2006 Toyota Avalon complaints

I AM WRITING THIS FOR MY BROTHER WHO IS THE LEGAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. (2006 TOYOTA AVALON) HE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT LAUREL CARMAX TOYOTA ON JULY 30TH,2009. (INCLUDING BRAKE AND FLUID CHANGE) IN SEPETEMBER 7TH, HE WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNED ON. HE IMMEDIATELY LOST BRAKE AND TRIED TO PULL OVER THE ROAD IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR. HE TOOK HIS CAR TO THE NEARBY BODYSHOP AND THEY FOUND HIS BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THEY REFILLED THE FLUID AT THE BODY SHOP. FEW DAYS LATER, HE BROUGHT HIS CAR BACK TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HIS CAR. SINCE HE JUST GOT BRAKE/FLUID CHANGE, THIS ISSUE SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. TOYOTA SAID THEY NEED TO "EXAM" THE CAR FIRST AND FOUND OUT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BOOSTER ARE BAD WITH LEAKING. THE EXAM COST AROUND $270 AND THEY WILL CHARGE $1250 FOR REPAIR THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BOOSTER. THE CAR HAS 39000 MILES (2 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS) THAT IS PROBABLY NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I JUST CANT BELIEVE FOR BEING A 2 YRS 9 MONTHS OLD TOYOTA, HOW CAN ITS BRAKE SYSTEM JUST FAILED LIKE THAT? MY BROTHER WAS LUCKY THAT HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND DIDN'T GET HURT. I THINK TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY ENGINE STARTING KNOCKING. OIL LIGHT WAS NOT ON. NEXT DAY CAR RAN 1/4 MILE AND ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. CHECKED OIL AND THERE WAS NONE IN THE ENGINE. THIS WAS ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE AND 70,000 MILE FULL SERVICE. TOWED TO DEALER. WAS TOLD THE OIL PIPE HAD CORRODED AND BROKEN OFF. HOW THIS HAPPENS IN A 2 YEAR OLD CAR I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. EITHER A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER WARNED THE CONTACT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH HIS VEHICLE. HE PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ADDED OIL AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS BEING A VVTI OIL LINE RUPTURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 48,500.

I STARTED TO NOTICE A CLUNK WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHICH I THOUGH T WAS UNUSUAL. IT CONCERNED ME THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A WORN LINKAGE OR BALL JOINT AND THE CAR HAD ONLY 21,000 MILE ON IT. WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A BAD LOT OF A STEERING LINKAGE PART PUT ON CERTAIN AVALONS THAT THEY COULDN'T IDENTIFY. THEREFORE, NO RECALL WHICH DISTURBED ME. I THOUGH TOYOTA WAS KNOWN FOR OUTSTANDING QUALITY! THE CAR NOW HAS 26,300 MILES AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER ISSUES. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON IS EQUIPPED WITH A LASER CRUISE CONTROL. ON 06/14/08, I WAS USING THE CONTROL WHEN IT FAILED. I WAS FORCED TO SUDDENLY APPLY THE BRAKES TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE TRAVELING IN FRONT OF ME ON INTERSTATE 495. I HAVE TESTED THE UNIT SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE INITIAL FAILURE AND FOUND IT TO BE INTERMITTENT AND UNRELIABLE. I HAVE FOUND IT IS UNSAFE TO USE THE SYSTEM. *TR

WHENEVER I ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE ,SUCH AS ENTERING A HIGHWAY FROM AN ON RAMP THE TRANSMISSION WILL HESITATE FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE SPEEDING UP. I UNDERSTAND OTHER OWNERS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED AND TOYOTA MADE CORRECTIONS COULD NOT FIND IT IN YOUR DATABASE. *TR

