Toyota Avalon Complaints (2005)

228 consumer complaints on file.

#10255927January 21, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2005 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 70,000 + MILES AND JUST HAD 70,000 MILE SERVICE. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD ENGINE SOUNDING LOUDER THAN NORMAL. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR OTHER WARNING WAS GIVEN. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. ANALYSIS REVEALED BROKEN OIL PIPE AND OIL SOAKED TIMING BELT. PART IS ON BACK ORDER AND WILL NOT ARRIVE UNTIL FEB 18 FROM JAPAN. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT MORE THAN A THOUSAND ON BACKORDER. IN REVIEWING COMPLAINTS ON 2006 AVALON, I NOTED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND APPARENTLY A SERVICE MEMORANDUM HAS BEEN ISSUED. APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE PART. BECAUSE OF SAFETY RISK, SHOULDN'T THIS BE SUBJECT TO RECALL? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254968January 14, 2009
STEERING
MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON (TOURING MODEL) HAS A DEFECTIVE LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. ABOUT EVERY HALF AN HOUR IT WILL COME LOSE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL DROP OUT OF MY HANDS AND THE LOCK WILL JAM AGAINST MY LEG, CUTTING ME. I HAVE ALMOST HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. TOYOTA DENIES THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE AND UNWILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN DEATH. THE LOCKING MECHANISM IS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL AND EASILY COMES LOSE SIMPLY DUE TO VIBRATION AND THE EFFECT OF GRAVITY ON THE LOCKING DEVICE. THE LAST TIME TOYOTA CLAIMED THEY FIXED IT THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY BENT THE MECHANISM SO THAT IT WOULD NOT COME LOSE AS EASILY. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT A PROPER METHOD OF REPAIRING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252190December 18, 2008
POWER TRAIN, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS PARKING MY CAR AT WORK. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND BACKED UP SLIGHTLY TO STRAIGHTEN MY CAR. WHEN I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO PULL FORWARD AGAIN , THE CAR RACED FORWARD WITH ENGINE REVVING STRONGLY. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKE. THE CAR CRASHED AND PUSHED THROUGH A THICK BRICK WALL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WOULD ONLY STOP AFTER I PUSHED THE ENGINE SHUTOFF BUTTON. THE GEARSHIFT WAS HARD TO MOVE AFTER THE INCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10244281October 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DROVE TO WORK (17 MILES) 10/2/2008, AS TYPICAL AT 6:30AM STILL DARK. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES KEPT GETTING WHIFS OF BURNING ENGINE OIL BUT KEPT THINKING IT WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT ENOUGH SO I DID NOT THINK IT WAS MY VEHICLE. ALSO THE NEWNESS OF THE VEHICLE DECEIVED ME. ARRIVED AT WORK AND DID SOME LOOKING. FOUND THE TRAIL OF OIL IN THE PARKING LOT AND RAISED THE HOOD TO SEE OIL SPEWED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CALLED FOR TOW TO MECHANIC. MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE IS A TSB ON THIS. WHY WAS THERE NOT A RECALL? THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC! THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND THE TEMP WAS NORMAL THROUGHOUT....MY ONLY INDICATION OF A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WAS SMELL AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE PERSONS WITHOUT THIS SENSE ARE MORE COMMON THAN I SUSPECTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240674September 2, 2008
STEERING
STEERING COLUMN IS DEFECTIVE PER DEALER. I NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND AND VIBRATION AS I WAS DRIVING. I ASKED DEALER TO CHECK IT OUT. THEY ADVISED ME I NEEDED A NEW STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $1835. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD ONLY GET WORSE IF IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS BETWEEN ME , THE DEALER AND TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA REGARDING WARRANTY AND SAFETY ISSUES, I APPROVED THE REPAIR. THE REPAIR [ REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN] WAS COMPLETED ON AUGUST 28, 2008 AND I HAVE THE REPLACED PARTS. I PAID THE BILL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS 5 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233652July 9, 2008
STRUCTURE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THIS WEEK THE FRONT AND BACK FLOORS ARE DRENCHED IN WATER UNDER THE CARPETS. THE TECHNICIAN TO CLEAN THE CAR NOTED THAT THERE WAS BLACK MOLD UNDER THE CARPETS. THE BELIEF IS THAT THE AC IS NOT DRAINING PROPERLY. WHAT AND HOW CAN THIS BE RESOLVED ASAP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225050April 10, 2008
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
2005 TOYOTA AVALON WITH UNSAFE MICHELIN TIRES. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TWO FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH MICHELIN ENERGY TIRES. HE STATES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70-75 MPH BOTH TIRES DISINTEGRATED. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SHOP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALLS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223042April 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION DELAY UPON EXHILARATION THAT PUT ME IN A POISON OF ACCIDENT, SINCE THE CAR DOESN'T REACT OR RESPOND ON TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222173March 24, 2008
STEERING:COLUMN
"MAINTENANCE REQUIRED" LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. AFTER MENTIONING A CONCERN I HAD, I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THAT MY STEERING COLUMN SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DID NOT FEEL ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE STEERING FROM WHEN I LAST BROUGHT IT IN BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP. NOW, I HAVE A $600 + BILL AT 43,000 MILES. I'VE ALWAYS HAD TOYOTA'S AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING QUITE A FEW PROBLEMS OF LATE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10220363March 7, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I WAS TRYING TO GET MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON'S EMISSION TESTING DONE. I WENT TO TWO TESTING SITES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO READ THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM ON MY CAR. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE AND THAT YOUR EMISSIONS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE OLD SCHOOL AND THAT TOYOTA CAN NOT KEEP UP WITH EMISSIONS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN GA THEY HAVE DONE AWAY WITH THE OLD SCHOOL STYLE TESTING AND THERE ARE ONLY A FEW LOCATIONS THAT STILL DO IT. