2002 Toyota Camry Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I AM SURPRISED THAT A CAR WITH JUST 117K MILES COULD HAVE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I WAS PARKED AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN MY CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING. I SHOWED MY CAR TO MULTIPLE AUTO SHOPS AND THEY SAY THEY ARE HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH 2002 CAMRY XLE AND NOT SURE WHY SINCE CAMRYS ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED RELIABLE AND HAVE A LONGER LIFE OF 200K PLUS. MAYBE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT? *TR

I HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE. IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I HAD IT IN REVERSE BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT ENGAGED. I SLOWLY DROVE A COUPLE BLOCKS TO ROSSI'S AUTO SERVICE AND LEFT IT FOR THE WEEKEND. I LEARNED IT WAS LOW ON TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN ANYWHERE OF ANY LEAKAGE. I HAD IT SERVICED AT SALINAS TOYOTA ON 01/22/15 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE FRONT BRAKES. I RETURNED 02/03/15 TO HAVE A FRONT ENGINE MOUNT INSTALLED. ON 02/27/2015 IT WAS MISSING APPROXIMATELY A QUART OF TRANSMISSION FLUID WITH A FEW MINOR METAL FOUND IN THE DIRTY FLUID. I'VE SPOKEN NUMEROUS TIMES WITH ROSSI'S AND SALINAS TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO EACH OTHER. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WENT. THE SALINAS TOYOTA ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER HAS TRIED TO FIND AN ANSWER BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO. I NEED THIS EXPLAINED OR SOLVED IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE ON BEING STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP MAKING SURE I AM SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. *TR

CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION(SLUGGISH) AND WOULD DIE WHEN CAR CAME TO A STOP. MOSTLY HAPPENED WHEN EXITING HIGHWAYS, THEN HAPPENED DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THE CAR WOULD IDLE VERY ROUGHLY AND DIE IF GAS PEDAL WASN'T DEPRESSED. IF CAR SAT FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WOULD START UP AND RUN JUST FINE. HAD IT INTO THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, BUT UNLESS THE PROBLEM WAS CURRENTLY HAPPENING, IT COULDN'T BE DIAGNOSED. THE PROBLEM IS THE IDOL THROTTLE BODY(SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART). THE COST OF THE PART WAS $1014.45(RIDICULOUS). LABOR $68. WHAT'S GOING ON? TOYOTA IS FAILING TO PROVIDE A GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT AND I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THEIR PRODUCT. LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE, ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE YOU ARE STALLED AND RUN INTO YOU. I'VE BEEN SCARED FOR MY LIFE SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE GEAR SHIFTER RELEASED FROM PARKED POSITION AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS INTO TO THE GARAGE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE DOORS LOCK ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY, ALTHOUGHT THE TRUNK WAS OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SHE HAD TO REACH DOWN AND PULL THE PEDAL UP IN ORDER TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE FREEWAY. INITIALLY HARD-SHIFTING, THEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING TO PASS. MILES LATER WHILE CRUISING ON LEVEL GROUND ON THE FREEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION DISCONNECTED (FELT LIKE IT WENT TO NEUTRAL) AND I NEEDED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY. TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED AND RE-STARTED CAR. USED A MERGING RAMP TO SAFELY MERGE BACK INTO TRAFFIC. TOYOTA DEALER TELLS ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LIKE "CHOCOLATE" AND THERE WERE CHUNKS OF METAL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN. NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION ($3300-$4800). CAR WAS LAST SERVICED AT ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER (WONDRIES IN ALHAMBRA, CA) 14,000 MILES AGO AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AT THAT TIME. *TR

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BUCKING AND HESITATION *TGW THE DEALER DID NOTE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD A SLIGHT METALLIC ODOR. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR INDEPENDENTLY MOVED TO THE DRIVE POSITION BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED AND WHEN SHE RETURNED TO WHERE SHE HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE, IT HAD ROLLED INTO A DIFFERENT PARKING SPOT AND THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR HAD AGAIN MOVED TO THE DRIVE POSITION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT UNIT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE AT HER EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID WAS LUBRICATED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT RECUR FOLLOWING REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 55,822. UPDATED 07/19/10.*LJ UPDATED 07/26/10*JB

