camry transmission problems

Asked by mckinneyguy Feb 04, 2009 at 08:48 AM about the 2007 Toyota Camry LE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I believe that all 2007-09 camry's have shifting issues. I owned a 2007 se 4cyl for 15k miles. I could never accept that the car was safe with regard to shifting. When I would slow down and then accelerate again, the transmission would have some "dead time" before it kicked in. Sound familar? How about that great cruise control when you would ascend a modest hill? It would never stop that darn downshifting. I don't understand how Toyota can keep the same drive train with this issue. What was my decision to get rid of it? My wife needed to use it one day and I really was worried about the shifting/sluggishness while she would be driving it. We traded it 18 months ago on a 2007 accord which doesn't share any of the drive train issues.

32 Answers

200

I have an '08 Solara with the same transmission shifting issues; delay/lag on downshifts. And I also can't believe Toyota considers this normal, safe and have continued to use it in the newer models. I have driven Toy's for 20 yrs but will never buy another due to this faulty transmission. As soon as I can afford it, I will trade this car off.

20 people found this helpful.
195

Hey folks just a question, I had this problem and discovered that the vehicle speed sensor was covered in tranny fluid and was not making a good connection. Just a thought.

18 people found this helpful.
180

I'm leasing Toyota Camry 2009 and had another 2 months until my lease ends, I had a shifting problem so I took it to the dealership and have learned that it wouldn't be covered under the manufacture warantee. Now I have to pay $4200 to fix it. Toyota is really f-kup by doing this. BE AWARE OF IT BEFORE YOU LEASE ONE!

18 people found this helpful.
90

I just bought a 09 camry. Used of course. But I'm flat out disgusted with toyota. My transmission Thuds when I'm coming to a stop. and I notice the lag in shifts. I had a 07 corolla before this and it had a problem with similar shifting and it ended up being fixed once they replaced the computers. this was done under recall but I'm thinking the camry computers were defective as well and need to be replaced. I'm going to honda for my next car.

9 people found this helpful.
60

PURE GARBABE IF YOU AS ME, I WORK AS A ENGINEER SO MATH AND DESIGN TASKING IS A NORM. I HAVE OWNED ALOT OF CARS AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, TOYOTA CAMRY MECHANICALLY IS GARBAGE!..THE LOOKS AND STYLING OF THE CAR IS ONLY HALF OF THE CAR,...MY IS A 08 AND I JUST GOT A 4TH TRANSMISSION INSTALLED! NOBODY IS GIVING ME ANSWERS AS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING, BUT THE SURE WANT TO CHANGE OUT THE PARTS AND BILL TOYOTA CANADA FOR IT..NEVER THE LESS WITH MY EXPECIENCE NEITHER THE DEALSHIPS OR THE CORP WANT TO HELP ITS ALL ABOUT SALES AND HIDING THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS MY FIRST TOYOTA AND THE LAST...BOTTOM LIKE BUY A GERMAN CAR...FORGET THE JAP SCRAP!

6 people found this helpful.
50

Had our trans BLOW OUT at 80,000 mi.2002 camry.Dealer replaced it with a used salvage trans. I asked for my original to be checked,I found TWO Bolts from ring gear on differential came loose and blew out the Case.SooooooooooooCASE CLOSED. Still running 174,000 miles 4-20-13

5 people found this helpful.
90

I have the 6-speed V6, lost the transmission today. It blew all over the bottom of the car. Not sure of the verdict yet.

9 people found this helpful.
170

98 Toyota camry shifting crazy and it will bog down when stopping

12 people found this helpful.
100

I have 2012 I have transmission problem when to dealer 5 time they think it's ok but no why no recall transmission

9 people found this helpful.
110

toyota is dumb for not having a scheduled maintenance for a trans flush on their life time fluid !! do a flush every 30,000 miles !!

9 people found this helpful.
110

i will take my 99 Solara 6 cylinder over the newer toyotas anyday of the week

2 people found this helpful.
200

I have a 1995 Toyota Camry that wont go reverse when the car is pointing up hill? it like go in neutral and it wont reverse till I got on flat landing after a while. anyone know whats goin on

15 people found this helpful.
20

08 camry lunged and hit the neighbors fence knocking it down, also has a real "flat spot when coming onto freeway to get up to speed, Toyota says its fly by wire technology and it cant be fixed because its "normal", i ran Dodge, Oldsmobile and Chevrolet dealers as well as been a tech forever something is wrong here and Toyota doesnt want it known cause in my opinion it will become a "NATIONAL RECALL" and affect there bottom line with no regaerd to the consumers well being!!!! M..O..N..E..Y------>>>>Y ----->>>>because they like it.

2 people found this helpful.
86,005

Too bad you don't have their CVT transmission, it is a much better system.

1 people found this helpful.
100

I love my Camry. But, I have had a few issues with it. I've notices the hard shifting when going up a tiny hill or when you go to pass someone. I'm having the issue right now on what's clinging under the hood. It kinda sounds so like a belt but, it also knocks, which makes me very weary. I'm afraid it my be my transmission. I'm unsure though. If anyone has had this issue, please help. I've had a few people look at it and I've heard many things. So please, HELP!

