2011 New Camry Check Engine Light Frustration!

[Geodesign1966]

Hello All. I'm new to this forum but wanted to post an issue I am having with my newCamry. It is a 2011 base model with a 6 speed manual tranmission. I have had the car since May. I drove it off the lot with less then 10 miles on it and now it has only 3400 miles on it. The day I purchased the car the check engine and VSC lights came on. I returned to the purchasing dealer and they reset the computer stating sometimes new cars do that as the computer learns. All was well until about a 1000 miles later when the same lights came on. Before I got back to the dealer they had gone off by themselves. The dealer turned me away stating that if the lights were not on, there was nothing to check. Come back if they come on again. At about another 1000 miles they came back on again. I took the car to another Toyota dealer whom ran the codes. P0335 (crank position sensor) They ordered and replaced the sensor. I was thinking all is well till about 500 miles later the lights came on again. I took it back to the second dealer. They scanned and found the same P0335 code. They kept the car for a week doing according to them all kinds of testing and opened a case with Toyota tech. support. Finally, Toyota tech support claims that I am causing the check engine light to come on most likely by lugging the engine by running in to high a gear or not fully depressing the clutch when coming to a stop. This upset me as I am 44 going on 45 years old and have driven stick shifts all my life. The mechanic at the dealer drove the car over 75 miles trying to recreate what Toyota tech was telling them and was not able to duplicate the problem. I asked the mechanic that if what Toyota tech said is true, shouldn't you be able to duplicate it? He reluctantly replied yes. They reset the computer again and sent me on my way. Now just a few days ago, at 3400 miles the lights are back on. The check engine light came on while sitting in a parking lot idling out of gear with the parking brake on while my wife was picking up a take out order. When I drove off the lot, the VSC light came on as well. I went back to the dealer whom told me that I have to contact Toyota and speak with a rep as they can find nothing wrong with the car. I asked them to at least check it and see if it is the same codes and they said they would have to charge me for it as there is nothing wrong with the car. They recomended I buy a code scanner and reset it myself. This is a joke. As I said, I have driven stick shift cars all my life and have never blown a clutch, tranmission nor have I ever tripped a check engine light by the way I drive. I have asked around, researched the web and can't find anything remotely close to what Toyota Tech claims is happening. I believe I have a faulty computer or an intermittent short in the wiring. I have brought this up and the mechanic said every checks out fine. Well, its not fine and I am fed up. I'm considering hiring a Lemon law attorney. I live in NC and here the car is inspected every year. They scan the computer during inspection and if the check engine light is on or any pending codes are found, I fail the inspection and can not renew my tag.This is sad to me as this is my 5th Toyota. The first 4 were great cars that never gave a moments trouble and 2 of the 4 were stick shifts. Has anyone on this forum heard of a problem like this? Any recomendation?

[cocoLatte]

look up the lemon laws. althought it seems it might just be a faulty wire or a defected computer chip, the point is that if you've been enough times to the dealership for the same problem without resolution, then get ready to look up some lemon laws for your state. just my .02

[exclusive]

Paragraphs are your friend. Cliffs?

[Mosh603]

I think that you should talk to Toyota Motor Corporation and tell them about your experience. The dealership might be incompetent. Or it could be a faulty wire or computer like you said. Research the lemon laws and if your car falls under it; contact an attorney.

[Geodesign1966]

I have contacted Toyota Customer Care. I am suppose to recieve a call from a case manager in the next 24 hours.

I also looked into the NC lemon laws. It states very clearly that 4 attemps to repair the same issue with out resolve and/or 20 days total of being at the dealer within the first 24,000 miles, the car is a lemon and I have the right to a replacement or have Toyota buy it back at full price of purchase. This includes any purchased extended warranty, gap insurance, etc meaning that I get back everything I have put into the car to date.

I guess the big question is, Is Toyota going to stick with there statement that nothing is wrong with the car and that I cause the check engine lights to come by my driving habits.

We'll see what Toyota Customer care says and if I get no where with them, a lawyer is next.

I just wanted the car fixed, not be handed some Bull$^%% story because they weren't able to figure out the problem.

If you can't figure it out, fine, no problem, just make good on it and replace my car.

[DOHCammer]

Originally Posted by Geodesign1966

I guess the big question is, Is Toyota going to stick with there statement that nothing is wrong with the car and that I cause the check engine lights to come by my driving habits.

We'll see what Toyota Customer care says and if I get no where with them, a lawyer is next.

I just wanted the car fixed, not be handed some Bull$^%% story because they weren't able to figure out the problem.

If you can't figure it out, fine, no problem, just make good on it and replace my car.

This is the dealer's opinion, not corporate Toyota's. I've never heard of a driving habit causing a check engine light. There is something wrong with your car. Period. If the dealer, with Toyota's help, can't fix it, then you deserve to be bought out of it. After your interaction with the customer experience center, more than likely an FTS will be called in to "help" the dealer determine what's wrong. I've seen a few people try to get out of their cars because of BS complaints, but a consistant check engine light is a definite fault somewhere in the system.

[arabianobsession]

I have a 2011 Camry SE with the 6 speed manual transmission. I have had it for a year and have 6100 miles on it. So far, my check engine light has never come on, nor has my VSC light come on by itself (I turn off the TC and VSC off myself occasionally).

The dealership is going to have very little experience with your car-manuals are extremely rare in the Camry and most dealers haven't seen one in the Gen 6.5 model yet. Luckily, I work at a dealership where my tech friend also owns a 2011 SE manual, so he helps me out if I have an issue, but Toyota nor the dealerships seem very willing to correct problems with manual transmission Camrys.

Since day 1 my Camry in cold weather has a terrible time shifting. It grinds gears, sometimes it refuses to go in gear at all, even with the clutch fully depressed. I also have extensive experience with manual transmissions and have never come across this before. I have done everything in my power to fix it, including replacing the transmission fluid, but it still does it. I also have tried talking to Toyota and all they tell me is to go to my dealer. It's just an annoying roundabout issue, so I gave up.

Like I said, I just wanted to warn you, they won't know much about your car. The manuals are a different beast than what they used to be, even the clutch is drive by wire, so it feels completely different from what people are used to.

Good luck.

[gator1939]

I haven't done any major work on a car since they introduced computers and fuel injection and stuffed the engine compartment so full that you can't see the ground beneath the car; but; in an old car I would guess that the clutch isn't releasing all the way or the throw-out bearing is bad, or the syncro-gear is out of whack. I don't know if any of these things are in a modern transmission or not.

gator1939