Power Train Problems of Toyota Camry - part 1

I own a 2018 Toyota Camry equipped with the ua80 8-speed automatic transmission. I have experienced the following symptoms: burning smell coming from the transmission, hesitation and jerking during acceleration, and previously noticed a knocking/clunking noise that eventually stopped on its own. These symptoms are consistent with the known ua80 transmission defect involving excessive heat buildup, premature fluid degradation, and torque converter failure. I am aware that Toyota has known about this defect since at least 2016 and has issued multiple technical service bulletins without offering a permanent fix or recall. The transmission has not yet been inspected by a dealer. I am filing this complaint to add to the public record and support a formal NHTSA investigation.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Camry 🔎.

Transmission began failing. Whining coming from transmission when accelerating and shifting becoming more rough. Dealership said transmission is failing and needs to be replaced. Mileage is at 89,000 miles. Rough shifter made it dangerous to drive on the highways. Was inspected by warranty adjuster. No warning lamps or lights ever appeared.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Camry 🔎.

Vehicle shut off while driving on highway during morning rush. Car shut off within seconds of flashing dashboard. I was in a dangerous situation with the possibility of creating a major highway accident, I was stuck on the highway with disappearing breakdown lane. Pulled code p26cb on obd code reader at auto zone; p26cb7 pulled on Toyota diagnostic code reader= engine coolant pump actuator stuck. Active tested water pump and pump. It working. Tested for power and ground at the pump and good. Need to replace electric water pump per Toyota. Diagnostic test $184. 95 at Toyota. Toyota requesting $1,400. 00 for repair not including diagnostic testing. Called Toyota dealership and Toyota and was told it doesn’t fall under warranty or goodwill that code p26cb isn’t the same as their code p26cb7. After the incident I researched Toyota Camry and this is a well documented issue that is being declined. My Toyota Camry was bought brand new and has 49,000 miles. I am traumatized and disappointed with the product and services I have received with this 2019 Toyota Camry.

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This 2020 Camry's transmission will be fine and then when you let off the throttle it will begin to slow as it should. However, when you reapply the throttle the transmission slams very forefully into gear and jolts the car forward violently. Idl'd heard about this on numsrous Camry's before, but until I owned one I had no idea how bad this is. . . It is not safe. Toyota needs to correct this problem for all their vehicles.

The check engine light illuminated on my 2020 Toyota Camry xse 2. 5l with approximately 132,798 miles. An obd2 scan revealed fault code p26ae — engine coolant bypass valve 'b' control circuit high. This is a known widespread defect affecting 2018-2022 Toyota Camry, rav4, and corolla vehicles equipped with the 2. 5l dynamic force engine. The plastic valve casing is prone to cracking, allowing coolant to seep into the electrical connector and corrode the pins, triggering the fault. Toyota has acknowledged this issue through a customer support program offering free replacement on qualifying vehicles, however many owners are still being quoted $900-$1,300 at dealerships. The faulty valve affects the engine coolant flow control system and transmission cooling circuit. Warning light appeared suddenly after a routine fuel fill. Vehicle has not yet been inspected by dealer. Component is available for inspection upon request. ".

2018 Camry xse, vacuum pump went on my car less then a year ago. I had my car towed to the dealership for the recall to be fixed. Since that incident my car hasn’t been the same. While stopped at a light my dash board lite up with every issue the car could possibly have. Lane departure assist, secondary breaking system failure, engine coolant too hot, emergency brake failure and then the check engine light came on. I was able to get my cat to the side of the road and eventually make it home. I brought my car back to Toyota and a day later I was informed I might need a new engine, 8,000 dollars. I am very diligent about oil changes, tune ups etc. My car has 140,000 highway miles. I travel a lot for work. This car has never had a major issue until the recalled vacuum pump was repaired. All these complaints from other people with primarily the same issue cannot be wrong. It is definitely a manufacturing issue and I shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for an issue that the dealership caused. Now I either have to buy a new car or pay 8000 to repair my current vehicle. I will never buy another Toyota again.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle's speed slowly reached 20 mhp. In addition, the contact stated that while driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle lost motive power and seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline and report the failure.

