2003 Toyota Avalon

HELLO IM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. 1. IVE RECEIVED AN RECALL NOTICE FOR MY 2003 TOYOTA AVALON FOR "STEERING PROBLEM UPPER BRACKET". AND HAVE, TRIED TO REMEDY THIS, ONLY TO FIND OUT TOYOTA, OFFERS NO COURTESY VEHICLE?. OR A DEFINITE TIME YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED?. 2ND THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER DEFECT ON THIS CAR, WHEN GOING OVER "ROUGH" ROADS AND BRAKING, THE CAR FEELS LIKE ITS NOT BRAKING AT ALL. OR LIKE THE BRAKES ARE SLIPPING?. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE 2003 AVALON? THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS TO DATE, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED FOR A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V345000 (STEERING). AFTER THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, AN UNUSUAL NOISE WOULD SOUND WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE DEALER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE STEERING WHEEL WITH FORCE AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT AN EARLIER DETECTION OF THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT FAILURE WAS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE DESIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,515. UPDATED 05/25/11 *BF

WHILE IN PARKING LOT, PLACED CAR IN REVERSE. THE CAR ACCELERATED ACROSS THE PARKING LOT, JUMPING A CURB AND HITTING A 2 FOOT HIGH POLE IN NEXT PARKING LOT. BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT. ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL FAILED. STEERING ALSO FAILED. CAR TOWED TO COLLISION CENTER SUBSEQUENTLY TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. CAR HIT WITH SUCH FORCE, IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND POLE AND RESTING ON TOP OF POLE. WRIST OF DRIVER HURT - HAD TO SEEK ATTENTION FROM EMTS AND GO TO EMERGENCY ROOM. UNDER ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST CARE CURRENTLY. PASSENGER IN BACK SEAT, 20 YR OLD, HAS NECK STRAIN AND HEADACHE CONCERNS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN MOVING TO THE LEFT. HE HAD TO GUIDE THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE, AND THEY ROTATED, BALANCED THE TIRES, AND PERFORMED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MECHANIC ALSO EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. HE REFERENCED RECALL 10V345000, STEERING AND HIS VEHICLE WAS A PART OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,300.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING UNIVERSAL JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF OVER $1,000. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC VERIFIED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF OVER $500. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 103,000.