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Toyota Camry: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    i don't think anyone is going to give you an answer with any specificity, because your question is still too general and without detail to WAG an estimate.

    what you could do is have a local automotive parts store (AutoZone, NAPA, PepBoys, etc) read the code(s) for you.

    Then you could google those codes and camry and see what you get in terms of probable cause and part location.

    Then you could go to an online auto-parts website dealing in Toyota and get an idea of the cost of the part.

    Then you could get a local independant quote the confirmation of the diagnosis and contingent replacement of the part for comparison.. (ie labor).

    Hopefully, the process that I describe in general will yield some useful information to you.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Sounds like at least a problem with the mass airflow sensor, though a diagnostics may uncover other fault codes, too. Depending on your locale and/or the provisions of the Federal Emissions warranty at the time your vehicle was manufactured, your repairs may be covered by Toyota. (Check your owner's manual or whatever warranty supplement material was included with the original paperwork for details.) In any event the problem(s) won't go away so you have no choice if you wish to continue registering your Camry for use on public highways. The engine's emissions control systems have to be repaired to meet its original emissions standards.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Transmissions do not cause engine sputtering. Fuel or ignition problems cause engine misfiring/sputtering. May be time for a tune up. There may be other engine management issues that have to be dealt with, too.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    or a problem with an 02 sensor / heater element... the code and some research should yield more.
  • ops1ops1 Member Posts: 25
    Has anyone ordered parts from toyotaparts4u.com? If so, are they OEM parts?

    Their posted prices seem much cheaper (even with the shipping) than getting OEM parts from my local Toyota dealer.
  • dom11021dom11021 Member Posts: 3
    I bought my car 2 months ago (beginning of August) with the dealer-installed security system. From day 1 (literally -- at 30 miles on the odometer) I began having problems with it. On 4 occasions, the alarm system went ga-flooey, sounding off whenever it felt like it when I locked the car. The service manager at my dealership instructed me how to de-activate the alarm system, which I did. After that, on one occasion, the horn started blaring as I shut off the ignition. So I had the alarm system removed by the dealer.

    After that, the beeping system went off after I locked the driver's door with the latch on the side of the door. Instead of one beep, it began sounding like a sick cow. I tested this twice after and the same thing happened. The only way to shut off the sound was by hitting the "unlock" on the remote. I brought the car back to the dealership for the second or third time and, of course, it did not happen again.

    Today, the horn started blaring again as I shut off the ignition (remember -- there is no longer an alarm system in the car). I called the service manager again today and he suggested that I go the lemon law route because he cannot find a problem.

    I am not crazy. These things have happened. I have been driving quite happily for about 45 years. I am a serious driver (although not a 'car gal'), and I like to love my cars. This is the first car I have owned, from new, high performance luxury cars (8 cyl, 400+ hp) to used econo-boxes (4 cyl, 90 hp) that I have not even liked.

    Has anybody else found a similar problem. I don't really want to go the Lemon law route because it's a pain in the neck. I'd much rather get some input from people like you who have actually thought about these problems so that perhaps I can present a possible solution to the service manager at my dealership.

    My hunch is that the alarm system, when it was installed, was connected to the horn system, and the underlying problem is somehow connected to the horn.

    Many thanks for any information you can give me.
  • cardummy1cardummy1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Camry. Just yesterday, the remote keys (both) stopped working, after I locked the car with one of the key. It won't let me unlock the car using the remote keys. When I unlock the car by inserting the key in the door, it let me do that, but when I open the door, the alarm sounds off, and the ignition won't turn.

    Can someone please help?
    Thanks.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Probably a long shot, but the first thing I'd do is check that the hood and all four doors are completely closed. (that means open 'em each one-by-one and slam 'em closed) Any one on its secondary "safety" catch could cause exactly the problem you described. (Once armed, the system can't be disarmed except with the keyfob - and that won't happen if one of the doors or the hood is inadvertently open. While you're at it, make certain the trunk lid is fully closed, too.)
  • bobstoy2bobstoy2 Member Posts: 2
    My 99 Solara 3.0 started having the same problem with the iac valve at 70,000 miles and exactly 364 days later it failed again (made the warranty by 1 day). Have you gotten any satisfaction from Toyota concerning this matter or do they expect you to keep paying each time in full ?
  • bobstoy2bobstoy2 Member Posts: 2
    My 99 Solara is having the same problem with the iac valve. It's been quite a while now since you cleaned your valve. How long did this fix last? Is it worth doing in the long run?
  • tig2002tig2002 Member Posts: 81
    I would suspect the keyless remote control to intermittently transmit panic signal even when you don't press the panic button. Leave the remote transmitter away from car and try operating with key only. Start the car with key, shut it down and see if the problem still persists. If not, I would suggest replacing the transmitter. Can be that simple instead of going through lemon law ;)
  • dom11021dom11021 Member Posts: 3
    That is such a great idea! As a matter of fact, I had more or less decided about an hour ago to try exactly that. Thanks for the confirmation of my idea.

