I have 2007 Camry. The transmission does not engage immediately when stepping on the accelerator and the car lurches forward at unexpected times. It constantly shifts up and down when driving between 25 mph and 45 mph. Driving on rolling terrain is really annoying as it never stays in a the same gear again constantly shifting. I have had it back to the dealer 7 times and had a Toyota rep drive it. They performed several software upgrades. Toyota keeps insisting that this is normal. Normal to me is having the car move when stepping on the accelerator, not waiting a second or so and then suddenly jumping forward. Staying in one gear at the same speed is normal to me as well. I am running out of options. Has anyone found a resolution to this problem short of legal action?
Have you researched the terms of the Lemon Law in your state?
While you may have waited too long to take this action, it is also possible that you are still eligible for a settlement under the specific terms of this statute in your state.
For details, go to:
www.carlemon.com
It is a “feature” of this transmission. A common complaint among 5 camry(recent) owners who I know.
I miss the way older Toyota used to drive. Not particularly exciting but they were direct. Nowadays, everything they build feels like there’s a layer of plastic between machine and driver.
I’ve driven a Tundra that does the same. Make a right turn against a red in the rain with about 1/5 throttle, you get nothing initially. Then the power kicks in and the rear steps sideways. If you can afford it, get rid of it.
Is your Camry a hybrid? I’ll answer assuming it is not a hybrid.
I’ve not driven a 2007 Camry, but I have driven 2000 Camry’s one a V6 the other a 4, and an 2001 Sequoia. The Toyota’s I know engage virtually immediately when put into “D”. Most other cars I’ve driven there is a lag of a second or so as the transmission engages when put into “D”.
I think the newer Camry uses a 5 speed auto, and perhaps a 6 speed auto in '09. I suspect these new “fuel efficient” transmissions engage with a delay whereas the older Camry’s were almost instantaneous. If you had a Camry prior to this one, perhaps that is what you are noticing.
The hunting for the right gear is what your transmission is doing on the highway. 5th is overdrive and that is too high a gear if you are doing 50mph. As soon as you apply gas for a hill you’ll feel a downshift and then soon after an upshift. Find the button on the shifter that disengages the “O/D”, or the overdrive feature. When you hit the button an “O/D” light illuminates on the dash and you should be happier as that will reduce the up/down shifting a lot. When you get on interstate highways and are going 60 mph and up then you hit the button to turn on the overdrive, which turns off the light on the dash.
You’ll probably say that you’d rather not be bothered doing this, but it is the best way to deal with all the shifting that disturbs you. If you really, really can’t take it anymore you may need to test drive some different cars and get something else. What you are dealing with is the way this car is designed to operate
I have had it back to the dealer 7 times
Time to check out the lemon law for your local authority.
With all due respect, how can a car lurching forward anywhere from 1 to 3 seconds after applying the accelerator pedal be normal? Why didn’t the three other Camrys with the same engine / transmission I drove exhibit this problem?
Do a google search on this…
When we bought our 08 Lexus…I did some research and found that Toyota was having a problem with the 07 Transmission. Turned out they put in a too small of a pump. People were seeing failures and poor shifting within a couple hundred miles of ownership. Toyota issued a TSB and recall on all Camry’s and Lexus’s effected. It was caught very early and affected only a couple thousand vehicles…Yours may have slipped through the cracks.
…which is why you need to “kick it up a notch” by initiating the procedure necessary for a Lemon Law claim in your state.
Have you checked the details yet, as I suggested yesterday, and Mr. Meehan suggested today? The clock is ticking and you don’t want to run out of time or be over the odometer mileage limitation under the terms of the statute in your state.
I can’t drive your car, so I was talking about moving the gear selector from either park or neutral into drive.
If you experiencing a delay from a dead stop with the transmission already engaged in drive, say at a stoplight, then you have a defective transmission. The torque converter is not getting enough pressure and disengaging. When you step on the gas the delay is the pressure building up in the torque converter and when it engages it is with a jerk. That’s not normal and happens usually when an auto transmission is low on fluid.
Since the dealer is aware of this and can’t fix it then you may have to invoke the lemon law.
While dropping by the local Chevy/Buick/Toyota dealer about a yearish ago, I noticed they had not one but 3 (count 'em) Camrys of what appeared to be '07 vintage on the racks at the same time. Every one of them had the transmission out and on the bench.
There are 4 or 5 TSBs floating around that pertain to shift problems on these cars.
With tongue firmly planted in cheek, I would add that the conventional wisdom around this forum is that Toyotas do not suffer problems like this. Maybe it’s you.
If you had said your car was an '07 Impala instead then it would have been: “See. That’ll learn you to buy a GM car”.
Thanks to all. I went the lemon law route. I really hate doing that, but feel Toyota left me no alternative. I have been told I have a case. We will see what happens.
I see the software TSB’s there are several more,torque converter shudder,harsh shift. You don’t say if 4cyl, 6cyl, Hybrid,trans type (6spd?). If you list this kind of data maybe someone reading could help.
It is a four cylinder with a five speed transmission.