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I checked manual and it states that only use
Toyota's Red color anti freeze
or use only Ethylene glycol based antifreeze and it should be
non silicate
non amine
non nitrate
non borate
and has low phosphates and organic acid.
Toyota is selling their red color 1 gallon anti-freeze for $20 and in most auto markets have 1 gallon anti-freeze for $5-7.
In non Toyota brands I can only find that it is ethylene glycol based antifreeze and other than that I can't find other chemicals on other brand's anti freeze.
Perhaps it is an other way to force people buy their fluids.
Q: Could any one please tell me which brand is similar to Toyota's red color anti freeze which has above mentioned specifications?
Owners of problematic 2007 Camrys couldn’t care less how Toyota got into this mess. What they want to know is whether Toyota is going to face the music and come up with solutions to the problems.
Being able to vary the pumping capacity of the ATF oil pump between substantial/adequate flow with the engine at idle and then "idle" the ATF oil pump at high engine RPM and no "demand" would go a long way toward solving Toyota's problem.
My 300HP 2001 Porsche 911/996 C4 uses DBW, and did my '99, and I don't/didn't see any problems there. 6 speed stick shift though..
DBW, Drive-By-Wire, E-throttle, E-gas, is being used by Toyota and Lexus as a BAND-AID, PATCH, ONLY!
Yes, they may have adopted DBW by now in any case, but it is NOT a coincidence that they adopted DBW at just the point wherein the design change to a low capacity ATF pump and the parallel move to the upshift technique was becoming problematic.
2002---29
2003---14
2004---22
2005---30
2006---2
2007---74
We can see from the figures that apparently Toyota has solved the automatic transmission problem in 2006 but only to screwed it up in 2007 with the introduction of their poorly designed and poorly tested DBW system.
It is worth noting that in the NHTSA site none of the Lexus 2007 models has any complaint about Power Train and Automatic Transmission problems.
So it is a new problem with the 2007 Camry instead the the deterioration of an old one.
If Toyota doesn't face the music, then they have to face the decline in sales of the Camry.
The DBW started with the '02 redesign. I wonder if the increased number of complaints for the '07 are for the V6 6-speed transmission woes, not for the far more popular 4-cylinder 5-speed auto.
Just be sure to read the label to see if it's 100% antifreeze (which you'll have to dilute with 50% distilled water), or "premixed" antifreeze, which already is a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water.
Make/Model----------No. of complaints
Ford Fusion-----------7
Honda Accord------- 22
Toyota Camry--------240
Among the 240 defect complaints against the 2007 Camry, 89 are related to the Power Train and 61are related to Vehicle Speed Control.
A total of 150 complaints related to defects that affect control of the vehicle.
The 150 complaints related to Power Train and Speed Control are listed below according to the components:
Components---------------------------------------------------------No. of complaints
Power Train---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -----2
Power Train: Automatic Transmission-------------------------------------------74
Power Train: Automatic Transmission.: Control Module (TCM, PCM)-10
Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Torque Converter------------------1
Power Train: Axle Assembly---------------------------------------------------------1
Power Train: Driveline------------------------------------------------------------------1
Vehicle Speed Control---------------------------------------------------------------38
Vehicle Speed Control: Accelerator pedal-------------------------------------12
Vehicle Speed Control: Cruise Control------------------------------------------11
Most of the complaints to the NHTSA are parperless submission so only a few documents can be viewed to check out the exact problems. I have seen documents complaining of acceleration hesitation under Power Train: Automatic Transmission as well as under Vehicle Speed Control. As for flare, I think it should be under Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Control Module (TCM, PCM).
For comparison, 2007 Ford Fusion has the following Power Train and Vehicle Speed Control Complaints:
Power Train: Driveline: Constant Velocity Joint-------------------------------1
Vehicle Speed Control: Cruise Control------------------------------------------1
2007 Honda Accord has the following Power Train and Vehicle speed control complaints:
Power Train: Axle Assembly: Axle Shaft----------------------------------------1
Power Train: Driveline Center Support Bearing-------------------------------1
Velocity Speed Control: Accelerator Pedal-------------------------------------1
Even by taking the sales ratio of Fusion: Accord: Camry = 1: 2.59: 3.15 into consideration, the rate of complaints against 2007 Camry with regard to Power Train and Vehicle Speed Control defects still far exceed that of 2007 Fusion and Accord and far exceed what is proper for a normal car.
Moreover, 2007 Camry has received complaints of defects in 53 different component options. The 2007 Fusion has received complaints of defects in 7 components options while the 2007 Accord in 22 component options. That means the 2007 Camry has more unreliable components that may go wrong.
Toyota Camry is 2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year?
