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slmartine · Jul 27, 2010, 12:02 PM

I was driving along when I could no longer get any pick up while in drive... sputtering... put it in low gear and was able to pull over. Thought it might be transmission but when we came back to pick it up, the engine light was off and I was able to drive it but it did it again. Checked oil and it didn't show on dipstick. Put 5 quarts oil and oil filter on it and it started up and ran the next day like a dream. Put about 25 miles on it and stopped at a store and it did it again. Put scanner on it, about 40 codes showed up... was told they were probably old codes so they reset it... there was no communication from computer to scanner. Let it sit for a day and came back and it started again with no engine light on but after letting it run for a few minutes and the engine light came back on again and the same symptoms were there. Have had it looked at with two scanners and the mechanic said that they had no communication between my computer and the scanner. So, I'm having a hard time getting the car diagnosed and can't afford to replace every sensor it could be or paying for labor while they troubleshoot. Help!! Please!

TxGreaseMonkey · Jul 27, 2010, 12:17 PM

Kitch428 is our Toyota expert. He will, invariably, see your posting shortly. Verify that all under hood and under dash fuses are good, by checking them with a test light or multimeter. I'm inclined to suspect the ECM is bad. It's best to remove the old one and get an exact Toyota Part No. replacement. Look for a remanufactured ECM--shop price and warranty.

My concern is this: How did the engine oil get 5 quarts low?

kitch428 · Jul 27, 2010, 04:07 PM

Is this a V6?

slmartine · Jul 30, 2010, 01:15 PM

Yes, it's a v6

kitch428 · Jul 30, 2010, 03:41 PM

Oh boy, I thought you'd say that. Have someone qualified open up the ECM and inspect the circuits with a magnifying glass. The capacitors get old and melt onto the circuit boards making a mess out of things.
A new computer is recommended and like Tx said, the Same part number must be replaced.

slmartine · Jul 31, 2010, 03:43 AM

Okay, I'm assuming the ECM is the computer, right? I appreciate your quick response! I'll be trying to get it fixed in the next couple of weeks. Thanks so much!

KISS · Jul 31, 2010, 04:06 AM

ECM is Engine Control Module. Some cars have multiple computers. Another may be called the PCM or Powertrain Control Module. Then you have ABS

Controlling the engine is a full time job thus the car consists of a network of computers.

CaptainRich · Jul 31, 2010, 06:34 AM

Let me help with your fault tracing of that ECM (Engine Control Module). We can perform internal component evaluation of every component on the printed circuit board as well as remanufacturing of rebuildable ECMs. Hopefully, your's won't need the main processor.
PCMs are the later version of the ECM and take the functions of the ECM and the TCM (Transmission Control Module).

slmartine · Jul 31, 2010, 02:27 PM

What makes you think it's the ECM and not the TCM? It did act as if the transmission was going out at first. Thank you for all your input. I have to get it to a place called German Works and he's going to look at it no charge and then tell me the news. Then I'll have to decide if it's worth fixing or not. It's been such a great car that I hate to think I'd have to part it out or sell it for nothing. Thanks again!

kitch428 · Jul 31, 2010, 05:07 PM

It is a great car! IMO, the best year Camry out there. Your ECM will also say w/ECT (electronic controlled transmission) on it. Meaning the ECM and TCM are combined into one.
When a technician plugs a scan tool into your car, it's one computer communicating to another. Your engine computer.
The old saying: garbage in... garbage out. And that's what sensors do also.
If your ECM won't talk back, then a processor is bad, or a communication link is open.

slmartine · Aug 1, 2010, 07:33 AM

Thanks for your help. I'll relay that to the place that has it now. Maybe they haven't checked all that. They just said that there was no communication between computer and scanner... I think they were tired of working on it... especially knowing I don't have a lot of money to spend on it!

CaptainRich · Aug 2, 2010, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by slmartine

What makes you think it's the ECM and not the TCM? It did act as if the transmission was going out at first. Thank you for all your input. I have to get it to a place called German Works and he's going to look at it no charge and then tell me the news. Then I'll have to decide if it's worth fixing or not. It's been such a great car that I hate to think I'd have to part it out or sell it for nothing. Thanks again!

I say ECM because on your vehicle the engine and transmission control functions are combined into one module but instead of Toyota using "PCM", they still call this an "ECM" for your model year.

Let us know what you find out.