** Camry can't pick a gear!

[holybull95]

Year, make and model - 88 Toyota Camry
Engine size - 4 cylinder
Manual or automatic transmission - auto
Mileage - 136,000


This past summer, my 88 Camry started having trouble picking the right gear to be in when I was in Drive. I went to a local shop and they pulled the pan and said everything looked great. I changed the fluid, but I still had the problem. To compensate, I stated manually shifting the automatic transmission. Start in L, go to 2, then to D, and then the overdrive button for highway. It worked fine. Yestarday, that no longer worked as it kept going up and down through the gears at the wrong time. Sometimes the car barely moves and sometimes I am in the high rpm range. The engine is not racing when I am in a gear, so I don't think there is slipping, just whatever allows the car to pick which gear to go in has gone haywire. I did check the fluid level yestarday and it is perfect and clean. What do think?

[Toysrme]

Assuming nothing is mechanically wrong with it, look at your kick-down cable. Make sure it's not really loose, or as tight as you can get it.
The Free Mod Series - Part I Quicker Transmission Shifting

[CrawlingEye]

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Assuming nothing is mechanically wrong with it, look at your kick-down cable. Make sure it's not really loose, or as tight as you can get it.
The Free Mod Series - Part I Quicker Transmission Shifting

I agree, I'd be lead to believe it would be far too loose if it were late to shift then wanting to kick down. Tightening it should make the shifts quicker and catch better.