transmission failure and power loss while driving
2018 Toyota Camry: complete transmission failure
43 of the 757 complaints about the 2018 Toyota Camry describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 43
- of this car's complaints
- 6%
- typical repair cost reported
- $10,000
- typical mileage
- 66,000
- recalls
- 0
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
Total transmission failure at about 107,770 miles.
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.
My regularly serviced 2018 Toyota Camry is now in need of a $10,000 transmission replacement. Based on research, it is not normal for a modern Toyota Camry to need a new transmission at 125k miles. Toyota has DOCUMENTED complaints that the 2018 Camry's 8-speed automatic transmission has a known history of premature failures and is the subject of thousands of owner complaints. A recall needs to be enforced as Toyota has sold DEFECTED 2018 vehicles! I purchased this vehicle in 2018. Anyone who bought the 2018 Camry in 2018 should be a part of a recall & not charged for Toyota’s defect with this being a WELL KNOWN issue.
My panoramic sunroof has a defect , my sunroof stopped working only a few months after having my car , I’ve Spoke with many other people with the same car and it’s common. I had a warranty on my car but they wouldn’t cover the cables for the setup to the roof , and it’s $10,000 at Toyota to get it fixed and I’m having transmission problems . I keep my maintenance up to date on my car , I’ve also done my research and transmission failure is also common on this vehicle ! My car is barely over 100,000 miles . I’m very disappointed in Toyota and I won’t be purchasing another ! Can honestly say this is the worse car I’ve had !
I own a 2018 Toyota Camry SE with approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle is equipped with the 2.5L engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. I have recently developed a noticeable whining noise from the vehicle's drivetrain during acceleration. The noise is most noticeable at lower speeds, approximately 10–60 mph, particularly when accelerating from a stop or at lower speeds. The noise becomes less noticeable or disappears when cruising at higher speeds. The noise is load-dependent. When I release the accelerator while traveling at approximately 30–40 mph and allow the vehicle to coast, the whining noise stops immediately. The noise does not occur when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is revved. I am concerned that this may indicate premature wear or a developing problem with the transmission or related drivetrain components. I am particularly concerned about the potential for progressive transmission failure while driving, which could result in loss of motive power and create a safety hazard. At this time, the vehicle remains drivable, but the noise appears to be abnormal and has raised concerns about the reliability and safety of the drivetrain. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document this complaint and investigate whether similar complaints involving 2017–2024 Toyota Camry vehicles with 8-speed automatic transmissions indicate a broader safety-related defect. I have not yet had the transmission replaced. I can provide additional information, service records, diagnostic results, photographs, or recordings of the noise if requested.
Transmission has been having intermitten issues with slow or sluggish acceleration. The RPM dial would oscoliate before it would shift or you would it feel the car jerk while driving like its attempting to shift. Ive had this vehicle in and out of multiple toyota dealerships and they always said they could not find any issues with it this was starting back when the car had like 30k miles on it maybe 2 years of ownership now that its out of warranty they find issues with it now and tried to give me a repair for a complete new transmission for 6,000 They did a software update however did not fix the issue now the transmission is noisy and making a loud whinning noise
Who’s driving in the transmission went out I looked up online and Toyota has had a problem with the transmissions on the 2018 to 2024 Toyota cameras
When driving, the car would go into limp mode and wouldn’t get out of 2nd gear. it was super jerky as well. when taken to a mechanic, it was diagnosed with malfunctioning transmission among some other things such as brakes and tires. we take fairly great care of our vehicles and get them seen for regular maintenance. once the car started acting up, the check engine light came on. it is now unsafe to drive and two mechanics have confirmed an issue with the transmission, which is now also in a class action lawsuit for transmission failures. it’s had hiccups before over the past two years (started around 85000 miles) but never to that extreme and every time we took it into a mechanic they never saw the issue before until now. the hiccups we just delayed shifting and simultaneous RPM increase but stoped after a few seconds and letting off the gas, and then would correct itself. mechanics chocked it up to just needing a tune up and never saw the issue themselves, it happened randomly and just every once in a while.
harsh/delayed shifting, acceleration hesitation, and, total transmission failure
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.
On March 19, 2026, I was driving to work when traffic began to slow, and I reduced my speed accordingly. As traffic started to return to normal speed, I pressed the accelerator; however, although the engine revved, the vehicle did not accelerate beyond approximately 15 mph. I safely moved to the side of the road and turned the car off. After restarting the vehicle, shifting into drive, and pressing the accelerator, the same issue occurred. I subsequently took the car to two separate mechanics, both of whom reported that the transmission needs to be replaced. This is unexpected, as the vehicle has fewer than 100,000 miles and has received regular maintenance.
Service bulletins that may apply
- TT: Currently under investigation
- TT: Some 2018-2020 model year UA80/UB80 transmission equipped models may experience a leak from the...
- MIL ?ON? condition with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P07407E (Torque Converter Clutch Actuator Stuck On)....
- TT: For some repairs on 2017-2018 Sienna and Highlander and 2018 Camry vehicles equipped with the 8-speed...
- Shift shock on initial start-up or reaccelertation.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2018 Toyota Camry transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
43 of 757 owner complaints about the 2018 Toyota Camry (6%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2019.
How much does it cost to fix complete transmission failure on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $10,000 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
There are 0 recalls and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2018 Toyota Camry
Jerking 82Stalling 65Check engine light 58Hesitation 54Fuel pump 44Loss of power 27Harsh shifting 21Collision warning 20Slipping 18Adaptive cruise 17Whining noise 17Brake failure 14Won't shift 14No deployment 13Knocking 13Sudden acceleration 11Wipers 11Grinding brakes 9Lane assist 9Airbag light 8Engine failure 8Power steering loss 8Spongy pedal 8Headlights 7Misfire 7Overheating 6Tire blowout 6Warning lights 6ABS 5Fire or smoke 5Won't start 5
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