?. Appreciate someonebody's reply.
Matthew
I don't care what company it is, independent dealers, their service and sales are just that - independent.
Get off the tirade crusade.............
Do you mean Toyota directs some Toyota dealerships to tell the customers that the acceleration hesitation is normal but directs others to provide sevice to solve the same problem?
Since it appears to be the case,I was right to critize Toyota(the Headquarters)by saying that"Toyota is not being honest and consistent with all its customers."
My post #3009 is clearly aimed at criticizing the Toyota Headquarters.The only paragraph mentioning the Toyota dealership is in a question asking why some dealerships would tell the complaining customer that the acceleration is normal. It is not a statement critizing the dealership with regard to this matter.
The paragraph in my last post says, "Toyota should clean up its act and behave like a real Japanese company like it used to?" It is clearly a statement criticizing the Japanese Toyota Headquarters.
It is apparent that you are the one who fail to realize that I did distinguish between Toyota and Toyota dealers.
If you are from the Toyota dealer, you should work hard on pressing the Toyota Headquarters to provide a consistent policy to help the complaining customers instead of asking people not to complain.
Can anyone offer some advice to Matthew anmr, "2007 Toyota Camry Problems and Repairs" #3010, 31 Jan 2007 9:04 pm?
I'm sure others will have different opinions.
I do it the following way: take the nozzle off your garden hose, and only let a small stream of water come out. Use regular car wash soap, sponge (and bucket if necessary) to wash off the exposed sheet metal, radiator, and numerous plastic covers inside the engine compartment. The engine should be cool when you do this.
Do not spray any water on electrical connections to the extent possible, and keep water off the brake fluid container as well (there's a little vent hole on top).
You can use a damp sponge to wipe off areas that shouldn't be doused with water. Use the hose to rinse off the other parts.
If I had a three second delay I would be pretty upset. I had the TSB performed because the car would downshift hard sometimes when I would come to a stop around 25-35mph. Now this hard shift is gone. I didn't even really think it was a "problem" until I read through some discussion boards.
I am not heckling anyone. That was not my intention and I didn't want my message to be interpreted that way. All I am saying is that if you slam on the gas in most cars that there is a delay. Thats all.
I have never had any acceleration problems, especially getting onto the highway, SO, I am empathetic to those people. A dealer shouldn't refuse to do the TSB. I printed the stuff out and gave it to them and there was no problem.
When the gas pedal is fully released the transaxle begins an upshift sequence to extend your coasting distance to improve FE or to prevent engine braking from resulting in loss of control. Your choice, one or the other or both.
Now you re-apply enough pressure to the gas pedal that a downshift is required and the "wait" begins. First, the previously commanded upshift must complete and only then can the command to downshift be issued. The problem is that the upshift will exhaust all of ATF pressure/flow and with the engine now at idle it will take a second or two to restore the pressure/flow to a level in which the downshift can be completed successfully.
So DBW is used to delay the onset of engine torque until the downshift is completed.
Upon a full lift-throttle event in SNOW mode the transaxle would remain in the same gear ratio (ready to SURGE forward on command) but the engine RPM, via DBW, would not be allowed to fall enough to provide a significant level of engine braking to the driven wheels, front, rear, or ALL.
Absent being in SNOW mode the shift pattern could be the same as it was pre-2000, NO upshifting on full lift-throttle events.
I'm pretty sure the dealer held onto my copy or I filed it somewhere. I will look for it......
In the TSB paperwork, it says that if the TSB has been performed already there will be a sticker undernear your hood with the TSB# and info on it. The sticker is about 2-3 inches long and should be on the lower right side somewhere.
I'll keep looking and get back to you.
I'd say it would be easiest to make a new email account and give me the address, then I can email the info to you......rather than putting your "real" email on here.
Will that work?
I made a carspace album and added the TSB info to it.
ANYONE FEEL FREE TO LOOK AT MY PROFILE AND PRINT OUT THE TSB
I hope this helps everyone!!!
Thanks also to kiawah for the email info.
There were TSB's for the V6 engine on the alldata webstie too when I looked....however, it is very strange that you cannot view the TSB's anymore. I checked again today and the link took me to the main page of the website.
Check the V6 discussion thread and see if someone there printed out the info.
I know there were TSB's for the V6. If you are having trouble with one dealer I would suggest trying another one. Any Toyota dealer can perform warranty work.
There was another such back door a few months back through a small-town public library (in Iowa, IIRC). I told a co-worker and he downloaded all of the TSBs for any employee at my workplace that was interested. Undoubtedly, that door has been closed now also.
Not part of any normal trim package....it's an option. Would have to show as a line item on the original Window sticker, approx $650 MSRP option.