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY HAD 3 OTHER 2005 AVALONS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO DOT IT THE OLD SCHOOL WAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215501January 20, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WEATHER: SUNNY. ENGINE WARM - DRIVEN ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE WAY TO SMALL SHOPPING CENTER. I'M IN NO HURRY, STOPPING TO BROWSE IN A FAVORITE BOUTIQUE. LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPACE, SLOWED VEHICLE TO A CRAWL WHILE SCANNING THE LOT & THEN TURNED SLOWLY ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO DRIFT INTO AN AVAILABLE SPACE WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL RAMMING THE PARKED VEHICLE FACING THE SPACE I WAS IN. I REMEMBER A LOUD NOISE - WHICH WAS THE ENGINE ACCELERATING: AN UNFAMILIAR SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS JUST ABOUT STOPPED. THEN, THE NOISE OF THE CRASH - ABOUT 6 FT IN FRONT OF THE AVALON AT THE TIME OF THE NOISE & LURCH. THE IMPACT STOPPED THE CAR. I PUT IT IN REVERSE & BACKED AWAY, THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR BY MISTAKE AS IT HAD BEEN ON THE BRAKE WHILE DRIFTING DOWN THE AISLE TOWARD THE OPEN SPACE - THERE HAD BEEN NO ACCELERATION WHILE IN THAT AISLE. TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE SPACE I WOULD HAVE HAD TO APPLY ONLY THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE ; THEREFORE, IF I HAD TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR BY MISTAKE I WOULD HAVE NOT DONE SO WITH ENOUGH PRESSURE TO CAUSE THE WILD ACCELERATION. WITH MY FOOT ABOVE THE BRAKE IN THAT INSTANT WHEN I TOUCHED THE BRAKE TO STOP THE LURCH IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE SPEED OF THE CAR BEFORE IMPACT: THERE WAS NOT ANY HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. NO DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AVALON SUSTAINED SOME BUMPER DAMAGE AND A BENT HOOD - DRIVABLE, BUT I REFUSED TO DRIVE IT. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK I DROVE TO THE EMPTY LOT BEHIND THE STORES AND TRIED TO REPEAT THE EVENT, UNSUCCESSFULLY. I DISCOVERED THAT IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THAT QUICKLY, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR - AN IMPOSSIBILITY AT THE 0 MILES PER HOUR I WAS DRIFTING INTO POSITION IN THE PARKING SPACE. THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNINTENTIONAL THROUGH NO ACTION ON MY PART. THE TOYOTA DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213088December 28, 2007
STEERING:COLUMN
STEERING COLUMN SEPARATING AS IDENTIFIED IN RECALL YET TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS. ID 05V227000. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212901December 27, 2007
STEERING:COLUMN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 5-40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND HE HEARD CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR STEERING: COLUMN (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #05V227000) HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 01/29/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212469December 20, 2007
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SECURE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT OF MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON AFTER A SHOPPING STOP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE SEAT BELT TO THE CAR POST HAD POPPED OUT AND LEFT THE SEAT BELT DANGLING AND UNUSABLE. I SURMISE THAT IT POPPED OUT WHEN I RELEASED IT AFTER ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REATTACHED IT. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY USED A NEW BOLT OR FOUND THE OLD ONE IN THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10207466October 30, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AUTOMATICALLY TO 80 MPH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT BACK INTO AUTO MANUAL MODE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE DROVE UP A HILL WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO APPLY MAXIMUM BRAKE PRESSURE TO MODERATE THE ACCELERATION AND PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE RECENTLY HAD A ROUTINE INSPECTION AT 25,300 MILES. THE DEALER DID NOT FIND ANY FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 27,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10203544September 20, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HIS 95 POUND WIFE SITS IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE AIR BAG DOES NOT ACTIVATE. HE STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS SET TO ACTIVATE AT 60 POUNDS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 01-14-08. *KB UPDATED *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10202063September 6, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SINCE PURCHASING IN DEC., 2005, TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN PROCEEDING FROM IDLE AT SLOW SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES BETWEEN GEARS AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. HAVE NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED INNUMERABLE TIMES. ORIGINAL SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO DEALER RESULTED IN INFO THAT "NO TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED TO FIX THAT". THIS LAST TIME I COMPLAINED, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NATURAL FEATURE OF DRIVE-BY-WIRE, THAT NO TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED WHICH FIXED IT, AND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS KNOWN PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200848August 27, 2007
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT LEFT THE IGNITION TURNED ON OVER NIGHT AND FOUND THE BATTERY COMPLETELY DEAD THE NEXT MORNING. THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN AS A RESULT OF THE DEAD BATTERY AND IT CANNOT BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED. AAA WAS CALLED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE SO THE TRUNK COULD BE OPENED. THE TOYOTA DEALER ADVISED HIM TO GO TO A LOCKSMITH AND HAVE A KEY OPERATED LOCK INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE DEALER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR. HE WENT TO A SECOND DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND HIS CONCERN THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, BUT THE CONTACT HAS YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 22,500. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE CONSUMER PERTAINING TO THE DEFECT. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10193593June 18, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SURGES AHEAD OR SHIFTS TO ANOTHER GEAR. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. HE HAS SPOKEN WITH THE AVALON DIVISION OF TOYOTA AND THEY STATED THAT SOMEONE WILL CONTACT HIM IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 22,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10192792June 8, 2007
STEERING
STEERING CLUNKS HEARD WHILE TURNING VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. AUTO PURCHASED USED, WITH MANUFACTURER WARRENTY AND CERTIFIED BY TOYOTA TO 84 MONTHS OR 100,000. VEHICHLE CURRENTLY HAS 14,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Avalon