2002 Toyota Camry Powertrain & Transmission Problems

THE CAR IS EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ACCELERATION IT IS LUNGING FORWARD. THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS AROUND 20 MINUTES AGO, IT HAS HAPPENED TO TWO FAMILY MEMBERS SO FAR, WHILE DRIVING NO EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE GAS THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATE.

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

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

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

IGNITION KEY WAS REMOVED WITH TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND IGNITION SWITCH NOT IN OFF POSITION. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED AT LEAST TWICE. *TR

HARSH/HARD/DELAYED SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD OR 2ND AND 4TH (OVERDRIVE) ON 1MZ-FE V6 ENGINE DUE TO FAULTY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FAILING TO REGULATE TRANSMISSION SOLENOIDS PROPERLY. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED ON THE ECM ON RAV4 (SAME YEAR, 2002) AND RESULTED IN SETTLEMENT IN WHICH TOYOTA AGREED TO REPAIR ALL. *TR

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PUTTING IN DRIVE, CAR ACCELERATED AND CRASHED THROUGH GARAGE DOOR AND BRICK FRAME ON 4/19/13 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:50AM FOR UNKNOWN REASON. *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.

CAR WAS PARKED ON FLAT ROAD, THEN STARTED. BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED AND CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE. WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, CAR WAS PROPELLED IN REVERSE. AFTER DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECKING THAT CAR WAS ACTUALLY IN FORWARD GEAR (VIA INDICATOR ON DASH). THE CAR CONTINUED TO GO BACKWARDS. AFTER SHIFTING THE CAR INTO PARK, (SHUTTING ENGINE OFF) AND RETRYING IDENTICAL SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY, MOVING IN FORWARD DIRECTION. FORTUNATELY, CAR HAD BEEN PARKED PARALLEL TO CURB WITH NO CARS AROUND IT, AND THE PROBLEM WAS FEALIZED BEFORE THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, SO NO ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DAMAGE OCCURRED. IN ANY OTHER SCENARIO, DAMAGE OR INJURY MAY HAVE RESULTED. *TR

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

MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AS I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT CAUSING ME TO HIT A PARKED CAR.. THE CAR THAT WAS HIT WAS TOTALED & MY CAR HAD 3400.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IN SEPT. 2009 I DID NOT KNOW THAT TOYOTA'S WERE HAVING A PROBLEM. NOW IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT RECALLS I BELIEVE MY CAR HAS AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. *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

TWICE ON START-UP I HAD THE ENGINE RACE, SOUNDING LIKE A JET REVVING UP. LAST TIME WAS AS I PARKED IN THE GARAGE AFTER USING THE CAR IT REVVED UP SOUNDING AGAIN LIKE A JET STARTING UP. I THOUGHT SOMEONE OR SOME THING HAD COME UP BEHIND ME IN DRIVEWAY. DATES WERE APPROXIMATELY OCT. 2008 AND NOV. 2009. CAR HAS UNDER 45,000 ACTUAL MILES ON IT. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY GOT STUCK IN REVERSE AND ACCELERATED CAUSING A 5 CAR ACCIDENT IN A PARKING LOT. *TR

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

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.