9 people found this helpful.
280

My 2009 Toyota Camry is a 118,000 miles and is services for Oil Changes as required by the dealer and it's almost time for an oil change and now the car will not shift to drive. Why is this happen?

28 people found this helpful.
200

Yea I got a new transmission and it didn't work either so I thought of something wrong with the car but it week later I put it into reverse and it just works. Crazy cars

5 people found this helpful.
21,330

interesting...thanks for the update.

1 people found this helpful.
60

on 2013 I bought a 2011 toyota camry Le 2.5. After a few days I noticed a jerk when shifting gear especially when it was cool. also a hard shifting down when coming to stop. the dealer did not figure out the problem. But a friend of mine told me that was normal because a new transmission CVT or VARIABLE. That is to save Gas and to avoid wear. Then i red it in the web to. now I donot pay mind anymore, even thought it is very annoying.

6 people found this helpful.
10

SAVE A LIFE AND TRADE IT IN.. I TRADED MY NEW 2007 CAMRY FOR A HIGH MILEAGE 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA WITH ALL THE PEP I NEED!! AND GREAT MPG IN AND OUT OF TOWN.. TOYOTZ TRANSMISSION WILL GET YOI KILLEF

20

this thread makes me feel absolutely vindicated omg!! im sorry yall all got these garbage cars but im so glad theyre terrible for other people too!! im a twenty year old female in a 2007 camry with right around 200k miles on it, right? and i love this car, shes got a name and everything, i baby her, but.... shes old, and ive had her in the dealership a couple times in the past couple years telling them something feels weird. i dont know how to explain it except that shes... just a b*tch. like, she just will not shift sometimes, if i hit the gas to pass someone she’ll sort of slow down while she takes a couple seconds to figure it out, she almost throws herself out of park if you let her sit too long.... i dont know much about cars, but i know how driving should feel. and driving shouldnt feel like youre arguing with it every time its got to shift gears. and every time ive talked to toyota about it, theyve been like “oh no these transmissions are fine! you must be driving with your foot on the brake!” im absolutely furious now that theyve been lying straight to my face because theyve got my dad convinced that i just killed the engine, but im so glad this thread can back me up

2 people found this helpful.
30

2011 Camry at 220,000 miles developed slow shifting, jerking and after a transmission fluid change brought up a check engine light point to solenoid D. Had to get another transmission, used from Junkyard is priced at $600, rebuilt at $2000 replacement.

3 people found this helpful.
21,330

Realizing this thread is some 10 years old I find it interesting to note the transmission issues described above. I also recall the......unindended acceleration issue of this time frame and wonder how Toyota survived all these years. Folks really should consider doing their homework before purchasing a new or used vehicle these days.

20

I just recently replaced my 2007 Solara SLE transmission for the exact same reason. When the strange shifting started (about 2 years ago) it was random. I looked for recalls and found nothing. At 138,000 miles (October, 2019) had to get it replaced. This is so dishonest from Toyota. One of the shops I got an estimate from told me these cars had a computer problem that caused the transmission to fail.

2 people found this helpful.
21,330

Indeed....IMO.....Toyota used to make ....bullet proof.....cars during the 1970s ....1980s. Very reliable and customer friendly Dealerships. Since then...it appears they learned a few lessons from the American way of building...selling....and sevicing automobiles. MOST VEHICLES SOLD IN THE USA are sold with known defects. Yes...that's a bold statement. Before you buy your next new vehicle.......google the make model year and Service Bulletins. That list of service bulletins will give you an idea of what might go wrong with that brand new car you just bought. Also...try this. Ask the Salesperson for that list of SB for the vehicle you are about to purchase. Watch closely the look they give you while they rush off to the boss for.......How do I handle this one boss???

4 people found this helpful.
20

My Scion tC 2015 automatic has these same noticeable shifts, rougher when car is cold. Took to Toyota had the transmission drain and fill, Toyota said the transmission was fine, fluid clear, also said no cel means no issues. However it’s annoying! The Scion FRS 2015-2016 had these same issues! Toyota fixed them with a TSB firmware update to the computers, owners said they had no more rough shifts, laggin shifts, I’m so upset that Toyota isn’t sending out a TSB for us too! Idk if the transmission will eventually fail or if I just have to live with the rough shifts.

1 people found this helpful.
10

Well my son has a 2007 Camry that he’s given me it does make a noise and he starting to think it’s the transmission because they’re saying it’s not the motor

1 people found this helpful.

OmgI have had my Toyota solara 07 beautiful car but it's going to kill me it's the Christine car it threw me into a curb it's actually lunch forward and it was in the dark area threw me the curb now I have to it's a $3,000 problem I have to go to my insurance and they're probably going to cancel me I've had it in seven times they look at me like I'm nuts now I'm reading it's doing the same thing I'm going to get whiplash I love the car what am I going to do I am so glad I thought it was nuts for a while but I guess it's happened to a lot of people at Toyota shame on you

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