1997 Toyota Camry Transmission Problems

Your transmission has failed completely after gradually slipping intermittently over time. You purchased the car used and it initially ran well, but the transmission has now stopped working properly. The repair will likely require transmission fluid service, inspection of internal components, or potentially a complete transmission replacement or rebuild.

Your car's ignition allows you to remove the key even when the transmission is still in Drive, which can cause the vehicle to roll away unexpectedly when you turn off the engine. You may not have been notified about a recall for this safety issue. The fix would likely involve a transmission interlock mechanism that prevents key removal until the transmission is shifted to Park.

THE IGNITION PROBLEM WAS MAIN REASON THE TRANSMISSION LOCK UP. AND IT HAVE COOLING PROBLEMS. *TR

THE IGNITION PROBLEM WAS MAIN REASON THE TRANSMISSION LOCK UP. AND IT HAVE COOLING PROBLEMS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE MADE A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WHICH SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE FRONT. WHEN THE CONSUMER STOPPED AND THE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND JERKED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED TO HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMERS RADIO WENT OUT IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PASSENGER SEAT BELT STICKS. VEHICLE TRUNK LIGHT DOES NOT WORK. THE DRIVER SIDE ADJUSTABLE HANDLE DOES NOT WORK. THE RUBBER ON THE MOTOR MOUNT DOES NOT LAST AND BREAKS. THE VEHICLE JERKS REPEATEDLY. *TC THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE CURRENTLY HAS A PERMANENT BACK PROBLEM DUE TO THE ADJUSTABLE HANDLE NOT WORKING. *SC

THE CONSUMER CAN START THE IGNITION WHEN TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED IN ANY POSITION.*AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED BY PIECES OF METAL. *JB

UPON CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY GOES INTO NEUTRAL, PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT THE LEVER BEING IN PARK BUT NEUTRAL, THE DRIVER DID NOT REALIZE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN DRIVEWAY AND HIT A PARKED TRUCK DAMAGING THE BACK OF THE CAR AND DAMAGING THE TRUCK. NLM

AS CONSUMER TRIED TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. DEALER FOUND SHIFTER CABLE HAD STRETCHED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK *SLC

WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE IT HESITATES AND THEN BACKS SLOWLY. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO STERLING MCCALL TOYOTA IN HOUSTON TEXAS FOR ALL THE RECOMMENDED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE MILAGE INTERVALS. ON ONE OF THE INVOICES I HAVE IT SHOWS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLUSHED WHEN I TOOK IT THE 60,000 SERVICE MAINTAINENCE. I HAVE PAID FOR SEVERAL MAJOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE VISITS AND THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY CAR STILL EXIST. I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALERSHIP ,ON BEHALF OF THEIR NEGLIANCE , INSPITE OF ALL MY SERVICE VISITS, MY TRANSMISSION HAS WORSENED. PLEASE HELP! INVESTIGATE AND ARBITRATION. IF YOU NEED FURTHER DETAILS, YOU MAY CONTACT ME ANYTIME HOME OR WORK.*AK

TRANSMISSION LEAKED TWO TIMES RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF THE GASKET ON THE FLUID PAN. *SLC

LEFT FRONT AXLE LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR REGULAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, SUCH AS 60,000 MILES SERVICE CHECK UP IN APR19 99. IN AUGUST, 19 99 FLUID WAS DIRTY. CONSUMER FELT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED IN APR 1999. ON 01-APR-2000, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WOULD PAY HALF OF THE $4000. *AK THE TRANSMISSION REMAINING SLUGGISH AND WITHOUT REVERSE ACTION. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE IS ASKING THE DEALER TO PAY ALL THE COST OF REPAIR. *YH

VEHICLE CAN BE PLACED INTO GEAR WITHOUT APPLYING THE SHIFT RELEASE BUTTON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CNOTACTED. AK

AS MY CAR CRESTED A SMALL HILL ON 7-15-99, THE ENGINE REVVED TO ABOUT 4000 RPM AND THERE WAS NO POWER. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE WHICH THEN WORKED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT TWO BLOCKS LATER. I TOOK THE CAR TO WILKINS TOYOTA THE NEXT DAY. THEY REPLACED A SPEED SENSOR. THE CAR SEEMED OK BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED A FEW DAYS LATER. I RETURNED TO WILKINS TOYOTA 7-21. THEY REPLACED ANOTHER SPEED SENSOR, SAYING TOYOTA HAD A DEFECTIVE LOT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW WEEKS LATER. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON BUT LATER WENT BACK OFF. WILKINS SAID THE FAULT CODE WOULD BE STORED ANYWAY AND BRING IT BACK. I DID. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO FAULT CODE AND DECLINED TO DO ANYTHING. AT THIS TIME I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE INTERNET BUT NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY. THE CAR WAS THEN OK FOR A WHILE (I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS) UNTIL THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON 10-27. I TOOK THE CAR TO WILKINS TOYOTA. THEY REPLACED YET ANOTHER SPEED SENSOR WHICH FAILED TONIGHT AFTER ONLY 15 MILES. THIS IS DANGEROUS. TWO OF THE FAILURES WERE ON THE FREEWAY, INCLUDING TONIGHT'S. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND HAD TO USE 2ND GEAR AT IGH RPMS TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC UNTIL I COULD EXIT. THIS IS FOUR BAD SENSORS IN 3 MONTHS AND WITHIN 2500 MILES. I BELIEVE SOMETHING IN THE CAR IS CAUSING THE FAILURES BECAUSE TOYOTA COULDN'T HAVE SO MANY BAD ONES OR NO ONE'S CAR WOULD RUN. CAN YOU HELP?

THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESTITATE WHEN APPLYING THE GAS. WOULD GO SHORT DISTANCES AND MAKE CLANKING/SCRAPING NOISES. PULLED INTO GAS STATION & WAS INFORMED TO TOW VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. THOUGHT IT WAS DIFFERENTIAL. THERE WAS A LOT METAL INSIDE TRANSMISSION. *AK

KEY INTERLOCK AND SOLENOID SAFETY.

KEY INTERLOCK SOLENOID FAILED. *YC

INCORRECT MANUFACTURER PART INSTALLED IN TRANSMISSION. MJS

THE VEHICLE SLIDES TO ONE SIDE AT 65 MPH. DURING WET WEATHER CONDITIONS. YH

MR. SALO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY QUITS PULLING WHEN THE GEAR SHOULD BE SHIFTED FROM THE SECOND GEAR TO THE THIRD. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY PULLS WHEN THE GEAR SHOULD BE SHIFTED FROM THE 2ND GEAR TO THE 3RD GEAR, CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN ENTERING BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION, RECALL NOTICE SENT AFTER ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCURRENCES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED. KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM IGNITON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN ANY GEAR. VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL FOR PROBLEM, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS. *AK

RECALL WORK CAN NOT BE DONE ON THE KEY INTERLOCK (TRANSMISSION) DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.

TRANSMISSION LEFT IN DRIVE, ENGINE TURNED OFF AND KEYS REMOVED FROM IGNITION. INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED , CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS IN OFFICE PARKING LOT, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE PRIOR TO RECALL (97V-213). *AK

SOLENOID SHIFT INTERLOCK CONNECTOR FAILED, ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO FAILURE.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL STREET, CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HAS SLIPPED INTO GEAR SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE LEVER WAS IN THE PARK POSITION. *AK *SLC

OWNER PARKED VEHICLE ON SMALL INCLINE, SHIFTED TO PARK, REMOVED KEY, EXISTED VEHICLE, HEARD NOISE, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, HIT GARAGE DOOR, EMERGENCY BRAKES NOT APPLIED, GEAR LEVEL SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. *AK AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS FOUND ON NEUTRAL POSITON. THE ROLL BACK HAD OCCURED TWICE BEFORE. *YH

SHIFTED TO PARK, R EMOVED KEY FROM IGNITION, VEHICLE ROLLED BACK WARDS OUT OF GARAGE, DOWN INCLINE, ALMOST RAN INTO CHILD AND DOG, REAREND OF VEHICLE HIT TWO MAIL BOXES, OTHER OBJECTS, KEY CAN BE REMOVED IN ANY GEAR, WITH DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK