1998 Toyota Avalon complaints

PURCHASED USED 1998 IN 1999-WHILE DRIVING CAR TURNS OFF AND STEERING WHEELS BECOME TOO HARD TO STEER. SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 WHEN THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY SYMPTONS. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER MANY TIMES THEY SAY THEY FIXED IT YET IT KEEPS REOCCURING. COULD KILL OR HAVE MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M A REALTOR AND I HAVE CLIENTS IN MY CAR ALL THE TIME. *AK

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL IT HAS HARD RESISTANCE UNTIL WARMED UP. DEALER HAS PARTS ON BACK ORDER, AND IT WILL TAKE 30 DAYS. A RUSH ORDER HAS BEEN PLACED. VEHICLE IS GOING TO GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS. *AK

STEERING WHEEL IS INOPERABLE DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING YOKE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS ON BACKORDER.*AK

PREMATURE WEARING OF FRONT STRUTS EVENTUALLY CAUSED TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAROUT. ALSO, VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO LEFT OR RIGHT WHICH WAS ALSO A RESULT OF PROBLEM WITH FRONT STRUTS. *AK *SLC

FRONT STRUT BRACKET FAILURE CAUSING FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE, POOR RIDE, AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. PREVIOUS TSB'S WERE NOTED BY OWNER. PROBLEM FIXED BY DEALER UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURE AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE FOR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY OVER $500 IF NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. DO TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE IN TOYOTA CARS, WOULD THINK THIS IS LIKELY MANUFACTURING OR ENGINEERING DEFECT AND DUTY OF TOYOTA TO FIX.

NOISE AND THUMP IS COMING FROM SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING OVER WASHBOARD TYPE BUMPS, DEALER REPLACED A LOOSE HEADLINER, HOWEVER THE THUMP AND NOISE IS STILL PRESENT. *SLC

WHILE THE ENGINE IS IDLING DURING A STOP AND PRESSURE IS INCREASED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL DECENDS TO THE FLOOR. *CJ

WENT TO DEALER 3 OUT OF 5 PEOPLE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM. SYSTEM WAS INSPECTED 2 WEEKS PRIOR BY NYS INSPECTION. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK

MY CAR WAS STOPPED AND THEN HIT DIRECTLY IN THE BACK BY A VEHICLE GOING APPROX. 45 MILES PER HOUR. ON IMPACT, THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT FULLY RECLINED RESULTING IN INJURY TO OCCUPANT AND IF THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT ON THAT SIDE IN THE REAR SEAT, THAT OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE HAD CRUSHED LEGS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. OCCUPANT SUFFERS BACK MUSCLE INJURY FROM DEFECT. BIGGER INJURIES COULD HAVE RESULTED IF SOMEONE ELSE WAS IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT.*AK

RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT. WHILE REQUESTING REPAIR, DEALER INDICATED STEEL BELTS WERE BEGINNING TO PROTRUDE THROUGH CARCASS. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE UNDAMAGED LEFT REAR TIRE, OBSERVED THE SAME PHENOMENON. ALL TIRES HAD ONLY AN ESTIMATED 5 - 10 THOUSAND MILES TREAD REMAINING. THESE TIRES WERE ROTATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATION AND MAINTAINED AT 32 PSI PRESSURE. CAR IS IN EXCELLENT MECHANICAL CONDITION WITH NO FRONT END DAMAGE NOR ALIGNMENT ANOMALIES. AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTS NOTED ON BOTH REAR TIRES CHOSE TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

DUNLOP SPORT 4000 TIRE(P205 65 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND MINOR BODY DAMAGE, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DRIVER'S SEAT SEEMS TO GO FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER AS THOUGH IT WAS LOOSE. DEALER SAID SEAT NOT LOOSE. ALSO DASH AND HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING HOME ONE EVENING. COULD'T GET THEM TO GO BACK ON. AFTER CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY DOE 5 MINUTES WENT OUT AND TRIED AND THEN THEY WENT ON. DEALER SAID NOTHING COULD BE FOUND.

