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2007 Toyota Camry Transmission Questions

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Comments

  • rsb1445rsb1445 Member Posts: 5
    If you want the full text of TSB TC007-07, join the yahoo group: "Toyotas_Only"

    Click on 1) Files
    2) Toyota - "All Things Toyota"
    3) TSB's
    4) TC folder
    5) tc007t.pdf ('07 Camry V6 - U660E
    SHIFT FLARE CONCERNS)
  • chuck28chuck28 Member Posts: 259
    Hello, has anyone tried the new TSB for the v-6 camry?
    Or have they heard of a dealership aknowledging that the tsb is out there?
    Thanks
  • jmpinmoonlitejmpinmoonlite Member Posts: 12
    Ok I'm ready to buy a XLE 4 cyl. Is there an easy way of telling if the problems should've been fixed after a bulid date? I struggle with figuring the VINs. :) I'm hoping I can just find the bulid date of the cars I'm looking at and know by the month that it has a better chance of no transmission problems. Thank you so much!!
  • makryanmakryan Member Posts: 6
    I have just had my transmission replaced for the second time since purchasing my Camry last October. I won't know for sure for a few thousand miles, however it seems that Toyota has finally fixed the problem. Car shifts more smoothly and is more responsive than when I bought it. Hopefully flare won't resume as it did at 2K miles after first transmission replacement.
  • teamtboteamtbo Member Posts: 78
    makryan, I had my tranny replaced for the first time a few weeks ago. So far, no flare which I am very happy about. However, I was a little surprised when I saw that you wrote "Car shifts more smoothly". Do you just mean that it shifts more smoothly because it hasn't flared or do you think the tranny actually shifts differently? I feel that my first tranny shifted more smoothly when it wasn't flaring than this new tranny. In other words, when the new tranny switches gears, it is more noticeable. For example, I can feel when it changes gears. Is this your experience as well? As I have said before, I will take the more noticeable gear shift over the shift flare any day of the week. ;-)
  • makryanmakryan Member Posts: 6
    The new transmission just feels better. More responsive with less hesitation. Hard to explain. Just seems more connected to the engine. Still no flare.
  • comuscomus Member Posts: 24
    05-29-07 Just had the new transmission put in my Camry XLE V6, all is running well. It had a slight transmission slip 35-40 MPH at times. Replacement mileage 30k. Carmax of Laurel MD has done a terrific job in all issues re: transmission issues and any other minor issues. I have had some issues, including Lemon Law kick in at 300 miles on my first 07 Camry XLE. This transmission replacement is on my second 07 XLE. Lets hope this is all resolved currently.
    Resolvment with issues goes back to the efficiency of your dealer working with the manufacturer, Toyota.
    COMUS.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    *perhaps* the transmission that is shifting gears a bit hard has the wrong amount of ATF in it?
  • camry07indycamry07indy Member Posts: 14
    I had the 5/17/07 TSB TC007-07 re-flash of my TCU yesterday. (5/29/07)
    So far, my flare has been gone! :-)

    I have a 2007 Camry SE V6 with the U660E 6 speed automatic transaxle, produced Kentucky 08/06.
    My problem was a ONCE after each engine start 3rd to 4th shift slip (flare), afterwhich my transaxle would seem to work normally.
    Since getting the car back yesterday, I've driven the car 4 times, and haven't had any shift slips (flares) at all.
    I know this is pretty preliminary, not having had a chance to drive this car for several hundred miles to see if this fix lasts.
    So far I'm happy, and the re-flash has made a difference with my transaxle.
  • gbabalukgbabaluk Member Posts: 70
    Has the shifting changed since the "Flash"? One of the members said that it shifted smoother?
    Thanks
  • camry07indycamry07indy Member Posts: 14
    I haven't sensed any big change in how smoothly it shifts, but I've been concentrating more on feeling for slips (flares).
    So I'm not a real good judge yet.
    Maybe after I've driven it more?

