2000 Toyota Avalon

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM SOUTHBOUND EASTERN AVE. TO WEST BOUND WARM SPRINGS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN THE TURNED POSITION CAUSING THE CAR TO GO OVER A CURB NEARLY HITTING A UTILITY POLE. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS BENT AND THAT TIRE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FRONT END LIKELY KNOCKED OUT OF ALIGNMENT. IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES A DISASTROUS CRASH COULD EASILY HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE A PHONE CALL IN TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO FIX THINGS. *TR

I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND IT NOW HAS 94,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. RECENTLY I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND WAS TURNING RIGHT INTO A PARKING LOT. THE WHEEL LOCKED, I STOPPED THE CAR AND TRIED TURNED THE WHEEL RIGHT AND LEFT TO UNLOCK IT AND IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE BACKED UP A FEW FEET AND THEN PULLED FORWARD WHILE TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN IT UNLOCKED. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FREAK OCCURRENCE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER DURING ANOTHER RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AND THEN AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. ALL THREE TIMES THE CAR HAS BEEN MOVING AND THE ENGINE RUNNING. I ASKED A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP ABOUT REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TOYOTA DEALERS AND NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED COMPLETELY WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE UNEXPECTED FAILURE CAUSED STEERING DIFFICULTY AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE ON THE STREET. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; HOWEVER, BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGES. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STEER NORMALLY AND WAS DRIVEN TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 124,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. IN THE MORNINGS, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER, THE CONTACT MAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE SHE EXCEEDED HER WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 63,000.

WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER TO DIAGNOSE/REPAIR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. CALL FROM DEALER REPORTED AIR/FUEL SENSOR DEFECTIVE -- GAVE PRICE OF $449 TO REPAIR, DEALER WAS AUTHORIZED TO PROCEED. TWO HOURS LATER, ANOTHER CALL FROM DEALER REPORTED THAT SENSOR COULD NOT BE REMOVED (FROZEN OR "WELDED" IN PLACE), WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE COMPLETE MANIFOLD AT COST OF GREATER THAN $1000. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE TOYOTA'S RESPONSIBILITY DUE TO FAULTY ASSEMBLY. (SEE PREVIOUS REPORT OF INSUFFICIENT ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND USED.) UNLESS ADEQUATE COMPENSATION IS FORTHCOMING, I WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THIS WAY, AS I AM TOLD IT WILL NOT DO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, BUT ONLY AFFECT GAS MILEAGE. HOWEVER, AS THIS IS PART OF THE VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM, I SUPPOSE IT WILL BE FURTHER DAMAGING AIR QUALITY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WAS INAUDIBLE WHETHER TURNING THE VEHICLE LEFT OR RIGHT AND IT REMAINED ENGAGED AFTER THE SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, HOWEVER, THE TURN SIGNAL WAS LOUDER AT ONE TIME. THE SPEED AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR FUEL SENSOR FAILED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED, THE MECHANIC DAMAGED THE MANIFOLD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LACKED ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED DURING BOTH OCCURRENCES. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT BOTH THE 1999 AND 2000 MODELS LACKED SUFFICIENT ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND TO PREVENT THE DAMAGE. THERE ARE THREE SENSORS THAT MAY FAIL AND THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE MANIFOLD WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER EACH FAILURE. THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE FAILURE HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.