2000 Camry turns off

[glenncastle]

Hey everyone I'm new to the site. Been a Toyota fan 4 ever. i own a 98 Tacoma Reg. Cab 2.7L 5 speed 4WD and a 2000 Camry CE 2.2L Automatic.
I'm actually having an issue with the Camry. It intermittently turns off! I could be cruising on the freeway or at a stop and it will shut off. Always restarts though. Any tips on what this may be? It has about 90k miles and well maintained. any info would be appreciated thanks.

Glenn

[Mike Gerber]

Try cleaning the throttle body, paying particular attention to spraying the cleaner liberally down in to the square or diamond shaped hole in the base of the throttle body. That port leads to the idle air control vavle where your problem may exist. Spary down there and let it soak while you go on to clean the reset of the throttle body. Here's a link with some good pictures on how to do this. If that doesn't cure the problem repost back here.

How to: Cleaning Throttle Body -4 Cylinder Engines- With Pictures

Mike

[glenncastle]

well I went ahead and did what most suggested and cleaned out the throttle body really good. Even has a new IAC valve. what else could cause this? Fuel pump maybe?

[EA6BMECH]

I have a 4 banger LE myself and it would do it but only when you were almost stopped. I cleaned the throttle body and it seemed to help some. Been a few years, but it sorta went away. I have no good answer for ya, but I know what you're talking about.

[ibfly]

I have exactly the same problem as yours. Mine is also a 2000 camry 2.2L. Exactly the same. But I got 120 K miles on it. I had no problem with it running 80 mph for 8 hours. But the engine just shut off when I came to a red light on my way to a gas station.

The problem is really wired. It happened once in May during my 8 hours' long drive to see my girlfriend. After that, for almost a whole month, I drove it to school everyday and nothing happened.Then, one week ago, I drove it again for 8 hours without any problems (even at gas stations). But the engine shut off again for the second time when I was driving on a main street over there. Then I had no problem driving 8 hours back.

It really drives me crazy.

Please give me any comments on this wired 2000 camry problem. Is there a recall for this?

By the way, how much will it cost normally for an engine diagnosis?

Thank you very much!

[toysarefun]

Is the difference between the car just dying out at a stop sign vs. driving down the freeway at half throttle and it quits on you which is like all of a sudden no fuel, or the ignition lost power?, which is quite different from a gunked up throttle body. Now, that would be a safety issue because you can't steer or stop very well.

[ibfly]

Originally Posted by toysarefun

Is the difference between the car just dying out at a stop sign vs. driving down the freeway at half throttle and it quits on you which is like all of a sudden no fuel, or the ignition lost power?, which is quite different from a gunked up throttle body. Now, that would be a safety issue because you can't steer or stop very well.

Hi,

Sorry for the confusion. The car won't die at the ramp or freeway. It died out at the first red light. It won't die out all of a sudden. When the car completely stopped, the engine speed would fell down below 1000, then it started to moved up and down like crazy. This will last a few seconds. Then the engine died.

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by ibfly

Hi,

Sorry for the confusion. The car won't die at the ramp or freeway. It died out at the first red light. It won't die out all of a sudden. When the car completely stopped, the engine speed would fell down below 1000, then it started to moved up and down like crazy. This will last a few seconds. Then the engine died.

Clean the throttle body and idle air control valve. I posted a link on how to do this in my previous post in this thread.

Mike

[ibfly]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

Clean the throttle body and idle air control valve. I posted a link on how to do this in my previous post in this thread.

Mike

Hi, Mike,

Thank you for your post with pics. I followed it once in May. It was really dirty for my 2000 camry. I guess it has never been cleaned. It was full of sludge. That time, I think I did not do a thorough job. Maybe that's why I got another engine die out one week ago.

I did it again yesterday. I think it is clean now. It seems that more horsepower and more smooth. I hope my strange problem won't come again.

Is that the dirty throttle body the root cause for my problem? Are there any problems I need to pay attention to?

[Mike Gerber]

You need to spray the cleaner liberally in to the square or diamond shaped hole in the base of the throttle body and leave it there for about 10 minutes. That hole leads down to the idle air control valve, where the problem probably exists. (You can see the hole in the 4th picture of the thread linked above on cleaning the throttle body.) Then put the big tube back on to the throttle body, start the car and take it for a ride to get all of the cleaner out of the car. Also, make sure when you cleaned the throttle body that you cleaned the back side of the throttle valve (the butterfly valve) and also it's edges.

Mike

[ibfly]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

You need to spray the cleaner liberally in to the square or diamond shaped hole in the base of the throttle body and leave it there for about 10 minutes. That hole leads down to the idle air control valve, where the problem probably exists. (You can see the hole in the 4th picture of the thread linked above on cleaning the throttle body.) Then put the big tube back on to the throttle body, start the car and take it for a ride to get all of the cleaner out of the car. Also, make sure when you cleaned the throttle body that you cleaned the back side of the throttle valve (the butterfly valve) and also it's edges.

Mike

Thank you! I did not spray into that hole at the first time. I did it yesterday. It was really dirty. I don't know whether it is clean enough for the hole. I will drive for some time and see.

But it has already shown a lot improvement today.

Thanks!

[glenncastle]

turns off while cruising. usually about once a week. pretty intermittent, any ideas anybody?

[ibfly]

Originally Posted by glenncastle

turns off while cruising. usually about once a week. pretty intermittent, any ideas anybody?

Once a week! That's too often. What did you do when your engine die out on a highway? Are you able to turn the wheels and stop at the emergy lane? Do you have any trouble starting the car?

For my 2000 camry, the engine is just fine while cruising. It stalls at a stop sign or a red light. I have trouble starting the car. I need to pump the gas at the same time I turn the key. Otherwise, it won't start.

[glenncastle]

I just put it in neutral and start it while its rolling, then pop it back in drive. Never have problems starting back up. 1 time it did kind of misfire and shake after start up, but thats about it.