    ( Course if I had my way, I wish it shifted fast and firm like it had a "shift kit", because I hate smooth mushy shifting automatics. :) )
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    i think you really miss a manual :)
  • camry07indycamry07indy Member Posts: 14
    A manual is OK for a truck doing work, but overall on the street, my favorite is an automatic that shifts quick and firm.
    Quick and firm shifts reduce the time spent shifting, and gain you a little quicker acceleration.
    Even if it "barks" the tires under hard acceleration is OK with me. :)
  • moskowamoskowa Member Posts: 4
    My new 2007 XLE v6 was built April 07 in Kentucky. I have been reading all about the flare issues. My VIN number would indicate, from other postings, that my vehicle is not affected. The only little glitch I have is that when slowing down from 40 to around 30 MPH, the engine seems to speed up slightly (perhaps 100 - 200 rpm) and the car appears to pick up speed for a second or 2. It is surprising since you are usually slowing down to stop - so you need to apply brakes a bit harder. Is this normal? And is this what is called a 'flare'? And do I expect it to get worse? I am thinking to take to dealer and have him do the service on it - (TSB May 17). I have had this from the beginning - and it is not all the time. I have 1100 miles on the car. Please advise best course of action, thanks
  • monsanmonsan Member Posts: 1
    I'm seriously considering buying a new LE Camry 4 Cylinder. But after reading these posts RE: the 6 CYL I'm starting to think otherwise. Are 4 CYL owners experiencing similar type of engine problems? Please let me know because I may consider buying something else!
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    I have and recommend the LE 4 cyl, have 15K miles on now.
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Hi Monsan:
    I own a 2007 V6 Camry XLE with 9,300 miles that was purchased in January. I DO NOT have any of the problems that you see posted on this site! That does not mean that problems do not exist, but they are not in every vehicle! If they were in every vehicle, this site would be loaded with postings.
    I like my Camry. On June 25th, I am scheduled to bring the vehicle into the service department for the 10,000 mile service. I change the oil and filter every 2,500 miles, (my choice). On a long road trip I get 30+ mpg!
    Best regards. ---- Dwayne :shades: ;):)
  • chuck28chuck28 Member Posts: 259
    Has anyone had the new tsb done?
  • dllharwooddllharwood Member Posts: 10
    Yes, I have had it done and have not experienced the flare since but its only been about 3 weeks.
  • chuck28chuck28 Member Posts: 259
    Thanks, please keep us posted. I'm still trying to get the dealership to duplicate my Rpm flare so they can perform the TSB.
    It been one big hassel owning this car!
  • phatboiphatboi Member Posts: 2
    I'm new to these forums since cars I've own in the past has never given me any problems that aren't fixable....
    My girlfriend just bought a new Camry about 2 weeks ago and now have about 1200 miles on it....I drove it over the weekend from Baton Rouge to New Orleans which is about a 80-miles drive...I've experienced some things that I wasn't sure was normal with the car or not and was hoping someone on here cold help me out.

    1) While driving in cruise control, at every little incline the car would down=shift abruptly to maintain the speed, in my opinion its very unnecessary and the jerking is very annoying....is anyone else experiences this and is this normal or is there a fix for this...

    2) Secondly, while driving, the car veers to the right when I let go of the steering wheel, this should be a new car and I expect for the alignment to be correct and straight, but when my girlfriend called her dealership today, they told her that "its a safety feature..", I'm thinking that the dealership is giving her the stone-wall telling her something so she wouldn't have to bring it in....she took it in anyways and they took it for a test drive and the tech said it was "normal"....again is anyone experiencing the same thing???

    3) I've also read about the hesitation problem on here, and its seems her car has the same problem....is there anything we can do about this problem....better yet how can I get the dealership to fix her car...

    thanks for taking the time to read this thread and I hope someone would be able to help us....thanks in advance
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Hi Everyone:
    I was scheduled to take my Camry in for it's 10,000 mile service on June 25, but I tend to put on the mileage very quickly, so I took it in last Monday. The vehicle has had four oil & filter changes to date, (about every 2,500 miles / my choice).
    The transmission has no issues.-----(This does not mean that the "problems" do not exist, rather, it only indicates that my Camry does not have the issues that I see on this site.)---- Would I purchase this vehile again? ---- After owning it for 10,000 miles, I love the comfort and the ride of the vehicle. I would like to see a better quality in terms of the interior materials. The rug material is of a lower quality compared to the Honda Accord. Thank God that I have the rubber floor mats to protect the rugs!!!!!!!! I think that "Toyota Quality" has gone down a few notches with the 2007 model year. How much more would it have cost to put a "quality rug" in this vehicle. Even the leather seats could be of a better quality! The XLE is the "top of the Camry Line"!
    The engine is very strong and powerful. The vehicle has excellent "pick-up" when entering onto the highway! I would love to be able to take this vehicle on the open road somewhere, and see what it could really do in terms of speed. I know that it could easily reach 100mph without a problem.
    If I were in the market for another vehicle in 2008, I would look at the Camry, the Chevrolet Impala, the Buick line and the Ford / Mercury line. --------- (I would never consider a Chrysler product. They have GREAT body designs, but very poor mechanical quality! Chrysler could be a "leader" in the American vehicle business if they improved their quality and customer relations skills.)--- I would also look at the Honda Accord to see if the seating has changed. Basically, I am happy with my Camry purchase. Mechanically the vehicle has NO problems, and the ride is GREAT. I get out of the vehicle on a long trip without any aches and pains, and that issue in itself is worth having this vehicle.
    Best regards. ------Dwayne :shades: ;):)
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Phatboi,
    The cruise control and hesitation problems have been fixed on the 4cyl LE, there was a TSB released last year.
    TSB056-06. These problems happened during the very early build cars last year, check your VIN number, you must have an old car even though just purchased.

