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the transmission jerks constantly when slowing down and the engine makes a "whiny noise" the entire time you are driving it also if the car sits for a while it has to be "warmed up" for a good 5 to 10 minutes or the rpm's are too high and the car will "drive itself" - Have been to the local dealership once already and have an appointment to take it back next week. Have placed a call to Toyota's Customer Experience Center as well, and they state that someone from Headquarters will call me back on Monday. Pretty bad when you pay so much money for a new vehicle and it is this unpleasant to drive, as a result you just dont feel safe. I will not rest until this is resolved. This car drives like an old tank ! ( I might add that I am historically a Toyota "girl" This is my 5th Toyota and by far my 2005 was awesome. This new one is not a pleasant driving experience at all
their number is 1-800-331-4331
I may wait for the 2012 if I read anymore negatives....
These are strange manufacturing times we live in.
When you release the gas pedal and as long as there is enough forward speed, momentum, to keep the engine from completely stalling out the transaxle will be sequentially downshifted in lockup mode as roadspeed declines. Once your speed has declined to the point that the fuel cut technique is no longer viable you will feel a bit of a "lurch" as the final shift will be an upshift, possibly just a lockup clutch release and a restoration of fuel flow.
An additional aspect will often be a bit of a hesitation if you happen to reapply gas pedal pressure just as this final upshift begins. These transaxles do not downshift into 1st until the vehicle has come to a full and complete stop.
Your only "out" currently is a hybrid Camry with the CVT/PSD.
Went out and the hugged the 2006 Pontiac GPGT which was on the chopping block for tradein and apologized to it for even thinking about getting rid of it..The 2010 Mustang GT also was reassured of permanent residency..The Supercharged V-6 Grand Prix only has 50k miles on it and no issues..Also have a 2002 Camry XLE, 4 banger w/82k mi in the garage and it is no sports car but is smooth..
I feel sorry for any Camry owner shelling out hard earned $$$$$ and complaining to deaf ears of the Toyota hierarchy about ill shifting Camrys..Like pushing a pile up a steep hill..Ah-so..
Thanks again for the input for I now have things under control again and at my elevated age that is an accomplishment..
Now why would anyone that got fed up with a 2011 Camry would think that a Hyundai would be any better, sounds like burning money to me.
Okay, been down this road before and GM repurchased my 1998 Olds Intrigue w/26k miles, a check for the full purchase price less $600..This was done w/o a lawyer, no yelling or screaming..Guess what I handed the check to the dealership's
Gm Mgr and walked out with a new 1999 Olds Intrigue and later traded it on a 2002 Intrigue.. Owned 53 cars in my long life, so I have a little knowledge of dealerships and the auto industry..Spent 33 yrs selling parts to the auto guys and their major suppliers, however never ask for any supplier discounts in purchasing cars..Had a hobby of buying and selling boats, got burned once on a new twin engined 26 ft hi-performance, took 3 yrs to resolve, profitable outcome, the factory picked the boat up 4 times for repairs and the last time they removed the engines which had only 33 hrs of running time total and installed them in a new hull..Outcome was great, I sold the boat without ever running it again for a nice profit..
So, keep after the people where you bought the car for factories love to stonewall, hoping one loses interest or trades the problem away..
Myself I am out of the car-buying mood, I really didn't want to write out a check again, and I really can't think of a good reason to buy any foreign name..or GM and not Chrysler..I will take the 2002 Camry XLE in for an oil change next week, same dealer, and the service dept will try to replace filters, belts or whatever comes to their mind...and of course my answer is No..
"The 1.8-liter engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT) on the base Corolla, while the LE model features the four-speed automatic standard. The four-speed automatic uses a torque converter with flex lockup for increased fuel efficiency, as well as uphill/downhill shift control".
Even though Toyota is still using a four-speed, will this "torque converter with flex lockup" produce the hesitation-like feel similar to the current Toyota 6-speed auto. transmissions? Also, I don't understand how this is going to improve fuel ecomomy as the EPA ratings are the same for 2011 as they were for the 2010 Corollas with automatic transmission. Thank you for your help, you seem to know a lot about this technology!
The coastdown fuel cut technique is discomforting at first but easily and quickly adjusted to.
I haven't driven a new car with the "shiftiness" long enough to know if I would adapt and it would become virtually un-noticeable like happened with the fuel cut technique. The little bit I have driven one seemed bothersome and I kept trying to find a way to alleviate it, using cruise control abated the effect somewhat but it was still too noticeable IMMHO.
Doug
vikinggone@gmail.com
I think Toyota is hoping we all believe their b.s. that it is "normal" or it needs to be "broken in" or "it is how you drive the car" etc etc. -
I have never owned a car with this transmission issue nor have i had a car with this WHINY noise - additionally I have never had a car that has to be WARMED up for five minutes before the idle is normal. Again, I think Toyota is hoping we either trade them or live with it. I now have a little over 2000 miles on mine and feel STUCK after paying for this car. I have gone to other dealerships for trade in value on it and of course I will lose a lot of cash if I trade it in, and then again have no idea what I would trade for since most cars (after muc researching) have their own set of issues.
In other words I am in a quandry over this. Anyone out there have any ideas what we can do about it ?? Toyota headquarters gives the same responses as well. Also, in doing research I have read that this issue has plagued many since the 2006 came out. My old one was a 2005 and I had never had even one minute of issues with that car !! Sure do miss my 2005
Sorry to ramble on but I am sick of spending most of my free time researching this issue - I had even taken pages of internet material to the service dept. all of which was ignored or excuses made for it
I also have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, and it too has issues. But my experience with Hyundai has been very different from Toyota. Hyundai actually seems to want to fix the car, and I never get the "It's normal" routine. The different dealer response makes it lot easier to deal with the problems, much less frustrating as they acknowledge you have a problem. I have been to many Toyota dealers over the year and it's always the same response, so I assume it comes from corporate. I like Toyotas but have little respect for the corporation's policies and practices.
