2002 Toyota Camry,(Automatic) (one owner) Hard shifting, mostly from 2nd to 3rd. Also reverse had some issues. Took to to AAMCO (big mistake) they rebuild the Trans for $3,000 (the car is worth maybe $6,000, as a trade in). They tell me I need to have the computer flashed to diminish the problem that caused this in the first place. Citing that the computer controls the shift point, and is not correctly telling the trans when to shift. After the flash, hard shifting continues. AAMCO now tells me I need to REPLACE the Computer.
When accelerating from 15 to 30 MPH, the car gives a noticeable lurch/jerk. It does it every time now and it is very noticeable and annoying. Our mechanic said it would be very complicated and expensive to fix so right now we are living with it. Our next car will be an Accord.
The day after buying my used Camry with 36,100 miles, I noticed the tranny jerked when shifting from reverse to drive first thing in the morning. The jerk is very hard and the entire car lurches. I took it back to the dealer and they refused to help because the warranty had expired 100 miles earlier. They claimed that they could not reproduce the problem, so I waited a day and came back to show them the problem. When I shifted the car from reverse to drive, sure enough it jolted into gear and the mechanic had the nerve to say that he didn't feel a thing! I even had a friend come with to verify the problem and my friend was shocked to see a dealer lie to our faces to avoid having to fix the car! I'm now waiting for the entire transmission to fail on me. I will never buy another Toyota. I am going to stick with Honda from now on. Even consumer reports is now saying that Toyota is slipping in the quality rankings. Check it out for yourself!
I also noticed that my Camry jerks or bucks when shifting from reverse to drive after a cold night, especially when it's accelerating from 0 - 40 mph. I wondered if the transmission on the car is failing but am relieved to see that other Camry owners have the same problem. I'm not going to bother taking it into the dealership because with all the other issues I've had with the car, I'm always told, "nothing is wrong". Any suggestions?
- Jen P.,
Boston, MA, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
This problem only happens when the car is cold. When shifting from Reverse to Drive, you get a fairly severe jolt. You'll get this jolt if you are still rolling back a bit or if you are completely stopped with full brake pressure applied. I just hope that my Camry is still under warranty when the transmission finally shoots through the roof.
Orhan C. has described a problem exactly like I have with my '02 Camry LE V6. The dealer just says it's normal and won't check anythng that might be causing this. What I am experiencing is a noticeable clunk or jerk when shifting from reverse to drive in the morning when the car has been setting all night.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2002 Toyota Camry,(Automatic) (one owner) Hard shifting, mostly from 2nd to 3rd. Also reverse had some issues. Took to to AAMCO (big mistake) they rebuild the Trans for $3,000 (the car is worth maybe $6,000, as a trade in). They tell me I need to have the computer flashed to diminish the problem that caused this in the first place. Citing that the computer controls the shift point, and is not correctly telling the trans when to shift. After the flash, hard shifting continues. AAMCO now tells me I need to REPLACE the Computer.
- J. H., Shelbyville, TN, US