On [xxx] about [xxx] I was driving north on the [xxx] about a quarter mile north of the [xxx] exit and [xxx] 4 of a mile south of the [xxx] exit. The transmission in my 2019 Toyota Camry started to slip and failed to transfer power to the wheels. The engine reved to about 2800 rpm. Thankfully I was in the second to slowest lane to the right and was able to coast and change to the slowest lane and continued to coast and stopped on the shoulder, not blocking the flow of traffic. This was while the traffic was extremely heavy and it had begun to drizzle. It was extremely dangerous and other drivers patiently allowed me to get to the shoulder of the road where b y that time the vehicle had zero power to move at all. Aaa was called and they towed mehome. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

At 170,000 miles, the 2019 Toyota hybrid Camry le has developed a consistent drive train lurch/stumble/shake around 20, 40 and 60 mph, which is increasing in intensity and occurrence. This defect is quite startling and occurs regardless of efficiency, hvac, cruise control, etc. Settings. Examined twice by a Toyota dealer service department Toyota-trained licensed repair technician, no explanation or repair can be suggested. That is, I am expected to suffer this defect until left stranded.

The car started jerking and the rpms heratic while driving but would not advance pressing the accelerator on the freeway could have crashed or been involved in a major accident on the freeway was able to move out in time because pressing the accelerator did not work not did it move the car it completely lost power once on the side of road try reversing and noting happened could not drive or reverse completely dead on the side of the road without warning no lights came on the transmission no longer functions happened 4-18-2026 is being towed turns on but can't drive out move only wining noise.

The vehicle experienced a complete transmission failure following a period of abnormal operation. The component that failed is the automatic transmission (8-speed). Prior to total failure, the vehicle began exhibiting multiple symptoms, including delayed engagement when shifting into drive and reverse, hesitation during acceleration, and inconsistent power delivery at low speeds. At times, the engine rpm would increase without corresponding acceleration, followed by sudden jerking or surging once the transmission engaged. These issues created unsafe driving conditions, particularly when attempting to merge into traffic or accelerate from a stop, as the vehicle did not respond predictably or immediately to driver input. This posed a safety risk to both the driver and surrounding vehicles. The symptoms progressed over time and ultimately resulted in a complete transmission failure, rendering the vehicle undrivable. The problem has been confirmed by a dealership, which diagnosed the vehicle as requiring a full transmission replacement. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. There were no prior warning lights or dashboard indicators before the onset of symptoms. The initial symptoms appeared suddenly and worsened over a short period of time. The vehicle has been regularly maintained according to recommended service schedules, with no known gaps in maintenance. Based on the nature of the failure and similar reports of transmission issues in comparable vehicles, this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. This issue appears consistent with broader reports of transmission malfunction in similar model vehicles, raising concerns about reliability and safety.

On March 19, 2026, I was driving to work when traffic began to slow, and I reduced my speed accordingly. As traffic started to return to normal speed, I pressed the accelerator; however, although the engine revved, the vehicle did not accelerate beyond approximately 15 mph. I safely moved to the side of the road and turned the car off. After restarting the vehicle, shifting into drive, and pressing the accelerator, the same issue occurred. I subsequently took the car to two separate mechanics, both of whom reported that the transmission needs to be replaced. This is unexpected, as the vehicle has fewer than 100,000 miles and has received regular maintenance.

Check engine light came on getting to highway speeds about 50 mph. Transmission went into limp mode at around 75k miles. Dealership told me my transmission was low on fluid. I had a transmission issue due to that same week. They told me to hold off on the flush because it was odd that a Toyota transmission is going in limp mode and with a check engine light at this mileage.

I heard a noise thought it was my brakes, my mechanic said it was a transmission. Now it stalls when take off and at lower speeds very loud.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Camry 🔎.

My transmission is slipping / hesitating / delay shifting. I have always had it serviced on time and taken very good care of it. I even went and had the fluid flushed & refreshed and it is still happening. It makes driving unpredictable and makes me feel extremely unsafe in my car. There aren’t any lights on, on my dashboard. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance.

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she notices that the vehicle grinds it's gears very loud while in transition, hesitate to accelerate and does not want to shift between gears. The dealer was notified of the failure were it was diagnosed to need a new transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

I began noticing louder noises coming from my Camry over the last couple months. The car started jerking forward more, stalling and hesitating to pick up speed, and I became increasingly concerned about my ability to control the car. Took the car in on Tuesday February 24th for a routine oil change at suburban Toyota of troy and I informed them of the issue. Completed oil changed and they informed me that transmission fluid looked good, we just flushed it last year, and there was nothing they could notice right away wrong. They said they initially could not detect a problem but eventually noticed hesitation and jerking of the car when testing it. The dealer informed that a software update might help the jerking. I was told there was no guarantee that the update would help. There were also no warning lights on the dash at any time. I was not told that I should do the update right away and so I planned to bring the car back. Two days later, on 2/27/26, upon driving my car for five mins, it began jerking, making very loud sounds, and failed to accelerate. I had never experienced this issue to this degree and it was very scary and dangerous to experience this during rush hour traffic. The car then completely gave out, stopped driving altogether and the car began smelling like something was burning. I had it towed back to the dealer. The dealer told me that the transmission is a complete failure. The car is in otherwise good condition. This is extremely disappointing because I just paid this vehicle off and now I have to pay Toyota 8900 for a new transmission or get a new car.

