Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

rcpjr · January 2005

The reason I went to the fuses, and I apologize of not mentioning this in the first place, is because:

1. I tried to deep charge the battery, and when that failed,

2. I tried to jump start the car with jumper cables from another car.

Both avenues yielded no results.

I will take the battery out and see how it tests.

zzz · January 2005

hi all,

my 99 camry LE has reached 90k and i called a local shop for its 90k maintainance. They said that along with changing timing belt, they recommend to change the water tank and a few other things as preventative measures, since the mechanics will be touching that part of the car, i'll be saving some labor cost. Is this necessary at this time?

The other problem that I have with my car is that the little spring-like plastic of the cap/doorx to the gas tank is broken. So now filling gas has become a pain -- either i have to have another person to help me, or i had to use a key or some thing to keep the levelling the lever so that i can open the cap/door. I asked the mechanics, they said it's at least $300 to repair it, because they have to take the whole thing out and replace it. Is there a cheaper alternative?

thanks.

brianp2 · January 2005

I have a certified 2002 Camry LE V6 that I purchased in June '04. It has right at 60,000 miles. The car comfortable and the V6 is very quiet and powerful. However, counting the set of tires that were on it when I purchased it, I have had 4 sets of tires on it sense June. There is a vibration that comes through the floor and seats. I don't notice it so much in the steering wheel. It happens between 60-75mph. The last two sets of tires have been the Michelin Pilot XGT H4, one of which the dealer put on. However, the vibration is still there. Last week the dealer put on a set of standard steel wheels to see if that would resolve the problem. It didn't so they put the factory alloy wheels back on. You don't notice it while driving in town, but unfortunately about 95% of the driving in on the highway. Has anyone had this similar problem? If so was it resolved and what did they do to fix it?

carzzz · January 2005

brianp2, i have similar problem!

I also notice it on 98 Camry 4 Cyc! I not only felt the vibration, i also hear some kind of "low frequency sound". The strongest+loudest vibration occurs at 70mph (actually is not strong, but able to feel it). It starts audible softly at 45mph, but no vibration. @ 60 mph it vibrates a little, but if the speed go up over 75mph, the vibration/sound is gone! Strange, eh?

The problem should not be the tires, tried 2 sets of winter tires + 1 set of all-season tires with rotation, but the problem is still there! I tried to hear/find it, and i think it is coming somewhere at the back(axles?, not sure)

As long as the car does not crack down at 70 mph(i hope), is okay! hope you find+fix this problem on your car!

andrelaplume · January 2005

YOU ARE DOOMED! Please consult the rattles forum for more details on how Toyoyta has cheapened its flagship car.

brianp2 · January 2005

If you have had it looked at, they have probably checked this, but if not, you might check the wheel bearings to make sure they are not dry, or going out.

210delray · January 2005

The most likely cause, IMHO, is improperly balanced tires/wheels, especially since it happens only at certain speeds.

210delray · January 2005

For what it's worth, my '04 Camry LE with 12K+ miles doesn't rattle!

dougb10 · January 2005

Neither does my '03 XLE with 22,000 kms.

I am very "fussy" and this car is just great. I am not disputing what some owners are claiming however. One of the worst cars I ever had was a 1985 Toyoya Cressida...had it one year...spent two months in the shop with transmission problems before I dumped it.Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

Doug

brianp2 · January 2005

You would think. However, everytime they have been balanced they will be good for a couple of days, then the vibration starts back up. Last time it was good for about 200 miles, then I took it back to the dealer. The service mgr and I stood and watched them put the tires on the balance machine. They have a new style balancer that not only spin balances, but also road force balances the tires. When they checked the, all 4 were out of balance. This happens every time and has been this way on all 4 sets of tires. Something is causing it to go out of balance. It's not driven on gravel roads, only normal pavement. I'm wondering if a spindel or a shaft is out of round enought that it's causing the problem.

210delray · January 2005

The only thing that I know of that would cause tires to go out of balance so fast is for the wheel weights to fly off during driving. Maybe there is some other problem causing the vibration, but it shouldn't affect the tire/wheel balance.

