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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    I am going to drain my transaxle on both my 2000 and 2003 Solara SLEV6. I would like to also drain the differential fluid.

    Can anyone tell me precisely WHERE I would then FILL these two vehicles with the differential fluid ?

    Thanks.
  • capriracercapriracer Member Posts: 907
    I suspect the reason you can't get anyone to make a warranty adjustment is because the source of your problems is something other than the tires. In other words, if things are getting worse, something must be driving it (excuse the pun), and in this case, it's probably lack of rotation , low inflation pressure, and / or misalignment. These are the usual suspects when a tire gets noisier as time goes on. They're also the reasons cited when a tire becomes out of round, that wasn't before.

    Hope this helps.
  • dmartindmartin Member Posts: 1
    a local dealer is offering me an extended warranty: gold package 7/75,000 for $695 and the platinum 7/75,000 for $795. if i wanted to bump up to 100,000 miles, i would pay an additional $185. is there any real difference between the gold and platinum for a 2003 Camry LE V6? i want the longest protection that i can get, but i don't want to pay for things i don't need to cover. any suggestions or experiences with these choices? i do plan on keeping the car for several more years, and it will eventually become a second car. i have about 18K miles on it already, mostly freeway miles from SF to San Diego for about 12 necessary trips. i probably won't have to do tha kind of driving for a while, but i do anticipate an occasional long road trip for rest and relaxation. otherwise, city driving and highway commutes. thanks.
  • fmarquezfmarquez Member Posts: 1
    Good luck with the Warranty in Continental. I just finished a conversation with them and they are not very good honoring warranties. I have a Camry LE 2002 that came with Continental Tires Touring Contact AS. With just 23000 miles the tires presented uneven wear. I have been very careful with maintenance: Rotation every 5000 miles, balancing, check air every 10 days. But this is not a very reliable product. Get This! I talked to a service representative at Toyota who told me "well you know, the tires we put to new cars are not really the best and between 30000 to 40000 miles you must be thinking in replace them". I talked to Continental, made the claim and it was rejected because their warranty does not cover uneven wear. I don't want to loose my time and money doing unnecessary maintenance to these tires and today, I'm buying new tires. I would like to recommend you to call Continental 1800 847 3349 to open your claim. Hopefully they pay attention to you.
    You can also do your claim on the internet at www.continentaltires.com.

    I hope this helps.
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    There have been many posts on the poor quality tires Toyota chose to put on the Camry. Posts ranging from hydroplanning after 6Kmiles to uneven where. Do a search. Perhaps you can reference them in you your fight with Continental. Good Luck. I considered them unsafe and replaced mine at 11K. While you are at it you should complain to Toyota as well...not the dealership but Toyota Corp. They are the ones who put the garbage grade tires on the $20K car...shame on Toyota if you ask me.
  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    I have a 2003 Solara V6.

    The owners manual says to use DEX-II ot DEX-III fluid. The manager of the parts dept sold me TYPE T-IV and insists that it is okay to use this because T-IV supersedes all of the other fluids.