Wonder how many problematic 2007 Camry owners regret to have taken that bait.
And by the way, *I* regret taking the bait on the 2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year! I am very seriously thinking about trading it in now. I was going to try and pursue a buy-back after my new transmission started experienced the shift flare after 2200 miles. However, it is very hard to reproduce the shift flare this time around and I have a feeling they aren't going to take my word for it.
It bothered me a little that it had so many miles but I figured maybe it was driven up from some other dealership and the buyer backed out at the last minute.
I had the transmission replaced around 1200 miles due to the shift flare. It now has about 4000 miles on it and the shift flare is back.
Rattle Update: Traced an annoying rattle that I thought sure was in the overhead console or windshield by the rear view mirror to the small plastic cylinder that is on the driver side visor where it snaps into the visor clip. I haven't figured out how to stop the rattle permanently, but at least I know where it's coming from.
Next test and update will be a mountain road trip. I've read some negative reviews of the '07 Camry's cruise control. So I'm curious to see if I'll experience the same issues. My 2000 Camry never had a problem climbing or going downhill.
There is a new TSB (EG036-07) which overwrites the previous one. This new TSB is only for 4-cylinder engines.
It will fix your hesitation problem.
Anybody else have this problem?
I already have a dashboard rattle and transmission problems that aren't fixed. I really regret buying it.
Thanks.
I regret buying this car too.
I have a 2007 camry SE V-6 and also have rattles in the roof area.
I too have been on the run around with the dealership and Toyota.
I also have flare problems in my Trans,.
I too regret buying this car and feel Toyota is not living up to it's reputation.
Please keep in touch with any fixes you find out.
Why isn't Toyota fixing these problems???
i've heard there may be machines to take a certain amount of deformation out of a tread, but more than likely - you need new tires.
did you read your warranty? does it specifically say alignment is only good for 20K? the response seems suspicious to me, worthy of investigation and if unclear, clarification by calling the manufacturer.
Well, yes and no. For a long time, they just flatly denied that transmission issues existed. But the evidence has existed for some time that they've had issues going back several years with DBW technology in Lexus and Toyota models.
It appears as though they are trying to address these issues, but in some ways, their very success seems to be opening them up to defect creep as it would any manufacturer: increased volume of production, more facilities to manufacture, outsourcing of parts, parts commonality across numerous model lines, speed of new model introduction, various number of models, rate of technology adoption, complexity in implementation, levels of integration with other systems, price structure, etc etc.
Those are challenging forces to keep under control.
It will be very interesting to see if the '08 is plagued with these issues. Then it will be interesting to see what they ultimately do for all you '07 owners.
someone posted this on another thread:
http://www.wcnc.com/consumer/stories/wcnc-jmn-091307-camry_story-no_tc.ce57a8a0.- - - html
it's interesting how this rep is making it appear that Toyota is being proactive and really responsive about the issue - that there are ways to make you satisfied with your vehicle purchase. to me, it's spin control and is far from "Moving Forward".
I wonder how many owners actually have this problem/issue...I've read only around .5% to 1% of all owners experience those problems. Toyota is looking at it purely from a business standpoint, and those numbers are obviously acceptable to them.
I'm sure some people are having problems, but I also think some people need to adjust the way they drive the vehicle. I drove me friends new BMW 5 series the other day and when I romped on the gas it didn't do right away when I was merging into traffic......is that stalling or sluggish? I don't know. I've driven quite a few new cars lately and most of them don't "take off" when you romp on the gas.
My point is that their are consumers out there that don't know what normal for a car and just don't complain.
I can say that these issues are not normal and do create safty issues! Be careful!
This is a free service that you can signup for, and you load each of your vehicles in it. I use it as a way to stay on top of what problems others are having on the vehicles, to be on the lookout for similar problems on mine.
If you look at the results for the 2007 Camry, you'll see many complaints regarding power train (77), and (59) miscellaneous. Reading the miscellaneous, you'll find many are hesitation and transmission related.
2007 myCarStats Summary
couple misc complaint details
Hypothetical.....if Toyota sold, lets say, 200,000 2007 Camrys and 2,000 people (1%) are having problems, is that acceptable from a purley business standpoint? My answer is no, however if the "problem rate" is that low, most businesses will find that to be acceptable.
Other posters in this discussion point out that a couple hundred people have made federal compalints.....out of over 100,000 new camry owners that isn't a whole lot of people.
I guess the phrase "the customer is always right" no longer carries any meaning.
let's face it, there are probably people experiencing these issues assuming the vehicle IS operating as designed.
what a line.
i think the tale-tale is every one of the previous Camry owners that bought the '07 and their new vehicle and the way they are being taken care of by Toyota has just completely turned them off to the manufacturer's products.
mind you, they were probably die-hard fans before their experience with the '07.
that does not speak well for the company.
