2009 Camry SE I4 - Idel jumps when Fan is switched on. Is this normal?

[04HLAWD]

Hi all,
We just picked up our 2009 Camry SE I4 about a month ago. Couple of weeks ago when the tempreture started dipping below zero I noticed a very odd thing.

When the car is started cold the RPM goes to 1500 and then gradually comes down to 1000 RPM until it is warmed up. This is all fine and well, the problem is when it is sitting at 1000 RPM - not fully warm yet - if I turn the fan on - no A/C just the blower fan - the RPM jumps and holds steady at 1300 to 1500 RPM. The first time this happend I was in drive sitting behind another car and I nearly hit it because the car jumped when the RPM went up to 1500.

Now I had all sorts of other cars, from American to German and different brands of Japanees cars, but I have never seen this... usually this happens when you turn the A/C on and the RPM goes up by maybe 100 or less but to have it jump by 500 RPM and with only the blower fan on is very questionable.

I'd sure appreciate any feedback felow 09 or 08 Camry owners can provide.

Cheers.

Ara...

[Mike Gerber]

"if I turn the fan on - no A/C just the blower fan"

Are you sure you are not in the defrost mode when this happens? The A/C is integrated with the defrost mode to help with dehumidifying the windshield. That said, 500RPM still does seem like a lot. Have you asked your dealer about this?

Mike

[HerCamry]

I haven't noticed this, but I'll try it tomorrow. Is this only while the motor is below operating temperture? We live in the country and our motor is at operating temperture before we get to the first stop sign.

Coming home tonight it was about 0 degrees and everything seemed O.K. except for the poor gas mileage (24 mpg on tonights fill up, 200 mostly highway miles and we got a "tank average" of 29.3 on our 60 mile trip home tonight from Fargo, ND) and the top 4 lines of the rear window defroster not working. Oh yeah, and all the wind noise from the sunroof (new today). While I'm complaining, I don't like how the defrost/foot heater output cannot be graduated. I don't think Toyota did alot of cold weather testing on this car.

How are your front brake rotors? Our dealer will be replacing the front brake pads and rotors this week. (Just went over 8000 miles tonight.) They also have to fix the shuddering transmission problem. I also hate the way the car decellerates so fast when the gas pedal is released. I like a vehicle to be more free wheeling on icey roads. We have had the tires siped and that has helped alot.

This '09 Camry XLE I-4 is our first new car (I'm 43) and it has as many issues as most used American cars I have owned. I told my wife to pick out whatever car she wanted this summer and this was it. We are already thinking about trading it.

Sorry about ranting on your post.

[HerCamry]

04HLAWD: I tried this morning to make her camry do what you discribed. It would not raise the idle. The controls don't make much sense. If I depressed the front defrost button once, it would slowly ramp up the fan. If I depressed it a second time, sometimes it would toggle off, other times it would only shut off if I depressed the mode button, auto button, or the off buttton. Sometimes it would be in mode setting and have no fan. Other times, it would not allow the fan to be switched below the low setting. It was early and I had only three hours of sleep so maybe it was me, but it didn't seem consistent.

Good luck figuring out your problem.

[Jimnist]

This happens to my uncle's Vienta, but only when you turn the A/C on. It's funny, even when idling and it makes the initial jump when i turn it on and the idle will continue to fluctuate if the A/C is on. I'll be sitting in traffic (when i drive it of course XD) and it lunges forward a bit, then drops.

Only thing i can think of is that a idle-up sensor(operated via vacuum hose) is loose. That's my guess anyway.....

[typesix]

The Vienta's rpm will jump up when AC is on and compressor is on, when compressor cycles off with AC on, idle will drop back to normal.

[mcdawgg]

"and the top 4 lines of the rear window defroster not working. "

The top lines are the antenna, not the defroster.

[HerCamry]

Thanks mcdawgg. Actually, to be more specific, they are for the satellite radio, so I have been told.

[mcdawgg]

Originally Posted by HerCamry

Thanks mcdawgg. Actually, to be more specific, they are for the satellite radio, so I have been told.

You're welcome. On my '07 CE, they are for the antenna.