2002 Toyota Camry: jerking or lurching

Filed Jan 9, 2018 · Engine · 28,000 miles · TN

The engine will begin to jerk and then it will not idle. I have to turn it off for at least 15 minutes before it will restart then it runs well for a month or so before it happens again. I have had it to the dealer who cleaned the throttle body. That did not help. The car has 151000 miles on it has presents this problem about every 3000 miles always when the engine is at operating temperature. When this happens on the interstate, it is very dangerous to try to move out of the way of other traffic.

Filed Aug 9, 2016 · Acceleration, Brakes · 97,800 miles · PA

I was backing into a parking space with the foot on the break when my car suddenly accelerated back and I hit the wall. I looked down to see if my foot was on the gas but it was on the break. I got out and looked at the car but since I was close to the wall there was no damage. This was two days ago. Forward to today, I pulled out of my parking spot on the street. I put my foot on the brake at the intersection to check for traffic, when I applied the break, the engine revved and the car accelerated about a foot and stopped. So while going to my destination I had to stop significantly far away from cars, intersections or anything else because when I break. The car accelerates 1-2 feels at a very high speed before jerking to a stop. The car is now parked because it is unsafe to drive.

Filed Sep 14, 2015 · Engine, Fuel system · 112,000 miles · WA · fire

Husband was driving home from playing golf on the highway. As he headed north up the hill, he pressed the gas. The car promptly jerked then completely shut down/ceized. Husband immediately looked at the temperature gauge, which read normal, as well as the gas gauge (full). As he stepped from the car to pop the hood, he could smell smoke. In opening the hood, there was a small flame that within 1-2 minutes, completely engulfed the engine/hood. Husband immediately called the fire department, as the car continued to grow in flames which spread to a brush fire. Husband was not injured and there were no other persons involved in this accident (non-collision). Both the fire department and state trooper arrived to the scene and took a full report and inspection of the accident. All parties agreed this was the result of a vehicle malfunction, as cars do not nor should they just catch fire! The car was completely destroyed and was towed.

Filed Mar 13, 2015 · Acceleration, Brakes · 118 miles · CT

While driving on highway car ride is jerky . At any left exit the car shuts off on exit ramp on left turn. Steering tightens and lock-up. The car shuts done while still in drive mode. The engine goes quite and dies.the gas pedal stop producing power. The car shuts off completely with key in ignition and still in drive . Also going down hill the car becomes immobile and stall. On other occasions car stall at lights on local roads shortly after making left turns and stop light. I took the vehicle into toyota superstore weston st hartford ct. On three occasions. They kept it for a day, two days, a week and there is still no solution. . Nothing has been done to stop the condition. I took it to local mechanics, auto zone. They see the car act up but there are no codes and no system error activity summary. Dealership offer no solution . Always there are 3 light that comes on. Check engine light, check battery light and check fuel light . Triple a toll this cat on 3 occasions. On one occasion during the snow it had check traction light came on. Please someone help me. I took my car in to the dealership always to get the necessary oil change because I have lifetime oil and lube. They are the ones servicing the car so if any parts go wrong they are the ones changing them.. They want me to buy a new car. I told them I cannot afford one. I wonder if they are sabotaging my car. In hopes that I will purchase a new one. Please help me! I learned that the car stops and starts up again after you shut it down take the key out of the ignition for a while so this is how I am surviving. This is very scary! Help!

Filed Mar 24, 2014 · Acceleration · 154,320 miles · LA · crash

My wife was in the process of parking the car in a private driveway. She pulled into the parking spot and pressed the brake to shift into park. As soon as she pressed the brake the car lurched forward. The car struck the parking curb damaging the front bumper. She put the car in neutral and looked down to make sure her foot was on the brake and not the gas pedal. She turned off the ignition, shifted into park and called me to tell me what had just happened. I will be contacting the service manager of the nearest dealer for inspection and to make a formal complaint with toyota.

Filed Jul 30, 2013 · Acceleration · 53,000 miles · MA · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota camry. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse, the vehicle lunged backwards. The contact then shifted into drive and the vehicle erroneously accelerated. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000. Updated 9/12/13*cn the consumer stated when she placed the vehicle in reverse, the vehicle lurched and she brushed a vehicle next to her, and the vehicle made a very loud noise. She then put the vehicle in drive with her foot on the brake, but it did not stop, so she slammed it into park, but the vehicle still did not stop.

