# 2011 Toyota Camry transmission issues

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions, toyota, camry\
**Created:** [July 8, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631 "2018-07-08T14:44:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KimFrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@KimFrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KimFrey)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/1 "2018-07-08T14:44:02Z")

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Having transmission issues. Doesn’t always get out of first gear. Anyone with a similar problem and what kind of repair was required? Thanks

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/2 "2018-07-09T02:39:10Z")

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Is the Check Engine light on?

Tester

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**Author:** ![KimFrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@KimFrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KimFrey)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/3 "2018-07-09T20:24:27Z")

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thanks for responding. No, have never gotten a light on this

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**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/4 "2018-07-09T21:51:56Z")

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Automatic or standard transmission?If its an automatic,start with the easy stuff first, like changing the automatic transmission fluid.Toyota makes one of the toughest transmission around and I am surprised to hear you are having problem with it already. The thing could run on maple syrup for a year without you noticing it 😉

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/5 "2018-07-10T02:27:40Z")

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No experience with the Camry, but my 1970’s Ford truck’s transmission had that same problem last winter, caused by a low trans-fluid level. Re-filling to the proper level fixed it. It could be something else on your car, but if I had that problem, and I didn’t want to get a transmission expert involved, and it was fairly inexpensive to do, that’s where I’d start.

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**Author:** ![KimFrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@KimFrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KimFrey)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/6 "2018-07-10T02:57:56Z")

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Thanks for your imput. I recently changed the transmission fluid and the problems worsened.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/7 "2018-07-10T03:02:15Z")

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It sounds like you’re going to have to get help from a transmission expert. On a 2011 there are probably several electric operated selenoids involved with the shifting process, and if you are lucky one of them has failed. The other sensor that could cause this if it failed is the vehicle speed sensor, so have that part checked too.

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**Author:** ![KimFrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@KimFrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KimFrey)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 3:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/8 "2018-07-10T03:12:07Z")

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Thanks. The best suggestion I’ve had so far.

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**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/9 "2018-07-10T16:37:54Z")

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Possibly a transmission solenoid failure.

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**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/10 "2018-07-10T19:47:55Z")

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Have you checked the level with the engine running and warm. Also, Toyota uses Mobil 1 with their own additives in it. I let the dealer do mine, because it’s cheaper than me buying it from them and doing it myself. I think it was $89 3 years ago.

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**Author:** ![KimFrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@KimFrey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KimFrey)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/11 "2018-07-10T20:32:06Z")

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Thanks for writing. Incredibly in the Camry, there is no dip stick to check the transmisson fluid level. It is a closed system

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**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/12 "2018-07-11T06:30:08Z")

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You said you changed the fluid. Did you do it yourself, what fluid was used and how was the proper level determined? How many miles on the car? What prompted you to change the fluid?

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**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/13 "2018-07-11T12:34:47Z")

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> [@KimFrey](#):
>
> Thanks for writing. Incredibly in the Camry, there is no dip stick to check the transmisson fluid level. It is a closed system

Could that help?

[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/f/cfd328acafa594ca267831b77e29866f5ddbacef.jpeg "Toyota Transaxle Fluid Level Check - No Dipstick") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcecuGzTDg)

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/14 "2018-07-11T15:02:03Z")

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Thanks, greendrag0n, for that link. Important and informative. It is a relief to see someone competent and careful doing his job well - especially now in the auto tech field, which has become so, well, technical.

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/15 "2018-07-11T19:00:14Z")

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Who changed the fluid?

You?

If memory serves, this transmission does not have a dipstick?

If so, how did you ensure you have the correct level at the correct temperature?

If you do it wrong, it’s very easy to have the wrong fluid level, and you’ll have problems

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**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2011-toyota-camry-transmission-issues/120631/16 "2018-07-11T21:04:39Z")

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> [@shanonia](#):
>
> It is a relief to see someone competent and careful doing his job well - especially now in the auto tech field, which has become so, well, technical.

It’s actually frustrating how these “no dipstick” transmissions are getting more and more common.

I was cursing a small plastic “stubby dipstick” on 2013 Mazda 3 I’ve got for my wife, but apparently it is a blessing in comparison to what Toyota and VW have for their mechanics.

In Mazda is is hell inconvenient location, but it is a dipstick and it is possible to fill transmission through this stubby hole.
