96 Camry AT Help Needed - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

badcamry · 11-09-2005, 02:07 AM

It is a V6 LE with the A541E transmission. I recently purchased it with 112, 000 miles on it. Drove it for a couple of weeks and everything worked fine. Then I had the transmission drained and filled at a local shop. No filter change, no flush. Within 2 days I started having trouble. Shifting into drive caused a double engagement about 1 second apart. Next the upshifts were delayed, slow and engaged too hard. Similiar problems followed with downshifts. Now the noises have set in. Grinding vibration in drive when stopped and it is now starting to do it in reverse. There is a New noise which is a consistant growl/ whine that changes with gears. All this has happened over 3 weeks. At this rate I expect the transmission to fail in two more months or less. I checked the fluid level when hot whith engine running and it looks fine. I am not sure if there is anything that can stop or delay the inevitable but I welcome any suggestions.

Streetglower · 11-09-2005, 04:30 AM

is there enough fluid in there. I dont know how camrys are, but on my car the fluid level is checked with the car off. I would suspect that.

DO you know what color the fluid was when you had it drained? This can tell alot about whats going on in the transmission.

badcamry · 11-09-2005, 12:54 PM

From what I know, the fluid is at the correct level. I don't know what the fluid looked like, I should have taken the time to drain it myself.

Pineapple · 11-09-2005, 02:48 PM

Auto tranny oil level is check when engine is running.

badcamry · 11-09-2005, 04:08 PM

I checked it while running, in park, after I had driven it to warm it up. When the dipstick was fully inserted and removed the level was at the upper mark of the upper two (hot) marks.

19Celi87 · 11-11-2005, 05:54 AM

Try this:

Warm car to op-temp.
If you have user controled OD make sure it is on.
When at temp press firmly on brakes, release parking brake and then place the car into drive.
Remain stationary just letting the engine idle in gear for no less than 1 min. pref 2.

(By the way make sure you are in a position to move forward and drive the car at the end of the wait)

At the end of two min. release brake and drive in a very "old lady" fashion until the tranny has entered all gears. You should not exceed 45-50 MPH. When the last gear is entered slow the car to 25-30 MPH making sure that you at least drop down in gear, re accel.
Do this a couple of times.
On your last decel you need to come to a complete stop making sure you decend all the way down into L gear in the process.
Idle car in gear for 30 sec or so and shut off. Wait about 45 sec, and re start the car.
Drive in normal fashion.

This comes directly from Toyota Training Manual. It is a common problem in all Toy AT after fluid change, work ect. This retrains the computer.

19Celi87 · 11-11-2005, 05:56 AM

PS

This may not correct the problem. It is just a whole lot cheaper than tranny OH and worth a shot. It worked for me several times.