2011 Toyota Camry Le - Noticed Acceleration During Slow Braking

September 7, 2010

Hi all, I have Toyota Camry 2011 4-dr LE. While I was on a road trip recently, the car did something very odd. The vehicle started to cut out and it then stopped. I have to note that it was at a high altitude (somewhere in the Colorado Mountains). After the incident I was able to start up again and the vehicle operated as expected. This is not the problem I wanted to ask about, however I thought I would mention it in case you think it might be related.

Here is the problem I have: When coming to a slow stop or driving in the slow traffic, sometimes the vehicle seems to accelerate when the break is released, as if I have pressed the gas pedal. I would expect that once slowed down the Camry will maintain its speed. Other times while my foot is still on the brake pedal (lightly pressing it during a slow down) I would feel as if I have released the brake for a second and the car accelerates (at which time my reflexes kick in and I press the pedal harder). In addition, the transmission seems to hesitate on up shift. I have noticed multiple times that the transmission does not shift on-time and I could feel it when I drive slower.

So here is my question: Does any 2011 Camry owner has had similar issues/problems with their vehicle, or does anyone that works for a Toyota dealer has had similar complaints from other customers? Could the problem with acceleration during braking be also related to transmission down/up shift problems?

Since the problem with brake malfunctioning and engine acceleration is very infrequent, when I took the car to the dealer they could not find anything wrong. Before I take any other steps in resolving the issue I would like to take this issue to the community at large to hear some feedback. Any general comments on the 2011 Camry transmission quality/functioning will also be appreciated. Thank you very much for your help.

September 8, 2010

It's nothing to worry about.

As you decellerate, your body moves forward due to its momentum. When you release the brake before coming to a stop, the car maintains a constant speed but the sensation of your bodies momentum equalising with the speed of the car makes you feel as if you are acellerating, even though you aren't. ;)

Nothing to do with the acellerator or anything else. Maybe try timing your run up to a junction better so that you don't need to release the brake until you stop if you get what I am saying.

KP

December 8, 2010

Hi All,

I completely agree with the observations made by KrisG. I recently purchased a 2011 Camry LE from a dealership in W.Roxbury ,MA.

I too am observing the same issue when the brakes are applied. I have also noticed that this happens when we brake slowly. I have notices in one scenario that the RPM of the engine jumps up while slow braking. This happens only on slow braking not when I hit the brakes suddenly. I am really frightened about the RPM jumping up while braking.

Please do let me know, if this is somekind of an issue that happens with a new vehicle or do I have take it to the dealership.

Please help me out. It is not the matter of timing the application of the brakes. I have done enough driving of an automobile to understand when to start applying the brakes based on its current speed.

Thanks,

Sathish

December 11, 2010

automatic transmission trying to compensate resistance ?( slow brake or going uphill , the car doesn't care... )

March 9, 2011

It's the transmission downshifting to a lower gear to aid in slowing down, same as you would do in a manual transmission, that is why the RPM's increase, but it is not really accelerating, although it may feel a bit like that.

I just recently got a 2011 Camry and the transmission is horrible, and I have noticed the same issue and it is a bit unsettling, even though it's just a down shift, it doesn't do it as smoothly as it should. I am extrememly dissapointed in this car and in Toyota for making it. The engine is about the noisiest 4 cylinder I have ever driven in my life and putting a 6 speed transmission behind it makes it shift so erratically it drives me crazy.

It will upshift so quiickly and then with the slightest TV pressure downshift again for a second, and then upshift right away again, it is madening. I've also noticed that when first started cold in the morning, even with a couple minutes of warm up time, when you put it in Reverse there is a huge lag time for the gear to engage and then it jumps into gear. My wife has gotten nervous about that a few times, and slammed on the brakes when it kicks in and jerks the car backwards.

I replaced an '08 Pontiac Grand Prix with this '11 Camry for my wife, and I have to say the Grand Prix runs circles around this !Removed! of a car, in every aspect, including interior design and comfort.

I've driven Toyota's since the 70's and have probably had close to 10 different models and almost 20 different Toyota vehicles and I'd fully say this Camry is the worst and that Toyota's quality has slipped greatly since I first started buying/driving them, especially compared to what domestic makers have been putting out. I'm counting the days until the Camry lease is up and may even cancel it early. I still have 2 other Toyota vehicles, but this Camry is a huge let down.