1997 Toyota Camry Car surges at lower RPMs

Tiny
IAMRWB
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 216,000 MILES
I purchased my 97 Camry 1 year ago with 203,000 miles on it, and now have 216,000 miles. I had quite abit of work done at the time, including a tune-up. The car has surged while driving ever since I got it, but has become more noticible recently. I feel it most around 5 mph under light acceleration and also around 35-40 mph (right after auto tranny shifts into the next gear; i.E rpms drop). Under hard acceleration the car feels smooth. Occasionally the car won't idle (will stall). About 6 months ago the Check Engine Light would go on for 2-3 days, then go off. It seemed like the light would come on during high humidity days. This cycle repeated for a couple months, during which the following codes were pulled at the local auto parts store (P1410, P1411). I looked these up, and they seemed to point towards EGR Position Sensor. About 6 weeks ago the light came on, but didn't go off. I took it to the Toyota dealer, and they said there is a "misfire" problem (they didn't tell me the code number). They recommended replacing the ignition coils and spark plug wires. In reading your section "Car surges while driving", you mentioned that both sensors and coils (among other things) can cause surging. I was thinking of changing the EGR Position Sensor first (as it's the cheapest) and see what happens. Then change the coils/wire set. Do you think these could fix my surging problem? Also the local parts store has an "Airtex" brand sensor and coils. Is this a reliable brand?
Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 AT 10:11 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Personally I prefer to use OEM parts, but you can use what you like. Did any codes show up besides misfire? No EGR codes? Starting basic with the misfire by doing tune up is the way to go. Tune it up and clear the codes and see what comes back
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Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 AT 2:30 PM
Tiny
IAMRWB
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Replacing the EGR Position Sensor fixed the problem. No more surging! The old sensor's "plunger" was binding/sticking when I pushed it in and out. The new sensor was real smooth. This was a real easy repair for anyone contemplating it. Easy access to the part, one electrical connection, and three 7mm nuts. Be careful with the nuts though. They are pretty small and easy to drop/lose. The only slightly tricky part was getting the electrical connection off without breaking it, as the plastic has become brittle with age. You need to gently push down on a tab to "release" the connection, then pull it off.
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Thursday, January 10th, 2008 AT 11:11 PM

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