2001 Toyota Avalon

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. ON AUGUST 26, 2007, THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED, EVEN WHILE DRIVING. HE JIGGLED THE WHEEL AND IT UNLOCKED. HE STATED THAT THE INTERLOCK FAILS TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE PURCHASE DATE AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,740. UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER BRACKET

TL*- THE CONTACT TOOK THE 2001 TOYOTA AVALON TO THE DEALER ON 01/03/07 BECAUSE THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. AT THE DEALERSHIP THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T DEPLOY,. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE AIR BAGS, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING WAS BECAUSE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS CREATING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CONTACT FELT THAT THIS INCIDENTWAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND COULD PROVIDE A COPY OF THE INVOICE REPAIR IF NEEDED. *AK UPDATED 01/31/07. *JB

I WAS IN FRONT-OFFSET TYPE ACCIDENT AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. CONSEQUENTLY, I SLID FORWARD AND SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL EDGE (OFFSET CRASH). THE CAR HAD A BROKEN RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. WHY DID THE SEAT BELT NOT LOCK? I HAVE READ THE OWNERS MANUAL, AND IT SEEMS THE SEAT BELT IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO LOCK IN THE EVENT OF A FRONT CRASH. WHAT GOOD IS THAT? IT SEEMS TO ME, IT SHOULD LOCK ON ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENT, PERIOD, OR WHY BOTHER WITH IT? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 15-20 MPH ON ICY ROADS THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS PRIOR BRAKING AND THE VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR STRUCK A TREE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS, BUT THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A MINOR CUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEERING ANALYST ASSOCIATE WHO DETERMINED THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED.

DT:STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AT SPEEDS FROM 60 TO 75 MPH. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEARS TWICE TO BALANCE AND ROTATE THE TIRES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA AND HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE LUBRICATED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. VEHICLE HAS 22000 MILES. CONSUMER SAYS THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE UNDER THE CARRIAGE. *JB WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS A VIBRATION.

THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. AT 17217 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL, THE WERE APPLIED AND THERE WAS A FEELING OF METAL ON METAL. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THIS TIME. AT 27000 MILES THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE ROTORS. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A LACK OF USE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ROTORS HAD RUSTED CAUSING THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO TOYOTA WHO ADMITS THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION. *TT THERE WAS NO WARNING. *SC *JB

2001 TOYOTA AVALON EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, AND WINDOWS. *MR THERE WAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH NOISE THAT SEEMED TO ORIGINATE FROM THE FRONT END. THE NOISE WAS INTERMITTENT AND NOTICEABLE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED, WHEN MAKING TURNS OR WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CALIPER SLIDE WAS STICKING ONTO THE LEFT FRONT SIDE. THE BRAKE ROTORS SHOWED SIGNS OF GLAZE, THERE WAS A WOBBLY FEELING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT, THE DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD GO UP AND DOWN, THE STRIPPING ON THE BUMPER WAS COMING OFF, THE STEERING WOULD SHAKE AT TIMES, THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATED, THE RADIO BUTTONS WERE FADING, THE CASSETTE WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WAS BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VENT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH NO WARNING, THE WIPER BLADE(S) WERE NOISY, THE WINDSHIELD HAD "MILLION" OF DOTS ALL OVER IT, AND THE FRONT PANEL WAS LIT FOR THE BACK LIGHTS AND THERE WAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF AIR/HEAT THAT WOULD BLOW ON THE DRIVERS FEET. THE ROTORS WERE MACHINED AND THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. THE FRONT STRUTS WERE CRACKED AND CAUSED THE FRONT END NOISE. THE RADIO,STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND THE FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED. *SC

PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE EQUIPMENT ON 2001 TOYOTA AVALON WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED LIGHT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THERE WAS A THUMP SOUND. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT HOLD AND ONLY MILD DECELERATION OCCURRED. CONSEQUENTLY THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB *NM

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY "DIAGNOSED" THE CAR FOR 8 DAYS. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THEY FINALLY INDICATED IT WAS BECAUSE OF BUILD-UP ON THE #1 FUEL INJECTOR AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600. THEY ALSO INDICATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR HAD 42,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THAT THE POWERTRAIN IS COVERED UNTIL 60,000 MILES BUT THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE POWERTRAIN. APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE.*AK