    When you say "transmitter," I guess you mean the transmitter in the remote. Yes?

    Thanks again.
    :)
  • ict_jazzict_jazz Member Posts: 10
    Since my '95 Camry is well out of any warranty, and since I'm not the original owner, is there anything that can be done to get rid of the sludge that's built up? I will be changing the oil on a regular basis to stop any NEW build-up...
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    First of all, do you know if you really have sludge?
  • tig2002tig2002 Member Posts: 81
    Yes, that's what I mean: transmitter in the remote. Keep the remote as far from the car as possible and try operating with key only.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Assuming you really do have sludge (gelling) buildup, the only effective way I'm aware of ridding it is complete disassembly of the engine and hot solvent rinsing, AKA, "boiling out", followed by hot water/detergent pressure washing and complete water rinsing followed by drying and carefull application of fresh motor oil to the cleaned pieces to prevent corrosion forming before the engine is reassembled. This stuff formed under the influence of time, heat, and nasty chemistry, so it won't "let go" without some real work. If anyone knows of some verfied effective "pour-it-in-and-clean-yer-motor-while-ya'-drive" miracle chemistry, I'd love to hear about it.

    (I was lucky - my dad went halve-sies with me on a '56 Plymouth beater in 1962 that he and I overhauled during spring break in my junior year in high school. That experience made me a lifelong believer in 3,000 mile routine oil changes. Some have ridiculed me for my conservative maintenance philosophy, but, that's OK. I'd rather be ridiculed for giving my personal experience advice than embarrassed at having to seek and submit to common-sense advice.)
  • dom11021dom11021 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks, again! I have removed the remote from the key ring and keep it in my home.
  • sarah123sarah123 Member Posts: 1
    On the highway my Camry started to seem like "it would give" then accelerate. It kept doing it. The RPM gauge would also rev up as my car would. I wouldn't press on the gas peddle as it was doing this. Also, the spedometer needle bounces back and forth between 30-50 mph and 50-80 mph. It seems to do this more so on the highway when driving faster than 55 mph. The mechanic isn't quite sure but wants to guess my transmissions getting old. Any suggestions???
  • kcooperkcooper Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2000 Solara last week. The odor from the vents is unbearable. I called the dealer's service department and he said that probably the car needed an "AC evaporator flush." Did you ever solve the problem w/ your car? Any suggestions? The "flush" is around $100. I can't bear the thought of spending that kind of money. I wonder if that's something I could do myself. Thanks for your time.
  • fidsfids Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 Camry (with a sun roof) and recently found several inches of water on the floor of my back seat (driver's side). This is the third time I've had this problem -- and this was the worst episode. I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this problem and/or had a solution.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Park the car out side in the open air with the windowsa down, the blower motor on medium, fresh air flow selected, and now slowly and intermiitentky spray a full can of lysol air freshener/deordorizer into the outside air intake at the bottom, foot, of the windshield.

    Now park the car in the garage at night with the windows down so the condensate on the A/C evaporator vanes can evaporate and be "convected" out of the cabin each and every night after you use the A/C.

