I would rate my shudder as minor. The startup one is really nothing and most of the time when it stops while waiting at a red light it does so silently, but every once in a while (once or twice a month maybe?) I get a rough shutdown with a noticeable shudder. In comparison as others have made, I don't know how people can get used to those automatic transmissions changing gears all the time. Now that is annoying!

Two climate control systems, one inside and the other at the tailpipe.

2007 Camry Hybrid (in service June 2006)
FE: 6.77L/100km (34.8 mpg) over 37750km (23450mi)
75% city - Ave trip 20 min - 2 Winters

The only time my TCH really shudders is when the ICE kicks in if I'm starting from complete stop and going uphill. Even then it's not that bad.

I never really noticed my TCH doing any shuddering. So, while out driving today after reading this thread, I made a particular point of looking for it.

And the most I could notice was a very slight vibration I could feel thru my foot on the accelerator pedal when starting up from a light after the ICE was off. But it was very slight, and if I hadn't been looking for it, I wouldn't even have noticed it. I am sure no one else in the car would have heard or felt anything.

Link to My Hybrid Car News Web Page

You are not alone.
I have had my TCH for 500 miles now. I am just getting ready to fill the tank for the first time. I didn't notice the shutter in the vehicle I test drove and my test drive in this one which I bought was too short before I made the deal. I too am starting to get a complex about this shutter.

It is minimal and you only seem to notice the shudder the more you start out in the vehicle from a stand still.

I think the reader who suggested a little heavier foot on the gas pedal may have something.

A salesman said they all do that the first 500 miles. and it eventually works itself out. This is probably bull****.

I am going to be taking the car in and talk to the service department about it but I don't expect any action. I am going to try 91 octane before I do that however.

If anybody has this issue and has corrected it please let us know how...

Your description of the shudder sounds far more severe than anything I've experienced in my TCH. I've driven many people around who have never been in a hybrid and none ever responded negatively about the nudge you feel when transitioning from E-Mode to ICE. I suggest driving someone else's or asking a dealer to let you test drive a different TCH so you can compare and determine if there is a problem with your car.

If there is a problem with yours, I like nash's motor mount theory. Another potential culprit is the Transaxle Damper situated between the ICE and the power split device. In the pictures I've seen it looks similar to a clutch plate and has 4 springs that absorb sudden torque changes. I'm no mechanic but I wonder if a bad one of these could contribute to your problem.

Thanks for all the great feedback, guys. I'm going to attempt taking a couple of test drives this weekend before speaking to my service dept. I'm also going to try pushing the pedal a bit more assertively when moving forward from a stop. I'll let you know what happens.

My TCH was built the last week in February in KY and I now have about 3500 miles on it. I have occasionaly experienced a severe shudder (almost like an engine dieselizing) on a few occassions. Most of this time it is very slight and happens only when starting from a complete stop. After the car is moving I can detect very little when the ICE starts if in EV mode. If I am on a downhill grade and start from a complete stop in EV mode, I never feel a shudder. Only when the ICE kicks in form the stop.

The silky smooth normal gear shifts of my Sienna are far more pronounced to any passenger in my van than are the ICE start/stops in my TCH. When I ride as a passenger (often, as my daughter is on her learner's permit!!!), I have difficulty telling when the ICE starts or stops. As a driver, it is barely noticable, and always less noticeable then then a typical auto tranny gear shift. Something is wrong with your TCH.

I'm guessing that the problem might be with MG2, as it is responsible for countering the start-up/shut-down torque that is directly managed by MG1. If MG2 is out of spec (e.g., wrong Kv), the countering torque will likewise be off. If this is the problem, your stuttering would likely be much worse on ICE start-up then on shut-down. Other problems are likely problems with the engine, but most of what I think might be wrong there would likely show up in poor FE. The previously mentioned slip plate is also a good candidate for causing this stutter. Get it fixed, and proudly drive people around in your TCH!

-- Alan

CamryMan — Perhaps you could try the following experiment, if you haven't already. When starting from a full stop, with the ICE "off," apply the accelerator gently until the car reaches a couple of miles per hour, so that you start off in pure-EV mode. Then apply slightly more pressure to the pedal, so that the ICE starts up once the car is already moving. I find that this results in a less noticeable ICE startup, but I wouldn't call the normal startup a "shudder" — more like a bit of a jolt, if you ask for significant acceleration immediately, and the ICE is "off."

Stan

I just got my TCH on Monday and am really new to this forum. What is ICE