My family has a toyota camry and recently I've noticed it's driving kind of odd. It's an automatic car, but it seems to have issues shifting gears.

When the car hits about 25mph and 2,500RPM it doesn't shift like it should and instead "hangs." Its the same feeling you get when you're driving a manual and you don't shift into the next highest gear.

Some quick googling makes me think maybe it's the torque converter, but thats just a guess at best.

HALP

maybe I'm not getting this, but it shouldn't be shifting to a higher gear at 2500 rpms anyway.

When it does shift is it shifting smoothly? Or is it rough or jerky?

(what year is the car?)

Could be something simple like a transmission fluid leak. Check the fluid levels. If it's low, it will cause rough shifts. A quick fix for this is to go to an auto parts store and get a bottle of transmission repair fluid. It's designed to stop leaks and protect the insides of your tranny. It'll cost about $5 to $10, and all you have to do is pour the bottle in (there's a spot for it under the hood, like when you add a quart of oil). Just make sure the fluid level is low enough so you have room for the repair fluid. If not you have to drain fluid from the bottom of the tranny. This can be more difficult. Some cars have a drain plug on the bottom, but with most you'll have to loosen a corner of the drain pan, and let some drip out.

Anyway, before you get all excited and run out to buy some transmission repair fluid, make sure your levels are low. If your fluid level is right, then this is not your problem. (and based on your description, I may be misunderstanding the situation).

What year is the car?

It's not shifting gears because it needs that extra power to keep the car moving under your massive weight.

(Obligatory mbisfat comment)

2007 Toyota Camry LE with the 5 speed automatic, not the V6

Knowing nothing about the 2007 Camry, I'd guess by that model year it's completely electronically shifted. Check the fluid (not likely to be a problem on a car that new). I'd lean towards electronic malfunction, a sensor of some type or computer malfunction. We're all really just shooting in the dark though. Sounds like it's time for a trip to the dealer, it better still be under warranty.

How does it behave otherwise? Snappy yet at the same time smooth shifts? Go from neutral into drive without your foot on the brake. Does the car promptly and smoothly start rolling?

I just googled 'mechanic', and I think you need one of them.

Yeah I'll definitely get it checked out. The only time i've noticed it is when you hit that threshold where the car should shift, but you're not quite there.

The only time the shift isnt smooth is when the engine is revving like I described and I have to accelerate heavily to push it into the next gear. The car isnt shaking during the transition, its just the quicker acceleration.

Bah! this is hard to describe!

I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN

but I dunno how to fix it..they're too computery these days.

I second what Sarn said about the fluid levels. May not even be a leak, just time for a fluid change. See if that helps. If not it might be a synchro issue, which on an automatic would add up quickly.

Are there any warning lights lit up on the dash like check engine or something?

my subaru had a similar issue, take off the EGR valve and see if it needs cleaning.

Probably not, a lot of transmission codes don't show up on a check engine light. If it's not the fluid level or wrong type of fluid (only a worry if it's been serviced before), it sounds like a torque converter problem. Check on any service bulletins or recalls for your vehicle and see if they've extended the warranty. My fiance's car was doing the same thing and Honda replaced the transmission under warranty. This was about 2 years ago and it's an 01. You never know.

If I'm not mistaken, automatics typically shift at lower RPMs when you're accelerating slowly for increased efficiency. My Saturn seems to do this. If I accelerate slowly, it shifts early. If I floor it, it waits till 6.5K RPM or so.

I thought that was more for power, not efficiency. If you're accelerating really fast, you want to stay in a lower gear, otherwise you lose that extra power to get that acceleration.

That's what I just said. If you accelerate faster, it stays in lower gear for longer.

It's a bad solenoid, valve, or torque converter.

Something is sticking and the clutch won't engage so that it will shift. I wouldn't worry about it until it starts slipping like crazy and then won't drive. It probably won't stop shifting, but it might eventually get stuck in a specific gear.

It's going to cost out the ass at a shop no matter what you do.

I hate automatic transmissions.

It will be expensive, unless it happens to still be under warranty. Check with your dealer ASAP!

I think he said it's under warranty. So really, I don't know why this thread exists.

Yeah I just was curious as to what might be causing this. taking it in tomorrow hopefully.

good luck. let us know.

Just go drive around till the throttle sticks and smash it into an electric poll.. New car, problem solved.



But in reality, the problems you have, and what people are suggesting makes a lot of sense to me, but the fact the car is a 2007 does not.

"Hey guys, it turns out I had the shifter in 'D2' not 'D.' lololol"

HIJACKING MB'S THREAD

For any of you car junkies, my Subaru Impreza (95) has a hole in the catalytic converter, hence being quite loud. Since it is a 95, my car no longer needs emissions tests so I'm well aware that I can kind of do a amateur job to fix it. Is there anything that basic level I could do to fix it, or will I need to find someone that can do metalwork and do some welding to fix it (or just take it out altogether)? I know most mechanic shops won't do it since it's illegal to remove the catalytic converter.

Holts Firegum or Holts Gun Gum is the **** for fixing holes in exhaust pipes. They should cost about $10 each.

You can get it at Autozone, Napa, or even Wally World.

[Depending on the size of the hole, you can get the Gun Gum paste or the bandage. The Gun Gum Bandage is exactly what it sounds like. I would recommend a combination of both. Slather the paste on real thick, apply the bandage, then secure with more paste. Let it cure according to the instructions and you're set to jet.]

They also make exhaust tape that can help. Buck, if I were you I would buy a cheap "high-flow performance" cat off ebay for $30-40. Not sure about the subby exhaust system, but usually they are bolt on and come with gaskets. I'm sure you could find a shop to install it for you if you didn't feel comfortable doing it yourself.

Heh well if you find the right shop...

Of course, I would never condone such actions.

I bought a high flow cat from Amazon for $58 after a 30% coupon, but they're typically under $100.

Nothing about a 2007 Camry should be going wrong, specifically not the transmission. How many miles are on the OD?

The only experience I have had with transmissions going out were in 20+ year old vehicles, and usually, it will shift late and jerk you, or just wont shift at all until you cross the threshold again.

Cars have moving parts, moving parts break.

Especially when the driver weights 400lbs!!!

Do this, HF Cats are the way to go, legal, and help ease the exhaust flow of the vehicle. Not sure if they last as long, but hey, not like you'll be driving that car another 15 years right?

Pontiac.

Thats all I'm going to say.

Haha, there's a reason Pontiac no longer exists... Also, glad to see that Mercury is also biting the dust.

Mercury's getting scrapped? Good. They used to offer some options that Fords didn't have, but now they're pretty much identical except for the branding.

Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln (All Ford...) Are retarded wastes of money. They aren't even new chassis for most of the models. It would be worlds cheaper to scrap the brand and just add the options to the original Ford models.

Nah, Lincoln is still a decently strong name, and it'd be a bad idea to get rid of it. It's Ford's only luxury brand now (since they sold off Volvo and Jaguar). It'd be silly to get rid of it because you wouldn't drive most potential Lincoln owners to Fords, you'd drive them away to Cadillac, Lexus, Acura, etc. They do need to do something to make the Lincoln brand a little better though, but based on what I've read that seems like what they're going to try to do now after getting rid of Mercury.

Mercuries in the last few years became pretty much exact carbon copies of SEL trim line Fords though. Add in the fact that it existed in that weird quasi-luxury area in the middle, and I think it was a good idea to get rid of it.

I wouldn't have a problem with Lincoln if they weren't the same vehicle as the Fords. Take Honda's Acura line. None of those cars share an identical frame/chassis with any of the Honda line. Motors, yes. Toyota/Lexus is the same way if I am not mistaken.




Wooo... accessories.

Umm, Acura RDX = Honda CR-V, Lexus ES 350 = Toyota Camry, Lexus LX = Toyota Landcruiser, etc.

The RDX isn't the CR-V, according to Wikipedia:

"Although the dimensions of the vehicle are similar to that of the Honda CR-V, the RDX uses a unique platform developed to handle the vehicle's advanced all-wheel drive system."

The others are true though. There's really nothing wrong with having a luxury line based on a standard line, as long as there are enough features to distinguish it. Mercury's were barely different than Fords, which is why they were canned. You don't need regular, semi-luxury and luxury.

Ahh, maybe not. I heard it was once, and they look similar, but the platform differences because of the AWD RDX vs. FWD CR-V make sense.

But yeah, when I bought my Fusion last year I actually looked at the Milan and MKZ too. MKZ was tempting as it would've been more powerful and nicer overall, but I liked the brushed aluminum interior look my Fusion has a lot more than the MKZ's interior (plus the Fusion was a lot cheaper of course). And the Milan was basically a carbon copy in terms of features, but it was uglier on the outside and inside.