2018 Toyota Camry · symptom sheet

Transmission hesitates when accelerating

37owner reports
10,000median miles
0involved a crash

Newest report May 28, 2026 · checked Sep 19, 2026

37 of the 91 reports of transmission shudder on the 2018 Camry describe hesitation when accelerating.

Part of Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (91 reports) · also: jerking or hard shifts

Tick what matches of 37 reports

it hesitates before it takes off

there is a delay pressing the gas

it happens from a stop or red light

it happened after a software update

the RPMs climb before it moves

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (28 reports) and the software (4 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2018 model year as of Sep 19, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Camry

PE97-034opened Jul 16, 1997

Transmission and drivetrain · model years 1997

Ignition interlock failure. Closed nov 28, 1997, led to recall 97V-213.

NHTSA summary

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 5,000 and 17,000 miles, from the 13 reports that gave a mileage.

918

719

420

221

122

223

124

225

926

What owners wrote

“My transmission is slipping / hesitating / delay shifting. I have always had it serviced on time and taken very good care of it. I even went and had the fluid flushed & refreshed and it is still happening. It makes driving unpredictable and makes me feel extremely unsafe in my car. There arenât any lights on, on my dashboard. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance.”
Filed Mar 16, 2026

“I have a 2018 Toyota Camry SE in which the transmission has completely failed. If I drive the car without having it completely replaced it hesitates when trying to excel. I was almost hit several times while trying to pull out into traffic where the car wouldn't shift and accelerate when it needed to move quickly.”
Filed Nov 6, 2024

“While entering the highway/merging onto on ramp. Have to yield to merge, upon slowing or reaccelerating. Vehicle hesitates and feels as if gear not catching/slipping.”
Filed Jul 29, 2022

“Transmission shifts absolutely terrible hunts for gears constantly. Itâll clunk going from drive to park. The vehicle hesitates for more than a couple seconds sometimes when merging on the freeway making it dangerous when trying to get on. Toyota needs to recall these transmission and put the ones they fixed in”
Filed Oct 30, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 37 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.