FRONT SEAT POWER MOTOR/SWITCH FAILURE - WENT TO ADJUST SEAT AND IT WENT FORWARD AND WOULD NOT STOP AND I HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME EXITING VEHICLE. I AM A WOMAN AND WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE SMALLER THAN ME DRIVE MY VEHICLE. ALSO UNABLE TO GO TO WORK. SEAT MOTOR SHOULD NOT FAIL - THIS IS A LIFE AND DEATH SAF…
Read full complaint
FRONT SEAT POWER MOTOR/SWITCH FAILURE - WENT TO ADJUST SEAT AND IT WENT FORWARD AND WOULD NOT STOP AND I HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME EXITING VEHICLE. I AM A WOMAN AND WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE SMALLER THAN ME DRIVE MY VEHICLE. ALSO UNABLE TO GO TO WORK. SEAT MOTOR SHOULD NOT FAIL - THIS IS A LIFE AND DEATH SAFETY HAZARD. HAVE TO TAKE TO TORRANCE TOYOTA WHERE PURCHASED VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. LOST DAY'S WORK AT THE COURT OF APPEAL ON SPRING STREET IN LOS ANGELES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10248532
160,300 miles · Jan 19, 2007
Seats
TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS NOT DRIVING HIS VEHICLE WHEN HE FOUND A BEARING NUT LAYING IN THE BACK SEAT OF HIS VEHICLE WHICH CAME FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT. DUE TO THE MISSING BEARING, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS NOT POSITIONED PROPERLY ON THE TRACK AND HE COULD HEAR METAL GRINDING UNDER THE SEAT. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10179144
Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2000
SeatsCrashInjury
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…
Read full complaint
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
NHTSA ODI #734051
Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2000
SeatsUnknown Or Other
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 SA…
Read full complaint
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.
NHTSA ODI #729860
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seats
PASSENGER SEAT MOTOR ASSEMBLY (POWER SEAT) FAILED. *YC
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
1998 Toyota Avalon Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year