LAST YEAR MY DAD'S TOYOTA WAS GOING INTO REVERSE ON THE 710 FREEWAY (EASTBOUND TO PARAMOUNT, CA, TO WORK) WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GEAR SHIFT. THIS REALLY FRIGHTENED US. HE TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THEM THOROUGHLY INSPECT THIS PROBLEM. THEY TOLD HIM NOTHING WAS WRONG THAT THEY COULD SEE. HE TRIED TO DRIVE IT AGAIN AND IT WAS JUST A SHORT TIME THAT MY DAD'S TOYOTA WAS GOING INTO REVERSE ON THE 710 FREEWAY (EASTBOUND TO PARAMOUNT, CA, TO WORK)WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GEAR SHIFT. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR!! FRIGHTENED AT THE THOUGHTS OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN AND SERIOUS THREAT TO MY DAD'S LIFE, HE TRADED IN HIS 2002 CAMRY AND BOUGHT A 2009 COROLLA LAST YEAR - TO SAVE HIS LIFE!! THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO MY DAD'S PROBLEM. HE LOVED THE CAMRY COMPARED TO THE COROLLA AND WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE SOLD HIS CAR IF HE WEREN'T IN FEAR OF HIS LIFE ON LOS ANGELES FREEWAYS. WE WATCHED THE TESTIFYING OF A LADY IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., SAYING SHE COULDN'T STOP HER CAR FOR 500 FT. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO OUR DAD AND ONLY BY CIRCUMSTANCE, IT DIDN'T. HOWEVER, HE HAD TO BUY A NEW CAR WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY UNNECESSARY. HE IS ON SS AND MEDICARE AND THIS WAS A HORRIFYING AND VERY APPALLING EXPERIENCE AND EXPENSE THAT SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN IN HIS LIFE. *TR

IN JAN. 2002 I BOUGHT A 2002 V6 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH AUTO TRANSMISSION. I NOTED THAT ON LEVEL SURFACES AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF +/- 50 MPH IT WOULD SHIFT RANDOMLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH. ON SLICK ROAD SURFACES THERE WAS A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. I REPORTED TO MY TOYOTA DEALER WHO FOR MONTHS DENIED THE PROBLEM. THEN TOYOTA ANNOUNCED A REPROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER. I GOT THIS, BUT IT MADE NO IMPROVEMENT. I REPORTED TO TOYOTA USA, AND TO NHTSA, BUT THERE WAS NO ACTION. *TR

IN AUGUST 2009 MY 2002 TOYOTA ACCELERATED INTO REVERSE WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE CAUSING A BAD ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. BEGINNING ON AUGUST 14, 2007, THE VEHICLE'S GEARS WOULD SHIFT INTO REVERSE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED WITHOUT THE OWNER'S CONSENT, KNOWLEDGE, AND NEED FOR A NEW BATTERY. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $4,432. IN DECEMBER OF 2007, THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT SWITCH GEARS OR ALLOW THE CONTACT TO DRIVE ABOVE 10-15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 13, 2007 AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED ONCE MORE UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY FOR THE PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE DUST BOOT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT HAS THE DUST BOOT AVAILABLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,083.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ERRATICALLY SHIFTS. WHILE ACCELERATING UP AN INCLINE AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DRIVES AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, IT FEELS STUCK ON SECOND GEAR AND THEN POPS INTO THIRD. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN EITHER NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER OF 2007, BUT THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH A MECHANIC FOR OVER A WEEK, BUT THEY STILL CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,000.

AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN THE GEARS SWITCHES IT MAKES THE NOISE. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND STILL NO PROPER FIX. BEEN THIS WAY FORM AT LEAST TWO YEARS. *TR

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DURING A TRIP TO LEXINGTON, KY ON A SATURDAY. I EXPERIENCED A BAD SHIFT ON ONE OCCASION DURING THAT TRIP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. WAS TOLD THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS GOING BAD. COST TO REPAIR WAS APPROX $800. ELECTED NOT TO REPAIR CAR AT THAT TIME. I HAVE APPROX 127000 MILES ON CAR AND JUST PAID IT OFF LAST DECEMBER. WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THIS VISIT TO THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO JERK WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH. I PARKED CAR AND BEGAN TO DRIVE MY OLDER VEHICLE UNTIL I COULD GET IT BACK INTO DEALER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON FEB 14 AND WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. I HAD ALL OF COMPLETED TRANSMISSION SERVICES DURING THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AS THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED DURING DRIVING AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ME BEING REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF TOYOTA VEHICLES AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THEIR ENGINE SLUDGE PROBLEMS AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURES. *TR

JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS) THE ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT CAME UP WITH THE GENERIC P0770 CODE OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT TRANSMISSION/SOLENOID FAILURE PROBLEM FOR FEW TOYOTA MODELS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CANADA FOR SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER TO ONLY EXPERIENCE MORE DISAPPOINTMENT. AFTER BEING ASSURED THAT A RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST WOULD NOT TAKE LONGER THAN SEVEN TO TEN BUSINESS DAYS, I HAD TO FOLLOW UP WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE ON FEW OCCASIONS, BY E-MAIL AND PHONE, UNTIL FINALLY RECEIVING A RESPONSE AFTER SIX WEEKS ? A NEGATIVE ONE. MY CURRENT DISAPPOINTMENT IS NOT SO MUCH DUE TO THE FACT THAT TOYOTA TOOK SUCH A LONG TIME TO REPLY, BUT TO THE INFLEXIBILITY PROVEN BY THOSE WHO ANALYZED AND ?SOLVED? MY CASE. ALSO, THEY SEEM TO SEND "CANNED MESSAGES". BUT, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, HERE ARE THE QUICK FACTS ABOUT MY CAR AS ALSO PRESENTED IN MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1. THE SOLENOID FAILURE WAS FIRST REPORTED AT 43,000 KM (25,000 MILES) WHEN THE CAR WAS 4 YEARS OLD, WELL UNDER WARRANTY. AT THAT TIME INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WAS PERFORMED AND THE CODE RESET. BUT THE CODE REAPPEARED WHEN THE CAR WAS FIVE YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS OLD, AND ONLY 67,000 KM (40,000 MILES). JUST 4 MONTHS OUT OF THE OFFICIAL WARRANTY. 2. THE PROBLEM MY CAR HAS IS COMMON FOR TOYOTA CARS. ALTHOUGH THE P0770 CODE I GOT IS A GENERIC CODE, A GOOGLE SEARCH RETURNS ONLY TOYOTA REPORTED ISSUES IN THE FIRST 40 RESULTS. MY CAMRY HAS TRANSMISSION U140E WHICH IS SHARED WITH OTHER TOYOTA CARS. LEXUS RX300 (USING U140E) HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (1999-2002): PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF THE 5 SOLENOIDS USED IN THE U140E/U140F TRANSMISSIONS (NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10009396) THERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS TSB FOR SOLENOID PROBLEMS WITH THE FOLLOWING TOYOTA CARS: TUNDRA, HIGHLANDER, MATRIX, CAMRY, LEXUS RX300, SIENNA. THEY SEEMED TO BE PLAGUED BY THIS PROBLEM. EVEN SIENNA 2004 (5 YEARS LATER AFTER THE FIRST TSB IN 1999) STILL HAS THAT PROBLEM. *JB

ONE WEEK AGO I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS WITH THE TOYOTA SEQUOIA, BUT THE CAR REFUSED TO START ONCE I COMPLETED MY ERRANDS. EVENTUALLY, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AND THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT BRACKET AND LEVER WERE BROKEN AND THEREFORE PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM PROPERLY GOING INTO PARK. THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED SEEING SEVERAL SUCH CASES RECENTLY BUT STATED THAT TOYOTA HAS INFORMED HIM THAT THE PROBLEM RESULTED FROM IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE GEAR SHIFT. I HAD THECAR FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE PROPER PROCEDURE. PERHAPS THIS NEEDED FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE IN TEMPERATURES 40 DEGREES OR LESS. I HAVE SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO SAYS THAT THEY HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I OFFERED TO SEND ARTICLES FROM CONSUMER MAGAZINES AND THEY STATE THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE BEEN SENT INFO. FROM AT LEAST 10 TIMES DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS. *JB

TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN DRIVING. CAUSES THE CAR TO HESITATE ABRUPTLY UPON ACCELERATION. THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. NO REMEDY HAS RESOLVED THE ISSUE YET AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORSENING. *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 75,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SERVICED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED AT 30,000 AND 60,000. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70 MILES AN HOUR. *JB

2ND TIME IN A YEAR THAT MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED THE CURB. THIS TIME THE CAR HIS ANOTHER VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. *NM

TOYOTA 2002 MR2 SPYDER: SEQUENTIAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION (SMT) CREEPING WHILE IN FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR. THIS HAPPEN TO THE CAR IN DEC OF 2004 BUT WENT AWAY BY ITSELF AFTER A WEEK. I REPORTED TO FREMONT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN CA BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. AGAIN ON APRIL 15TH 2005, THE SMT CREEPING RECURRED. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE ECU BUT CREEP IS STILL EXIST. AGAIN, THE DEALER PERSISTS THAT THIS IS NORMAL. ACCORDING THE MANUAL BOOK, IT STATES THAT UNLIKE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SMT DOES NOT CREEP. PLEASE HELP. *NM

ONCE YOU COME TO A STOP DURING NORMAL BREAKING, AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BREAK PEDAL TO START MOVING FORWARD, THERE IS A ?THUMP? AS IF YOU ARE BEING HIT FROM THE REAR. THIS IS SIMILAR AS BEING REPORTED IN ODI?S 10089480 AND 10092834. DEALER STATES THIS IS NORMAL IN TRUCKS, THAT IT IS THE NATURAL SPACING IN THE DRIVE SHAFT WITH REAR WHEEL DRIVE.THE ONLY WAY FOR THE PROBLEM NOT TO OCCUR, IT TO GLIDE TO A SMOOTH STOP.*AK

I BOUGHT A 2002 TOYOTA SOLORA IN MAY OF 2002. I HAVE HAD 3 NEW TRANSMISSIONS IN THE CAR. IT NEEDS ANOTHER. I WILL BE FILING LEMON LAW ON MY CAR.

TWO COMPLAINTS: VEHICLE SHIFTS VERY HARSHLY WHEN PLACED INTO DRIVE WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A MILD TO LOUD CLUNKING SOUND. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND A TRANSMISSION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. FORTUNETLY, I HAVE A GREAT SERVICE DEPT AT TOYOTA. THEY UNDERSTOOD MY COMPLAINT AND IS CURRENTLY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. *AK