    What do you think ?
  • csaxoncsaxon Member Posts: 8
    TC0003-99 Warns that T-IV is not to be used as a replacement for Dex II or III. Toyota even warns that it should not be mixed with either Dex fluid.
  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    WOW. Can you tell me where to see this "TC0003-99" ?
  • alan1alan1 Member Posts: 2
    My 2002 Camry with 21,000 miles was not able to start because of a weak battery. Got a jump, ran for a little while then died. Jumped again ran for 3 mins. then died. Was towed to the dealer who told me it just needed a battery. Now comes my question: shouldn't the alternator have been able to keep the engine running even though the battery is not able to crank the engine over. I am just concerned that I may still have an alternator problem also that will leave me stranded again.
    Thanks in advance for any input.
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    If the car died while it was running, it's definitely the alternator.
    When the car runs, the alternator takes over and charges the battery if needed. Did the charge/battery light come on while you were driving? Your new battery will drain fast with the headlight on.
  • csaxoncsaxon Member Posts: 8
    Your Toyota or Lexus dealer. It's a Tech service bulletin TC003-99 and updates all the transmission fluid combinations you can and can't use. If your manual says Dex II or III, then you can't use T-IV. I have the file in PDF format but don't know how to load it on this site. http://techinfo.toyota.com is another location.
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    If the car died while it was running, it's definitely the alternator.
    When the car runs, the alternator takes over and charges the battery if needed. Did the charge/battery light come on while you were driving? Your new battery will drain fast with the headlight on.
  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    Can you please email it to me. I'd appreciate it.
  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    Isn't that TSB from 1999? That would make it 5 years old. So is it possible that the TSBZ is outdated ? I just want to know for sure what my position should be when I go back to that Toyota parts manager to return the T-IV. Should I hit him with one fist, or two ?
  • csaxoncsaxon Member Posts: 8
    I've sent you a TSB TC001-02 from May of 2002. If your transmission is A140E or A541E then you must use Dexron II or III. If your transmission is U241E then you use Type T-IV.
  • solaraman2003solaraman2003 Member Posts: 92
    THANK YOU !

    It just goes to show you. YOU have to be the policeman on YOUR vehicle. It's hard to find someone or a repair shop that you can REALLY trust. It just so happens that I am mechanically inclined and have always enjoyed working on my own cars. But as I get older I find that I don't have as much time as I used to to do this stuff. This is also the first time that I have a NEW vehicle, and a LEASED one at that.

    That's all I would need is to turn in the leased Solara 2 years from now and have them say to me that there is something wrong with the tranny and they want my records of maintenance. Then I would show them that I did it myself AND used TYPE T-IV fluid. They would hit the roof !

    Well, I'm going back to that Toyota parts manager tomorrow in Green Brook, NJ to give him a piece of my mind. I'd like to see what response he has when I show him the TSB !

    What I also intend to do is to randomly call 3 other Toyota parts departments and see what they tell me. I'll ask them straight out if I can use T-IV instead of DEXTRON III (when only removing 4-5 quarts).

    Let's see what they say !
  • azguyazguy Member Posts: 23
    When I start the 2004 Camry LE Special Ed., and shift from P to R, I hear a metallic sound. The dealer says it's "normal" and it's the "ABS attenuator ".. Having a talk w/ the Toyota Regional Rep next month re this. Any ideas? Thanks..
    zguy in AZ
  • csaxoncsaxon Member Posts: 8
    If the sound is from the transmission then that isn't normal. If it's from your wheels then it is normal. It's caused by brakepad to caliper clearances. When you put the car in reverse the pads may shift towards the new direction and strike the caliper causing a metallic click sound. Toyota switched brake caliper grease to reduce the noise (part #08887-80609) but it only helps for about 6 months.
  • peter panpeter pan Member Posts: 75
    After pulling each fuse and let the batery dranied for a few nights, the problem was isolated to the wires in the bundled harness on top of the ALTERNATOR.

    The wires had very fine, subtle cracks in a few places. There were brownish burn spots on the wires indicating charge was leaked between wires.