THE CAR HAS BEEN RE-ALIGNED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IS CONSTANTLY GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. TIRES HAVE ALSO WORN EXCESSIVELY. INDEPENDENT ALIGNMENT (GOODYEAR) REPORTED THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER AVALONS.*AK

THE FORM DOES NOT COVER WHAT I NEED TO TELL YOU. OUR 11 YEAR OLD SON DECIDED TO SIT IN THE CAR AND FINISH EATING HIS BREAKFAST WHILE WE WENT AHEAD AND ENTERED THE CHURCH ON SUNDAY. MY WIFE PRESSED THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE FOB. MY SON WAS TOTALLY UNABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN WHEN HE FINISHED HIS BISCUIT. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND WHEN HE TRIED TO OPEN THE LOCKED DOOR AND HE COULD NOT GET OUT. LUCKILY SOME OTHER PEOPLE NOTICED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE PRIEST MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE CHURCH AND WE WENT OUT AND UNLOCKED HIM. WE ALL GOT A GOOD LAUGH. I CAN EASILY SEE HOWEVER HOW THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A DISASTER IF WE HAD LEFT HIM IN AN ABANDONED PARKING LOT AT NIGHT, ETC... NO ESCAPE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RELEASE FROM THE INSIDE AND TOYOTA PEOPLE NEED TO POINT OUT THIS POSSIBLITY. *AK

BELIEVE MANUFACTURER IS PUTTING INFERIOR TIRES ON ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AUTOS AND THEN REFERS CUSTOMER TO TIRE MANUFACTURER WHEN COMPLAINTS ARISE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

FRONT SUSPENSION BANGS AND CLANKS GOING OVER ANY SIZE BUMP AT ANY SPEED. ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR DEVELOPING EVEN WITH ROTATION. DEALER STATES CONDITION IS "NORMAL" NO RESOLUTION AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *AK

BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED AT 7000 MILES. BRAKES AND THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 14000 MILES AND 19000 MILES. ALSO, ABS BRAKE LIGHT WAS COMING ON/OFF, AND BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING. *AK

AIR BAGS FRONT AND SIDE FAILED TO DEPLOY ON A FRONTAL COLLISION AT A SPEED GREATER THAN 10 MPH. THE SPEED IS ONLY AN ESTIMATE, BUT IT WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FIREWALL TO PARTIALLY BUCKLE. THANK HEAVEN THAT THE SEAT BELTS WORKED PROPERLY. *AK

REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT GIVING THE FEELING OF TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADEQUATE REAR STRUTS. YH

THE CONSUMER WAS IN THE INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH, HITTING HER ON RIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT SIDE. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH ON ICY ROAD CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WAS SIDE SWIPED, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE REFUELING VEHICLE AT A GAS STATION CONSUMER SET THE PUMP ON AUTOMATIC AND WALKED OFF A FEW FEET, TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF FILLER NECK. FLAME WAS PUT OUT WITH A EXTINGUISHER, AND VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO DEALER. FIRE DEPT REPORT STATED GAS STATION PUMP IGNITED FIRE FROM SPARK OF UNKNOWN SOUCE. NO SMOKING OR PEOPLE AROUND AT THE TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT . *AK

ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL AND DASH LIGHTS/WARNINGS CUT OFF WITHOUT NOTICE AND CANNOT BE RESTARTED UNLESS IGNITION TURNED OFF AND ALLOWED TO SIT >1MIN, DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PROBLEM RECOMMENDS TRYING TO REPLACE MODULE FOR $1200 ALTHOUGH THAT MAY OR MAY NOT FIX PROBLEM, MORE FREQUENT FAILURE IN SUMMER MONTHS

TOXIC SUBSTANCE VIA VENTILATION DUCTS CAUSING DROWSINESS AND NUMEROUS OTHER POTENTIALLY FATAL HEALTH RELATED SYMPTOMS. A/C SYSTEM INDEPENDENTLY SWITCHES FROM FRESH AIR TO RECIRCULATED AIR WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM.

THERE IS EXCESSIVE WIRING BY THE KICK PANEL WHICH CAUSES THE KICK PANEL NOT TO STAY ON BEACUSE THE WIRES ARE RUBBING. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHORT OUT AND STALL. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SINCE APRIL OF 1998 COMPLAINING ABOUT THE KICKPANEL NOT STAYING ON, NEVER GETTING SATISFACTORY RESULTS, I CONTACTED TOYOTA USA AND REQUESTED ARBITRATION, THEY FAILED TO RESPOND. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DAYTONA BEACH TOYOTA AT 451 N. NOVA RD DAYTONA BEACH FL 32114 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS "EXTRA WIRING ADDED TO HARNESS UNABLE TO REPAIR WIHT OUT REMOVING WIRES" THIS WAS ON 06/21/99. AT NO TIME DID ANY DEALER OR THE MANAFACTURER INFORM ME OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98E03500. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RECALL NOTICE AND AM AWAITING ARBITRATION WITH TOYOTA ON NOVEMBER 1,1999 AT THE STATE LEMON LAW OFFICE 1300 RIVERPLACE BLVD. JACKSONVILLE, FL 32207. AS OF 10/15/1999 I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM DAVID ADAMS WITH TOYOTA THE REGIONAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MANAGER INFORMED ME HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING ON ANY OTHER AVALON! ALTHOUGH TOYOTA HAS AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THEM AT THE ARBITRATIN HEARING ON NOVEMBER 1,1999, MR ADAMS HAS ASKED THT WE SETTLE THIS MATTER BY MY PURHCASING ANOTHER TOYOTA AVALON WITH HIM ASISTING US AT DAYTONA BEACH TOYOTA.