PURCHASED 2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED WITH NAVIGATION SYSTEM. OVER TIME, NAVIGATION SYSTEM DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. SPOKE WITH NUMEROUS PEOPLE AT TOYOTA, AND THEY ALL AGREED: 1) NAVIGATION SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED 2) THERE IS NO KNOWN SOLUTION 3) TOYOTA IS NOT LOOKING FOR A FIX TO PROBLEM 4) TOYOTA APOLOGIZES FOR SELLING A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND OFFERS NO SOLUTION OR ALTERNATIVE 5) TOYOTA CONTINUED TO SELL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS THAT DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A DEAD STOP, THE ENGINE IDLES AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO THE EMISSION CONTROL. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,000. UPDATED 03-25-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE REVS AND AFTER INFORMING THE DEALER HE WAS INFORMING NHTSA THE DEALER FOUND A FIX FOR THE DEFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED STILL SHIFTS UNEVENLY. UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE TIRE WOULD SPIN AND THE BRAKES WOULD AUTOMATICALLY APPLY. THE CONTACT COULD NOT FEEL THE VEHICLE SPIN, BUT THE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED TO INDICATE THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS APPLIED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUNCTION WAS NORMAL AND THE TRACTION CONTROL COULD NOT BE DEACTIVATED. THE DESIGN FLAW OCCURRED ONLY IN THE SNOW. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 20,000. UPDATED 03/13/08. *LJ

STEERING VIBRATIONS AND CLICKS WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

STEERING COLUMN IN 2006 AVALON EXHIBITS PULSING RATCHET TYPE VIBRATION AND NOISE. MOST SEVERE WHEN TURNED AT LOWER SPEEDS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ACTS ERRATICALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. IF I AM ROLLING THROUGH A STOP SIGN OR JUST IN TRAFFICS AT 5-10 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WILL "HUNT" FOR A GEAR. SOMETIMES IT IS A HESITATION AND SOMETIMES IT JERKS INTO GEAR, DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH TROTTLE YOU APPLY. IF I AM STOP TURN RIGHT ON RED, HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE A TURN BEFORE AN APPROACHING CAR ARRIVES, IF THE TRANSMISSION IS HUNTING FOR A GEAR, I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. IT MIGHT BE ONLY FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS, BUT IT IS DANGEROUS. REPEATED SERVICE TRIPS, SERVICE MANANGERS AND EVEN DISTRICT MANAGER HAS FAILED TO GET ANYONES' ATTENTION. CHECK OUT THIS WEB SITE, HERE ARE 44 PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS:HTTP://FOURWHEELDRIFT.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/01/16/TOYOTA-AVALON-TRANSMISSION-PROBLEMS-EXPOSE-TOYOTAS-PROBLEM-REPORTING-PROBLEMS/ *TR

STEERING WHEEL CLUNKS DURING ACCELERATION, BRAKING, AND ROTATING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER FOR WHICH THEY INDICATED THAT THE "STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT" HAD FAILED AND SO THEY REPLACED IT. WHILE PICKING UP THE CAR, I HAD ASKED TO EXAMINE THE OLD SHAFT AND NOTED CORROSION AND WEAR ON ONE OF THE SPLINES. THE CAR ONLY HAD 16,500 MILES ON IT. IF THE SPLINES WERE COMPLETELY WORN, THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE COMPROMISED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT TOYOTA HAD A FIX TO THIS ALREADY, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. UPON ENTERING THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF HOT GASOLINE AND BURNING WIRES. THE VEHICLE IS A SMART START VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. WHILE BEING PARKED FOR TWO HOURS, THE VEHICLE HEATED THE ENTIRE GARAGE AND WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS 120-150 DEGREES. HE BELIEVED THAT IF HE HAD NOT ENTERED THE GARAGE AT THAT TIME, A FIRE MAY HAVE OCCURRED. HE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 17,300.

I BOUGHT A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON IN SEPT. '06. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AT SLOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS. 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. I ALSO HAVE TO WAIT FOR A VERY LARGE GAP IN TRAFFIC IF I'M CROSSING A LANE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AS I NEVER KNOW IF THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP LEAVING ME IN THE ON-COMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. WE HAVE HAD THIS LURCHING AND SLIPPING INCIDENT APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE TIME. ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN REACHING SPEEDS THAT WOULD BE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD A VERY LOUD BANGING NOISE AND LURCHING OCCURRED. UNFORTUNATELY, ON TWO VISITS TO THE DEALER I WAS NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM THE ON RAMP AND WITH PLENTY OF TIME UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS MY TOYOTA AVALON, UPON ACCELERATION THE ENGINE ACTUALLY CUT OUT I MEAN WITH A SERIOUS HESITATION THAT I COULD NOT RESPOND TO IN TIME. THE AUTO QUICKLY APPROACHING MY REAR VEERED INTO THE NEXT LANE CAUSING THE THIRD CAR TO RUN OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS IS INDEED A HIGHLY SAFETY PROBLEM. I ESCAPED WITHOUT A SCRATCH TO MYSELF OR CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THOMPSONS TOYOTA IN PLACERVILLE CA 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND EACH TIME THEY TELL ME THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW BUT THE PROBLEM SURFACED LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS I NEED THE CAR AND I MUST DRIVE THIS SAFETY AFFECTED PRODUCT. THE CAR IS OK AFTER YOU GET TO 60 MPH. ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP POSITION A 4 CYL. COROLLA AND HONDA CAN PERFORM BETTER, IN FACT I HAVE A TACOMA TOYOTA 4 CYL 1999 WITH 100,000 MILE THAT ALSO ACCELERATES BETTER THAN MY AVALON. *JB

