2018 Toyota Camry: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Transmission · 69,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle was jerking and hesitating. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted and was able to reproduce the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

Filed May 28, 2026 · Transmission · FL

I own a 2018 Toyota Camry equipped with the UA80 8-speed automatic transmission. I have experienced the following symptoms: burning smell coming from the transmission, hesitation and jerking during acceleration, and previously noticed a knocking/clunking noise that eventually stopped on its own. These symptoms are consistent with the known UA80 transmission defect involving excessive heat buildup, premature fluid degradation, and torque converter failure. I am aware that Toyota has known about this defect since at least 2016 and has issued multiple Technical Service Bulletins without offering a permanent fix or recall. The transmission has not yet been inspected by a dealer. I am filing this complaint to add to the public record and support a formal the federal safety agency investigation.

Filed May 6, 2026 · Transmission · 100 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speed the vehicle had experienced acceleration hesitation and had stalled on several occasions. The vehicle eventually towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100.

Filed Apr 8, 2026 · Transmission · CA

harsh/delayed shifting, acceleration hesitation, and, total transmission failure

Filed Apr 1, 2026 · Fuel system · VA

Toyota has recognized a problem with the low pressure fuel pump on some 2018 Camry cars which causes a hesitation when driving from a stop creating a rear danger of a rear-end collision. It has been happening intermitantly everysince car was new.. Toyota claimed that my vin was not one of the ones recalled even though I experienced the e3xact same problem. There appears to be an additional recall for the same issue in 2025, but here again my camry is not included. I only have 40,000 miles on my camry and I would like to keep it but am worried about the hesitation. The engine actually cuts off very briefly.

Filed Mar 31, 2026 · Transmission · GA

The vehicle experienced a complete transmission failure following a period of abnormal operation. The component that failed is the automatic transmission (8-speed). Prior to total failure, the vehicle began exhibiting multiple symptoms, including delayed engagement when shifting into drive and reverse, hesitation during acceleration, and inconsistent power delivery at low speeds. At times, the engine RPM would increase without corresponding acceleration, followed by sudden jerking or surging once the transmission engaged. These issues created unsafe driving conditions, particularly when attempting to merge into traffic or accelerate from a stop, as the vehicle did not respond predictably or immediately to driver input. This posed a safety risk to both the driver and surrounding vehicles. The symptoms progressed over time and ultimately resulted in a complete transmission failure, rendering the vehicle undrivable. The problem has been confirmed by a dealership, which diagnosed the vehicle as requiring a full transmission replacement. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. There were no prior warning lights or dashboard indicators before the onset of symptoms. The initial symptoms appeared suddenly and worsened over a short period of time. The vehicle has been regularly maintained according to recommended service schedules, with no known gaps in maintenance. Based on the nature of the failure and similar reports of transmission issues in comparable vehicles, this appears to be a premature component failure rather than normal wear and tear. This issue appears consistent with broader reports of transmission malfunction in similar model vehicles, raising concerns about reliability and safety.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Transmission · FL

My transmission is slipping / hesitating / delay shifting. I have always had it serviced on time and taken very good care of it. I even went and had the fluid flushed & refreshed and it is still happening. It makes driving unpredictable and makes me feel extremely unsafe in my car. There aren’t any lights on, on my dashboard. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance.

Filed Feb 27, 2026 · Transmission · MI

I began noticing louder noises coming from my Camry over the last couple months. The car started jerking forward more, stalling and hesitating to pick up speed, and I became increasingly concerned about my ability to control the car. Took the car in on Tuesday February 24th for a routine oil change at suburban Toyota of Troy and I informed them of the issue. Completed oil changed and They informed me that transmission fluid looked good, we just flushed it last year, and there was nothing they could notice right away wrong. They said they initially could not detect a problem but eventually noticed hesitation and jerking of the car when testing it. The dealer informed that a software update might help the jerking. I was told there was no guarantee that the update would help. There were also no warning lights on the dash at any time. I was not told that I should do the update right away and so I planned to bring the car back. Two days later, on 2/27/26, upon driving my car for five mins, it began jerking, making very loud sounds, and failed to accelerate. I had never experienced this issue to this degree and It was very scary and dangerous to experience this during rush hour traffic. The car then completely gave out, stopped driving altogether and the car began smelling like something was burning. I had it towed back to the dealer. the dealer told me that the transmission is a complete failure. The car is in otherwise good condition. This is extremely disappointing because I just paid this vehicle off and now I have to pay Toyota 8900 for a new transmission or get a new car.

