2004 Toyota Camry Solara Transmission Problems

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA SEV6 SPORT- VEHICLE HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN TRAVELING AT "PARKING LOT SPEEDS" OR IN "STOP & GO TRAFFIC" , OR BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP - ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING AND WHEN BRAKES (ANTI-LOCK YET) ARE DEPRESSED, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO RESISTANCE. VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP!! ENGINE SURGES. FLOOR MATS NO ISSUE. FIRST INCIDENT 2008 OR 09, I HAD PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. VEHICLE SURGED, JUMPED A CURB & INTO A RAVINE. ENGINE WAS STILL SURGING (WHILE DOWN IN THE RAVINE!) UNTIL IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. 2 WEEKS AGO, DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, (OVERCAST BUT DRY CONDITIONS APPROXIMATELY 1:00PM) I WAS THROWN BACK IN MY SEAT SUDDENLY. I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED INITIALLY DUE TO THE THRUST BACK, BUT NO ONE HAD IMPACTED THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. REALIZING THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. AGAIN, NO RESISTANCE, THEY WENT FLAT. MY VEHICLE REAR ENDED AND DROVE UNDER THE BACK END OF AN SUV. UPON IMPACT, MY KNEE SLAMMED INTO THE DASHBOARD, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BRUISED UP MY THIGH. SWELLING IN SHOULDER DUE TO BELT. NO INJURY TO PERSON IN OTHER VEHICLE. NO SKID MARKS ON ROADWAY. FILED CLAIM W/TOYOTA HOME OFFICE. THEY ARE INSPECTING THE CAR THIS WEEK @ DEALERSHIP. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN WALKING IN FRONT OF THIS CAR WHEN THESE INCIDENCES HAPPENED? THEY WOULD BE DEAD. THIS IS A SERIOUS & POTENTIALLY DEADLY ISSUE. I WILL NEVER GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THAT CAR EVER AGAIN. NOT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS! LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS TO ME. AS A FORMERINVESTIGATOR/AGENT MYSELF, I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ASAP BEFORE THIS VEHICLE (OR OTHERS OF THE SAME) KILL SOMEONE. THIS CAR (2004 TOYOTA SOLARA {2 - DOOR CAMRY}) IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. I AM NOW WITHOUT A CAR. I HAVE BEEN SPARED FROM BROKEN BONES, BUT I MAY NEED KNEE SURGERY. WAITING ON THE RESULTS OF AN MRI. PLEASE TAKE THESE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. SO THANKFUL MY CHILD WASN'T DRIVING OR IN THE CAR WITH ME. FILED A POLICE REPORT WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332716

Incident

May 11, 2010

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WAS IN REVERSE ON THE MORNING OF 12/22/06 AT 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO IN REVERSE AND WOULDN'T STOP. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING IN REVERSE THERE WAS A SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IT HIT A CURB AND TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK WHILE IT WAS STILL GOING IN REVERSE TO STOP IT. THERE WERE WITNESSES, AND THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A SOUND THAT THE GEARS WERE STUCK. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS PUSHED UNDER THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT INSISTED THAT COULDN'T BE TRUE BECAUSE OF THE NOISE THAT WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME IT WAS GOING IN REVERSE AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10177856

Incident

Dec 22, 2006

Mileage

47,500 mi

THROTTLE LAG AT LOW SPEED AND FROM STOP IS INCONSISTANT AND HAS BEEN THE CAUSE FOR SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED; DEALER INVESTIGATED; STATES THIS IS NORMAL AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE, THAT LAG IS "ACCEPTABLE". SOME INSTANCES HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE ACTUAL THROTTLE RESPONSE. DRIVER HAS TO USE HARDER ACCELERATION TO COMPENSATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT DECLINES TO ADMIT IT IS A PROBLEM. DRIVER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10170539

Incident

Sep 19, 2004

Mileage

8,000 mi

I HAVE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE WAY MY CAR CONSISTENTLY LAGS BEFORE ACCELERATING. THIS HESITATION HAS BEEN CONSISTENT FROM DAY ONE OF MY OWNERSHIP (PURCHASED DEALER NEW). WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION, OR AT A STOP, ANY TYPE OF IMMEDIATE PUSH OF THE GAS PEDAL WILL RESULT IN A DELAYED/SLOW RESPONSE TO PICK UP SPEED. THIS DELAY HAS NEARLY CAUSED (2)TWO ACCIDENTS UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS: (1)ACCELERATING TO GET ONTO FREEWAY. (2)ACCELERATING TO AVOID AN ERRANT LANE CHANGE FROM A NEARBY CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169813