    Your car should track straight, and not veer to the right. Have the alignment checked. Take it to another dealer if you have to, doesn't sound like your dealer is real swift.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    That's a well-written summary of your experiences and observations. Is it possible your driving style doesn't invoke the lag that many people talk about but your trans would show it if you drove it in that way? I.e., moving along a merge ramp, having to slow down, then punching it to make it into a slot that opened up. That's the scenario I've seen some people relate when they've incurred the lag.

    I suspect I'd never experience it because of the manner in which I drive seldom merging onto busy higher speed roads.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • phatboiphatboi Member Posts: 2
    thanks kiawah, ill have my gf check it out at her dealership....and about the VIN, I can just get the tech to scan the VIN # to see if the TSB was performed or not correct??
  • teamtboteamtbo Member Posts: 78
    There is also a TSB for all 2002-2007 Toyota's regarding the alignment.

    ST005-01: REPAIR MANUAL SUPPLEMENT: VEHICLE PULLING TO ONE SIDE (REVISED)
  • teamtboteamtbo Member Posts: 78
    Sorry about the caps in my previous post...I just copied and pasted the title directly from the TSB.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    can you post the TSB...thanks
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Hi imidazol97:
    You might be correct in your assessment of my driving habits. I tend to prepare myself for "moves" way in advance on the road. When entering a highway, I make it a point to position my vehicle so that no other vehicle is in front of me on the entrance ramp. In this situation, I can control my entrance / acceleration into the flow of traffic. On occasion, I do put the trasmission into "passing gear" by stepping hard on the accelerator. I hold the "down-shift" just long enough to get out of the situation, and then I "back-off" slightly on the accelerator to force an "up-shift"! There is always constant "pressure" on the accelerator. (I DO NOT come off the accelerator completely, and then go back on the accelerator!) I DO NOT "tail gate" while driving!
    In city traffic, I use the manual side of the selector. I place the selector in "4," and I let the transmission shift itself from one to four. (I DO NOT shift it manually). This gives me "engine braking" in traffic. Sometimes if the traffic is moving very slow, I will place the transmission selctor in "3," and let the transmission shift itself from one to three.
    Yes, my driving style might be eliminating the symptoms of the problem.
    I DO NOT believe the "flare / slippage" is in the transmission. Rather it is in the torque converter. If the problem was in the transmission, the clutches and / or bands would be destroyed in less than 100 miles. I think people are experiencing the "locking" and "unlocking" of the torque converter, and under the right circumstances, the "stator" in the torque converter is in a "neutral" (non-torque multiplying position), so for a slip second the torque converter acts like am old "fluid coupling" that was in the vehicles of the 50's. Without a "stator" in the torque converter, the vehicle operates as if it had a fluid coupling. (YES, the driver would experience a "flare," because the "drive member of the converter" would be simply pushing trans fluid into "driven member" without the benefit of the stator!)
    Best regards. -----Dwayne :shades: ;):)
  • teamtboteamtbo Member Posts: 78
    Sorry, I don't have a web server to post the TSB on.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Teamtbo, You can get free space on geocities.com.

