Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Toyota Camry submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 36 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 36, in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I TRIED TO PRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, NOTHING HAPPENED, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOWLY SLOW DOWN. I PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE ACCELERATE FINE AFTER THAT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE TOYOTA DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND THROTTLE BODY FAILURE AND REPLACED IT. COST MORE THAN $1300. *KB
SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. UPDATED 09/23/11 *KB
MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY BEGAN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE REAR PART OF THE TRANSMISSION WHERE THE TWO HALVES OF THE HOUSING ARE BOLTED TOGETHER. TWO MECHANICS, INCLUDING ONE WHOSE EXPERTISE IS IN TRANSMISSION REPAIR, INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION'S SEAL APPARENTLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT, AND STAYS INDOORS EXCEPT FOR A 12-MILE ROUND-TRIP COMMUTE BETWEEN MY HOME AND THE LOCAL INDOOR PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE. BOTH ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR WERE AT LEAST $1,500 BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE CAMRY DOES NOT ALLOW EASY ACCESS TO THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING THE MECHANIC TO DROP THE ENTIRE FRAME TO ACCESS THE TRANSMISSION. THE FLUID LEAK IS SMALL, LIKELY NO MORE THAN A HALF MILLILITER EVERY 10 DAYS, SO THE REPAIR HAS NOT BEEN DONE. BOTH MECHANICS STATED THAT IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A VEHICLE LIKE THIS TO BEGIN LEAKING FROM BETWEEN THE HALVES OF THE HOUSING AND, BASED ON THERE BEING NO OTHER PHYSICAL DAMAGE OR WEAR TO THE AREA, IT WAS THEIR OPINIONS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COLOR IS STILL TINGED WITH PINK AND DIFFUSES WELL ON BLOTTER PAPER, AND THE MECHANICAL FUNCTION OF THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS FINE. *TR
POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION-I HAVE OWNED THIS TOYOTA CAMRY FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. OCCASIONALLY IT SLIPS INTO THE WRONG GEAR. THE WORSE PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED WAS FIVE WEEKS AGO WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE WANTED TO GO FORWARD. I NEARLY HIT THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. I AM GLAD NOBODY WAS WALKING IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO THE REVERSE GEAR. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND IF I COULD I WOULD RETURN IT BACK TO THE DEALER. SUSPENSION-WHEN IS RAINING THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER ABOVE 50MPH. THE REAR OF THE CAR WANT TO GO RIGHT MAKING THE FRONT OF THE CAR GO LEFT. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR HITS BUMPS ON THE ROAD. AGAIN, THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. *TR
ON 8/0/10 VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT. BACKED UP VEHICLE. PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE. VEHICLE ENGINE REVVED UP AND CRASHED INTO TWO VEHICLES. ATTEMPTED TO HIT BRAKE. DISTANCE BETWEEN BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL IS 3 1/2 INCHES. VEHICLE INVOLVED WAS A TOYOTA. ENGINEER IS INSPECTING VEHICLE ON 8/27/10. *TR
FOLLOWING ARE THE DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE SAME VEHICLE: 1. VEHICLE, 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY V-6, ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE BEING DRIVEN INTO A HEAD-IN PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING, OVERSHOT PARKING SPACE, HIT AND PUNCHED HOLE IN BUILDING WALL APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET AHEAD OF PARKING SPACE. OVER $1,000 DOLLARS DAMAGE TO CAR AND UNKNOWN AMOUNT TO BUILDING. 2. ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER, VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE COASTING SLOWLY TO STOP AT A STOP LIGHT. DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING, REAR-ENDED STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT. SIMILAR FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE TOYOTA AND SOME DAMAGE TO FORWARD VEHICLE. *TR