The 2019 model year ua80 transmission abruptly failed while driving at under 88,000 miles, just a bit beyond the warranty period. I have to sell the car as is and take a $10,000 loss because of this defect by Toyota. My mechanic has photos and will document all the details. My safety was absolutely at risk when the vehicle abruptly stopped on the road while driving during a major rain storm but luckily nothing bad happened. Thankfully I was on a local surface street and not the freeway or a busy intersection. I was towed to my mechanic that has been servicing my vehicle since 2021. My mechanic did a thorough inspection and determined the transmission had failed. He also confirmed this is a chronic problem with several make and model years for several Toyota and Lexus vehicles that use the ua80 transmission. I also learned several class action lawsuits against Toyota were recently filed. There was really no warning other than it ran a little rough in the morning 2 days prior to the car stopping abruptly on the road. This was just a week or so after being with my mechanic for regular service. There are no replacement ua80 units available from Toyota, they are on back order due to all the failures, so my only option is to walk away and take a huge loss or spend $9,000 on a used unit that will ultimately have the same issue. I am probably going to sell at a loss and get a different vehicle.

Transmission shifting issues even with regular fluid changes. Struggles to find gear and occasional slip especially when its colder outside. Seems to be a widespread issue that needs to be addressed.

Transmission shudder - noticed transmission vibration at speeds from 25 to 30 mph and before 50 mph. Took the car to a shop for wheel alignment, vibration still felt. Took to a dealer , hamer Toyota in mission hills, CA. , and dealer said, it could be just the transmission oil, so I had the oil change done. Problem was the same. Took it for tire rotation and balance, but problem was the same. Called the Toyota company and Toyota said, the extended warranty on the transmission expired in 2022. I said, it’s only 100,000 miles, but less than 150,000 miles — which was the maximum extended mileage warranty. Toyota insisted they could not do anything because 2022 came 1st and not the 150k miles. Took it to a transmission shop and after diagnosis, had it . Rebuilt. Rebuilding partially solved the problem, a little improvement from before. Took it back for more checking until finally, after valve body assembly replacement, shudder is gone.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Camry 🔎.

My vehicles transmission suddenly failed on the highway and caused me to almost crash; I lost control of the vehicle but no damage was sustained to the car. The transmission failed without any incident or reason; further research indicates multiple class action lawsuits against Toyota for knowingly selling malfunctioning ua80 transmissions in many of there 2018-2024 models, including my 2018 Camry xse. 7grand for a repair on a vehicle that I purchased for 30k and the vehicle was certified by Toyota.

Transmission failure after 145k miles; confirmed by 3 independent service centers. Ics malfunction appeared two days prior to car being sent to mechanic shop.

Vehicle started making a nasty whining noise. Talked to Toyota, they stated it was normal. Ive kept up on the transmission service as noted, and performed all said services before they were due, vehicle just rolled over to 108k and the whining noise got louder, and now the transmission is bad, called a friend at a different Toyota dealer and he stated that they have a lot of Camrys with bad transmissions, and that Toyota knows about it but wont acknowledge the issues.

My transmission completely failed. It has been diagnosed by an auto body shop. It is available for inspection upon request. It has not been inspected by any of the named above. One day it was fine; driving normal, no erratic behavior. The next day the transmission starts slipping gears, shifting harshly, car shaking, and getting stuck in gear. Driving with my car acting up, having to pull over and turn the car off and back on just to try and get the transmission under control; which didn’t work. My check engine light didn’t even come on until after my transmission completely failed. I have been without my car since February 2nd 2026 because I simply cannot afford to have my vehicle repaired. I bought a Toyota because of the reliability; but now I regret it.

Current mileage is approximately 82,000. Vehicles transmission slips, harsh shifting, and sudden jerking when cold (but after cold start protocol) accelerator also has this issue, where the car will struggle to accelerate, jerking instead until foot is let off the accelerator and then reapplied. All services have been done at the dealer and on time. Original transmission fluid changes reported metal shavings, and transmission fluid was changed early. Vehicle is not subject to harsh/rough driving habits. Seems to be signs of premature transmission failure.