Clearly though, as the tire wears, its balance could change, but it won't happen in 200 miles.

andrelaplume · January 2005

Huh? What is the problem? Your remote fuel filler door does not open w/out somehow prying it open? Why not get a little suction cup?

usafegressvet · January 2005

I have a 2002 Camry XLE V6. The drivers door stopped locking and unlocking with the switch or remote(the power locks). I could lock or unlock it manually. This lasted for 2 days then it started working again. It has been several months now and the passenger side locks are doing the same thing. They have been inop for a while now with the exception of the other day. When I shifted into Drive, all of the doors locked. This is normal for my car. I unlocked them with the switch to see if they would work and they did. I tried to lock them back and they tried to move but didn't lock. I appreciate your help.

zed421v · January 2005

I am having problems cleaning my front windshield.When I clean it, it looks like rainbows are on the glass. It is also very hard to dry. The window also fogs up. I used 3m glass cleaner and also had the dealer try to clean windshield. Does anyone have any suggestions?

210delray · January 2005

Are you talking about the inside of the windshield?

If so, I've found over the years that using plain water with a sponge works best, followed by thorough drying with a dry kitchen or bath towel.

The towel must be dry, so you may need to use more than one.

It helps to do this when the sun is shining through the windshield, so you can see the results of your efforts.

If water spots or streaks remain, wash and dry the affected area again.

zed421v · January 2005

Thank you for your response. I am talking about the outside of the windshield

210delray · January 2005

In that case, I just use car wash soap (the same as for the rest of the car). Rinse thoroughly, use the windshield wipers to help remove the excess water, then use a chamois or dry towel to remove the rest of the water.

Are you sure the fogging is on the outside? So-called outgassing from the interior plastics and vinyl causes a film to build up on the interior surface, especially if the car is parked in the hot sun.

Fogging on the outside can be caused by using the A/C adjusted to the coolest temperature settings on a damp day when there is no sun (or on a moist night, say after a rain shower).

wwest · January 2005

Toyota/lexus has a design flaw within their automatic climate control system. In cool damp weather if you wish to keep the windshield clear of fogging then:

Always disable, or turn the A/C off when you first start the car.

Run the system air outlet routing in manual mode by selecting combined footwell and windshield airflow and raise the blower up a bit from where it normally runs with the cabin temperature stabilized at your selected comfort level.

On a colder day at a reasonable highway cruising speed the windshield interior surface temperature may still decline below the dewpoint of the cabin atmosphere due to impinging COLD airflow on the outside. In that case you may want to raise you setpoint a degree or two.

As of 2001 Lexus provided two C-best options that will partially help alleviate your problem, assuming the same options are available on the Camry....

You can set a c-best option such that if you manually turn off the A/C function it will NEVER be activated until you turn it back on.

The only excpetion to "never" is in defrost/defog/demist mode and there is yet another c-best option to prevent that. I suggest you have the dealer set both of these to prevent inadvertent A/C operation and therefore the formation, breeding, of mould and mildew spores in warmer climates and instances of sudden and unexpected windshield fogging in cool or cold climates.

As of 04 Lexus went a step further, A BIG step, in a effort to correct the flawed design. A c-best option was added so the system can be set to not automatically change to "cooling" mode unless you wish it too.

Once the system switches to automatic mode, as it does when the passenger cabin reaches your setpoint comfort level, there is NO warming airflow to the interior surface of the windshield. As I have indicated above, even in footwell mode wherein some minor portion of the system airflow is "leaked" to the interior surface of the windshield the automatic level is still often not enough to prevent windshield fogging. Especially on those cold days at 60MPH.

pphlux · January 2005

Model: '91 Camry DX 4cyl Automatic

History: Car was parked outdoors, undriven, for 2 years. I recently started it up again, simply buying a new battery. After a rough start, it purred like a kitten. After an oil change it has been running great for 6k miles now.

Problem: Recently after filling the tank and driving home (20 miles) and parking overnight, I would find a puddle (approx 1/4 gallon) under the left-rear tire area w/ obvious gas around/below the gas cap as if the gas is spilling back out of the tank overnight. The nights have not been hot.