2004 CAMRY 4-CYL. FAILS TO ACCELERATE (DELAY OF ABOUT 1 SECOND) WHEN GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, IN THIS SITUATION: YOU HAVE EITHER JUST ROUNDED A CORNER AT SLOW SPEED, OR YOU HAVE STARTED TO MOVE FROM STOP, GAINED SPEED TO ABOUT 10MPH, THEN ENGINE REVS UP TO AROUND 3000 RPM, BUT DOES NOT DELIVER POWER TO WHEELS. DANGER OF GETTING HIT BECAUSE YOUR CAR DOES NOT MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH THROUGH A TRAFFIC SITUATION THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY PROGRESS THROUGH FASTER. YOU MIGHT ALSO BE PREVENTED FROM AVERTING A CRASH SITUATION DUE TO LACK OF ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. IT CAN OCCUR 1-3 TIMES IN A DAY, OR POSSIBLY NOT AT ALL, BUT IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR AT LEAST 10,000 MILES NOW. TOYOTA CLAIMS THIS IS JUST THE WAY THE TRANSMISSION WORKS. BUT IT CAN LEAD TO INJURY DUE TO CRASHING. DEALER CLAIMED THAT FOR SOME YEARS/LOTS OF VEHICLES, THERE WAS A SERVICE PERFORMED TO RE-PROGRAM AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD TEND TO COME BACK AFTER THE SERVICE WAS APPLIED. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE INJURIES OCCUR. *TR
MY CAR IS TOYOTA 2004 CAMRY SHOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT I DIDN'T PASS THE AIR CARE EMISSION TEST,SO THEY SAY IS A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM THEY SAY IS A FEDERAL ISSUE. *TR
2002-2005 TOYOTA THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY FAILURE. FAILS AT VARIOUS MILEAGE. NO WARNING - JUST DIES. NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. ONE DEALER ADMITS THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE AND HAVE REDESIGNED PART. TOPIX.COM HAS BLOG REPORTS MANY INSTANCES, BUT NOT RECALL OR CAMPAIGNS. REPAIR IS $1K-$1.5K. OWNERS FEEL THIS TO BE A RECALL ITEM AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. PLEASE HELP. CORPORATE OFFICE IS NO HELP AND WILL NOT REPORT ANY WEB MATERIAL - WILL ONLY MOTOR PHONE CALLS. PLEASE HELP. IF THIS PART FAILS ON HIGHWAY COULD CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENT OR WORSE. *TR
JUST HAD TO COMPLETELY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION IN MY TOYOTA CAMRY 04. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OTHERS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE SINCE THE 2002 CAMRY. HAVING TO PAY $3000 FOR A SUPPOSEDLY #1 CAR THAT I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD FOR FOUR YEARS IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL IF IT IS THAT COMMON AN OCCURRENCE! DANIEL J MULLIGAN *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN A/C BUTTON STARTED FLASHING AND ALL WINDOWS FOGGED UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 3-31-07, THEY PERFORMED DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACED A/C MAGNETIC CLUTCH RELAY. NEXT HEAVY RAIN ON APRIL 14, 2007, THE AC/BUTTON STARTED FLASHING AND ALL WINDOWS FOGGED UP. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY SHORTING WHEN WET. REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. IN AUGUST, DURING A HEAVY RAIN, THE A/C BUTTON STARTED FLASHING AND ALL WINDOWS FOGGED UP. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE A/C BELT WAS NOT TIGHT. THEY TIGHTEN THE A/C BELT AND SAID IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THE BELT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. TODAY, OCTOBER 15, 2007, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY CAN FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GEAR WAS IN REVERSE WHILE THE DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE WITH NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE WITH A DOOR OPEN. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED.*AK THE CONSUMER DIDN'T REALIZE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE WHEN HE EXITED. THE LEFT DOOR HIT THE CONSUMER AND KNOCKED HIM DOWN TO THE GROUND. THEN THE DOOR PINNED HIM AGAINST THE GARAGE WALL. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. UPDATED 12/12/06. *JB
