I've never experienced this before with any car and am hoping someone has an idea...

This afternoon, about 30 minutes after my wife got home (she drove the Camry to work) I went out and started the car. For a brief second, the car attempted to lurch forward. Craziest thing I've ever seen a car do.

I shut the car down, confirmed it was in park and restarted. It did not happen again. A/T fluid was replaced about 300 miles ago and it has only happened this once. We purchased the car just 40 miles prior to having the fluid changed so I have no previous experience with this car beyond that.

The car only moved an inch or two but it was pretty freaky, considering the potential "What-if" scenarios, were this to happen in the garage or in a parking lot, etc.

Has anyone ever experienced this or have any ideas as to the cause? there are no A/T fluid leaks that I have found and the fluid level looks good on the dipstick.

 

no experience like this. almost wow.

maybe the car thought you were still the wife and had finally gotten up the courage to show displeasure at her driving style ...

SInce this occured suggest that you / wife chiggle the shift column once you turn on the ignition, but before engaging the starter.

Bet two things here: 1) you already thought of that, and 2) it won't happen again.


luck

 

There may be some drag on the internal trans components. If the trans really is in Park unless something broken the shift valves will not have the internal trans parts engaged in any forward or reverse gear.

When in Park, a parking pawl is engaged inside the trans. Basically a pin that engages a tooth on one of the rotating shafts. This physically prevents the driven end of the trans from rotating, meaning the axles are not going to rotate. However there is always some play between the pin and tooth.

The pawl prevented the car from moving any further then an inch or so until the play was taken up.

If concerned, have your foot on the brake when starting.

Not sure there is anything you can do that is low cost besides making sure the shift lever on the trans is fully in the Park position when the shift lever inside the car is in Park. They are connected by a cable.

Was all the trans fluid changed (not just the pan fluid)? If not, might have it all flushed out.

 

this is new to me too... kinda pro could fix this problem.

 

My first thought as well... LOL. This was my thoughts on a fix too... chiggle the shift column.

Thanks!

Scott

 

Good point. I'll look into that and if it was not completely flushed then that just got bumped to # 1 on the current to-do list.

Thanks!