I HAVE A SET OF 215/55-17 LIFELINER SLE TIRES BY COOPER TIRES. THEY WERE INSTALLED ON MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON AT 19000 MILES. I HAVE 33000 ON THEM NOW. THEY WERE BALANCED AND ROTATED AT 10000 MILES. I HAVE MADE 3 COMPLAINTS TO DEALER ABOUT TIRES. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY ROUGH RIDING LIKE THEY HAVE KNOTS IN THEM SINCE THE DAY THEY WERE INSTALLED. I HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT CHECKED BY TOYOTA AND IT IS FINE. THE DEALER GIVES EXCUSES EVERY TIME. I THINK THESE TIRES MAY HAVE DEFECTS. THEY ARE GETTING WORSE EVERYDAY. *JB

I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AROUND A ROTARY, AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR TO DRIFT A BIT TO ALLOW A PRECEDING CAR TO ENTER. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL GENTLY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN VIOLENT KICK WHICH FRIGHTENED BOTH ME AND MY WIFE. (I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION HAD SHIFTED IN LOW, BUT IT WAS AS IF WE HAD BEEN HIT IN THE REAR WITH A LARGE SLAPPING HAND!) I HAD TO REACT QUICKLY TO AVOID BEING DRIVEN INTO THE CAR AHEAD BY THIS SUDDEN SMALL BURST OF SPEED. AN ACCIDENT COULD EASILY HAVE OTHERWISE TAKEN PLACE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ERRATIC AT TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT THIS WAS THE WORST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED. I HAVE HAD THE LATEST COMPUTER UPGRADE ON THIS PROBLEM INSTALLED, AND IT WAS WITHIN 1 DAY AFTER THAT THIS TOOK PLACE. I HAD READ ALL OF THE NHTSA SAFETY REPORTS ON THIS CAR, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR. IN MY MIND THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS ADDRESSING. (A SIMILAR BUT MUCH LESS VIOLENT SERIES OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL GOING SOMEWHAT UPHILL, WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTS AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP NOTICEABLY AND IN SOME CASES SO MUCH SO THAT I HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT OF CRUISE FOR A BIT) SUCH UNPREDICTABILITY MAKES BOTH MY WIFE AND I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR AT THOSE TIMES. *JB

WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE, WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED AND GREEN LIGHT ON,WHEN THE START BUTTON IS PRESSED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WILL BUZZ BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WILL BUZZ AND THE ENGINE WILL FIRE AND THEN DIE. THIS HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES. THE DEALER CHECKED FOR CODES AND THERE ARE NONE. CALLS TO THE ZONE AND DISTRICT OFFICES HAVE OFFERED NO SOLUTION. THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WE DO NOT USE THE CAR FOR TRIPS IN FEAR IT WILL HAPPEN AND WE WILL BE UNABLE TO START THE CAR AND BE STRANDED A DISTANCE FROM A DEALER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BY ENGAGING THE BRAKES OR NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVING MAT WASN'T THE CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING. ON THREE OCCASIONS HE SPOKE WITH LEXUS, TOYOTA AND THE DEALER. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE FROM AUGUST 11TH TO AUGUST 13TH AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT READ AN ARTICLE RE: LEXUS 350 ES EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6950 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7295.