My transmission is making a whining noise that starts round 20 mph and gets louder the faster I drive.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Camry 🔎.

Issue: loud whining coming from transmission during acceleration, rough shifting, transmissions slips. Rough shifting noticed shortly after 25k warranty. More details: I had purchase my vehicle new at dublin Toyota and have serviced my vehicle regularly recommended by Toyota dealer. Took into dealer for 90k service which included transmission fluid change. After the service I noticed that the bill didn’t include transmission fluid on the materials list. I called the service advisor and asked if it had been changed. The service advisor said he couldn’t prove it as it was not listed so he asked that I bring it back in and he will make sure it is changed. I brought the car back in. . The service team never mentioned any concerns with transmission. Whining started a couple weeks after. I took my car to transmission shop, who inspected a found black burnt transmission fluid with metal pieces. I informed them that I brought my car in for service which was supposed to include a transmission fluid change. They said it didn’t look like it was changed, and if it was, the the service tech would have noticed the black fluid and should have advised of transmission concerns. I was advised that the transmission is damaged beyond being rebuild and needs to be replaced. This failure is a known and acknowledged issue with Toyota ua80f/e transmissions. Technical service bulletins t-sb-0160-18, t-sb-0008-21.

Bought the car in July 2025. Transmission completely failed in January 2026. Transmission is on nationwide back order and I was told I am looking at June now. I have waited almost 6 months and am paying for a car I dont have.

Jerking shifting hard stalled in traffic.

While driving my 2018 Toyota Camry in active traffic, the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating despite pressing the accelerator pedal. The engine remained on, but the vehicle would not move when pressing accelerator pedal. This occurred without warning and created an immediate safety hazard because surrounding traffic was moving normally and I was unable to maintain speed or clear the roadway. The loss of acceleration occurred while the vehicle was already in motion, not during startup, and placed me at risk of being rear-ended. There were no dashboard warnings prior to the failure. The condition appeared intermittent and unpredictable. This issue is extremely dangerous because a driver cannot rely on the vehicle to accelerate when needed to avoid collisions or safely merge, cross intersections, or keep up with traffic flow. What happened after the failure the vehicle required pulling over / restarting / limping to safety due to inability to accelerate normally. This defect makes the vehicle unsafe to operate in normal traffic conditions. ? additional safety concerns I have discovered numerous consumer complaints and ongoing litigation involving 2018 Toyota Camry automatic transmission failures, including reports of hesitation, loss of power, and failure to accelerate. This suggests a systemic transmission defect, not normal wear and tear. This failure presents a serious risk of crash, injury, or death, especially in intersections, highways, or congested traffic. Requested action I am requesting that NHTSA: •investigate this issue as a potential safety defect •review similar complaints involving 2018 Toyota Camry automatic transmissions •require corrective action, including recall or mandatory repair, if a defect is confirmed.

There is a transmission shudder when traveling around 30-40 mph as well as sporadically when increasing speed. Recently, there is a very hard shift/jolt when transmission is shifting from 2nd to 3rd. The issue is caused by a combination of a faulty torque converter and a software glitch in the engine control module (ecm). This is a safety hazard, and I contacted Toyota dealership in vineland who told me that they can't do anything. However, to fix the problem that Toyota issued the recall themselves, Toyota dealers need to replace to the torque converter and update the ecm software. I am reaching out to the NHTSA because this is a safety hazard, and I hope you are able to help me.

Faulty transmission resulted in loss of power while driving at high speed.

I have been taking my car to Toyota from I had the car, just normal recommendations. 2 weeks a go nothing was wrong with my car when I took it to nalley stonecrest in GA, no one said anything to me about anything feeling away or nothing about a check engine light( that's when I knew something wasn't right). In less then 2 days the check engine light came on and instantly the car started to drag and loose acceleration and wouldn't go in to gear while I am on the highway and stuck in the middle of the road. I went to nalley Toyota of stone crest which I shouldn't and explained to them what happen. Not even looking at at the car they instantly said its a transmission need to replace. ( remind you they didn't even look at it yet cause I have not towed it yet. They wont check it to see if there is a problem that they might have caused or anything, just quick to sell you a transmission. Something need sto be done cause if this many cars are having the same problem something need to justified.

Automatic transmission. Whining noise from transmission only while accelerator is pressed, goes away when let off the accelerator pedal. Transmission can quit working unexpectedly. 8 speed transmission that there are a lot of complaints on internet about this problem.

Transmission is broken at 110,000 miles. It's happening to everyone that owns Toyota's.