SEVERE HESITATION WHEN DEPRESSING THROTTLE TO FULL-THROTTLE. EX: WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OVER TAKE A VEHICLE ENGINE APPEARS TO REMAIN AT IDLE WHEN GAS PEDAL IS FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. NO DOWN SHIFTING OCCURS ALONG WITH NO ENGINE RPM INCREASE. AFTER 2-4 SECONDS ENGINE THEN RESPONDS. IF THROTTLE IS GRADUALLY DEPRESSED TO FULL-THROTTLE THERE IS NO SYMPTOMS, ENGINE DOES RESPOND PROPERLY. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE A PROBLEM IN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR AND TRANSMISSION TCM. *JB
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND VIBRATES WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. DANGEROUS WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC. *JB
SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SE V6 NEW IN NOVEMBER 2003, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION AFTER COMING TO A YIELD. BASICALLY WHAT OCCURS IS I COME TO AN INTERSECTION OR A SITUATION WHERE I MUST YIELD AND WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR HESITATES FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR I THOUGHT THIS MAY BE NEW CAR JITTERS AND IT WOULD EVENTUALLY STRAIGHTEN OUT. HOWEVER, TWO YEARS LATER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS CAN POTENTIALLY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR SEVERAL REASONS. IF YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO GO AND THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC BUT THE CAR HESITATES A WRECK COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN. SO TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING, I WILL PRESS THE GAS PEDAL MORE THAN NECESSARY TO OVER-COMPENSATE FOR THE HESITATION AND THEN WHEN THE CAR DOES GO IT JETS OUT INTO TRAFFIC FASTER THAN I ANTICIPATE. I VOICED MY CONCERN TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER IN COLUMBIA, MISSOURI AND THEIR FIRST RESPONSE WAS "OH, THAT'S JUST NORMAL V6 HESITATION." I EXPRESSED THERE WAS NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT IT AND I WANTED TO TALK TO THE MANAGER. THE MANAGER CALLED IN THE REGIONAL REP AND WE ALL WENT FOR A RIDE IN ONE OF THE 2004 XLE V6 SO THEY COULD SHOW ME THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN ALL THE V6'S. THE REGIONAL REP AGREED THERE WAS A PROBLEM BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO FIX IT. HE DID SAY THAT WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW. SO FAR NO PHONE CALL. *JB
MY 2004 CAMRY, V6 HAS HAD A HESITATION SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED IT. THE HESITATION HAPPENS AFTER STOPPING A SIGNS OR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. TWICE I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS SOMETHING WITH THE BRAIN THAT SENDS INFORMATION FROM THROTTLE SENSOR TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE SERVICE TECH STATED THAT IT WAS JUST THE V6'S AND THE 2004 CARS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, UNTIL MORE PEOPLE COMPLAIN NO REPAIRS OR RECALLS WILL BE MADE. *NM
EXTREME HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR FROM LOW SPEED. *NM
INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE/TRANSMISSION HESITATION AND SHIFTS IN SPEEDS LOWER THAN 40 MPH. PROBLEMS NOTICED FROM TIME CAR WAS PURCHASE TO CURRENT. DEALER HAS CHECKED THE CAR FOUR TIMES AND DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CHANGES GEARS SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING AT 25 MPH. ORIGINALLY THE SHIFTING PROBLEMS LURCHED,JERKED, AS IF SOMEONE WAS HITTING FROM BEHIND. TSB 00505 WAS APPLIED ON JULY 28, 2005 BY THE DEALER. IT CHANGED THE SHIFTING PROBLEM SO THAT IT ISN'T A JERK BUT SOUNDS LIKE A BUMP FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, ALSO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DELAY WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATED. MANY INSTANCES MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT SAFETY: PULLING OUT WHEN THERE'S A BREAK IN TRAFFIC, HESITATION HAPPENS SIGNIFICANTLY LONG ENOUGH FOR THERE NOT TO BE A BREAK ANYMORE; COMING TO FOUR WAY STOP, WHEN ITS MY TURN TO GO, HESITATION CREATES CONFUSION TO OTHER DRIVERS. THE PROBLEM IS ALSO DISTRACTING WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE DRIVER IS TRYING TO SECOND GUESS THE VEHICLE TO ALTER THE PROBLEM. *JB