What is causing this?

Do I simply need a new gas cap?

Or is something clogged due to the car's time unused?

Thanks in Advance,

-Russell

peterpan · January 2005

There is a rubber vent line on the gas tank, near the rear left wheel. It is likely that the rubber hose, left unsed for years, dried out or crack, therefore leaking fuel.

1/4 gallon is a lot of leaked fuel that can cause a big fire. The leak should be fixed .

The vent line can be accessed by taking out the rear seat and whatever panels in the way. Look for the leaky spots and replace the line or the clamp as necessary.

camry guy · January 2005

My 1995 Toyota Camry vibirate while the car is in gear and when I take off the vibration stops, when I stop that's when the vibration starts. Do you think I need my fuel injectors clean. The car has 190,000 miles on it and I have never had them clean, I have replaced all motor mounts, gave the gave the car a complete tune-up, replaced all the sensors.

peterpan · January 2005

The car with that much mileage would more likely have worn engine and transmission mounts, which can no longer damp out engine vibration.

A set of 3 Toyota's OEM mounts would probably cost about $500. In So Cal, Pepboys sells after market set for about $200. I have no idea how good, how durable they are.

It should cost less than $100 in labor to replace the mounts.

camry guy · January 2005

I have replaced all of the motor mounts.

hallage · January 2005

I just had a shop replace the timing belt, seals, and water pump on my '96 Camry 4cyl. When I picked up the car, the check engine light was on. They checked it. It shows P0420 - low efficiency cat converter. They said it couldn't be their fault. Is that true? What could be the possible fixes to the problem?

cosmos1 · January 2005

Maybe the new starter is defective is it after market

cosmos1 · January 2005

My air recirculation switch stopped working.Does any one know if this could be a fuse problem. Which fuse controls air recirculation thanks

cosmos1 · January 2005

Try too start it with a battery jump starter. could this be a weak battery ??

cosmos1 · January 2005

Try replacing batteries in the remote. Good luck.

rlee777 · January 2005

One of the annoying traits of our 2003 Camry is a bit of wandering on the

road. Changing tires and a couple of alignments still does not help. What

it seems to be is the power steering assist is set too high. Makes steering

much too light, therefore a minor road imperfection would kick the tracking

out of line. This requires more correction on the driver's part to keep a

straight line. Also the PS overassist makes turns a bit tricky, often

causing a side to side swaying that mimics body lean, but is actually

steering corrections during the turn. Making the Camry feel "floaty" like

the old Buicks.

I recently drove a rental 2005 Subaru Outback and it has rock solid

straightline tracking and tight turns. Loved the solid handling of this

large car, though the Camry is better in other respects.

Is there any way to adjust the assist on the power steering?

wwest · January 2005

Does not work on some cars if the A/C is turned off.

lok888 · January 2005

I noticed the noise during the recent frigid temparture like 10'F to15'F or colder before the car (2003 Camry SE) warms up or drives for few miles. I bought this attention to my service and they didn't even check and just said this is normal. :-(

andrelaplume · January 2005

I has this on my 02 and they immediately knew what to do. The lubed something and said it was common on th enew model Camry. Good Luck.

junepug · January 2005

Get them to put some grease where the shaft goes through the firewall. We had the same problem when our 2002 new and since they greased the shaft, there is no more squeak.

camry guy · January 2005

How often do you clean the fuel injectors on a 1995 Toyota Camry?

lok888 · January 2005

Thanks all! I will bring it back and have them look at this area. I probably try another dealer.

tommyg12 · January 2005

Yes this is normal. My '05 Solara and '04 Matrix does the same as well as my '02 Honda Civic. I hardly notice as I don't drive on hills that often.

cosmos1 · January 2005

also it doesnt work with defrost mode for long.I discovered this through a mechanic. thank you for the info

bigbambou · January 2005

We have a 2000 Camry with 60k miles and our started doing the vibration thing - just as you described. I suspect it some type of oscillation issue, since it does not happen every time. No conclusion or action yet.

slov98 · January 2005

my 03 steering wheel started making strange noises, mainly after I let go of the steering wheel back to the original position during U-turns or wide turns. During the noise I couldalso feel vibration on my accelerator.