They have taken a defensive stance on this Transmission problem.
Does the problem exist or doesn't?
I bought my car thinking if I ever had any problems Toyota would take care of it. That has not been the case. It's been very frustrating!
You can check this site for recommendations.
I've used Michelin Energy MXV4 S8 tires as replacements, but these are pricey. I happened to get mine as slightly used "take offs" at work.
i had a set of Potenza RE92s on my Odyssey which I think went 26K before needing replacement. you can compare their ratings against other tires at www.tirerack.com.
i think the most important thing you can do is get a 4-wheel alignment with a new set of tires. then, be vigilant about inflation, and rotate them on a fairly regular basis, maybe every 7.5K or so.
i do have an accord, and on that vehicle have some Michelin Harmony tires. So far they've given me 45-50K of service and have plenty of tread left. i must say i don't have them rotated often... the car is just set up really well and the tires are good.
Have they checked the wheel alignments? .... and then of course there is road force balancing that they can do.
When they replace tires, are they putting on the same make tire, or trying a different brand to see if the problem goes away.
You should suggest that they do a road force balance on the tires. They may not have the equipment there, and would have to take it elsewhere. It basically balances the tires with the load of the car on them....as opposed to spinning them by themselves.
road force balancing
Link provides explanation, as well as a locator.
When I made an appointment yesterday, the Toyota service person said it would probably be a small antenna problem that can be fixed in 30 min. I was at the dealership this morning at 7:50 am, and I waited at the customer lounge. After two hours of wait, around 10 am, they finally called me just to tell me that they need to order new parts (new real window-shield, new antenna box, etc) and have them replaced tomorrow (hopefully). It really bothered me, but I had no choice. They then told me that they are getting me a loaner, and that they will call me in 5 min. After a half an hour, around 10:30 am, they called me again, and said, since the technician put the old parts back together, I should just drive my car home today and be back tomorrow - or whenever the parts are ready.
It truly is upsetting that my “brand new” vehicle has a problem that requires new parts replacement. And it is also upsetting that the dealership took two and a half hours just to tell me that the parts need to be ordered and come back tomorrow. No apology from anyone for my inconvenience or disappointment. All along, the only thing I hear from them is, “oh, this is strange. We’ve never seen this kind of problem.” Well, guess what, neither have I. Not just this kind of problem, but any kind of problem from a brand new car 2 days-old.
I've always been a Honda/Acura owner - Civic, Accord, Odyssey, and MDX. It is my very first Toyota vehicle I purchased, and I am disappointed, and am inclined to say that it could very well be the last Toyota I buy. It's hard to believe Camry is the #1 selling vehicle, and Toyota is the top seller in the US. Maybe I am very unusually unlucky, but at least a proper customer service would have been appreciated.
I am sorry to hear that you are having issues with your brand new 2008 Camry. Unfortunately, I can relate to how you are feeling. After a few days of driving my brand new 2007 XLE V6, we experienced a shift flare and had to have our entire transmission replaced after about a month of ownership. Long story but my shift flare is still there.
I know - sometimes, all you want is "I am so sorry this has happened". The only time I have heard that is from Toyota Motor Sales (Corporate)...never from the dealer or service dept.
Keep us posted.
Sorry to hear about your new Camry with the transmission problem. That's major. I wouldn't put up with it until they get it "completely" fixed to your satisfaction.
I have recently noticed that the front bumper has around 10 small spots that chipped off completely. Little flies chipped the paint. In a year or so I will probably have tens of black spots all over the bumper (my car has silver color). I would never think of having these types of problems with Toyota as I was a very happy owner with my old Toyotas for 13 years. I have promised myself not to buy another Toyota. This camry will be definitely the last one.
Bottom line it stinks!
PS There are some previous post of someone trying to get a news station involved
In California, if Toyota has tried fixing your car 4 times or more or it has been in the shop for 30 days or more, than you should be protected by your state's Lemon Law. I recommend you contact a lemon law attorney. That is what I am doing.
Contrary to what Toyota's documentation says, you don't need to go to arbitration first (since they paid by Toyota and are biased) - at least not in California. Arbitration is only a recommendation by Toyota...actually, my case manager mentioned this as well in passing and I have read it a few places too. Once you get a lemon law attorney on your side, Toyota will most likely settle out of court and buy your car back and it won't cost you a dime because they will pay the attorney's fees (just make sure your attorney isn't trying to take advantage of you). Also, make sure everything is documented.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and am not qualified to give any legal advice ;-)