    If you don't want to bother with having that capability, if you email the attachment to me at kiawah@carspace.com (everyone has their own mailbox address, see 'mailbox' in upper right corner), I'll post it.
  • sales2010sales2010 Member Posts: 33
    By friend has a LE, but she says, since her car was not made in Japan, she has some quality issues. Like rattles, tons of paint chips, etc.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    You have a web page right here: http://www.carspace.com/teamtbo. You can post jpegs there. If you can do that, then it will be available to anyone who wants to see it rather than using email.
  • teamtboteamtbo Member Posts: 78
    Thanks Pat...didn't know about that. I don't know an easy way to convert PDF to jpeg. So, Kiawah, would you mind posting it? I will email it to you now.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Thanks teamtbo......the TSB for pulling to one side

    TSB_ST005-01_Pulling_&_Alignment
  • trdguy2001trdguy2001 Member Posts: 3
    Bought this car new with 6 miles on it on friday. Yesterday morning we also noticed a loud click from a cold start when we put it into reverse. No hesistation when accelerating or decelerating like eveyone else is saying. But just now i also noticed that if i put the car into reverse and put it back into park WITH OUT lifting on the brake the car rolls back a bit. Maybe a few inches. If I shift it into drive then back to park then this does not occur. Is that normal?
    Thanks in advance all.
  • chuck28chuck28 Member Posts: 259
    My car still flares at 8000 miles. Is there a fix?
    You may not waant to buy a Toyota Camry until they fix the issues? Buyer Beware!
  • n26w81n26w81 Member Posts: 4
    Just a follow-up to my June 22 post about the hesitation in the '07 Camry LE V4 5AT. Just received a call from some person at the toll-free 800 number at Toyota and was told, after the factory rep inspected the vehicle last week, that all '07 Camry's perform the same as my '07 Camry and it is operating within "factory specs". Naturally, the factory specs are wrong and this is absolutely unacceptable. So the arbitration papers are already enroute to me from the NCDS, and once I'm past that nonsense, I'll be contacting a Lemon Law lawyer. The first thing I'll ask is if I round up a bunch of other '07 Camry owners with this same problem, can we blow this Toyota cover-up out of the water? I think arbitration takes a month or so...stay tuned.
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    I've been following this thread for a while considering a new Camry. We are going through mediation on July 31 with our '06 Honda Odyssey. The car has a droning defect that is unrepairable. A year ago when we filed suit, our Lemon Law attorney said we would get our money back or a new '07. Well...now the story is different, they told us to expect no more than $2-4k from Honda if anything.

    Both Toyota & Honda have some of the best Attorneys in the world. They have been through your situation time & time again. What needs to happen is find a sharp attorney who will pay an Engineer ("Expert Witness") to evaluate the problem. Hard facts need to be presented & then a class action suit can be filed.

    When an individual fights a powerful, multi-billion dollar company the end-result is a few thousand dollar payoff to keep the person quiet.

    Good luck. Our case is not safety related so I am not expecting too much. Yours is.
  • juncmailjuncmail Member Posts: 7
    Just got word on my arbitration case, it was denied even though they agreed the hesitation was a problem they stated there were no serious safety issues or loss in value. I will be preceding with the lemon law attorney as well. It is unfortunate that no other car on the road operates like this 2007 camry w/ hesitation but NCDS says it does not affect the value. Good luck if you go with NCDS, I would like to see the number of cases they have found in favor for the buyer and not the manufacturer. The 180 complaints or so on the NHTSA website have to account for something.
  • chuck28chuck28 Member Posts: 259
    Sorry to hear about the arbritration descision.
    I too got the same results as they agreed that I have the rpm flare in my 2007 camry V-6 but gave me the same answer you got.
    Let me know how the lemmon layer works out?
    Thanks, chuck
  • nlonlo Member Posts: 1
    I have exactly the same glitch with my new 2007 LE v4, built Jan 07 in Kentucky - when slowing down between 28 and 25 MPH the car "slips" forward for 1 or 2 seconds.

    Please advise if you have found anything useful about it.
  • stlpike07stlpike07 Member Posts: 229
    Have you had the revised TSB, TSB EG056-06 performed? That should fix the problem when slowing down. Or either TC010-06 or TC015-06....I'm not sure which one of the TC's is for the 4 cylinder.

