2000 Toyota Celica

TOYOTA HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THERE 6 SPEED IN THE NEW CELICA. THEY EVEN TOLD ME ABOUT IT AT TOYOTA. THE MALFUNCTION IS THAT WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO 2ND INSTEAD OF 4TH. THIS THEN CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BE BLOWN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF TRYING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE AT AROUND 70 TO 75 MPH AND SUDDENLY YOU CARS DECCELARATES INSTANTLY TO AROUND 50 MPH. THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT, OR IS THAT WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE BEFORE THEY WILL!! *AK

THE ENGINE WILL NEARLY STALL INTERMITTENTLY AFTER COLD START OF THE VEHICLE WHEN LEAVING DRIVEWAY AND ENTERING TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE WILL BOG WITH NO POWER FEELING LIKE A STALL IS IMMINENT (USUALLY AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT). THIS HAPPENS 3 OR SO TIMES PER WEEK AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR 3 MONTHS. IT DID NOT OCCUR IN THE PREVIOUS 8.5 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP.. REAPPLYING THE CLUTCH AND REVVING THE ENGINE AND SLIPPING THE CLUTCH HELPS HOWEVER THE ENGINE IS SLOW TO RECOVER (~2 SECONDS). A SIMILAR START (SAME RPM AND CLUTCH ACTION) AFTER THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP DOES NOT EXHIBIT THE ACTION. THIS HAPPENS WITH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OF 60-80 DEGREES.*AK

1. ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH A LOUD NOISE (SNAP OR POP) FOLLOWED BY OTHER ODD NOISES WERE EXHIBITED BY THE ENGINE. AT THAT TIME ALL ENGINE POWER (INCLUDING POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND BRAKES) WAS LOST. 2. TRANSMISSION. SHIFTER NOISES ARE EXHIBITED WHILE SELECTING GEARS. THE NOISE, A LOUD SQUEAKING WHILE MOVING SHIFTER INTO OR OUT OF GEAR, INITIALLY STARTED AT AROUND 1000 MILES AND WAS ONLY PRESENT DURING REVERSE, 1ST, OR 2ND SHIFT. THE SYMPTOM HAS WORSENED AND IS NOW PRESENT WHEN SELECTING ANY GEAR (1-6 OR REVERSE). IT WAS INITIALLY NOTED INFORMALLY WITH THE DEALER, AND FORMALLY DOCUMENTED ON THE 02/06/2001 SERVICE VISIT (7486 MILES). DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO 1, 2, 3, AND 6 WAS ALSO NOTED AT THIS TIME. THIS TOO HAS WORSENED, GRINDING IS EXPERIENCED MOST TIMES WHEN SELECTING REVERSE AND FREQUENTLY IN OTHER GEARS. SECOND GEAR IS THE WORST OFFENDER AND OFTEN WILL NOT ENGAGE FULLY. OVERALL SHIFT QUALITY (BOTH SHIFTING PRECISION AND SHIFING EFFORT REQUIRED) HAS SEVERELY DEGRADED. 3. SEAT BELT TAB. WITH EITHER FRONT SEAT EXTENDED REARWARD (FOR A TALL DRIVER OR PASSENGER) THE DOOR WILL IMPACT THE SEAT BELT TAB THAT IN TURN IMPACTS SIDE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR PANELS IS EVIDENT. IT IS UNKNOWN IF ANY DAMAGE TO THE SIDE AIRBAG ASSEMBLIES HAS BEEN SUSTAINED.*AK