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

200 mi

I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA SLE V6 FROM SUPERSTITIONS SPRINGS TOYOTA IN ARIZONA JUST OVER 24 HOURS AGO. WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE IT YESTERDAY I ALMOST GOT IN A BAD ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SOMEONE STARTED TO PULL OVER ON ME. I HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND WENT NOWHERE FOR AT LEAST 1-2 SECONDS. THANK GOD THE GUY HEARD MY HORN. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID 'THEY COULD FEEL IT TOO' BUT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAD READ A CUSTOMER COMMENT ABOUT THE PROBLEM JUST ONCE AND THERE WAS A REPLY THAT SAID THERE WAS SOME DOWNLOAD FOR IT. WHEN I MENTIONED THIS TO THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY SAID THEY CHECKED AND THERE WERE NO DOWNLOADS FOR IT. TOLD ME THAT IT WAS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD AND THERE WOULD BE SOME HESITATION, THEN STARTED IN ON SOME ENGINEERING EXPLANATION, AND SAID THEY HAVE SOME SPECIALIST COME IN ONCE A MONTH FROM TOYOTA AND HE WOULD ASK HIM ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I TRIED TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED NOW, BUT GOT NO DIFFERENT REPLY. I HAD NOTED SOME SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN I WAS TEST DRIVING IT, BUT REALLY DIDN'T NOTICE ANY APPRECIABLE HESITATION WHEN I VERY BRIEFLY HAD IT ON EXPRESSWAY DRIVE (ONLY ALLOWED ABOUT A 1/2 MILE THEN TOLD TO TURN OFF). HOWEVER YESTERDAY WHEN I FINALLY DROVE IT, I STARTED TO FEEL LIKE I WAS GETTING WHIPLASH FROM THE HESITATION, LUNGING AND JERKING AROUND, AND THEN I ALMOST GOT IN A BAD ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AND HAVE A HUGE LOAN HANGING OVER MY HEAD TO BOOT. I GUESS I WILL JUST DRIVE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE SO I DON'T GET KILLED DUE TO AN 'ENGINEERING PROBLEM' AND THEN GET RID OF IT AS SOON AS I CAN. I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN. BIG MISTAKE. PLEASE ALSO REFERENCE THIS WEB SITE WITH MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.AUTOBLOG.COM/ENTRY/1234000920023135 AND THIS WEB SITE WITH ONE ENTRY AND A REPLY STATING THERE IS A FIX: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_76023.HTML

NHTSA ID

10125730

Incident

Jun 18, 2005

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA EXPERIENCING STALLING OR LONG HESITATION WHEN THE VEHICLE'S SPEED IS BELOW 25 MPH AND THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE.*MR THIS OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN ENTERING FAST MOVING TRAFFIC FROM ENTRANCE RAMP ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10121517

Incident

May 1, 2005

2004 TOYOTA SOLARA WITH V6 AND AUTO TRANS. HAVE OWNED CAR SINCE NEW AND HAVE A HESITATION PROBLEM THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. EXTRA CAUTION IS NEEDED TO ENTER HWYS SAFELY. I AM ALSO UNABLE TO ACCELERATE COMING OUT OF TURNS WITHOUT FEELING THE CAR LURCH FORWARD MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. WHEN TAKEN TO SERVICE AT TOYOTA THEY ACT LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG. I KNOW I AM NOT CRAZY BECAUSE ITS NOTICED BY ALL MY PASSENGERS. AND UPON MY PERSONAL INVESTIGATION HAVE UNCOVERED MANY COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE AND BY OWNERS OF LEXUS VEHICLES THAT USE SAME ENGINE AND TRANS. IN FACT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN ALL CARS USING AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL FOR THE THROTTLE AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD LINKAGE SYSTEM. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF IT. I ALSO NOTICED QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE PERTAINING TO THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110362

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

Mileage

18 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION HESITATED WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. THERE WAS A 3 TO 4 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094771

Incident

Sep 30, 2004

Mileage

6,000 mi

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA AND HAVE SEVERE ACCELERATOR ISSUES. THE ACCELERATION HESITATES AT VARIOUS TIMES. SOMETIMES IT IS FROM A COMPLETE STOP, OTHER TIMES IT IS IN LOW GEAR. THIS HAS BECOME A HAZARD IN DRIVING AMONGST TRAFFIC. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AT A NORMAL SPEED; AS I SAID, IT HESITATES, MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A ROAD, OR STARTING FROM A STOP. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES THAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE REAR ENDED! THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS STATING THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED, WITHOUT ADMITTING THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE..BUT THEN STATE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE IN APRIL. EACH TIME THEY TRY DIFFERENT THINGS...I.E., RESETTING THE COMPUTER, RUNNING TESTS, ETC. *JB

NHTSA ID

10091136

Incident

Apr 27, 2004

SINCE PURCHASING MY 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT IT'S STEERING AND HOW UNSAFE IT FEELS TO DRIVE. PULLS TO THE LEFT FREQUENTLY, AND THE RIGHT LESS FREQUENTLY. STEERING IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE, AND FEELS UNSAFE. CAR SLIDES INTO OTHER LANES, AS IF ON ICE...ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER REPAIRED A SLIGHT FAULT WITH SOME RINGS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, IT ONLY SLIGHTLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. STEERING IS MORE CONTROLLED, BUT CAR STILL DRIFTS INTO OTHER LANES. CAR ALSO ROCKS WHEN IN A PARKED POSITION, IF EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED, AND WILL ROLL BACKWARD WHEN STOPPED GOING UPWARD ON HILL...BRAKES DO NOT LOCK INTO A HOLD POSITION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062772

Incident

Feb 1, 2004