Cruise Control problems of the 2008 Toyota Camry

My wife was driving home one day and told me that the car was shaking violently. When I drove it, it shook but was not too bad. I thought it was a tire balancing issue. Then it happened. I was driving one day on the freeway, the car started shaking and the abs was activated! I stopped the car on the road and I could smell the brake smoke. The the last straw, I'm driving home one day and the brakes seized I was able to get the car to the dealer who told me the brake actuator was the cause and it was common for the year/make/model but there was no recall and the cost of repair was $3k. Three thousand dollars for something that is "common". After having my car for 3 days, Toyota agreed to pay half of the costs, so it still cost $1500 to repair, plus $100 for a brake job, though I had a brake job 6 months old! like many many others, our 2008 Toyota Camry has and continues to experience major issues affecting the safe operation of the vehicle, including but not limited to brakes abs activating on its own, brakes seizing, premature brake pad/rotor wear, dashboard lights not working, car mats, brake pedal, sun visors, dash board melting, motor mount breaking for no reason, dashboard gauges not working (speedometer/odometer/fuel/temperature etc), cruise control working intermittently where it turns off by itself, door panels coming loose, speakers stop working properly. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Though we've enjoyed owning Toyotas in the past, we've owned this one for almost this one for almost 11 years. And though we're looking to get a new car soon, I'm fairly certain that because of the issues and more importantly the corporate treatment by Toyota regarding issues with their product, this may our last one. The NHTSA should encourage Toyota to do whatever is necessary to fix these issues before they become fatal.

I purchased a 2008 Toyota Camry for my employer. I use the car for work, and frequently use the cruise control. When I first bought the car, I had problems with the cruise control, primarily climbing or descending hills (I commute along the taconic parkway in NY). If you set the car at 60mph, for example, the car would slow down to about 50mph when it was climbing, then suddenly down shift and accelerate very quickly, literally pinning you back in your seat. This would then cause the car to speed up to about 75mph before coasting. But it would not slow down the car in any way until I either braked or the car started ascending another hill. When I had a chance, I took the car in to the local Toyota dealer and mentioned this to him. He admitted that Toyota had a "service bulliten" out to update the software as there were some flaws in the programming. When I questioned why it wasn't a fleet wide recall, he said "we only have to do it when people complain about it". Considering the wild extremes of the speeds that I was experiencing I found this comment to be extremely odd. However, after they did their fix, the car did improve as it doesn't accelerate wildly like it used to. But even today as I was driving the car back from baltimore, it still has a wide open range for it's cruise control that I think is not normal. I had the cruise set for 65mph today, and the car topped out at 80. + or - 15mph is way too far beyond an acceptable range. My civic controls the speed within a +-5mph range on the same route. The recent events in the news makes me wonder if there isn't a latent defect in either the sensors or the programming.

1) cruise control does not hold set speed when going down steep hills 2) instrument panel lights dim to the point of all most going out, regardless of were the dim control is set. Unable to predict when this will happen. Sometimes they go dark and come back on and other times they may stay off regardless of what I do. I wrote to Toyota on 12/11/2009 concerning these topics and have not received a reply. Another letter will be going out shortly. I am aware of what the manual says on these topics, but do not believe they should be happening. How long have they been building cars? no excuse for these problems.

I own a Toyota Camry 2008 and I notice my cruise control come on sometimes as I start the ignition to start driving. I know where the cruise control is located and I don't touch it. I am a little worried since I am hearing about electrical problems with the Toyota Camry and other models of Toyota. This keeps happening. Please help.

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at speeds of 60 mph with the cruise control activated, the vehicle began accelerating. On a later date, he received notification of a recall and repairs were performed to the accelerator pedal by an authorized dealer (NHTSA campaign id number 10v017000: vehicle speed control accelerator pedal). The vehicle was taken back to the dealer four times for unintended acceleration instances after the recall repairs. The dealer could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer advised that because the dealer was unable to locate a failure, they would not provide any assistance. The contact confirmed that he no longer drives the vehicle. The failure mileage was 28,882 and the current mileage was 29,120. Updated 6/1/10 the consumer stated the vehicle would take off at any speed, even from a dead stop and continue at a very rapid rate of speed. Updated 06/18/10.

Lack of throttle control,up and down shifting,acceleration surging,extreme acceleration from minimal throttle depression (impossible to drive in maine winter slippery roads). Cruise control varies 7 to 9 mph on the maine turnpike when set 75 mph. At 75 mph the car will un-lock the converter and down shift to maintain speed and over accelerates by 5mph and stays in the lower gear for considerable time then DE-celerates the throttle and does not up shift,then up shifts and locks the converter at the same time creating a sudden jolt and takes 1/2 mile to resume set speed unless there another hill.

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) this happens every time I attempt to use cruise control - I have e-mails where they promised response from liaison by yesterday customer ([xxx] ) 03/02/2010 09:43 am I originally sent my e-mail to you on February 24th. Today is March 2nd. Please provide me with your response providing a solution ASAP. [xxx] customer ([xxx] ) 02/24/2010 05:39 am my 2008 solara does not drive well in cruise control. I have taken it back to the dealer several times for service and when I mention this they just tell me it's how the computers in them work now. I find it very unsafe because while I am driving from mobile, alabama to nashville, TN and try to use on the interstate, the thing goes way into the red zone at even the slightest incline, and even on more level highway, it tries to speed up and the engine revs too high. I just turn it off, but it is an absolute bummer not to be able to use it. Driving 7 hours with foot on the accelerator makes my leg hurt. My 2003 solara had an outstanding cruise control system. Now with all the recalls on Toyotas, I am considering going with another brand, but I have driven Toyotas for so many years and always trusted them. I don't even know if my vehicle is part of the current recall, but I do know that cruise control doesn't work and even not using it, sometimes my car acts like it wants to take off by itself, although to date, I have always been able to stop my vehicle and other than numerous blind spots when trying to back it up, I have not experience trouble. But I hate, hate, hate the cruise control. I want a new car now, just not sure it should be a Toyota.

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Camry. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle would then surge forward and became difficult to control. The contact stated that there was an occasional three second hesitation before the vehicle would begin to move when the accelerator pedal was depressed. Toyota stated that they were unaware of such failure. The current and failure mileages were 650. The consumer stated the cruise control was unreliable even on a slight slope with downshifting. The vehicle would also hesitate to move from a stop. Updated 12/31/07.

2008 Toyota hybrid Camry--from the date of purchase in October, 2007 I have experienced surging when I use cruise control and go up an incline or hill. I have accepted this as normal but now am wondering if I have a problem with my accelerator. My understanding is that the hybrid is not on the list of recalls. Can you check this out for me. I am also reminded that I had a defective tire replaced within the first year. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Camry. When driving on an incline with the cruise control activated, the vehicle will suddenly increase speed without the drivers control. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. The current and failure mileages were 37477.