(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

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 O

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

(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

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

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

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

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

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

2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED HEADLIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR ILLUMINATION BEYOND 2 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THERE IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE LINE WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS PROJECT AHEAD OF THE CAR AND FROM THERE IT'S VERY DARK AHEAD. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, AT 60 MPH TRYING TO DODGE A DEAR IN THE ROAD THAT WASN'T VISIBLE DUE TO SUCH A POOR HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION. IT'S A DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTED/ALIGNED & THEY SAID THEY WERE PROPERLY ADJUSTED AT THE FACTORY & NO PROBLEMS NOTED! *JB

WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS FOR A QUICK ACCELERATION, THERE IS ALMOST A GAGGING SULFUR SMELL INSIDE THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN ENTERING THE FREEWAY VIA AN ON-RAMP OR JUST PASSING ANOTHER CAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A SERVICE DEALER AND RELEASED WITHOUT IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE AT THE END OF THE TRIP WHERE THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE AT THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL. THE LINE WAS TORN AND HANGING FROM THE BRACKET MOUNTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY DUE TO POSSIBLE ROAD DEBRIS. UPDATED 10/4/2006 -*NM

BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AUG 2005. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. TOOK FEW SECONDS TO RESPOND TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL, FEW TIMES I ALMOST GOT HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE OF THAT DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC. *NM

I OWN A 2006 AVALON LTD. UPON ENTERING THE ON-RAMP TO ROUTE 23 IN WAYNE, NJ, I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR. AFTER CONFIRMING THERE WAS ROOM TO MERGE, I APPLIED THE GAS AND ATTEMPTED TO MERGE. I NOTICED AND HEARD THE TACHOMETER SURGE BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT ENGAGE. I LOST MY OPPORTUNITY TO MERGE AND HAD TO QUICKLY APPLY THE BRAKES. BY THEN, THE RAMP LANE HAD ENDED AND I HAD TO TURN ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID HITTING AN ONCOMING CAR. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO TO THE DEALER WHO EXAMINED THE CAR AND STATED THAT THIS WAS/IS "NORMAL OPERATION WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER CARS OF THIS TYPE". I OPENED A COMPLAINT FILE WITH TOYOTA ((#20060719XXX...LAST 3 NUMBERS LEFT OUT INTENTIONALLY). THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT ERRATIC BEHAVIOR (TRANSMISSION HESITATION) UNDER THESE SAME CONDITIONS (BRAKING FOLLOWED BY ACCELERATION). THIS SITUATION SIGNIFICANTLY HINDERS MY ABILITY TO SAFELY OPERATE MY VEHICLE WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. *JB

2006 TOYOTA AVALON SURGED FORWARD AFTER RESETTING CRUISE CONTROL. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TACHOMETER WENT INTO THE RED BEFORE SHE COULD REACT AND HIT THE BRAKE. AFTER THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HIT THE BRAKE EVERYTHING RETURNED TO NORMAL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A DEER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

AT TIMES THE ENGINE SPEED DOES NOT INCREASE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. SUCH AS WHEN I STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND AT TIMES WHEN I TRY TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND I CANNOT INCREASE SPEED OR WHEN I SLOW DOWN AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD. *JB

PURCHASED A CERTIFIED, USED 2006 TOYOTA AVALON TOURING MODEL ON JULY 15, 2006. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, I NOTICED A SERIOUS HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION, ESPECIALLY AT SPEEDS BELOW 10 MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KOONS TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON JULY 8, 2006 AND HAD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SHOP FOREMAN, DRIVE THE VEHICLE. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS INDEED HESITATING AND THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR 2004-2006 TOYOTA SIENNAS, AVALONS AND CAMRYS THAT SHARE THE SAME 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. CHRIS TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER THAT SELECTS THE APPROPRIATE GEAR BASED ON VARIOUS CRITERIA ANALYZED BY THE SYSTEM IS TOO SLOW IN PROCESSING THIS INFORMATION, WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE HESITATION AND RPM SURGE BEFORE A GEAR IS ENGAGED. I LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA TODAY (CASE NUMBER 200608090063), AND WAS TOLD THAT THE "CORPORATE LINE" IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS BEHAVING AS WAS INTENDED. THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS ISSUE CAN BE FIXED BY A REPROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER OR REPLACING THE CHIP WITH A "FASTER" VERSION. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A TERRIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON ON 24 DEC 2005. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WHEN I COME TO A STOP, NO MATTER WHAT THE SPEED IS THE RPM WILL REV UP TO ABOUT 2000 RPM. I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME STOPPING THE CAR. IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION & DANGEROUS POSITION I AM IN. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER & THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? *NM