2002 Toyota Camry Power Train

AT JUST OVER 17,000 MILES ON THE SPEDOMETER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP, WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A SHIFT SOLENOID. UPON REPLACING THE SHIFT SOLENOID, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE THE TORQUE CONVERTER ON THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE TECHNICAL EXPERT WAS CONTACTING TOYOTA BECUASE HE COULD NOT DEFINITIVELY PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. I ENQUIRED WHETHER THE PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION OF THE THROTTLE VALVE ON 2002 SOLARA'S AND COULD NOT GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAD BEEN TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE WHEN THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE THE SHIFT SOLENOID SO I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ASSURED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. UPON DISCOVERING THE PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION, THEY INSISTED ON KEEPING THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE BEEN "RUNNING TESTS" ON IT SINCE YESTERDAY, WITH STILL NO ANSWER AS TO THE EXACT PROBLEM. MEANWHLE, I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE.*AK

2002 TOYOTA CAMRY 2.4L, AUTOMATIC SUDDEN ENGINE RACING, ONCE AT 17,000 MLS. AND AGAIN AT 18,030. THE FIRST TIME ,MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE ,I SHIFTED OUT OF PARK INTO D , WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE ,THE ENGINE RACED PAST 5000 RPMS. THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD ,BUT BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS STILL OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL I ONLY HAD TO PUSHED HARD AS POSSIBLE ON THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE RACED ON ,THE CAR WAS STRAINING TO COLLIDE WITH THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. I SLAMMED THE SHIFTER INTO PARK.THE CAR STOPPED MOVING BUT THE ENGINE WENT TO REDLINE, I TURNED THE CAR OFF.I CHECKED WHICH PEDAL MY FOOT WAS ON AND IT WAS STILL PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKES. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON,THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY. I THINK WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE COMPUTER IS MALFUNTIONING. RECALL THEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES AND OR GETS HURT. I THINK TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT. I PITY THE PERSON WHO RENTS A CAMRY AN IS UNAWARE OF THE DEFECT AND DOESN'T HAVE THERE FOOT READY ON THE BRAKE AND PREPARED TO SHUT OF THE IGNITION SAFELY. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN YOU LET OFF ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS OR HESITATES WITH A NOTICIBLE CLUNK. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.*AK

(1) I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SE V6 WITH 30500 MILES. THE MORNING OF JULY 26, 2004, WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO LESS THAN 5 MPH TO DRIVE HEAD-FIRST INTO A PARKING SPOT AT WORK, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AND IMPACTED SQUARELY THE CONCRETE WALL IN FRONT. AFTER THE CAR HAD COME TO A REST AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT WITH THE WALL, I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY RIGHT FOOT WAS STILL PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO 'PARK', I NOTICED THAT IT WAS ALREADY IN THE 'NEUTRAL' POSITION. I WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT I DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY STEP ONTO THE GAS PEDAL CAUSING THE SURGE, SINCE TO DO SO WOULD REQUIRE ME TO REPOSITION MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE CONCRETE WALL COMING UP TO ME. (2) THE IMPACT CAUSED DAMAGE ACROSS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. NO BROKEN LIGHTS; THE HOOD WAS VERY SLIGHTLY RAISED. I ESTIMATE THE CAR SURGED 3 TO 4 FEET BEFORE IMPACTING THE WALL AT MAYBE 10 MPH. (3) I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN AND SHOP FOREMAN KEPT IT FOR A DAY, TEST DROVE IT BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO FOUND NO CODES WITH THE SCAN TOOL INSPECTION. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I REPORT THE PROBLEM TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER.*AK

MY TOYOTA CAMRY 2002 SE V6 EVERYDAY IS MAKING A LOUD SQUEALING SOUND WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL AND A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK. NOW THE MAIN PROBLEM IS WHEN I'M DRIVING MY CAR IT ACCELERATES AND THEN IT JUST GOES INTO "NEUTRAL" AT WHATEVER SPEED I'M GOING AT AND THEN KICKS BACK WITH A PUNCH (THAT JERKS MY HEAD BACK) INTO GEAR. IT DOES IT EVRY DAY SINCE I HAD THE CAR. I TALKED TO TOYOTA AND OF COURSE, THEY BLAME ME. I BABY MY CAR . CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 2000 MILES AND NOTHING BUT MOBIL GAS. I'M SCARED TO TAKE MY CAR IN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE DEALER SAYING I OWE A BILLION DOLLARS TO GET IT FIX AND USE SOME EXCUSE TO AVOID THE WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THE REPAIR GUYS AT TOYOTA AND THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND EVEN HAVE TOLD ME ALMOST EVERY 1ST GENERATION TOYOTA(LIKE MINE) HAVE THIS PROBLEM. AND THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO DO A RECALL. PLEASE HELP. I;M TAKING MY CAR IN BECAUSE I'M ABOUT TO APPROACH THE WARRANTY LIMIT. I DIN'T GET THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I MEAN JEZZ IT'S A CAMRY , WHO NEEDS A WARRANTY . I DIDN'T HAVE ONE FOR MY OLD CAMRY 1993. *AK

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHILE IN SLOW TRAFFIC THE CAR HAS SURGED FORWARD. ALSO WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT A LIGHT YOU CAN FEEL IT SURGE FORWARD.

