2000 Toyota Avalon

AT NIGHT THERE IS A GREEN GLOW FROM THE DASH LIGHTS THAT REFLECTS ONTO THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, OBSCURING MY VIEW TO THE ROAD AHEAD. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A CLEAR VIEW OF THE ROAD AND LAST NIGHT I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN BECAUSE MY VIEW WAS OBSCURED. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THAT I CAN TURN THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS OFF TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT WHEN I TRIED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ MY SPEED, ETC.*AK

THE REFLECTION ONTO THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT WHEREBY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS NOT RECESSED SUFFICIENTLY INTO THE CLUSTER TO PREVENT REFLECTION OF THE DASHLIGHTS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. SIMILARLY, REFLECTION OF SUNLIGHT ONTO THE WINDSHIELD IS APPARENT IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM. DEFECT WAS REPORTED TO TOYOTA A FEW WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CORRECT ONLY IF A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE IMPAIRMENT OF VISION IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD AT NIGHT.

I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHETHER THE SEAT BELT ANCHORING SYSTEM CONFORMS WITH THE SEAT BELT STANDARD. THE CAR HAS A SPLIT BENCH SEAT, AND CAN CARRY 3 PASSENGERS IN THE FRONT. THE RIGHT SIDE PASSENGER BELTS ARE ANCHORED TO THE CHASSIS - SIDE AND FLOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS ONE PORTION ATTACHED TO THE SEAT RUNNER, AND THE MIDDLE PASSENGER HAS ONE TO THE SEAT AS WELL. SHOULD ALL BELTS BE ANCHORED TO THE FLOOR OR SIDE PILLAR?

I WAS FOLLOWING MY WIFE OUT OF THE SUBDIVISION TO WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 06:40. I WENT THROUGH 3 STOP SIGNS WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEMS BREAKING. WHEN MY WIFE STOPPED AT THE 4TH SIGN, MY BREAK PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HIT HER REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. THERE SCRATCHES AND DENTS IN BOTH BUMPERS. I CREPT BACK HOME AT 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT ALL THREE STOP SIGNS. THE CAR STOPPED SLOWLY, BUT THE BREAK PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR EACH TIME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. A TOYOTA FACTOR REPRESENTATIVE EXAMINED THE CAR ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2000. I RECIEVED A CALL FROM TOYOTA TODAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. THIS IS THE BIGGEST BUNCH OF BULL SINCE FIRESTONE SAID THEY MAKE GOOD TIRES. I TALKED TO THE OWNER OF THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD LOST COFINDENCE IN THE CAR AND TOYOTA, AND WANTED MY MONEY BACK. HE SAID THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS AN "ALLEGED" BREAK FAILURE THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES (ADMINISTERS THE TEXAS LEMON LAW). I WILL PERSUE THESE AVENUES OF RECOURSE, BUT ALSO WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA'S LAWYERS HAVE CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION, AND THERE IS NO WAY THEY WILL ADMIT THAT THEIR PRODUCE IS FAULTY. DOES THE NHYSA HAVE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF BREAK FAILURES ON NEW TOYOTA AVALON'S? I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE. THANKS MIKE VORNDAM

AS NOTED ON PAGE 52 OF THE FEBRUARY 2000 ISSUE OF CONSUMER REPORTS, THERE IS AN "ANNOYING GREEN REFLECTION FROM THE WINDSHIELD AT NIGHT." THIS IS CAUSED BY THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD NOT EXTENDING FAR ENOUGH TO BLOCK LIGHT FROM THE GAUGES AND THE RADIO FROM STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE SUN IS AT JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE BEHIND THE CAR, SUNLIGHT STRIKES THE BOTTOM OF THE CLEAR PLASTIC COVER FOR THE GAUGES AND IS REFLECTED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. THE SAME THING HAPPENS AT NIGHT WHEN LIGHT FROM HEADLIGHTS BEHIND THE CAR ARE REFLECTED FROM THE CLEAR PLASTIC GAUGE COVER ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. I HAVE FOUND THAT PLACING A PIECE OF PAPER ON TOP OF THE DASH, EXTENDING TWO MORE INCHES TOWARDS THE DRIVER BLOCKS MOST OF THE GAUGE LIGHT AND REFLECTIONS FROM THE GAUGE COVER ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FAULT. THE TOPS OF THE DASHES ON ALMOST ALL OTHER CARS EXTENDS FURTHER OUT TO BLOCK LIGHT FROM THE GAUGES STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD. THESE LIGHTS AND ESPECIALLY THE REFLECTIONS THAT I DESCRIBED CAN BE VERY BRIGHT AND VERY DISTRACTING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTS. TOYOTA SHOULD EITHER PROVIDE A NEW TOP TO THEIR DASH OR A DASH TOP EXTENDER (THAT HAS BEEN TESTED AND FOUND TO BE SAFE IN ACCIDENTS). IN ADDITION THEY SHOULD INSTALL A SWITCH FOR TURNING OFF THE LIGHT FROM THE RADIO AT NIGHT (SO OWNER'S WHO FIND THIS LIGHT REFLECTED ON THE WINDSHIELD DISTRACTING CAN TURN IT OFF), AND THEY SHOULD PROVIDE A NON-REFLECTIVE COATING FOR THE TOP OF THE WOOD GRAIN TRIM ON THE CENTRAL VENT, WHERE SUNLIGHT CAN ALSO BE REFLECTED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THIS LIGHT IN PARTICULAR CAN BE EXTREMELY BRIGHT. ALL OF THESE REFLECTION IN WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS ARE VERY ANNOYING AND DISTRACTING AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.