1997 Toyota Avalon

DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A LEGAL PARKING SPACE IN THE LAST ROW OF PARKING LOT ON 9 MULE RD TOMS RIVER NJ- NOSE IN. WEATHER GOOD. CAR ACCELERATED OVER THE CURB COMING TO REST IN DRAINAGE DITCH THAT BACKS TO THE LOT. AIR BAG INFLATED AND DRIVER WAS PINNED AND NECK BROKEN. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND DRIVER TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL. NO PAST EXPERIENCE WITH UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION - ONLY TIME IT EVER HAPPENED. NO OTHER CARS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT AND DRIVER WAS ALONE IN VEHICLE. POLICE REPORT FILED. INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK POSSESSION OF CAR. *CN

DEALER SERVICED TRANSMISSION WITH A FLUSH AND FLUID REPLACEMENT AT 120,406 MILES. ALSO, TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AND COOLANT FLUSH DONE. EIGHT WEEKS LATER, TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. WAS ON 250 MILE TRIP, FELT BUMPING WHICH THOUGHT MAY BE ROUGH ROAD CONDITION, THEN WHEN CLOSE TO DESTINATION, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER STOPPING AT STOP LIGHT. DIAGNOSIS WAS COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER WOULD NOT CONCEDE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTING TO FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION ALTHOUGH DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY OTHER TOYOTA AVALON TRANSMISSION FAILURES. CONVINCED ACTION BY DEALER SERVICE RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB

1997 TOYOTA AVALON THE POWER STEERING RACK LEAKS AT 51000 MILES AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO TOYOTA. ALSO NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT 99000 MILES THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING ALSO FAILED NEAR 50000 MILES AND IS FAILING AGAIN AT 99500 MILES. THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE AND LEAKS. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 51000 MILES AS WELL. WEAKNESS IN THE STEERING MAKES THIS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ALL TOYOTA DEALERS TO CHECK FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND RECOMMEND REPAIRS. THE COST AVERAGES $1000. WHILE ASKING TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR HELP I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE CEO IN JAPAN IF NOT SATISFIED WITH THE REPAIR COSTS. *JB

CAR WAS BOUGHT USED IN 2006 WITH 115,000 MILES. THE KEY CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS IN ANY GEAR( RATHER THAN ONLY WHEN IT IS IN PARK) . THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR COULD BEGIN ROLLING ONCE YOU LEAVE THE CAR. THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ONCE WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES, BUT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IN THE FUTURE. *NM

MY SPOUSE HAD DRIVEN OUR 1997 TOYOTA AVALON TO OUR DENTISTS OFFICE FOR A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. SHE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IGNITION SWITCH AND REMOVED THE KEY. WHILE SHE WAS GATHERING HER PERSONAL ITEMS TO TAKE INTO THE DENTISTS OFFICE WITH HER SHE FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR WAS STILL IN THE DRIVE POSITION. (ACCORDING TO A TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER AND MANUFACTURER REP. THE KEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE UNTIL THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE KEY TURNED TO THE OFF AND LOCKED POSITION.) WHILE MY SPOUSE WAS IN THE DENIISTS OFFICE, AT SOME POINT IN TIME OUR AVALON TO BEGIN TO ROLL ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DOORS OF A BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO STORE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE HAVE CHECKED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND GEAR SELECTOR IN ALL POSITIONS ON THE SELECTOR CONSOLE AND THE KEY WILL SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH THE AVALON BEFORE OR WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES WE HAVE OWNED. *NM