CarComplaints.com Notes: Beware of the NHTSA complaint data for the 2005 Camry. It is almost certainly misleading.
The problem with NHTSA data for the 2005 Camry is that for months on end, the news media repeatedly told the public that several Toyota models had an unintended acceleration defect, & to go to safercar.gov (the NHTSA's website) to file a complaint.
So, the NHTSA received a disproportionate number of complaints about Toyota unintended acceleration issues because of the national news media attention, to the point where their data is unreliable taken in context with any other vehicle that did not receive national news attention.
CarComplaints.com typically receives more complaints per day about vehicles than the NHTSA does, but the news media did not repeatedly say "go to CarComplaints.com to report your Camry acceleration problems" like they did about the NHTSA -- so although we have less complaint data than the NHTSA for the 2005 Camry, our data for the Camry is a far more statistically accurate representation of the Camry's reliability than what the NHTSA data shows.
The symptoms were similar to the other complaints here...after work in stop-and-go traffic, it didn't want to accelerate from the light and hit second gear. Well, for those of you with this problem and are about to take it in, I will warn you. Knowing the transmission was the likely problem, I took it in to a local transmission shop only to be told that one of the internal parts was disintegrating and corrupting the rest of the transmission. So, I had the choice of a repair with a 12000 mile warranty that would cost $2800, or a better warranty with the price well over 3 grand. In looking at other complaints on this site, apparently Toyotas might have some ongoing transmission issues. Since I was someone who bought their second Camry for reliability, this is a punch in the gut for me. I was a Toyota believer, and didn't take the recent Toyota-in-the-news seriously, but here I am. Since I JUST got this car paid off and now this happens, probably this is the last straw for me, too.
this v6 will not accelerate after slowing down to about 5 mph. the tranny is in high gear and trying to figure out what to do. had fluid changed but still not helping. toyota is recalling cars for too much acceleration and this one won't accelerate when i need it to!!!!!!!!!!!
While driving in town under stop and go conditions, I notice a hesitation in the transmission when slowing down to stop but then accelerating to get moving again. It's as if the transmission is thinking about what to do next. I feel this is a significant safety issue that can cause an accident due to the loss of acceleration. I've had the dealer look into this issue and have been told everything is 'fine'. I've owned many auto trans vehicles and have never had this type of issue or concern for safety as I do with this 'fine' Toyota transmission.
Many times while driving in town under stop and go situations I would try to go around a car that is stopped in front of me to make a left hand turn, but, as I press on the gas pedal and turn the steering wheel to the right to quickly get into the right lane, the transmission is gone as if there are no gears available and I'm a sitting duck as my momentum is lost during the previous braking behind the car making a left-hand turn. I just know there's got to be something wrong within the transmission software and fuel throttle-body. Toyota is totally ignoring my wife when she takes the car in for routine service. Of course, the warranty on the power train is probably expired with 49,800 miles on the vehicle.
- Howard B.,
Bellflower, CA, US
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The symptoms were similar to the other complaints here...after work in stop-and-go traffic, it didn't want to accelerate from the light and hit second gear. Well, for those of you with this problem and are about to take it in, I will warn you. Knowing the transmission was the likely problem, I took it in to a local transmission shop only to be told that one of the internal parts was disintegrating and corrupting the rest of the transmission. So, I had the choice of a repair with a 12000 mile warranty that would cost $2800, or a better warranty with the price well over 3 grand. In looking at other complaints on this site, apparently Toyotas might have some ongoing transmission issues. Since I was someone who bought their second Camry for reliability, this is a punch in the gut for me. I was a Toyota believer, and didn't take the recent Toyota-in-the-news seriously, but here I am. Since I JUST got this car paid off and now this happens, probably this is the last straw for me, too.
- hollifeld91, Cary, NC, US