    After taping up individual wires with electrical tape, the battery draining problem is gone!
  • alan1alan1 Member Posts: 2
    I did notice when the car wouldn't start the dome light was blinking, this was when the engine was off and even after it was running before it stalled. I thought that might have meant that the plates in the battery had shorted out. The battery warning light never came on.
    The car is still under warranty but the dealer insists that there is nothing wrong with the alternator.
    I checked the charging system with a voltmeter. It did read between 13 and 14+ volts under load at 2000 RPMS. I think it may be an intermittent problem. I did notice recently a fairly severe vibration when using the air conditioner on high in traffic for a long time.
    Will keep checking and I may bring it to another Toyota dealer for a second opinion.
    Thanks for the feedback.
  • tedinaztedinaz Member Posts: 8
    Finally (Nov 2003)got a 'factory tech' to confirm the auto tranny was very jerky (and he stated it was a common problem). On any upslope, when in 'cruise, the tranny fluctuates between one or more gears. (This never happened in our 1997 V6,same roads) . A month later at a social event a Toyota engineer told me a new program was available to correct the problem. In Dec 2003, The dealer supposedly installed the new program.
    There has been no improvement, it may even be worse. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Thanks in advance.
  • azguyazguy Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the reply. It is weird in that it does it every time she shifts from P to D, not just once when she first starts the car, as the dealer says is "normal".The first visit to the dealer re this, they said it was a computer adjustment for "attentuators" and the ABS. I have an appointment w/ the service manager when we get back from vacation. It is rather loud....thanks, again, and if you have any other ideas, I am all ears.
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    If the battery light didn't come on and the alternator still puts out 13+ volts, then your alternator is OK.
    If you have a 4-cycl., I would expect a slight a vibration when the A/C is on and stuck in traffic.
  • jasonljasonl Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a 2000 Camry CE. It's VSV was replaced about two weeks ago because the malfunction light turned on. I smell gas fume three time during driving. I open the window, let fresh air coming in, then the smell doesn't continue to exist. Any one has similar problem?
    I think the smell must originate from my car, because there is no car close to me. Another problem the steering is not very easy when I park my car and press the brake. Honda's steering is very easy.
  • cam2003cam2003 Member Posts: 131
    There was two type of trans for 2003: 4AT and 5AT.
    Which one you refered to ?
  • joescarjoescar Member Posts: 30
    The car is new with about 10K and the tires were rotated at 6K and the pressure is checked weekly. The alignment is perfect and no damage has been done to the vehicle. Any other ideas?
  • tedinaztedinaz Member Posts: 8
    thanks for interest. the V6 XLE has a 5 speed auto. On a constant grade hill it will shift two or three gears (from 1800 rpm to 2200 to 3200 rpm) up and down, trying to maintain 50 mph Ted
  • tedinaztedinaz Member Posts: 8
    Lots of Luck!. Yes, they sent out a software reprogram early this year but it didnt help. I'm so sick of my 03 XLE (and the Toyota dealer )jerking, Im, planning to get a Mazda 6s hatchback or wagon. Tedin AZ
  • camry88camry88 Member Posts: 1
    Owner of a 1988 Toyota Camry: 180k miles, 4 cylinder. 18 months ago I replaced the radiator, fuel pump, water pump, spark plugs, distributor, timing belt, and battery; ran great!
    Drove from Idaho to Texas for the summer. Once in Texas it'd crank but wouldn't start on first try, always would on the second, (not enough gas injected?). How do I fix this? Once it started it would idle/run perfectly. After two months of this the transmission (up/down shifts) became jerky this morning. Not violent but definatly noticable.
    Are these problems related?
    I regularly change the air/oil filters. Found I filled the oil 1/4 quart high last week, I drained down to normal today. Gas tank is 3/4 full. Transmission fluid is at a good level/color. Checked for other leaks (paper under the engine overnight) but found none. Don't think it's the fuel filter-changed 18 months ago. I'm gentle on the car, HOPE the transmission isn't going out.
    What's wrong with the starting and jerking? Any help would be appreciated!
    Thanks!!
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    The problem with cold starting may be the cold start injector timer not functioning properly. The timer tells a cold start fuel injector to squirt extra gas into the intake manifold when doing a cold start and it varies according to engine compartment temperature. It is a common item to replace in Camrys, I replaced it myself in my 89 Camry last year with about 190k miles. Dealer price for the part is $120-140.
  • flgalflgal Member Posts: 9
    I just purchased a new 2004 Camry LE about a week ago and have already noticed 5 problems:

    1) Water has been leaking into the right rear footwell, creating a little puddle that makes splashing noises when I turn quickly. The water is clear, and sogs up the area after driving for a few minutes. I took it in to the service dept of the local dealership and after 2 1/2 hours' wait, they came back to me saying that there was a crack in the bottom of the car, allowing exterior water in from the bottom from puddles, etc (it has been very hot out here in Miami and I have definitely not been driving through any puddles). They said it would require welding and sealant at the auto body shop, and at least a day and a half so they could remove the entire carpet, and shampoo and dry it, but that they can't touch the car until Tuesday due to the long weekend coming up. I think this is ridiculous. From doing searches on this forum it appears to be related to the A/C or drain hose. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any suggestions on how to deal with dealership service departments on it?

    2) The alarm system's red LED light in the dash usually does not blink when armed (but blinks every once in a while). The alarm has been acting up, pretty erratically, and goes off sometimes when I am merely entering the car after disarming the alarm.

    3) Rattle that occasionally occurs in the front passenger side-curtain-airbag area.

    4) Driver's side automatic window does not go down automatically when pressed, though sometimes on good days it will go down automatically.

    5) To unlock all the doors of the car, must press the unlock button on the key 3x instead of 2x.

    Any suggestions on how to go about dealing with all of these problems? Any help will be much appreciated.
  • dekesterdekester Member Posts: 322
    A crack in the bottom of the car??? I'd demand a replacement vehicle! Also, get a second opinion from another dealer or independent body shop.....

    I wouldn't want a car with that kind of problem no matter IF they could "fix" it....

    Just my two cents worth....

    Deke
  • conradkconradk Member Posts: 1
    Thanks typesix-- I think you're right. I'll look into getting that injector timer replaced, and let you know how it goes.
  • flgalflgal Member Posts: 9
    Hi,

    Thanks for your two cents. I got a second opinion at another Toyota dealership and they're pretty certain that there's a hidden A/C vent beneath the rear passenger floorwell that's causing the water to pool up. By this point I think there's a fair amount of water beneath the carpet because whenever I stop or turn suddenly, I hear what seems like a gallon's worth of splishing and splashing.

    The second dealer is very doubtful about the existence of a crack, but the first dealer's mechanic said that when he lifted up the car, a lot of water was gushing out of it. It's not visible per se, but clearly exists. It might be an area where two parts might have come together, and the glue/sealant wasn't properly keeping it together, but I'm not sure.

    I looked up the lemon law here, which requires 3 attempts at repair, ultimate inability to repair, and substantial impairment of value before being able to get a replacement vehicle. Do you think the dealership from which I bought it might replace it? I'll probably drive the vehicle up to him - he's about 2 hours away - to get the repairs done. Despite the fact that the carpet will have been sitting in warm water for at least 6-7 days, the local dealerships refuse to replace even just the carpet or mats...
  • lena132lena132 Member Posts: 56
    Owner of a 1995 Camry XLE V6. I need to clarify something. My windows have been acting up. The front two sometimes refuse to go down or up for some reason and the front passenger cannot have enough power to go down and if it does, it goes half way. Then you cannot get it back up. You have to manually, slowly pull the window shut. REALLY annoying.

    Does anyone know if it's the motor or I heard something about a window regulator. What is that?
  • dekesterdekester Member Posts: 322
    Well, if there's been water leaking and the carpet is soaked, I'd say THAT is a substantial impairment of value! I don't know what kind of A/C line could be that far back in the car; you usually get water dripping from around the A/C evaporator in the engine compartment - the normal puddle you see when the system is running.

    Try calling Toyota directly and see what they say. They can authorize a buyback or an exchange. If the dealership doesn't let them know about a problem, you have to.....

    Good luck....

