2002 Toyota Avalon

ON 14 JUNE 2010, WHILE DRIVING IN FAIRLY HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE WHEELS IMMEDIATELY JERKED TO THE LEFT. I REGAINED CONTROL AND MOVED THRU THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE ACTION REPEATED ITSELF. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO FINDLAY TOYOTA IN HENDERSON NV. AFTER EXTENSIVE TESTING, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG NOR DID AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. FOLLOWING THE 29 JULY NEWS RELEASE FROM TOYOTA, I E-MAILED TOYOTA FOR INFORMATION REGARDING AVALON'S PROBLEM. ON 30 JULY TOYOTA RESPONDED "AT THE PRESENT TIME, TOYOTA HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A REMEDY FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL." IN YOUR 2 AUG RELEASE, NHTSA STATES THE PROBLEM IS "DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR". NHTSA GOES ON TO STATE THAT "DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE". MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS IT THAT NHTSA HAS IDENTIFIED A REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS NOT? *TR

2002 TOYOTA AVALON XLS WITH ABOUT 84,000 MILES PERIODICALLY STALLS WHEN BRAKING AND TURNING 90 DEGREES AT LOW SPEED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL NEAR OUR HOUSE. IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE STALLS AND POWER STEERING BECOMES INOPERATIVE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL CAR UNTIL IT IS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED. ALL PERIODIC SERVICES ARE ACCOMPLISHED BY TOYOTA IN ACCORDANCE WITH VEHICLE SERVICE GUIDE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AS SHE TURNED INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE NEXT TO HER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKE AND RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE FOR FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 118,000.

I WAS APPROACHING A PARKING SPACE AT A RESTAURANT. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS I TURNED INTO THE SPACE. AS I CAME TO THE END OF THE SPACE, THE CAR LUNGED OVER THE CURB AND HIT THE BUILDING. BECAUSE THINGS HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, I CANNOT SAY WHETHER MY FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE BUT I DO KNOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OF MY CAR. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING AND TO MY CAR AS WELL. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR IN THE PAST AND CAN'T SAY THAT ANY EQUIPMENT WAS DEFICIENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE TO AVOID HITTING THE LIGHT POLE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT DIDN'T STATE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

IN 2007 MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I WAS PARALLEL PARKING, HEADING SLOWLY FORWARD AT NO MORE THAN 1 OR 2 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF. MY CAR STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, CAREENED ACROSS THE ROAD AND SIDEWALK, AND CRASHED INTO A TRUCK PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY ACROSS THE STREET. FORTUNATELY NO BODY WAS HURT BUT PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ESPECIALLY IF THERE HAD BEEN PEDESTRIANS IN THE WAY. AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, I WAS VERY SHAKEN. MY CAR WAS "TOTALED" AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID IT HAD TO HOLD ME AT FAULT BECAUSE TOYOTA REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I AM CONVINCED THIS WAS A PROBLEM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH A STICKING GAS PEDAL AS I WAS BARELY GOING FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM IN TOYOTA VEHICLES SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED AND NOT CONFINED TO THE RECALLED MODELS. I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL. *TR

2002 TOYOTA AVALON EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AS IT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL GARAGE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND GARAGE. STOMPING BRAKE RESULTED IN STOPPING AGAINST THE CONCRETE STEP UP FROM THE GARAGE FLOOR. LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. RESPONDER INDICATED THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANY KIND OF ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. INSURANCE COMPANY REP INDICATED NO HISTORY OF SUCH AN OCCURRENCE WHEN CLAIM WAS FILED. STILL PAYING SURCHARGE ON INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENT. THREE YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER IN BACK SEAT AT THE TIME. OCCASIONAL SURGING FEELING WHEN STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITH FOOT ON BRAKE LED TO HABIT OF KEEPING FURTHER BACK FROM VEHICLE IN FRONT AS A PRECAUTION. *TR