When it got below freezing, I started hearing noises on any turns that would eventually go away but the main noise was still there.

When I went to the dealer, his first question was does it do it more when it's colder? I know if I said yes, he would say it's normal, so I said no. His explanation was about the steering fluid warming up or something like that, which I countered with it wasn't warming up like this last winter.

As soon as I mentioned the vibration he got interested, when I got the car back, the fix was "repositioned and lubed steering boot"

They also wrote up 'brake squeal'(which I never heard), 'front rotors warped', the fix was 'turned rotors and replaced pads.'

I don't know if the brakes had anything to do with the steering wheel but at least I got new brake pads on the front.

I have 23k miles on it.

epond · January 2005

We have a disconcerting sloshing noise that comes from our steering wheel. When you start driving and turning, it sounds like fluid is sloshing all around the steering wheel column. We have a 2002 Camry XLE with 28000 miles on it.

Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas what the problem is? Fix? I was thinking of taking it in to a Toyota Dealership. Will the warranty cover something like this?

Thanks for the help/advice in advance.

melnykw · January 2005

We've owned a 2002 Camry SE since August 2002 and all we've done is change the oil every 3000 to 5000 miles and drive it. The maintenance schedule calls for a minor tuneup at 30,000 but since my wife drives strictly highway miles and since we have not noticed any deterioration of performance, we have yet to tune up the car.

It rides very comfortable and to date has not had any problems.

If I'vre responded too late to affect your purchase, I hope that you are enjoying the Toyota.

melnykw · January 2005

melnykw · January 2005

I've been experiencing what feels like a skipping sensation whenI attempt to proceed forward with the steering turned full lock. Was this one of the symptoms with your vehicle? Or is the problem different than yours?

rkott · February 2005

Compared to my 2001 Buick Regal the shifting on the Camry V6 is really bad. The Camry seems erratic and not smooth. The engine seems to rev-up a bit between shifting. I had the dealer check this after they had to replace an oxygen sensor and they said they can't find anything. It just does not feel right to me. I also complained that you have to depress the gas pedal a considerable distance from idle before the engine responds. They attributed this to the electronic gas pedal and said nothing could be done.

joescar · February 2005

The intermediate steering shaft requires replacement. This problem is becoming increasingly prevelant with the new model Camrys. I hope yours is still under warranty. Best of luck! Joe

msm2cc · February 2005

I have had the exact same problem with my '03 Camry, for the past 5 months as well. It is at the dealership as I write this. They are taking it apart to figure out what the sloshing is. At first they thought it was my air conditioning drainage pan, but that is not it. I will let you know what I find out.

jean3 · February 2005

I've been back to the dealer with the same gas pedal problem and gotten the same answers you got but I'm beginning to think this is a fixable problem and Toyota just doesn't think it's a problem that enough people notice.

The problems I have center around changing lanes on the freeway and momentarily getting the feeling that my engine has quit. It's scary because I have a quick thought that my car will get in the new lane and die and I'll get hit from behind by someone that thinks I will be maintaining speed. The car then responds but by this time I have pressed harder on the pedal and it jumps ahead. Intersections are the same and once I braked so hard when the pedal didn't respond the guy behind me almost made contact.

Toyota engineers should be able to fix this.

junepug · February 2005

My Niece has owned a Passat for 3 years and has experienced absolutely no problems with it. She really loves her car.

jean3 · February 2005

I have a 2003 V6 and the dealer responded to my initial complaint by REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. The acceleration problem did not go away and a regional rep finally said it was normal. Why did a Toyota master mechanic think it was serious enough to replace the transmission? No good answer from the regional rep.

user777 · February 2005

you people should post your experiences with shifting / hesitation over in the Engine Hesitation forum so that people reading about the Highlander can also see they aren't alone.

Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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Toyota Camry: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions