2001 Toyota Avalon

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY INCREASED SPEED AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE SWERVED OFF THE ROAD UNCONTROLLABLY AND CRASHED INTO THREE CURBS BEFORE ACCELERATING DOWN A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED AS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY START THE VEHICLE. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND HE BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY CAME APART AND TWO OF THE BELTS WERE DISENGAGED AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

3/30/11 COMING OUT OF A RIGHT HAND TURN, IT LOOKED LIKE THE STEERING LOCKED INTO A POSITION WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER. THE CAR SLID AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS CRUSHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT WORK. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND WAS LATER PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL FROM INTERNAL INJURIES. THE CAR HAS BEEN PRESERVED AT A STORAGE FACILITY IN TEXAS SINCE SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. NOT SURE WHETHER THE GAS PEDAL STUCK OR NOT. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A BLACK BOX IN THESE CARS WHICH COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO ANSWERS. THE STEERING ON THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIR IN JANUARY 2011. I HAVE COPIES OF THE REPAIR BILL. PLEASE SEE THAT NO OTHERS ARE HURT. UPDATED 10/31/11 *BF

FLAT TIRE, JAN 2011, WHILE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING. TIRE WAS SEPARATED AT TREAD-SIDEWALL ON BRIDESTONE POTENZA, 205/60/16. I ASSUMED MY DAUGHTER DID NOT PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND THAT CAUSED THE SEPARATION. DAUGHTER SWEARS OVER THE BIBLE SHE WASN'T FAR FROM DRIVEWAY (STILL IN NEIGHBORHOOD) WHEN SHE REALIZED SHE HAD A FLAT AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. THE SEPARATION BETWEEN TREAD AND SIDEWALL HAD ME DOUBT MY DAUGHTER, AT LEAST UNTIL JULY 2011. JULY 2011, TOOK SAME VEHICLE TO THE SAME DEALER THAT REPLACED THE FLAT IN JANUARY, (AUTO TIRE OF ST. LOUIS), FOR TIRE ROTATION, BALANCE, AND ALIGNMENT DUE TO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. AUTO TIRE IMMEDIATELY CALLED ME TO STATE THAT THREE OF MY TIRES, (BRIDESTONE POTENZA, 205/60/16) WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED DEALER TO SHOW ME THE DEFECT AND THE DEFECT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE TIRE THAT WAS REPLACED IN JANUARY, EXCEPT NOT AS SEVERE - MEANING THE SEPARATION WAS ONLY A FEW INCHES IN LENGTH AND SEPARATION WAS MUCH LONGER ON THE TIRE THAT HAD GONE FLAT. IN JANUARY, I ASSUMED THE SEPARATION WAS CAUSED BY DAUGHTER DRIVING AFTER TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. I DID NOT SUSPECT IT TO BE A DEFECTIVE TIRE SINCE BRIDGESTONE IS A REPUTABLE COMPANY. THE DEFECTS ON THE THREE TIRES REPLACED AT NO CHARGE IN JULY 2011 WERE IDENTICAL TO WHAT WAS OBSERVED ON THE TIRE REPLACED IN JANUARY 2011. THE DEALER, AUTO TIRE, DID NOT MAKE A WARRANTY CLAIM TO BRIDGESTONE IN JAN 2011AS THEY SHOULD HAVE, THEY TREATED IT AS A FLAT REPLACEMENT AND NOT A DEFECT AND BRIDGESTONE WOULD NOT COMPENSATE ME FOR THE FLAT TIRE I REPLACED. SO WHY AM I FILING THIS COMPLAINT? TO WARN OTHER CONSUMERS THAT BRIDGESTONE IS AWARE THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE LOT OF BRIDESTONE POTENZA, 205/60/16 AND AS A CONSUMER YOU MAY HAVE A FLAT AND NOT KNOW THAT IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A WARRANTY DEFECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL, ABS AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONCLUDED THAT THE STEERING POSITIONING SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 173,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DECELERATING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH; THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING UNTIL THE CONTACT TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED SHE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND SHE HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE. SHE THEN STATED THAT SOMETHING IN THE DOOR LATCH WAS BROKEN. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. SHE HAD TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 84,000.