WHILE SWITCHING FROM PARK TO DRIVE CONSUMER TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, CONSUMER PRESSED BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL HITTING A WALL. *AK MECHANIC TESTED VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT GEAR SELECTOR ON TRANSMISSION MOVED BY ITSELF FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *LA

ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN DRIVE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. ON ONE OCCASION VEHICLE WAS PUT IN DRIVE AND IT SURGED FORWARD AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE OUT OF GEAR, AND IF IT DID MOVE OUT OF GEAR, IT ABRUPTLY DOWN SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR WHILE DRIVING.*AK 2002 TOYOTA SPYDER) *JB

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW 2002 CAMRY XLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD IT "JUMPS" INTO DRIVE WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE. WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP THERE IS USUALLY NO PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND BEFORE THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE CONSUMER REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT OTHERS REPORTED SIMILAR CONCERNS. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A LACK OF LOCK ON THE TRANSMISSION. *NLM *NLM

TRANSMISSION LINKAGE PROBLEMS. WHEN SLOWING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR WHILE IN MOTION, UPON ACCELERATION, TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS AND THEN UPSHIFTS ABRUPTLY IN A VERY DISTURBING ABNORMAL WAY. IT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY DURING NORMAL CITY DRIVING. YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL TO BE "GENTLE" WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER SLOWING DOWN. THIS WILL BE MY VERY LAST TOYOTA.

WHEN DRIVING MY CAMRY AT A MAINTAINED SPEED THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFT AND THEN UPSHIFT CAUSING THE CAR TO BOUNCE FORWARD AND THEN BACKWARDS. THIS PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILLS BUT WILL SOMETIMES HAPPEN ON LEVEL ROADS. THE CAR WILL SOMTIMES DO THIS UP TO 6 TIMES BEFORE GOING BACK TO DRIVING LIKE NORMAL. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WITH THE CAR IN EITHER OVER-DRIVE OR DRIVE. TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT IS A "NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE VEHICLE.

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSIMISSION BEEN REPLACED SEVEREAL TIMES. TS

VEHICLE PULSATING BETWEEN 38 TO 40 MPH WHEN APPLYING GEAR, VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD CLUNKNIG NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, PASSENGER LIGHTLY TOUCHED SHIFT LEVER AS SHE TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER, IT SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES, DEALER STATED THIS WAS THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. *AK THESE EVENTS WERE CAUSED BY INADVERTENT BRUSH OF THE GEAR SHIFT HANDLE WHEN REACHING ACROSS. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT A VERY LIGHT TAP TO THE GEAR SHIFT WHILE IN "D" CAUSES IT TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND INSTANTLY DECELERATE. *JG

I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE WITH MY NEW CAMRY THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. WHILE DECENDING DOWN A HILL ( BETWEEN 40 AND 45) AND WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES THE CAR WILL DOWN SHIFT VERY (CAN EVEN HEAR/FEEL A CLUCK) HARD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN AND IS NOT NORMAL. *AK

I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A 2002 CAMRY LE V6 AUTOMATIC (WITH OVERDRIVE). I HAVE 450 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. I AM NOT VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE CAR SHIFTS WHEN LEFT IN OVERDRIVE. I TRAVEL 25 MILES ONE WAY ON BACK ROADS AT WHICH I CAN MAINTAIN SPEEDS BETWEEN 40 AND 55. MOVING ALONG BETWEEN THESE SPEEDS I FEEL THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY HOLDING BACK AND LETTING GO (I CAN SEE THE RPM'S DROP BY 500 RPM AND THEN GO BACK UP AGAIN WHEN THIS HAPPENS). THIS IS VERY ANNOYING TO ME. THIS DOES THIS QUITE OFTEN ON MY COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK. THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS TO LEAVE THE CAR IN OVERDRIVE AND I ONLY NEED TO TAKE IT OUT WHEN CLIMBING HILLS AT LOWER SPEEDS AND WHEN HAULING A TRAILER. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS IN THE MANNER I AM DRIVING THE CAR. I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH OVERDRIVE WHICH I LEAVE IN OVERDRIVE ALL THE TIME AND DO NOT NOTICE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE STARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD BY ITSELF, CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE, BUT IT DID NOT WORK, CONSUMER PULLED THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR TO REVERSE AND THEN THE PARK POSITION IT STILL DID NOT MOVE FOWARD UNTILTHE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING BACKWARDS UNTIL IT HIT A PARK CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.*YD

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY PULLS BACK AND SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR. AND THE RPM ABRUPTLY GOES FROM 2100 RPM TO 1900 RPM AND BACK AGAIN. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. *TT

VEHICLE GOES INTO OVERDRIVE WHEN DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LAG, GOING TOO SLOWLY IN THE APPROPRIATE GEAR CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SUSTAIN A FOWARD AND BACKWARD ROCKING MOTION, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLES EARLY LOCK UP INTO OVERDRIVE IS A CHARACTERISTIC, THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED CONSUMER TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OVERDRIVE AT THAT SPEED AND THEN PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO OVERDRIVE WHEN SPEED INCREASES, THEREFORE PUTTING IT INTO 3RD GEAR INCREASES THE ENGINE NOISE, INCREASES THE RPMS AND REDUCES THE VEHICLES FUEL ECONOMY, HOWEVER THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES ALWAYS DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH OVERDRIVE ON FOR BETTER FUEL ECONOMY.*JB