    Google for: EED, electronic evaporator dryer, at airsept.com for my detail.
  • jam36jam36 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know how to replace the bulb in the center console that lights up the PRNDL?
  • 02tcv6se02tcv6se Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my 02 Toyota Camry SE V6 new in 11/01. It is my third Toyota and the only one that has given me consistent problems. The first problem was the skipping in acceleration that I have read numerous times on this board. The dealer stated it was "normal." That was never corrected. I then drove through my first Pennsylvania snow storm and slid sideways down an exit ramp. Great tires. Had to have them replaced that winter. The driver-side window then fell off the track and into the car. Obviously had to have that repaired. The front brakes/roters then had to be replaced prematurely. A year ago the charcoal canister filtration (no idea?) had to be replaced. (All of this, aside from the brakes, was $$ out-of-pocket). The driver-side airbag was recalled and replaced because of safety concerns. Three months ago, the car completely died. Had to have it towed. Mechanic had no clue what was wrong. Narrowed it down to blown fuses (master fuse?) and possible electrical issues. Replaced the battery. Was told that the alternator may be shot. Took it to the dealership, who told me the alternator was fine. Car was not idling correctly, but all appeared to be "fine" ? Took it in for inspection today. It failed emissions. I got a call from the shop this afternoon. The tech stated verbatim: "Your car has problems, man." Seems to think there is a problem with the car's computer system. Have to bring it back tomorrow. Possible bill of $1K pending.

    Is anyone else experiencing these problems? Most specifically the emissions issue? If so, what is the root and how much should I be looking to pay? I will take it to the dealership as a last resort because they rape their customers. Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

    This will be my last Toyota.
  • pb111pb111 Member Posts: 2
    I own a 1999 Camry v6 LE

    Coming Home from work yesterday I noticed both turn signals did not work.

    Is this a Fuse? Or something else?

    Thank You in Advance...
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "Is this a Fuse? Or something else?"

    Maybe. Another possibility that immediately comes to mind is a failed turn signal flasher.
  • aubsteraubster Member Posts: 2
    One of the items cited was a problem with mass airflow sensor. I do understand that the problem isn't miraculously going to disappear and that by law if I am to drive my car it must meet the standards - this was never the issue or point of my concern.

    My concern was going to a Dealership with no other information than what I had about why it failed. Thank you for the info re: to check my warranty to see if this is covered. This is the kind of information I was looking for. :(
  • pb111pb111 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the response !

    Do you know where the fuse might be?

    or the turn flasher?

    Thanks
    Paul
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    I think emissions are still covered under warranty by Federal law for 5yrs/50k miles. Check owner's manual.
  • ncarterncarter Member Posts: 2
    I just bought an 89 Camry, 100k miles and all is good except headlights. When I turn switch to headlight on position the tail lights come on but no parking lights or headlights. If I hit the "Flash" (as if I were passing a car) the headlights come on, they just won't come on with the switch in "on" position. I have checked the fuse..what next?

    thx

    nick
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Fuse locations are covered in your owner's manual. It's anyone's guess where Toyota stuffed the turn signal flasher relay.
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    It is possible that the low beam portion of the bulbs are burnt out. This happened to a friend once and everyone thought it was something else but it turned out to be the bulbs. When flashing the headlights, the high beams do the flashing, not the low beams.
  • jam36jam36 Member Posts: 2
    Could anyone please tell me how to replace the bulb in the Center console that lights up the PRNDL? Thank you.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Please read post #3122 on the Toyota Highlander Problems and solutions thread.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    I will be e-mailing you at your company with a response. No point in taking up space here.
  • ncarterncarter Member Posts: 2
    Thanks typesix; but, the bulbs are not the problem...note the parking lights also do not come on, only the tail lights. My "guess" is there's a relay of some sort which energized the headlights and parking lights when the light switch is engaged; however, I still hope some really smart person can confirm this theory and tell me the location of it.
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    Sorry, missed note on front marker lights. However, for your info front and rear marker lights should come on together at the same time, on the first click of headlight switch.
  • kalookikalooki Member Posts: 2
    did you get a response on this? i have the same problem
  • kalookikalooki Member Posts: 2
    Could someone tell me how to replace the light bulb on the Gear Shift located on the Console, or which fuse might control this circuit?
  • ict_jazzict_jazz Member Posts: 10
    I don't know for sure, but I looked on the under side of the oil cap, and there's some kind of oily buildup there (looks like a glob of grease) that I didn't notice on my old car. It might have been there & I just didn't look for it like I did on this car after reading about sludge...
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
    I have found out a good trick to help pass smog on older camrys and other older toyota's a toyota person told me to always take put in new plugs if the old ones are poor and to use one of the fuel injector cleaners in a half tank of gas then on the day you are going at smog your car take it on a good 15 to 20 mile drive doing at least 60 to help clean out the engine this gets rid of the water vapor in the engine block and some of the carbon in the engine. It also gets the converter hot and helps keep down emissions. I had a couple old toyota's with 150.000 miles I replaced the catalytic converter and drove it 15 miles at 70mph and went to the smog station and the car passed with room to spare.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "I don't know for sure, but I looked on the under side of the oil cap, and there's some kind of oily buildup there..."