Filed Jun 2, 2013 · Steering · 88,800 miles · MA

Over a period of time steering became difficult and turning was a problem. Steering like a mad truck with jerking movements when turning and pulling back. Took to toyota dealer and they said it was the entire steering column. Why has toyota not had recall? At same time they said brakes gone. Just had them fixed at local gas station a year ago but did not take rotor down. Grand total $2700

Filed Feb 12, 2012 · Acceleration · 41,473 miles · NY

In a parking lot, picking up a friend. Went to drive her home. As I depressed the gas pedal, it suddenly floored itself, engine roared, and the car being in drive, lurched forward towards a row of parked cars. I quickly put the car in reverse, but the car then lurched backwards..... Quickly shifted into neutral and killed the engine. Asked my friend to get out of the car. Started the engine, which continued to roar ar high RPM. I then pumped the pedal a few times, and the rar and RPM's subsided. I motioned to my friend to get in, and slowly drove home. Immediately called a neaby toyota dealer. Arrangement were made and the car was towed to the dealer on monday, feb. 6, 2012 ( I was afraid to drive it.) [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Aug 13, 2011 · 50,000 miles · MD · crash

For the last 2 years of its life, the camry had a stalling problem. It would ride ok for a few weeks and then for several days it would stall out frequently. On the highway, the car would sometimes hesitate. Stalling occurred mostly when stopping at a stop sign or red light after coming off a highway. The car would start again, and then stall repeatedly at every red light or other event that involved slowing down or stopping. After enduring the stalling problem for many months, on 6/19/09 we took the car to our mechanic. They said the stalling might be caused by a sticking valve or the idle control motor, but they could not fix it. We brought the car to the mechanic again 8/20/09 and they replaced the throttle body assembly, which seemed to help. By spring 2010 the problem was back. We brought the car to the mechanic 5/21/10 and this time they cleaned out egr assembly and checked all vacuum lines. Car still stalled so 6/26/10 we took it to toyota dealer. Dealer was unable to reproduce the stalling problem and said that next time it happened, we should bring it directly to their service center. On 7/20/10, our son was driving the camry. As before, when he was driving at a higher, steadier speed, the car was ok. When he slowed down to park in a parking garage, the stalling problem recurred. Trying to get the car to restart, he stepped on the gas and the engine engaged. The car lurched forward and slammed into a wall inside the parking garage. It was totaled. We believe there was a fundamental manufacturing flaw in our camry that resulted in the repeated stalling. We note other toyota products being recalled for stalling problems, as well as recalls for unintended acceleration. We contacted toyota but they took no responsibility. They said there was nothing they could do without examining the vehicle directly, but by that time the car had been sent to a salvage yard.

Filed Oct 27, 2010 · Acceleration · NM · crash

2002 toyota camry. S10 appropriate handling- letter from regarding toyota problem *tgw the consumer stated she as well as her husband experienced sudden acceleration on three separate occasions which resulted in accidents. The first accident occurred when the consumer was slowing down to make a left turn, when suddenly she found herself in the middle of heavy traffic and subsequently was hit by another vehicle. She was cited for failing to yield. The second time, her husband was stopping on a side street before entering a main street and he discovered he was unable to stop the vehicle and consequently, hit another vehicle. The last accident, the consumer stated the vehicle suddenly accelerated and she crashed into her garage wall causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. The consumer stated prior to the accidents. There were rare occasions, at anticipated stops when she lifted her foot from the accelerator to slow down to place it on the brake, the brake would not engage. Instead of slowing down, the vehicle would lurch ahead.

Filed Sep 25, 2010 · Engine · 111,000 miles · IN

About 2 months ago I started experiencing a jerking of my car at about 40 MPH. My car is a 2002 camry xle v6. I took it to the dealership and had two tech's ride with me and they experienced the jerking but couldn't determine what it was. Now the jerking is getting worse and is happening at all speeds. I have about 111000 miles on the car presently. I have had a few times where I thought the car was going to stop completely in the middle of traffic. I called toyota's national office to make sure my dealership hadn't missed a recall or service bulletin and the national office said there wasn't a recall or service bulletin. However, I have found many similar complaints on the internet. The national office offered to call my dealership, which they did, I don't know what they'll do for me since last time they told me until a check engine light comes on they can't do anything. I have never had a check engine light come on.

Filed Mar 19, 2010 · Acceleration · UT

2002 toyota camry le. Consumer states unintended acceleration. *tgw the consumer stated as she approached an intersection, she attempted to apply the brake, but the vehicle began to lurch forward and would not stop. In order to avoid going into a major intersection, the consumer steered toward a ditch. The second incident occurred when the consumer was approaching a light, once again the vehicle starting accelerating. The consumer was able to steer the vehicle toward a vacant field. The vehicle was inspected for a second time, but, the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.