Toyota Avalon Complaints (1996)

109 consumer complaints on file.

#10046584November 7, 2003
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
DURING THE WINTER SEASON THE DEFROSTER FAILED. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037371September 7, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT A USED 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. IT WAS COVERED UNDER 6 YEAR / 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH OF 2002. I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.*AK WHEN PUTTING THE AUTO TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES VIOLENTLY. ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT "BARK" THE TIRES, IT IS QUITE SEVERE. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY GASKET(S) WERE THE LIKELY CAUSE AND THEY HAD MY CAR FROM 9-3-03 TO 9-5-03 REPLACING THEM. THEY SAID THAT A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED DETAILING THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE GASKETS, BUT NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN ISSUED. TOYOTA ENGINEERS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE LOWER VALVE BODY GASKET IN 1997 (TC00197 APR 1997) BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DIRECT CLUTCH PORTION OF THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE DAMAGED DUE TO THE CROSS LEAK FROM THE GASKET. MY QUESTION IS- WHY DID TOYOTA NOT RECALL THESE CARS BECAUSE OF THIS? TWO VALVE BODY GASKETS ARE LESS THAN $30.00 (TOYOTA PRICES). I AM NOT SURE IF THE NEW GASKETS WILL INTERCHANGE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE VALVE BODY, BORE, ETC. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED THESE GASKETS AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I DID ORIGINALLY. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH (THEY CHARGED ME NO LABOR BECAUSE THEY DID NOT FIX THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM). I AM NOW STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I HAVE PUT ROUGHLY 60,000 MILES ON SINCE PAYING OVER $20,000.00 FOR IT (BEFORE TRADE-IN) IN 1999. I CAN'T TRADE OR SELL THIS CAR UNTILL I GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED ( INSTALL A NEW OR REBUILT UNIT). THE COST OF A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND INSTALLATION WOULD LIKELY BE OVER 30% OF THE CARS CURRENT VALUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026077July 14, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. MY CAR HAS BEEN PUTTING OUT A WHITE SMOKE DURING COLD START-UPS. I AM ADDING TWO QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK. I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. I EVEN REPLACE SOME SEALS, BELIEVING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS COME TO A-HEAD. MY CAR STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE GOING TO WORK ON JULY 13, 2003. THE CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER IT STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO PARK THE CAR AND IT WILL BE MY MECHANIC. I HAVE READ ON THIS SITE THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHERS COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US IN NOT ONLY FINDING THE PROBLEM BUT FIXING IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY, MICHAEL T. MARCHAND.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10010272March 11, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I AM THE OWNER OF A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON AND NEED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS. MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER TOYOTA'S CSP PROGRAM ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE ENGINES COVERED UNDER THIS PROGRAM. THIS HAS CAUSED MY FAMILY EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL STRESS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10007640February 17, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE CUT OUT/STALLED IN MIDDLE OF EXPRESSWAY WITH NO WARNING. PULLED TO EMERGENCY LANE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE, TURNED ENGINE BACK ON, ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATES IT IS OIL SLUDGE DUE TO FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 4000 MILES. GETTING NO SATISFACTION AT THIS POINT FROM DEALER, WHO INDICATES MINIMUM REPAIR COST WILL BE $3300 - $3500 FOR REBUILT ENGINE. MADE COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE, WHO ALSO ARE NOT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE. GETTING RUN AROUND AS COMPLAINT WAS FILED, WHICH THEY ARE SENDING BACK TO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR HANDLING. REGIONAL OFFICE ALREADY INDICATED THAT THEY PROBABLY AREN'T OFFERING ANY ASSISTANCE. ENGINE HAS LESS THAN 65,000 MILES ON IT. BOUGHT IT ONE YEAR OLD WITH 29,000 ON IT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS CAR TO HAVE ENGINE TROUBLE WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY 35,000 MILES HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR IN LAST 6 YEARS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STICK BY THEIR PRODUCT, AND MAKE REPAIRS THAT ARE REQUIRED. CONSUMERS AT BEING PLACED IN VERY POOR POSITION, AND WE ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10007422February 14, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8016507August 16, 2002
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#765169August 4, 2002
