NHTSA Complaint #10345135 — 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY

HESITATION PROBLEM IN 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE IN THESE SITUATIONS CAN RESULT IN A REAR OR SIDE COLLISION FROM ONCOMING VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY DURING A MERGE. IT HAPPENS WHEN BACKING OFF ON THE GAS PEDAL, SUCH AS WHEN THE CAR IS ABOUT TO MAKE A TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET, OR WHEN GAINING ON SLOWER TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. THE RPM GO WAY DOWN AS THE CAR SLOWS (BY BACKING OFF THE GAS PEDAL - NO BRAKES APPLIED) TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. ONCE THE TURN IS COMPLETED, OR THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT STARTS TO PULL AHEAD AGAIN, THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR. IT CAN TAKE FROM A HALF SECOND TO TWO FULL SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR "RECOGNIZES" THAT IT IS BEING TOLD TO SPEED UP - FOR IT TO GIVE MORE RPM AND TO PICK THE RIGHT GEAR TO DO IT IN. IT SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO MAKE UP ITS MIND WHICH GEAR TO USE BEFORE IT ADDS ENOUGH RPM TO ACCELERATE. IT'S LIKE THE RPM WENT DOWN SO LOW WHEN BACKING OFF THE GAS PEDAL THAT THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN IT'S TOLD TO GET BACK TO WORK. WHEN IT FINALLY RESPONDS, THE ENGINE USUALLY KICKS DOWN ONE OR TWO GEARS AND STARTS RACING TO CATCH UP - LIKE THE DRIVER HAS FLOORED IT, WITHOUT HAVING FLOORED IT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA DENIES THE PROBLEM EXISTS. YET IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY. I BELIEVE BOTH ARE COVERING UP A PROBLEM. *TR