"..warmed up.." SOP. Just bringing the catalyst back up to its ~800F operational temperature, Fed. emissions requirement. Why ide, just...drive.
sounds like a "sick computer"
Modern day cars are making LOTs of use of PWM (Pulse Width Moduation) for circuit control, HVCA blower speed control, etc.
A ground somewhere not fully tightened and you end up with a high frequency whine.
also, it is when the radio is not on if that matters at all but will note your comments and talk to the dealership about the PWM but it seems to occur when you are between 5 mph and 40 mph and it comes from the front driver side of the car
I am having the exact the same problems that you have described. I got a 2011 Camry LE in Oct and it has about 2000 miles on it currently.
I have major issues with transmission. I can clearly feel the gear changing and the car like pause a little bit, especially at low speed. At times, it almost feels like my car is going to stall when I release my foot from the accelerator.
Have been to a couple of dealers and they act like "dumb asses". Their attitude , even before they see the car is "its a new car, it cannot have such problems"..what jerks.
Like you, I too have spend too much time researching this issue and it is heading no where...Infact I have been kicking myself all these months on buying this model ( My first choice was Accord).
What is the trade in value like, if you don't mind telling me coz I have been considering this option too.
As far as ideas goes to deal with this, file a complaint with NHTSA.
You obviously don't feel safe driving this one.
considering I paid 22,582 for this one - I guess I am stuck for a while
have you filed a complaint with the NHTSA? I will do so as well
thanks
I am going to file a complaint with NHTSA pretty soon.
In last 3 years I have driven a lot of new cars, since I do a lot of consulting work in different states,I rent cars almost every week.
I have never seen this kind of an issue with any of the cars...infact I rented a Camry SE 2011 couple of weeks back and it was fine, that is why i feel all the more bad.
Its high time Toyota starts taking these complaints seriously..common guys be professional, take ownership of the issues and fix it.
anyway let me know when you file complaint I will follow suit.
thanks
Outside of switching to a manual transmission you're not very likely to find an improvement, not a modern day one anyway.
All new cars with automatics have and use the coastdown fuel cut technique to extend FE, which is what you are likely experiencing. Since FE is involved no recall can be of help. The technique actually goes back to ~'01, but with the old 3-4 speed transaxles wasn't nearly as noticeable (bothersome??) as with the newer 6(10) speed transaxles.
Can you please elaborate on the fuel cut technique to extend fuel efficiency ?
Here's what I experience with my new Camry.
As soon as I take my foot off the gas pedal, I feel the car will stall. I experience a kind of resistance where the car will not move smoothly till I give it more gas. This happens may be 6 out of 10 times, which is all the more bothersome.
I have changed my driving style a little bit...I NEVER take foot off the gas pedal unless I have to apply breaks. Even when the car doesn't need gas, I still keep my feet on the accelerator without applying pressure.
I don't know whether this is a right way of doing it, but it has helped me to overcome the stalling issue t some extent.
Is this how the "drive by wire" technology is suppose to function ?
That has now changed with the advent of more "robust", heavier duty, torque converter lockup clutches. Nowadays the engine/transaxle controlling ECU can engage the lockup clutch, eliminating the torque converter "slippage", and then sequentually downshift the transaxle as roadspeed declines. That serves to keep the engine turning over at or above idle. So when fuel feed is restored the engine simply "restarts". Once roadspeed declines enough, too much, the lockup clutch is disengaged, fuel feed is restored, and in some instances the transaxle is even upshifted. That's most typically when you get that forward "lurch" seat of the pants feeling.
So yes, you now have more effective engine compression braking during coastdown periods. But for FWD vehicles not so much as to really threaten directional control loss due to tire slip/skid in most instances. For FWD and F/awd vehicles the coastdown fuel cut technique shift pattern, "downshift" pattern, becomes a bit more aggressive if the driver applies the brakes during the coastdown fuel cut technique period of use.
The driver's use of the brakes "implies" knowledge that the roadbed traction is sufficient to support the more aggressive engine braking downshift pattern.
With all these variables it's easy to see why one only notices the effect 6 out of ten times.
So go ahead and save gas by fully lifting the pressure on the gas pedal and trust that the computer will prevent the engine from fully stalling....it will.
From your previous posts, you have mentioned about "Auto Braking" during coast-down, what is that ?
I have also observed that with this Camry, I can clearly feel the gear changing and the car like pause a little bit, especially at low speed.
I don't know whether it has anything to do with the new 6 speed auto transmission or is it just the cold weather.
Is this very common pattern that people are observing/ complaining about ?
And yes, the "lurch" from downshifting is much more noticeable as you reach lower speeds. Shifting, up or down, is much more noticeable, slightly more discomforting, with the new 6(10) speed transmission than was the old 3-4 speed transaxles.
is there a car on the market that does not have these issues !!!!???
also, I have been shopping around for a different car, and am thinking of trading in this camry for a Ford Escape or a Honda CR-V
anyone have any input as to these having the same issues with the tranny
On the other hand ANY newer(***) automatic transmission is likely to have the same "problems" as the Camry.
***
A) ~2000, Abolition of the ATF line pressure accumulator and constant pressure relief valve/spring.
Adoption of the FE coastdown fuel cut technique.
C) More robust lockup cutch and 6(10) speed transmissions.
It had a transmisiion recall, they said it was fixed, not!
Rear drum brakes made a clicking sound, electric steering squeeked in the summer time.
Noises from the front while braking on a right hand turn
Do a search on leaking and transmission problems.
Maybe I just had a lemon.