    Deke
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    My girlfriend has a 92 Camery with about 95K miles and in the last two years she has broken two radiators to a large crack right in the top of it in the plastic part. Im getting sick of spending 200 bucks a year for new radiators for this car. Anyone else has this problem???
  • drikannadrikanna Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 camry and I need to figure out how to remove the trim from the doors. I'm installing new speakers up front, and need to fix a rear power window. My Hanes manual says to "pry up and detach door handle bezel" yet I cant figure out how to detach it and don't want to break something. Any suggestions?
  • cam2003cam2003 Member Posts: 131
    tedinaz,
    Do you know if there were a TSB for this trans problem ?
    Thanks
  • zed421vzed421v Member Posts: 28
    I have a 2003 Camry SE 4 cyl. I find the rear suspension extremely bouncy when going over bumps, and I sometimes experience wheel hop when making turns.
    I've driven other SE's which are a pleasure to drive. Toyota tells me their is no problem with my car. Is anyone else with an SE experiencing these problems?
  • cam2003cam2003 Member Posts: 131
    I noticed when I drove SE V6 at dealer.
    I recommend to reduce pressure on rear tires by 1-2 psi since the rear is much lighter than the front car.
  • deepandeepan Member Posts: 342
    on a 97 camry with low mileage (70k kms). I was test driving the car
    and the shifter seemed to have a little more resistance when moving
    from park to reverse to drive. Could there be any issues with the
    transmission. the transmission itself shifed smoothly.
  • bjrownerbjrowner Member Posts: 3
    I just bought a 2003 Toyota Camry LE Sedan and am having problems with seeing out the rear window. The back of the car is higher than the front and that is obstructing some of my viewing capacity. Does anyone else have this problem/complaint? Does anyone know why Toyota designed the car to be higher in the back? Thanks.
  • rlwrlw Member Posts: 2
    I have the same problem with my car. I took it in and road tested with a tech and he said he had to call Toyota. They told him that they had 2 or 3 calls on this problem. Toyota recommends replacing the Valve Body in Trans. Parts ordered, will let you know if this stops the problem.
  • slov98slov98 Member Posts: 112
    do you mean that you can't see the trunk of the car while backing up? I think most everyone had that problem initially but you adjust quickly, use the side mirrors
  • rogmanrogman Member Posts: 24
    Thanks for the message. I hope the new part fixes the problem. I have been back to the dealership twice, but cannot get it to fail. During normal driving it only fails periodically. Very strange indeed!
  • bjrownerbjrowner Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for replying to my message. I guess I'll have to try to get used to it, but it just seems like it is a design flaw to make it so difficult to see out back over the trunk. Again, thanks.
  • jdeibjdeib Member Posts: 70
    Actually, It really isn't a design flaw. Most modern vehicles have a high trunk. It is one way they can have decent luggage space in a car of that size. I agree that parallel parking a newer car is not as simple as some older cars, but it just takes some getting used to. I have a 65 Olds 88 and it is probably one of the easiest cars to parallel park. The rear just slopes down. However, that car is long and low, so extending out the trunk worked. I don't think there could be a reasonable trade off to lower a trunk on a car of the camry's size.

    Your sensitivity to this attribute does not necessarily make it a design flaw. It actually is something that you should have been checking for on when test driving the various makes. But I think you will find that most sedans today have high trunks.

    When I'm not sure about parallel parking, here is what I do to make sure I don't scrape the curb(or bump the car behind): Angle the power side view mirror down until you see the curb, it works great. Some luxury cars now do this automatically for you. The only pain is that you need to return the mirror to your best angle when done.

    Good luck.
  • cam2003cam2003 Member Posts: 131
    At first I had hard time to do parallel parking but now I am used to with it and kind like it too (it blocks the head lights from car behind)...
  • deepandeepan Member Posts: 342
    how are they mounted. transversely (3 cyl in the front and 3 in the
    back near the firewall like in the Sienna) or straight (where 3 on one
    side and 3 on the other). With the latter it easy to change plugs while the former its darn hard to get at the rear 3.
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