    One of those should fix that problem.
  • wheels_r_superwheels_r_super Member Posts: 44
    nlo: I am concerned about your definition of slip.
    If you mean that the transmission goes into neutral for a few seconds while you are slowing down, mine does the same but I did not see that as odd. If your have your foot on the brake preparing to stop, there is no problem. These modern brakes can handle a stop without help from the transmission downshifting. Beside, I hate it when the transmission downshifts when braking. It’s a jolt I’d rather do without.
    I see this hesitation as a point in the Software where the program is not sure you have taken your foot off the gas to stop or just to coast. It irritates me when I come over a hill and let off the gas and the car starts to drag instead of coast. My Pontiac / Toyota Vibe would sense that you were costing and the engine would sort of idle and let you go in high gear to increase gas mileage. I’m not so sure the program in the Camry 07 LE knows what to do when I come over the hill. It seems to slip (drift) for a while and then downshift. I hate that.
    I think all this added software designed to increase gas mileage, and therefore, sales (as gas heads for 4 dollars) is causing a lot of problems for people who are used to the old analog / vacuum driven slush boxes we used to drive. Am I wrong?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The lack of "drag" upon throttle lift is the result of the need to prevent engine compression braking from interferring with ABS or even worse resulting in loss of directional control due to inadvertent braking of the front wheels (FWD or front torque biased AWD) should the roadbed surface be somewhat slippery, black ice, etc.

    Toyota started to adopt these new "upshift upon throttle lift" back late in the last century as a safety measure.
  • palpakpalpak Member Posts: 21
    Since the 2007 transmission is now "intelligent" and doesn't put too much stress on the gears by having the delay in abrupt shifting, then does it mean that coasting in Neutral will no longer be stressful to the tranny? I tried doing this earlier on different speeds 55, 65 and 75 mph and the gears didn't kick in for a few seconds, maybe to synchronize the gears or calculating the proper gear/speed?. I'm not saying coasting in neutral should be done but only want to discuss the new transmission and ECM program. And if it really is intelligent then what if I put my gear in L or R or P while doing 60, what will happen to the transmission, will it detect this fault?
    The camry isn't very intelligent on cruise control, many times the car downshifted to 4th or even 3rd gear when going on a slight grade to maintain speed but would not change gear if cruise control was OFF., engine RPM went really high and I turn it off whenever I approach a hill.
  • wheels_r_superwheels_r_super Member Posts: 44
    Good point about FWD. Based on that, I would think the Camry would be better off programmed like the Vibe-Matrix A4-4Cl. But the fact that ECU seems to cut off the gas and to start the engine compression braking cycle (if that is what I am observing) is not really desirable. But that is not a transmission issue. I would rate this Camry 07 LE (and my 2yr. old Solar with same trans) the highest grade of any I have ever owned. I base that on smooth shifting at the right time, and normal operation using cruise control.

    Palpak: I tested the CC on a 2k trip in May. Mine acted like yours and every CC I have ever owned. I suggest to you that your problem is a slight illusion: When you go over an overpass without CC, you are actually not trying to maintain speed, whereas the CC will try as much gas as it needs to do so. Because you need to watch the road and not the speedometer, you do not notice that the needle drops slightly. I know exactly what your point is and I always wished that the lucky stiffs holding the patent on CC would have added a switch to allow a little less control of the speed so that the poor transmission did not have to downshift on every Interstate bridge between here and Omaha, and that has to be about 500+.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Palpak,
    There is a TSB to address the lack of power w/cruise control and the continual shifting. Read the forum for my earlier post with TSB 056-06. You can print it off and take it to the dealer. Software update takes about 1/2 hour to install under warranty.
  • wheels_r_superwheels_r_super Member Posts: 44
    I must have it because, on an upgrade, according to my GPS, the transmission downshifts at about 2 feet per second increase in altitude. That seems normal to me for a 4-banger. And it does a perfect job of avoiding the hunt and peck syndrome. High marks there...
    But 2 FPS is still enough to get most of the bridge over-passes. So I hope we are not confusing the two things.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The "latest" news...

    New, final(??) fix for delay/hesitation.

    There are a few posts here and there by owners of '07 Avalons that seemingly indicate that Toyota is adopting the same procedure for automatic transaxles that are beginning to be used for FWD and front torque biased AWD vehicles that have a manual transmission. With a manual transmission the driver cannot be restricted from downshifting regardless of roadbed conditions so the new procedure seems to be to rev the engine up to an appropriately higher level to prevent a significantly high, too high, level of engine compression braking on the front wheels when/if the driver inadvertently downshifts in slippery roadbed conditions.

    Apparently as of '07 the Avalon (TSB for early production) will now downshift upon a full lift throttle event but will rev up the engine simultaneously to prevent or alleviate any significant level of engine compression braking that might otherwise lead to loss of directional control or interfere unduly with the anti-lock braking system.

    Now, apparently, there will be no need for a 1-2 second DBW engine throttle-up delay to allow time for the transaxle to complete the double shift, up on lift-throttle and then down to accelerate, in QUICK sequence.
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