DT: 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. ON THREE OCCASIONS AT A STOP LIGHT THE ENGINE ROARED WHILE THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY LURCHED FORWARD WHEN THIS HAPPENED.THE CONSUMER HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKES AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION HE TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND IT WENT INTO REVERSE. *AK *JB
RECENTLY I BROUGHT MY 04 CAMRY TO MY DEALER BECAUSE OF SULFUR SMELL AND RATTLE AT LIGHT ACCELERATION. THE DEALER VERIFIED THE PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE CONVERTER AND INTAKE MANIFOLD ACCORDING TO THE TSBS. THEY SAID THEY ALSO HAD TO RE-PROGRAM THE ECM. THEN AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR, I FOUND EVERYTHING IS HARDER: THE ACCELERATION, STEERING, AND BRAKING. I FOUND IT IS HARD TO MAINTAIN A SPEED WHETHER ON LOCAL OR HIGHWAY. ON MAY 28,2005, WHILE I DROVE THE CAR ON HIGHWAY WITH 4 PERSONS SITTING IN THE CAR (INCLUDING ME), I FOUND THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD AND FELTED LIKE IT WAS LOCKED, AND I FOUND IT IS VERY HARD TO ACCELERATE TO HWY SPEED AND HARD TO MAINTAIN IT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON MAY 31. AFTER HAVING A TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE IT, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SIMILAR TO OTHER CAMRYS (NORMAL) AND WOULDN'T WANT TO SOLVE MY PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THEY NEVER TRIED TO REPRODUCE MY PROBLEM (BY HAVING MORE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE CAR). I THINK THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFTY ISSUE SO I FILE COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. I ALSO FEEL THE CAR DOESN'T SHIFT RIGHT AND ENGINE IS NOISER AFTER THE CONVERT/INTAKE CHANGE AND RE-PROGRAMMING.
CONTACT STATES: MANUAL TRANSMISSION, GOING 50 MPH WITH NO POWER. SPEED DROPS AND THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. LAST A COUPLE OF SECONDS ANYWHERE 10 TO 30 SECONDS IT PICKS BACK UP. NOTICED ABOUT A WEEK AGO. NORMAL DRIVE HAPPENING ANYTIME. HAVEN'T NOTICED IT BEFORE 50 MPH. SPEED DROPS BUT HASN'T CHANGED SPEED WITH ACCELERATOR WITH STILL APPLYING PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR. NOTICED THIS HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A WEEK. *AK
SEVERE HESITATION ON ACCELLERATION. THE CAR REMINDS ME OF A 1970'S VOLKSWAGEN I HAD THAT WOULD STALL WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IT CAN BE SCARY ACCELERATING ACROSS AN INTERCECTION WITH CARS COMING OR PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY.*AK
WHILE PARKING HIS 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND HIT A PARKED CAR. *NM WHEN TURNING SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE GOING TO FLIP, SHIFTING GEARS WERE NOT SMOOTH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS AN ERRATIC EFFECT WHEN CHANGING THE RADIO STATIONS. *SC *JB
WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL HESITATE FOR A SECOND OR TWO. AT THE SAME TIME THE WHOLE DRIVE TRAIN WILL SHUDDER. THE HESITATION WILL HAPPEN JUST AS I PULL INTO TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE ROAD. I HAVE HAD THE CAR AT TOYOTA SERVICE THREE TIMES, AND ALL THEY HAVE DONE IS TO CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO LEAK OIL. *JB
V6 ENGINE, 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A>. VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED FOLLOWING A STOP. APPEARS TO HAPPEN AFTER A QUICK ROLLING STOP AND WHEN THE <A TRUE;">AIR CONDITIONER</A> HAVING TO WORK. CAR IS UNPREDICTABLE, IT WILL START MOVING AFTER THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF THROTTLE HESITATION. *JB CAR ALSO HUNTS FOR GEARS AT SLOWER SPEEDS CAUSING UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE AS THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES AFTER THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH ALL THE V6 CAMRY'S WHICH THE DEALER COULD NOT FIX. I WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR FURTHER TESTING, WHICH I DID, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO ATTEMPT TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *JB THE VEHICLE JERKED THE CONSUMER AROUND AS GEARS WHERE SHIFTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SEARCHES FOR THE RIGHT GEAR WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. *TC *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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