Filed Jan 30, 2026 · Transmission · FL

While driving my 2018 Toyota Camry in active traffic, the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating despite pressing the accelerator pedal. The engine remained on, but the vehicle would not move when pressing accelerator pedal. This occurred without warning and created an immediate safety hazard because surrounding traffic was moving normally and I was unable to maintain speed or clear the roadway. The loss of acceleration occurred while the vehicle was already in motion, not during startup, and placed me at risk of being rear-ended. There were no dashboard warnings prior to the failure. The condition appeared intermittent and unpredictable. This issue is extremely dangerous because a driver cannot rely on the vehicle to accelerate when needed to avoid collisions or safely merge, cross intersections, or keep up with traffic flow. What Happened After the Failure The vehicle required pulling over / restarting / limping to safety due to inability to accelerate normally. This defect makes the vehicle unsafe to operate in normal traffic conditions. ⸻ Additional Safety Concerns I have discovered numerous consumer complaints and ongoing litigation involving 2018 Toyota Camry automatic transmission failures, including reports of hesitation, loss of power, and failure to accelerate. This suggests a systemic transmission defect, not normal wear and tear. This failure presents a serious risk of crash, injury, or death, especially in intersections, highways, or congested traffic. Requested Action I am requesting that the federal safety agency: •Investigate this issue as a potential safety defect •Review similar complaints involving 2018 Toyota Camry automatic transmissions •Require corrective action, including recall or mandatory repair, if a defect is confirmed

Filed Jan 25, 2026 · Transmission · VA

The vehicle experienced a malfunction of the 8-speed automatic transmission(UB80E). The transmission began slipping unpredictably, jerking when accelerating from a stop, and shifting extremely harshly between first and second gear. These symptoms occurred randomly and worsened over a short period of time. The vehicle would hesitate or surge when attempting to move from a stop, creating a loss of control risk in traffic and at intersections. Warning indicators, including the check engine light, illuminated as the condition progressed. The issue was reproducible during normal driving and did not develop gradually over extended use. The vehicle became unsafe to operate and is currently undrivable. The transmission has been inspected by manufacturer-affiliated service personnel, who indicated that similar transmission behavior is commonly reported in other vehicle models equipped with the same 8-speed automatic transmission (UB80E), though fewer reports are currently associated with this specific model. This failure presents a safety concern due to unpredictable power delivery, delayed acceleration, and violent low-speed shifting. The vehicle and transmission are available for inspection upon request.

Filed Jan 9, 2026 · Transmission · CT

My 2018 Toyota Camry with 132,000 started experiencing transmission issues in the last 10,000 miles or so - with hesitation in shifting. Now at 132,000 my transmission has officially fully failed. Upon bringing it to a reputable transmission repair shop, I learned that the repair would cost me over $8000 between parts (hard to find) and labor. This is wild as I expected a Toyota to last up and over 200k miles easily. This has absolutely tarnished my views on Toyota reliability! I even called corporate and they were absolutely no help!

Filed Dec 19, 2025 · Transmission · WI

The automatic transmission has failed. The vehicle exhibits slipping, hard or delayed shifting, intermittent loss of drive, and most critically, the car completely shut off while I was driving on the highway, creating an immediate risk of a serious accident. Hard shifting and gear slipping began approximately 11/04/2025. The transmission warning light hasn't even come on. Sudden hesitation during acceleration or gear changes became increasingly frequent. The most severe symptom occurred when the car completely shut off on the highway which is very dangerous. Toyota Dealer verified the issue and informed me that the has DTCs for Torque Converter failure. Replaced Transmission at a cost of $10,150. . I respectfully request that Toyota consider offering a goodwill reimbursement for the repair of the transmission for my vehicle. Provide guidance to owners of similar vehicles to prevent accidents or injuries. I am very disappointed to have a major transmission failure at this mileage especially with proper care and no signs of abuse and neglect. I strongly believe this should not occur under normal driving conditions and proper maintenance. My check engine light did NOT COME ON