Chigga

here's the quick run down, my mom has an 04 Camry v6, bought brand new from local dealer, it was the first year they have the 5spd and drive by wire, its the 3.0L. So my mom been telling me that the car "jerks" sometime in low speed. I didn't understand exactly how, until 2 months ago when I drove the car and I felt the "jerk", the car basically literally jumps, I believe its the valve body on the tranny that has some faulty parts with it, it feels as either it shifts too hard or it shifts to early and it downshift again.

I've brought this to our dealer, it has been in for 3 times due to this issue, they couldn't find anything wrong with it except reset the ECU.

I called Toyota Canada and they say keep bring it back to the dealer, I told them I would like to talk to regional rep, but they say the problem must be identify with dealer first.

what I'm affraid is that because the jerk is very sudden and hard, that one day my mom won't be able to react to the jerk and cause an accident.

is there anything I can do to get this solve? its bit stupid if you ask me, you pay 30 something large for a brand new Toyota because we had so much problems with her old car, and now this isn't exactly satisfying.

Chigga

bump, anyone has suggestions of what I should do?

saber

If you think the transmission is not behaving normally, it's pretty much up to you to prove it by renting or otherwise acquiring another V6 5-speed to see whether or not it behaves the same.

Maybe all 5-speeds behave this way. If so, then again it is the responsibility of the buyer to test drive / rent or whatever BEFORE purchasing the car.

Another rule of thumb is to steer clear of new designs. For example, the Camry 4-speed automatic is an old, time proven design and it shifts perfectly and predictably under all driving conditions.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

You may have to search a bit for this...

Check the ES forums about the tranny issues. I recollect that there was a thread about a TSB and fix for the '03 or '04 ES330's. If the driveline is the same you may possibly be able to use this TSB so the Toyota service writer will have an idea how to instruct the technician working on the Camry.

Chigga

we test drove them before we buy, we actually drove the 4spd and 5spd to see if its worth to spend extra $1000 on a 5spd, and my mother thought it was a wiser choice, but never experience with such a jerky shifting before. My Volvo has modified valve body and it shifts hard, so hard I can chirp 225 R compound tires when shifts into 2nd, and the Camry is almost as bad.

but thanks for the heads up on the ES300s, I'll look into it.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Just out of curiosity, is she driving with the ECT in PWR mode? One of my older Toyotas really shifted hard when it revved up vs at the normal setting.

<VENOM>

It's fine, learn to live with it or take a hit and trade it, check out the ES300 Section the top threads are the tranny problem, My ES300 has the weird jerk, rolling at 5mph and if I hit the gas it jerk and is slow to take off and around 40mph if I hit the gas the rpms run to redline then it slams into gear and goes, I know how to avoid it, I had the ECU reprogrammed which did nothing but I guess Lexus had to try something.

I think the real problem is that the cars are becoming more electrical and computer controled then the old stuff that was mechanical.

Im eventually gonna get an AWD GS300, I've wondered sometimes if the tranny is gonna fail prematurely from this jerking motion thats suppost to be normal, also keep in mind the trans learns how to shift for the driver, adding additional drivers confuses the trans so that could also cause the problem more,

Chigga

there's no PWR mode and such.

I don't think she wants to trade it, there's really nothing you can get if you trade a 2004/5 Camry in, the best she can get is may be same vintage Camry without the 5spd. My parents prefer buying new cars over used cars.

shikbas

Call toyota headqurters and complain