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 53K MILES ON IT. IT STARTED CONSUMING OIL AND BLOWING SMOKE ON COLD STARTS OVER THE WINTER. I HAVE DONE NUMEROUS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. BEFORE THEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 15MONTHS AGO SO I ASKED MY TOYOTA DEALER TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THEY DID SOME MINOR CHECKS AND TURNED THE LIGHT OFF. CURRENTLY MY CAR HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS "ENGINE INTERNALL DAMAGED NEEDS ENGINE" BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE AND THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED SLUDGE IN ENGINE THAT CAUSED DIAGNOSED ENGINE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE PERSONELL AS I BECAME AWARE OF THE 1997-2002 TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY TOYOTA UNDER THE "SPA CAMPAIGN" THAT TOYOTA SAID THEY WORKED OUT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION. I HAVE BEEN OFFERED 50% REPAIR FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE DESPITE BEING ACCUSED OF NEGLECTING MY VEHICLE(I PROVIDED TOYOTA WITH ALL OF MY SCHEDULED MAINTENEANCE AND OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS AT WELL WITHIN THEIR RECOMMENDED TIME/MILEAGE INTERVALS. I AM AWARE OF MANY OTHER 1996 TOYOTA AVALON OWNERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HE SAME PROBLEMS/FALSE ACCUSATIONS AN GRIEF FROM TOYOTA. SOME HAVE RECEIVED FULL PAYMENT FOR THEIR ENGINE REPAIRS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OIL GELLING(SLUDGE) PROBLEMS MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE HAVING. I FEEL THAT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND I ARE AT RISK OF SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS 6 CYL ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME AND WHY 1996 AVALONS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE "SPA" PROGRAM WHEN IT IS THE SAME ENGINE AND SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS OCCURRING. PLEASE HELP. MONICA AT TOYOTA SAID IT WAS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, GUIDANCE AND APPROVAL THAT THE CURRENT "SPA" CAMPAIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STAND UP TALL AND SUPPORT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD. IT IS WAY TOO EASY TO BE A "FAIR WEATHER FRIEND" . NOW WE ARE "NEGLECTFUL OWNERS" HMMM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8014744July 25, 2002
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THERE HAS BEEN SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN THE RPM INCREASING WITHOUT ACCELERATION CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE, DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#898860November 7, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT BATTERY HAD FAILED, BUT DASH INDICATOR DID NOT LIGHT UP TO WARN CONSUMER.*AK *YD
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#751012August 23, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
REAR BRAKES SQUEALED ONLY WHEN BACKING UP. HAD BRAKE SHOES CLEANED MANY TIMES BY DEALER. ALWAYS THE SAME THING UNTIL REPLACING REAR BRAKES FIXED PROBLEM. NOT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#890803June 20, 2001
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE PASSENGER WAS IN SEAT AND WHEN BENDING OVER TO PICK SOMETHING OFF THE FLOOR, SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, CAUSING NO PROTECTION. *AK PERSON WAS SEATED IN MIDDLE BACK SEAT, TOYOTA REIMBURSED CONSUMER. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#882610March 9, 2001
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#742129March 8, 2001
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. TOYOTA WON'T OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THIS DEFECT, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL PRIVATELY TELL YOU THAT THEY SEE ALL THE TIME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#880778February 20, 2001
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AND PASSENGER'S REAR SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO REASON. THERE WERE NO TREE OR TRAFFIC TRAVELING ON THAT SIDE. CONSUMER WILL BE CONTACTING DEALER. PLEASE ADD VIN# TO FORM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#559607February 12, 2001
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, PARTS ON BACK ORDER. CJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#877135December 28, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
POWER STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HAD BEEN LEAKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. BUT , THEN DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A TSB ON THAT PROBLEM. VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY, AND DEALER KNEW WHAT PROBLEM WAS. DEALER OFFERED TO PAY FOR PART, BUT CONSUMER FELT DEALER SHOULD ALSO PAY FOR LABOR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#556762October 20, 2000
TIRES
THE STEEL BELTS OF THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES (P205/65R15) SEPARATED CAUSING VIBRATION, CONSUMER BOUGHT A NEW SET OF BRIDGESTONE TIRES OF THE SAME MODEL BUT WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THE NEW TIRES EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#733163October 2, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HAS SLUDGE.TOYTA DOES NOT WANT TO FIX IT.ENGINE WILL CUT OFF GOING DOWN ROADIT COULD POSSIBLTY CAUSE ACCIDENT.IT IS NOT JUST ONE MODEL OF CAR BUT THE SIX CYLINDER IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT 20 PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SLUDGE.THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA SAYS OIL NOT CHANGED PROPERLY BUT PEOPLE HAVE RECORDS.PLEASE LOOK AT THE WEBSITE WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM UNDER TOYOTA AND LOOK AT PROBLEMS. THIS IS JUST SOME PEOPLETHAT HAVE FOUND OUT IT AND KNOW ONE PLACE THEY CAN LOG IT.HOW MANY OUT THERE THAT DONT KNOW. I WAS AT TOYOTA DELERSHIP AND WHILE THEY WERE CHECKING MINE ANOTHER CAME IN IT WAS A 98 TOYOTA SINNEA VAN ONLY 38000 MILES TOYTOA TOLD THESE PEOPLE THE SAME THING THING THEY TOLD ME OIL NOT CHANGED AND IT WAS THE WORST THEY EVER SAW.I BELEIVE TOYOTA IS TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING. I HAVE A TOYTOA WITH 237000 MILES ON IT NO PROBLEM WITHIT. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I WAS TOLD BY A TOYOTA TECH. IT WAS POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENGINE DESIGN .HE SAID THE FRONT HEAD IS FLAT AND THE BACK HEAD IS AT A ANGLE POSSIBLY CAUSING AFLOE PROBLEM. THANKS PAT. *A
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727148August 9, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLE MECHANISMS HAVE FAILED. IF IT WERE ONE IT MAY BE CONSIDERED A FLUKE, BUT SINCE BOTH HAVE FAILED I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK IS NOT ON BUT IT MAY BE SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO THE PROBLEM. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT IF THERE IS A FIRE IN THE CAR OR A NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF THE CAR, THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT CANNOT GET OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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