I have a 2000 camry 4 cyl. auto trans with 129xxx miles that started giving me problems yesterday. When I left for work yesterday morning the car was in Drive and seemed to be slipping out of gear and the rpm's would go up and the car would not go. I was able to make it to work about 5 miles away but when i tried to accelerate it seemed to slip out of gear. I was able to make it go by not accelerating too fast and just kept the rpms real low. If I tried to speed up and make the car down shift it would not go at all and would just rev the engine. Also when the car would shift up it was very jerky and was making loud clunking noises. I checked the trans fluid and it seems full. The fuild was changed about six months ago; by accident when i was changing the oil i pulled the wrong plug and drained the trans fluid, I consulted the book and put in the correct fuild. Is it possible that this could be a solenoid or something that doesn't require an entire trans rebuild? Has anyone had this problem? Any help is appreciated!!

 

By accident you drained the trans fluid. Was this the drain plug on the large trans pan?

The trans differential has its own fluid reservoir, make sure it still has flluid.

In back of the diff housing facing the firewall is a fill plug, remove the plug and make sure trans fluid starts to drip out or you can fill it through the fill port with your finger.

How are you checking the trans fluid, engine running, fluid hot, trans in park?

 

Yes it was by accident, I was changing the oil for the first time; my dad was there working on his car supervising but not under the car watching what plug i was taking out. But i realized just after i got it out. I believe it was the drain plug on the large trans pan.

I checked it while it was running and in park, engin was kinda warm but not really hot yet.

 

if the trans diff was empty wouldn't that have been a problem awhile ago since i emptied it months ago? also would that be a different symtom than it slipping out of gear?

 

The check egine light came on last night finnaly. Pulled the code for a shift solenoid... This is good i think?; dont have to rebuild the trans hopefully.

 

It has happened the diff fluid leaked or was drained out resulting in diff failure. This results in gear noise and slipping.

The trans should be able to operated manually with the solenoid electrical wire harness plugs disconnected. This is one test to determine if the trans works without the solenoids.

What was the condition of the trans fluid, dark, black, etc?

Post back with the trans code.