NHTSA Complaint #10189802 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY IN JUNE 2006. AFTER RETURNING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE SLUGGISH ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WAS CONSISTENT AND THE PASSING GEAR DOWNSHIFT FELT DELAYED AS IF THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION LAG BETWEEN THE TCM AND ACTUAL SWITCHING OF THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT SET SPEED. ON STEEPER GRADES AND ON THE INTERSTATE THE DOWN SHIFTS ARE VERY FREQUENT AND AT TIMES VERY DRAMATIC. WHEN CRESTING A STEEP HILL THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS AT THE CREST AND TAKES 2 OR 3 SECONDS TO RELEASE THE THROTTLE, PICKING UP ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 15 MPH AND I HAVE TO BREAK SUDDENLY IN ORDER TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CAME OUT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006 FOR AN ECM CALIBRATION ENHANCEMENT TO SHIFTING PERFORMANCE AND SMOOTHNESS AND THIS NEW COMPUTER SOFTWARE HAD TO BE DOWNLOADED IN THE CAR AND THIS WOULD RECALIBRATE ECM (PCM) ENGINE & TRANSMISSION. THE CATCHER TO THIS IS THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS TO REQUEST THIS DOWNLOAD BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP WILL FOLLOW THROUGH. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BULLETIN HOW CAN AN AVERAGE CUSTOMER REQUEST THIS? THE DOWNLOAD WAS PERFORMED ON THIS CAR BUT DIDN'T HELP ANY. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR BACK AND I WAS GIVEN A NEW ONE IN DEC. 2006. SAME THING WITH THIS ONE. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISPUTE SETTLEMENT WITH AN APPOINTED ARBITRATOR WHO HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY AN ASE INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR. HE AGREED WITH THE ABOVE BUT IN CONCLUSION STATED THAT TOYOTA SHOULD "DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY". I FEEL THAT THIS IS A NO WIN SITUATION FOR THE CONSUMER AND TOYOTA KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE PROBLEMS BUT JUST DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THEM. BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SAFETY THE "LEMON LAW" SHOULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT AND THESE CARS RECALLED. TOYOTA IS NOT GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS FORCED. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST TOYOTA VEHICLE. *JB