NHTSA complaint #11706226

Owner complaint summary

My 2019 Toyota Camry experienced a progressive transmission failure that created a safety concern. The issue began with intermittent loss of shifting on cold starts, where the vehicle became stuck in 3rd gear. Engine RPM would increase but the vehicle would not accelerate normally. Shifting into Park and back into Drive would temporarily restore operation. Over time, the condition worsened and the transmission became stuck in a higher gear (5th gear) and would no longer reset, even after parking and restarting the vehicle. Manual shift mode did not function. This caused delayed acceleration and unsafe driving conditions in traffic. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the vehicle and reported internal transmission failure, including pressure control solenoid faults and metal found in the transmission fluid, and recommended full transmission replacement. There were no warning lights when the issue first occurred, and the failure progressed over time. I believe this represents a potential safety-related defect in transmission durability.