Toyota Avalon Complaints (2006)

360 consumer complaints on file.

#10198916August 8, 2007
STEERING:COLUMN
(1) HEAVY BRAKING TO AVOID A COLLISION LEADS UP TO THE ONGOING FAILURES (2) FAILURE IS THE FRICTION LOCK FOR THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL SLOWLY RELEASES DURING NORMAL STOP AND GO DRIVING AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, A HEAVY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES WILL CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO COLLAPSE INWARD RESULTING IN NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AUTOMOBILE. (3) THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS IMPROPERLY LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL TELESCOPE LOCK. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE DEALER AGAIN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND AFTER THE OWNER OF THE CAR SHOWED THEM WHAT CAUSES THE LOCK TO COME UNDONE THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR STATING THAT THE PROBLEM IS "YOU ARE DRIVING WITH THE STEERING FULLY TELESCOPED AND EVEN A BRAND NEW AVALON WOULD DO THE SAME THING". THE DEALER SAID "THIS MUST NOT BE THE CAR FOR YOU SINCE YOU MUST DRIVE WITH THE STEERING FULLY EXTENDED". WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 24,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM FIRST BEGAN APPEARING AT ABOUT 19,000 MILES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10198517August 4, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY, USING THE IR LASER CRUISE CONTROL, AND FOLLOWING A PICKUP TRUCK AT A SPEED BELOW THE "SET" SPEED OF THE CRUISE SYSTEM. AS WE APPROACHED A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THE TRUCK SLOWED AND MY CRUISE APPLIED THE BRAKES ON MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON AS IT SHOULD. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE AND TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP BEHIND THE PICKUP. AT THAT POINT, EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE TOTALLY NORMAL. BUT AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE BRAKE PETAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY BRAKES. (TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE). I MANAGED TO FIND A HOLE THRU THE TRAFFIC, BY ENTERING THE ONCOMING LANE, AND RAN THRU THE INTERSECTION (AGAINST THE RED LIGHT), AND MANAGED TO AVOID VEHICLES AT THE LIGHT BY TURNING LEFT 90 DEGREES. FORTUNATELY, OTHER DRIVERS AT THE INTERSECTION APPARENTLY SAW ME COMING AND HELD THEIR POSITIONS. THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED ROLLING ABOUT 100 YARDS BEYOND THE INTERSECTION. I SHIFTED INTO "PARK" AND TRIED TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AGAIN, THE PEDAL RESPONDED AS NORMAL. THE LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED, AND THERE WAS NO OTHER WARNING LIGHT NOTICED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TRANSPORTED TO SCOTTSBORO, AL BY FLATBED TRUCK. IT HAS BEEN AT THE TOYOTA DEALERS FOR THE PAST SIX DAYS. THEY CHECKED THE COMPUTER FOR CODES, AND TELL ME THAT NO CODES WERE STORED. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CALLED TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE, AND TOYOTA APPARENTLY TOLD THEM THEY DID NOT. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE DID TURN UP A PROBLEM WITH THE IR LASER SENSOR, WHICH WAS MISALIGNED, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT WOULD NOT CAUSE A BRAKE FAILURE. INABILITY TO STOP A VEHICLE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. HAD THE TRAFFIC PULLED INTO THE INTERSECTION AS THEY SHOULD HAVE, I WOULD HAVE HAD NO PLACE TO GO, AND AN SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10197801July 30, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK COLUMN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FLOOR MAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 8,373.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10195070July 1, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A BRAKING SITUATION. TRANSMISSION DELAY IMPAIRING ABILITY TO MERGE OR SAFELY CHANGE LANES. REPEATED OCCURRENCES SINCE MAY 2006. CAR IS ONCE AGAIN IN SHOP FOR INSPECTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10192571June 6, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY FAILS TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED HALF-TO-FULL TO GAIN SPEED QUICKLY FOR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, ETC. AT TIMES, DOWNSHIFT SIMPLY DOES NOT OCCUR, OTHER TIMES THERE IS A ONE-TO-TWO SECOND HESITATION BEFORE THE DOWNSHIFT/ACCELERATION OCCURS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10190191May 8, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
LASER CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM: WHEN THE SYSTEM DETECTS A VEHICLE/OBJECT WITHIN THE PROGRAMMED FOLLOWING DISTANCE IT SLOWS THE VEHICLE AS DESIGNED. WHEN THE VEHICLE/OBJECT THEN LEAVES THE DETECTION ZONE THE VEHICLE WILL, IF IT HAS SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY, SUDDENLY DOWN SHIFT AND ACCELERATE VERY QUICKLY. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IF YOU HAVE CHANGED LANES TO OVERTAKE THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED YOU TO SLOW. I CANNOT THINK THAT THE MANUFACTURER INTENDED THE SYSTEM TO WORK IN THIS MANNER , BUT IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON ACROSS ALL OF THESE VEHICLES AND NOT A FAILURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10189035April 26, 2007