    Depends. If it's a pale, mayonaise-like consistency, it isn't sludge - merely an oil and moisture condensation mixture that's harmless. (When present, it tends to collect on cool or insulated surfaces and most oil caps are plastic these days.) If the glop is BLACK, then it's probably sludge. But this location would be unusual. Sludge is typically found in the bottom of the oil pan or on the hotter engine parts where it can chemically bake to its gelled consistency.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    I've never had to resort to "tricks" to pass California's very strict South-Coast-Air-Quality-Management-District's bi-annual emissions testing in my '89 Toyota 4 cyl. engine (278,000+ miles). Gasoline detergents are already mandated nationwide by the EPA, and the additional premium for platinum-tipped spark plugs is more than offset by their much longer working life. Routine oil, oil filter, and air filter changes at the "severe service" intervals listed in the owner's manual is an established way to avoid premature wear and general performance problems. But for those who let routine maintenance slide, your advice might just squeak them past a smog check. Like the old mid-fifties Purolator TV commercial with a dirty, oil-smudged "mechanic" said, "You can pay me a little now, or a lot later." Thanks for posting.
  • fred3fred3 Member Posts: 10
    I have a 1997 Camry LE with 107,000 miles on it. For the last 18 months, I've been using it as a spare car, and so only do about 4,000 miles a year. Soon after I started using the car less, I noticed that the gear shift took more effort than before, especially if I hadn't used the car at all for say a week, and more so in cold weather. I asked the dealer about it, and was told that everything looked fine.

    Today, I started the car as usual, but then when I wanted to put it into reverse to back out of the driveway, I discovered that the gear shift was extremely loose - and wasn't shifting the gears at all. I can move it back and forth as much as I like, but it's not moving the car out of "Park."

    I assume I need to get it towed to get it fixed. My uneducated guess is that somehow the gear shift lever has become separated from the mechanism that shifts the transmission.

    2 questions:
    1) Does my diagnosis sound correct, or am I missing something?
    2) Does this sound like the scary (expensive) type of transmission problem that requires a transmission specialist, or is any decent car repair place likely to be able to fix it?

    Thanks.
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    Try eBay for the manual.

    The warning light means one of your 4 taillight bulbs is burned out.
  • dp2005dp2005 Member Posts: 1
    1/ I have camry 89 V6 & the check engine light does not work, any idea how to fix this.
    When I put the key in and turn to ON position ( Not start ) every warning light on the panel turn on except the check engine light is not turn on.

    2/ the light on the gear ship (automatic) is not on, maybe the bulb is dead
    anyone know where is the bulb locate.
    thanks, dp
  • brekalbrekal Member Posts: 7
    I have a rattle that shows up worse when the car is cold, and is almost non-existent (for now) when warm. It has been getting worse lately. Has anyone else experienced this, and what ended up as the solution. The car is a 4cyl auto w/ 65K miles.

    I found a description in another post that nails what I am asking about, so I borrowed the text:

    "The "fast rattle" sound comes only for a second or so during the acceleration from a complete stop or while accelerating on an uphill.
    The sound comes from the right side of the engine."

    Thanks for any information provided.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Sounds to me like detonation - "pinging" from very bad fuel or the ECM failing to retard spark ignition. You need to have any stored fault codes in the ECM read to help diagnose the actual problem. (Has your "Check Engine" light ever illuminated other than a few seconds when the ignition key is initially tunred to the "ON" position?)
  • brekalbrekal Member Posts: 7
    I reread my message, and see where it may not provide enough info. This rattle is a heavy metallic rattle, not detonation.

    Thanks for the response.
  • arlene3arlene3 Member Posts: 1
    Please Help. I bought a 97 Camry (76k miles) and brought it to the dealer for a look-see. I have no maintenance records for it. Dealer says the bottom of the car is leaking everything. I need 3 motor mounts, seals, water pump, something that takes 8 hours to get to, pans, whatever. As you can tell, I don't know much about cars and need a mechanic I can trust. I live in Manhattan. Any suggestions?
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