2011 Toyota Camry, 55,900 miles on the car - purchased at 49,000 miles about 5 months ago.

I noticed right away that the shifting as I was accelerating was noticeable - a definite "push" was felt when it would shift through the lower gears, no unusual noise with it. For a while it was barely noticeable, but then I had both my kayaks mounted on the car and was getting on the on ramp to the freeway near my apartment in late summer and there was not only a noticeable movement when the car shifted through the gears, it seemed to hesitate while shifting up through the gears as I was trying to accelerate to the speed of the rest of the traffic on the highway. Two things I attributed it to - I hadn't driven the car very much in the last couple days, the car was "cold" still and hadn't come up to temperature, and I thought maybe the weight of the kayaks was an issue. I have been told the weight from the two kayaks isn't a problem - nor was the way they were mounted (on a roof rack). Also noted to me by a friend mechanic that the time between driving the car previously and this time should not have any affect, but he wasn't able to rule out the possibility of it being an issue with the car "being cold".

I put it out of my mind for a while as the problem very rarely reoccurred and never seemed to get worse, although I could still feel the car shift through the lower gears.

Then, about 10 days ago, the issue started with what I thought was a brake problem - I would be slowing down or coming to a stop with my foot on the brake and while I was aware the car would downshift as I was doing this, it seemed to downshift very hard and then up-shift a few seconds later so that with my foot on the brake pedal, all of a sudden the feeling was like the brakes were going "soft" and the pedal "mushy" under my foot. I took the car into the dealership for a routine tire rotation and noted this problem to the service person along with the fact that the car seems to still have a problem shifting when the car is cold and that I would even now consider it to be "shifting hard", but that it improves as the car warms up. They took a look at the transmission fluid and the mechanic decided to see if he could replicate the same problem and sure enough he did - especially the downshifting issue when hitting the brake. His description of it was the car would shift from 4th gear to 2nd gear and then up-shift to 3rd gear - all in the matter of seconds, while depressing the brake to bring the car to a stop. They immediately decided to replace my transmission, which was done just yesterday.

I drove my car to work this morning (4.5 miles) and while I am on mostly residential streets where the speed limit doesn't go over 35 mph, the car did an opposite thing to me twice this morning - I would pull out from a stop sign and the car shifts fine from 1st to 2nd and then to 3rd, but then downshifts back into 2nd and does so without me pushing any harder on the gas pedal and I was not going up a hill - on a level road and with such a force, it could be described as a minor "whiplash effect" when it downshifts suddenly. I have called the dealership and let them know I would be bringing it back in to them tonight.... but this was a car I purchased because everyone else who has one says they have never had problems with their Camrys and they last a long time. I feel like it really may not have been a transmission issue the first time.... but I don't know enough about cars to know if it is something computer related, etc.???

My car now, is only 18 mos old and 10,500 miles.

Upon experiencing a jerk or hick in car while driving between 15-40 miles an hr, I immediately returned to dealer, then to a different dealer who advised there were not enough miles on the car and it must get use to my driving, etc. Well upon 3500 miles I returned with car again and problem continues.

After third visit I filed a complaint with better business bureau for autos. The dealer refused to check my transmission (Cerritos Toyota Manager) saying he read I had filed a complaint and therefore he would not allow my auto to be checked for the same problem, however, any other problem or complaint could be addressed. I assured him I was not attempting to replace the auto, just having the problem identified and repaired. Manager explained that they could not duplicated problem, therefore, no help and ordered me off "His" lot!.

I recently spoke with an ex mechanic and he suggested that the "O" ring and or the governor on the outside of transmission sounds to be the problem. I was told about this passage of complaint, now I am doing so. Thanks be blessed

Purchased brand new in February 2011. I didn't notice it at first, but the problem arose in the next few months. In town @ 35 MPH, there is a major clunk in the transmission. It happens most when I am slowing and then a slight acceleration to keep up with traffic. I took it into the dealership and they did find a "updated software" to change the behavior of the shifts. I wouldn't have believed it, but I was in the shop at the Toyota tech connected his computer and I physically watched the download. The issue was not nearly as consistent afterward, but it still occurs enough that it is a concern for me in terms of longevity.

Was this new car the right move? It was my first Toyota and I purchased it because of all the hype on Toyota reliability. I am not certain this one will live up to that, as I would treat transmission issues as a major reliability concern.