CONSUMER WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF RECALL 98E035000 AND HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING OF THE TDS SYSTEM. *SLC

NO SUMMARY

FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHT, DOOR AJAR LIGHT, AND INTERIOR LIGHT.

SEAT BELT BUCKLE SLIPS BELOW SEAT.

ALL FOUR TIRE WORN. NLM

WHILE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY, AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ARBITRARILY CUTS OFF AND CANNOT BE RESTARTED AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY. THIS LEAVES THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A/C, FAN VENTILATION OR FRONT WINDOW DEFOGGING CAPABILITY. THE ABSENCE OF DEFOGGING, IN PARTICULAR, IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WINDOW CAN FOG UP QUICKLY ON HOT, HUMID RAINY DAYS AND SEVERELY COMPROMISE DRIVER VISIBILITY.

VEHICLE HAS CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO BODY DUE TO INCIDENTS OF LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS

DEFECTIVE TIRES - 3 OF 4 ORGINAL TIRES HAVE HAD BLOWOUTS SO FAR IN UNDER THE CARS 9000 MILES. ALL THE HOLES LOOKED THE SAME IN SHAPE AND SIZE AND HAVE BLOWED OUT FROM THE SIDE WALL. I HAVE 2 OF THE 3 TIRES. I DIDN'T KEEP THE FIRST ONE. BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES SO I KEPT THE OTHER TWO. I AM CONCERN ABOUT THE 1 REMAINING ORGINAL TIRE STILL ON THE CAR.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 20565R15 )

FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE, SIX ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO FIX, HOWEVER NOT REMEDIED. MJS

AFTER ONLY 18,000 MILES TWO FRONT TIRES HAD PREMATURELY WORN OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS WHICH DEPLOYED VIOLENTLY DURING COLLISION CAUSING SERVERE INJURY TO DRIVER'S CHEST, CHIN, AND FRONT TOOTH THAT ALSO INCLUDED BURNING AND INFLAMMATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND LUNGS. *YC

BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES P205/65R15 92H TIRES DEVELOPED A SIDEWALL BULGE. MJS

RADIO RECEPTION IS POOR, RESULTING IN RADION FADING IN AND OUT. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 15 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHEN PULLING INTO GARAGE, DOOR OPENED SLIGHTLY, ACCELERATOR NOT TOUCHED, VEHICLE TOOK OFF GOING FORWARD, PUT GEAR INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE TOOK OFF GOING BACKWARDS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

ON MARCH 21,1999 OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO INVOLUTARILY ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WAS SURGING RAPIDLY. THE TACOMETER REACHED 7,000RPM AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 90MPH. DRIVER WAS APPLYING NORMAL PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATION BEGAN. HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR BY USING THE BRAKES WITH NO SUCCESS. THE CAR WAS ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL, SO THE OWNER TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND PULLED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER IN WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED FROM AND NO REPEAT OF THE INCIDENT COULD BE PREFORMED. DEALER INVESTIGATED ACCELERTOR CABLE, SCANNED CHECK FOR CODES, THROTTLE BODY AND GAS PEDAL, NO DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE. OWNER'S EXPRESS LIFE THREATENING AND SAFETY CONCERNS PERTAINING TO THIS VEHICLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE CONDITION OF THIS VEHICLE.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PERFORMING POORLY CAUSING THE "SKID" LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE VEHICLE TO STALL.

CENTURY BREVERRA CONTOUR DOES NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY IN BACK MIDDLE OF TOYOTA AVALON. DUE TO HUMP IN MIDDLE ELR/ALR SEAT BELT CANNOT BE TIGHTENED PROPERLY. SEAT TILTS TO SIDE. ELR RELEASES. LOCKING CLIP RELEASES. CENTURY TODDLER SEAT RESTRAINS FINE. *AK

FRONT SUSPNSION MAKES AN "UNDAMPENED" CLUNK WHEN GOING OVER SLIGHTLY ROUGH ROAD. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT AND/OR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T LOCK, AND THAT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE CONSUMER. *AK

CONSUMER BELIEVES VEHICLE IS POORLY INSULATED CAUSING IT TO BE NOISY.

DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW RELAY FAILED. NLM

BATTERY FAILED. MJS