2001 Toyota Avalon

CONSUMER NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL OF HIS MICHELIN TIRE (NO TIRE INFORMATION). CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSED BY A TRAUMATIC INJURY TO THE TIRE, HOWEVER, WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED, NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND. AS A RESULT TIRE DEALER OFFERED A 25% DISCOUNT ON THE PURCHASE OF A REPLACEMENT. *TT

THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE IN REAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND PULLING OFF FROM A STOP. GAS IS SHIFTING AROUND IN GAS TANK. *AK THE NOISE WAS PROMINENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF A NEW TANK. THE ORDER WAS PLACED FOR A NEW TANK BUT WAS CANCELLED BY A REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE IT WOULD MEAN THAT TOYOTA ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANKS ON THESE VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE TANK COULDN'T BE REPLACED, BECAME MUCH WORSE. CONSUMER IS NO LONGER IN POSSESION OF THE VEHICLE. *JG

VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM IS OF CONCERN. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL MOVE DOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED. THE TWO TIMES I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER, I AM BEING TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE AND THAT ALL OF THEM DO THIS. THIS IS THE SECOND AVALON I HAVE OWNED AND THE FIRST ONE DID NOT HAVE THE SITUATION HAPPEN. OTHER AVALON OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWNWARD AFTER STOPPING DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME. IT LOOKS TO OCCUR AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN LOCAL TRAFFIC THAT REQUIRES CONSTAND STOPPING AND STARTING. THE PEDAL MOVEMENT OCCURS ABOUT 10 TO 15 SECONDS AFTER STOPPING BUT DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME. THIS BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT IS OF CONCERN SICE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 40 YEARS. BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT AFTER STOPPING A VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGN OF FAILURE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. USUALLY A FAILING MASTER CYLINDER. THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AFTER STOPPING IS NOT A CONFORTABLE FEELING AND ALL THAT I HAVE TALKED TO (BOTH TOYOTA OWNERS AND OTHER MFG'S) NO ONE HAS EXPERIENCE THIS PEDAL MOVEMENT. THIS INCLUDES CARS THAT HAVE SKID CONTROL SYSTEMS. I AM CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT THIS BRAKE PEDAL ISSUE AND WANT CONFIRMATION FROM THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER (NOT THE DEALER) THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. CLOSING NOTE, TALKED TO A FEW LEXUS OWNERS, NONE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND GO HALFWAY TO THE FLOOR, THE DEALER HAS BLED THE BRAKES AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, HOWEVER THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST, CONSUMER GIVES 2 ADDRESSES AND 2 PHONE NUMBERS, 394 CASA GRANDE, EDGEWATER, FL 32141, 386-427-2455, FLORIDA IS WHERE THEY SPEND THE WINTER. *SLC

LIGHTS ON VSC STAY ON ALL THE TIME. AUTO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES. KEPT HAVING ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME BY THEMSELVES. BATTERY FAILED. DEALER REPLACED STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. TRUNK OPENS BY ITSELF. DEALER FOUND LATCH NOT HOLDING SECURELY ON LATCH LOCK BAR. *AK *TT

DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CORRECT PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED. HEADLIGHT FAILURE IS THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT TODATE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLES TRAVELING AT THE SAME TIME ALONG THE HIGHWAY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE PROMPTLY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT.*AK