Just found this site. I have a 2014.5 Camry SE. 4 cylinder, auto. Just rolled 21k miles and had it for 1 year. I really like the car. I drive 50 miles to work every mornning and three times in the past year, I would drop off my car poolers and start off to my office to find it not shifting gears. The indicator on the instrument panel will say "D1, D2 or D3" although I never touched the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. It has happened three times in the first stop or two after the long drive and once just around town. I have a dealership tire rotation tomorrow and mentioned to them when I scheduled it but they won't deal with it tomorrow unless I take it in for that problem. Im trying to educate myself before i deal with them. No "check engine light" so I have major doubts that even if they have heard if this before, they will address it. I have no faith in dealerships due to past experience. Any ideas what causes this? Is it common?
Arky

 

Does the actual gear change with the gear indication?

Check light doesn't come on for trans issues unless it effects engine operation (meaning engine exhaust emissions).

Have you read the owners manual, the paddle shift may have a default setting where the trans will shift on its own.

Even with a manual paddle shift the trans is still going to shift on its own in gears below the top gear set.

The dealer has most likely seen it all but may not always convey this to the customer. Thus the need to keep them on their toes or they might state the problem is "normal" unless your paying for the repairs.

This may be normal operation, ask the dealer to explain in detail how the system works.

Please post back with your findings.

 

Yeah, I have read the manual. Yes. The idicator in the dash, digital green, says D when the main console grip shifter is in "drive" on my way to work. Then, a few times when I have stopped to let out a rider, still in Drive, didn't go to Park or touch the paddles, I let off the brake, accelerate and hear the engine high rev instead of shifting. I look at the dash and no more D, it shows D1. Other times, I slow to 10 or 15 mph creeping around a corner, and when I accelerated, it revved like it was ready to shift but no shift. Dash says D2 or D3. Same indicators it shows if I use the paddle shifters and run up the gears. Why would it be normal operation to drop out of Drive into a lower gear and stay there? In normal operation, in Drive, the dash indicator shows D until i stop and park. It never shows D1D2 or D3 unless i am using the paddles. So far I think the paddles are toys that are only going to lead to troubles.

 

The gear indicator seems correct.

In D, the trans shifts on its own.

If showing D1 instead of D, manual shifting is engaged, the trans will stay in D1 and hence the revving.

D1, D2 D3 are shown if using manual shifting as the indication is the highest gear the trans will shift to.

As to why the trans is shifting from auto to manual is unknown. Since the car is still under warranty ask the dealer to explain this.

 

Oh I will. I have an appointment for the 2nd of July. Problem is it is not repeatable and only happened about four times in 21k miles. Hard to find it if they can't see it happen. It would be an easy gripe if the tranny would just lock up in 2nd and never shift out.

 

Any correlation between steering position and shift problem?

 

I thought of that as well. And yes there may be. The times I remember it happening near work were at the same location after a left turn. The other time I remember was in a dog-leg left then immediate right.. And it very well could have occurred after the left. Paddle downshift is on the left. That is why the first time or two it happened I convinced myself that must have bumped the paddle down as I executed the left. But I ruled that out. Happening on lefts could be significant to it being a prob with the paddle or connection in the wheel.

 

Yes, a connection issue.

Please post back with what the dealer finds.

Might emphasize this is a safety issue such as say another driver used the car and almost got into accident because car was stuck in gear and could not accelerate past XX mph on the freeway entry ramp, etc.

 

Did you ever figure out what it was? My 2014 Camry se has the same problem. I have an appointment at the dealership on monday, but I’ve already taken it to them once and they couldn’t find anything, told me I must have accidentally hit the paddles, but I know I didn’t. I’m worried they’re just going to charge me a bunch of money and not find anything

 

Well yes I did figure it out and I could not believe what it was... it was me. The car has paddles on the front and back of the wheel. It happened again and I noticed a perfect storm. Wheel tilt, seat position and making a left turn, left leg pulled up near the seat (knee high), after my turn I would let the wheel slip through my hand to track straight on its on and it would bump my knee. Knee was hitting the shifter on the back of the wheel. I never used them so I disregarded that they were even there. I think a coffee shift from one hand to another player a roll too causing me to use a knee to put pressure on the wheel to slow the turn if the wheel. Yes, not safe but loooowwww speed on a military base. So this idiot was shifting with the knee and not knowing. I would have argued there was No way I was doing it, but I was. Seat adjustment fixed “the car”. Since then I have hit 120K miles on it. No issues at all and I sent my daughter off to college in it this fall.