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BURNED. THE CAUSE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY STEMMED FROM A PIECE OF METAL ATTACHED TO A PURSE RESTING ON THE SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM BETWEEN HER CHILD'S LEGS WHERE THE PURSE WAS LOCATED. SHE LOOKED AT THE BACK SEAT, AND DISCOVERED THREE BURNED HOLES ON THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT. THE LOCAL DEALER TOOK PICTURES OF THE FAILURE AND SENT THEM TO THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 45,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,445.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED ON MAY 15, 2007. UPDATED 05/23/07. *JB UPDATED 06/08/07 *TR UPDATED 02/01/08 *LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187804April 13, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I' HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS SINCE THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP, APRIL 2006 WITH THE TRANSMISSION/LINKAGE SLIPPING/NOT ENGAGING AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT WAS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHEN MAKING TURNS, BUT ALSO OCCURS WHEN SLOWING DOWN, AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO SPEED UP. ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL; THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS EVEN A PROBLEM!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10186473March 29, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY WIFE LEFT WORK AND EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS, HAD TO PUMP BRAKES TO STOP. A FEW HUNDRED FEET LATER SHE CAME TO AN INTERSECTION AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, WHICH DID NOT WORK. SHE ROLLED INTO THE INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TO AVOID BEING T - BONED SHE ACCELERATED AND RAN OFF AN AJACENT ROADWAY STRIKING TREES. THE CAR WAS TOTALLED, AND SHE AND MY TWO SONS HAD TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE VEHICLE, SUFFERING ONLY MINOR INJURIES. HER ACTIONS TO PROTECT HERSELF AND MY CHILDREN RESULTED IN THE COLLISION, AVOIDING A RIVER WITH HIGH RAPID RUNNING WATER. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10185261March 16, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
2006 TOYOTA AVALON. AT LOW SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY AFTER SLOWING, THE TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, AND SEVERELY HESITATES, WHEN AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO ACCELERATE. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. THERE ARE YEARS OF COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE WEB. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SOME HAVE NOT BEEN REAR-ENDED OR STRUCK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC FROM A HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMP. TOYOTA SHOULD BE FORCED TO REDO THE PROGRAMMING OF THE RESPONSIBLE COMPUTER CHIP OR REPLACE THE CHIP WITH ONE THAT HAS A FASTER CLOCK SPEED. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL INCIDENTS. THE DATE BELOW IS FOR THE LATEST OF NEAR DAILY, USUALLY MINOR FAILURES LIKE SLOWING TO TURN A CORNER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185276March 16, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERY TIME HE COMPLETED A TURN IN THE 2006 TOYOTA AVALON ( WITH FAILURE MILEAGE: 5 MILES AT SLOW RATE OF SPEED UNDER 20 MPH, WITH THE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING ,THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,109.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184265March 5, 2007
STRUCTURE
TOYOTA AVALON 2006 HAS A PROTRUDING PIECE CYLINDER IN THE MID-SECTION OF THE TRUNK THAT HAS A CUTOUT WITH AN EXTREMELY SHARP EDGE. IT CUT MY FINGER WHEN PUTTING GROCERIES IN MY TRUNK AND MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND WHEN REMOVING LUGGAGE. THIS COULD BE VERY SERIOUS FOR DIABETICS AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT CUTS FOR BOTH OF US. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10184185March 4, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AT SLOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO SLIP. IF I AM SLOWING ALMOST TO A STOP AND THEN STARTING UP AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE ENGINE REVS UP, AND THEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AS THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGES. WE HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED WHEN ANOTHER CAR IS FOLLOWING CLOSE AND THINKS THAT I AM GOING TO MOVE FORWARD BUT CAN'T BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE. I HAVE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AFTER THE TRANS SLIPS. WE HAVE HAD THIS LURCHING AND SLIPPING INCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182047February 8, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS, I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE GAS PEDAL CONTINUED TO DEPRESS ON ITS OWN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF IT. I STOOD ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT TOOK ABOUT 5 SECONDS FOR THE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE AFTER ACCELERATING VERY RAPIDLY. THE THIRD TIME, I HAD TO SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. I AM AFRAID TO PRESS HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL AT THIS POINT AS IT IS A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION. A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER WOULD GET INJURED. I WILL NOT LET ANYBODY ELSE DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALER HAD NO EXPLANATION WHICH I FIND VERY DISTURBING. HELP!! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10179555January 17, 2007
AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER
REQUEST TO REMOVE THE KNEE LEVEL AIR BAG FROM THE 2006 TOYOTA AVALON**CC THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS IN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE KNEE BOLSTER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. SHE SUSTAINED FRACTURES TO BOTH FEET, SEVERE CONTUSIONS ON BOTH FEET AND A THIRD DEGREE CHEMICAL BURN ON HER LEFT LEG. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10178983January 17, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
(1) TIME IS APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM, JANUARY 16, 2007. I AM DRIVING SOUTHBOUND IN OUTSIDE LANE ON DIVIDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 400' BEHIND VEHICLE AHEAD, HEADLIGHTS ON DIM. WEATHER IS CLEAR, ROADS ARE CLEAR, HOWEVER, AREA HAD RECENT ICE AND SLEET BUT MOST HAS BEEN SNOW PLOWED TO THE ROAD SHOULDERS. TRAFFIC IS LIGHT, WITH VEHICLES AHEAD AND TO THE REAR. SPEED IS APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND I AM WATCHING THE ROAD CLOSELY. PASSENGER IN VEHICLE IS WITNESS. (2) I AM IMMEDIATELY UPON A CHUNK OF ICE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL THAT APPEARED TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THERE WAS NO SWERVE BY THE VEHICLE AHEAD TO INDICATE AN ATTEMPT TO DODGE AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD. THE ICE IS SLIDING ON THE ROAD MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE TRAFFIC. I HIT THE ICE WITH MY VEHICLE JUST UNDER THE BUMPER AND INSIDE THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. THE OBJECT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED BY MY VEHICLES HEADLIGHTS IN TIME FOR ME TO BRAKE OR MANEUVER AROUND IT. THE IMPACT BROKE MY FRONT BUMPER COWLING, UNDER ENGINE SHIELD AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL MUD GUARD. (3) THE VEHICLE IS MOBILE AND NO PARTS LEFT THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. A FULL INSPECTION HAS NOT YET BEEN CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE OTHER DAMAGES. NO ESTIMATE OF COST HAS BEEN SECURED ALTHOUGH MY ESTIMATION IS THEY WILL APPROACH $2500. HAVING HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, I QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THE HEADLIGHTS ABILITY TO ILLUMINATE AN OBJECT AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE WHILE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON DIM. THIS IS A NEW 2006 MODEL FULL SIZE CAR HID HEADLIGHTS. THE HEADLIGHTS APPEAR TO DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF LIGHTING THE ROADWAY AT A DISTANCE THAT APPEARS TO BE ABOUT 150'. THIS ILLUMINATED DISTANCE IS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE (LONGER) FROM A SECOND VEHICLE THAT I HAVE ALTHOUGH THE SECOND VEHICLE IS A PICKUP ABOUT 8 YEARS OLDER WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HEADLIGHT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175824December 11, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING AT 10 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLUGGISH WHILE SHIFTING GEARS, AND LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 01/19/07. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172634November 4, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON WITH ~15,000 MILES ON IT. INTERMITTENTLY, THE CAR WILL HESITATE ON ACCELERATION. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES, AT TIMES, TO AVOID A SIDE-SWIPE COLLISION. THE DELAY IN INPUT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACTUAL ACCELERATION IS 2-4 SECONDS AT TIMES. THIS IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO TOYOTA. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DESCRIBES IT AS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS "CHARACTERISTIC" AND I'M CERTAIN WILL RESULT IN ACCIDENTS. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES ON THE "FORUM" ON EDMUNDS.COM WHERE OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED THE SAME PROBLEM/CONCERN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171393October 20, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WE HAVE FOUND THE AUTO LEVELING HEADLIGHTS (HID) TO BE AIMED MUCH TOO LOW. WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE USING LOW BEAMS AT 55 MPH AND THE HIGH BEAMS ARE NOT NEARLY AS GOOD AS CONVENTIONAL HEADLIGHTS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169856October 3, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE ACCELERATING AND TURNING A CORNER THE VEHICLE HESITATED, AND THEN LURCHED FORWARD. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Avalon