Ive had my Toyota Camry for 3 years now it's an 05 just hit 200515 miles. I've put in a lot of love and maintenance to it. I noticed this past year it's been struggling constantly after I frequent stop signs and red lights nonstop it struggles to get up and go. It has issues if say I'm going 40 and I need to slow down and de accelerate sometimes it shifts strange. After I hit the stops the car struggles to accelerate and has a very hard time gaining speed at slow speeds. If I'm going above 50 the car drives like a dream have no issues going fast. I've had countless issues with the catalytic converter system, same P0420 code nonstop bought a cheap one off Amazon only lasted a year now the code is back. I've had various horrible smells through the vents like burning and the occasional egg smell. I had a guy tell me I needed a full transmission rebuild, and another said I didn't. I've been scammed a lot so any helpful tips would be appreciated please. Just had an ATF drain as well fluid was black upon changing.
What do you mean by "struggling"? Is the engine bogging down? Or is the engine revving up but the car not moving appropriately? Have you tested for a clogged catalytic converter?
@chucktobias I have not had it tested for a clogged cat no I should give that a go though great suggestion. And what I mean by struggling as in its barley moving at slow speeds sometimes takes a bit of time to accelerate if I'm constantly going at slow speeds and stopping. It seems like it's shifting way rougher and just seems to bog down at moments. In busy traffic I have a hard time keeping up sometimes and stepping down on the gas pedal like it seems to be accelerating but it's taking a long time to shift and move. Sorry if I'm not using the right terminology this is the best way I can explain it.
The main point is whether the engine is bogging down or whether the transmission is slipping. This can be distinguished via the engine RPMs when the problem occurs.
@chucktobias ok. The rpms don't really typically fluctuate much only sometimes in 1st and 2nd gear when I've stopped repeatedly at lights or signs. They never bounce violently or anything like that. Though when I do start the car the rpm stays a little higher until it warms up. Other than that the rpms are not going all over, just takes a few more seconds to shift like there's a long lag. Can I get the transmission tested for its quality or timing of shifting? Not sure what else to do out of options and frustrated.
Not sure what else to do out of options and frustrated.
I see two main possibilities here given the symptoms you are experiencing, a clogged catalytic converter or transmission problems. (If really unlucky you might have both.)
If you are unable to work on the car yourself a mechanic can check for a clogged catalytic converter using a back pressure gauge. A transmission expert armed with a sufficiently fancy scan tool can diagnose your transmission. (If that transmission had not been serviced over the past 20 years and 200,000 miles prior to your recent drain+fill I'd expect the worst, but you could get lucky.)