Are there any aftermarket items that can be connected "somewhere" to
monitor the current gear that the car is in. It's a 4-cylinder 2007
camry. The reason I ask is because I suspect that it's downshifting
to a lower gear than it should during moderate climbs. The evidence
of this is RPMs going above 3500 after the downshift. If it's not
skipping a gear, then I believe the trigger for when the downshift
occurs is too sensitive or too early.

Is it better to return to the original dealer for service or will any
Toyota dealer work? i.e., am I likely to be treated better at the place
where I purchased the car vs. a competing dealer? I know that in
theory they should give me the same treatement. The reason I ask is
because the location where I bought the car is about an hour's drive
from the nearest dealer (a 10 minute drive).

Thanks,

-Ben

"Ben" <jbenjam@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156687757.302598.153160@p79g2000cwp.googlegr oups.com...
because you might find a cold shoulder at your local dealer. A friend of
mine once bought a Buick from a distant dealer, and when he went for warrany
service with a local dealer, the service writer wrote in large letters "BOT"
on the work order. He asked what that meant, and the writer simply said
"Bought Out of Town". He knew then he would not be getting very good
conscientious service.

The 2007 Camry transmissions are known to skip gears. But if there is a
defect, monitoring the status of the shift solenoids may not tell you
anything. The transmission could be doing the opposite what the
computer tells it. I guess the transmission could use 20% of the parts
Toyota threw out.

You can probe the solenoid wires and see which ones are active, then
compare with the expected active combination for any given gear stated
in the service manual. Others may know a better way.

As far as dealers go, I personally would drive the 10 minutes. That's
where you will most likely do all your service business with in the
future, right?


Ben wrote:

I doubt about your theory. I always have our Toyotas serviced at one of
three local dealers and never been treated differently. My wife's Highlander
was not even bought from these 3 dealers at all. I sometimes take coupons
from out of area dealers and have them price match it.




"mack" <mackerel@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:12f3hiq2dr27402@corp.supernews.com...

Sounds like your casr has "Grade Logic" or similar Smart Trannies.
If you'e climbing a Hill then it should downshift to where the engine
is more comfortable.
Bg

Ben wrote:
If you have a tachometer, with experience you should be able to
determine which engine speed and road speed combination indicate
certain gear ratios.
If you determine the engine speeds at the upshift points during gentle
acceleration, then those same points ought to be a guide when the
transmission downshifts.
For example, you might find that the tachometer goes up by some number
of revolutions at each gear change (upshifting during normal driving)
so that if the tachometer jumps double that number you know you've
downshifted directly to a lower gear ratio.
Remember that a lock up torque converter releasing will act a little
like a downshift, even though you're technically in the same gear, but
the engine would be turning faster.