1998 Toyota Avalon

THE AC CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY; SOMETIMES IT WILL RESTART AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING A WHILE. IN ADDITION TO CAUSING DISCOMFORT, THIS ALSO IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SINCE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WILL NOT DEFOG. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM (AC00599) BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. THE REPAIR COST ME OVER $1,000. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINT FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM AND I FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR MY EXPENSES. THE DEALER TOLD ME TOYOTA WOULD NOT, HOWEVER.

AT 49,000 MILES, THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FAILED. BOTH THE COMPRESSOR AND THE CONDENSOR HAVE LEAKS AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED. TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO OFFER ANY GOODWILL ASSISTANCE FOR THIS REPAIR WHICH COSTS IN EXCESS OF $ 1200.00 SIMPLY CLAIMING "ITS OUT OF WARRANTY." ALL THIS IS A "LUXURY, FLAGSHIP" VEHICLE. DON'T BUY THIS CAR! TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE STINKS!! THEY ARE ALOT OF TALK ABOUT REPUTATION BUT THEY FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THEIR PROMISES!! I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS CAR! ADDITIONALLY, MY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THAT HE HAS SEVERAL AVALONS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WHICH HE WILL BE REPAIRING. TOYOTA FAILS TO ACCEPT IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THEIR AIR CONDITIONING PARTS!*AK

A/C CLIMATE CONTROL SHUTS ITSELF OFF AUTOMATICALLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD USAGE. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATUR EINDICATOR,FAN SPEED,VENTILATION DIRECTION, AND OUTSIDE AIR RECIRCULATION CONTROLS ALL GO OUT. ALMOST GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD A/C DEFROST DID NOT WORK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. STILL UNDER THE MILAGE WARRANTY(>36000), AND WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS QUOATED $900 TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. WILL CONTACT TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE NEXT. *AK

A/C CLIMATE CONTROL SHUTS ITSELF OFF AUTOMATICALLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD USAGE. THE OUTSIDE TEMP.INDICATOR,FAN SPEED,VENTILATION DIRECTION, AND OUTSIDE AIR RECIRCULATION CONTROLS ALL GO OUT. ALMOST GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD A/C DEFROST DID NOT WORK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. STILL UNDER THE MILAGE WARRANTY(>36000), AND WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS QUOATED $900 TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. WILL CONTACT TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE NEXT. *AK

THE ENTIRE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WENT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE SYSTEM FAN REMAINED OFF NO MATTER WHAT SETTINGS I CHOSE. AFTER NOT RUNNING THE CAR FOR A WHILE, THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK AGAIN, ONLY THEN TO SHUT ITSELF OFF WITHIN A TIME PERIOD OF SECONDS TO AS MUCH AS A WHOLE DAY. I HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BY MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, WHO CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $1500. THOUGH THE COST OF REPAIR WAS VERY HIGH, I DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, SINCE I COULD NOT USE THE CAR IN THAT UNSAFE AND UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA LIMITED ANY FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THAT REPAIR TO 36,000 MILES OR LESS. MY CAR HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT, SO NO SUPPORT WAS GIVEN. *NLM

THE ENTIRE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM (HEATING & AC) CUTS OUT ARBITRARILY. IT RESTARTS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IDLE FOR SOME TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL PROBLEMS AS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WILL NOT DEFOG AND VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IS IMPAIRED. THIS COMPROMISES MY VISION AND HAS PUT ME IN DANGER SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN CONTACTED DEALER, THEY MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST ~$1,000. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD.*AK

AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILS TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURE SWINGS +/- 5 DEGREES. FREQUENT DRIVER ACTION REQUIRED TO ADJUST/MODERATE TEMPERATURE. SELLING DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALTERNATE TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SOLD TO ME BY THE SELLING DEALER (APPROXIMATELY $1000 OF REPAIRS REQUIRED).

THE AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONER AND THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE FAILED. THERE BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT WORK. CONTACTED TOYOTA WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS A TSB WHICH ESSENTIALLY ADMITS THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY SERVO INSTALLED IN THIS CAR BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR A REPAIR OF A PROBLEM THAT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR POOR QUALITY CONTROL. THEY HAVE QUOTED THIS REPAIR TO BE AT ABOUT ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CORRECT THEIR PROBLEM.