2003 Toyota Avalon

AIRBAG LIGHTS BLINK. BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERS AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM HOWEVER THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAR WAS IN SHOP FOR OVER A WEEK TILL I FINALLY GOT TIRED OF THE STALLING TACTIC. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THEIR AGREEMENT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY DO HAVE THE PARTS BUT HAVE NO AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AM GETTING VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IS NOT BEING HANDLED PROPERLY AND RESPONSIBLY. *TR

SRS WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE AT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. A RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2014 AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR. AFTER REPAIR SRS LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR BUT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED OR DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT COULD NOT FIND OR PULL ANY MALFUNCTION CODES. WHAT NOW??? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 03/26/15 *LJ UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V147000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO INFORM WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V147000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THE ENGINE STARTED COLD AND REVVED TO 2500 RPM AND THEN OSCILLATED BETWEEN 2500 AND ABOUT 3000 RPM AND NEVER SLOWED DOWN. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND DROVE IT THE BLOCK AND A HALF TO MY HOUSE USING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT THE ONLY STOP SIGN ON THE ROUTE BUT STOPPING WAS DIFFICULT. THE NEXT MORNING I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ULTRA-FAST IDLE AND DROVE THE CAR ON AN ERRAND THAT WAS ABOUT 2 MILES DISTANT. THE SAME PATTERN PERSISTED BUT THE BRAKES WERE HEATING UP AND SMELLING FROM FREQUENT USE IN KEEPING THE CAR WITHIN THE CITY SPEED LIMIT. IT ALSO STRESSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHILE BRAKING AGAINST THE FAST MOTOR. I STARTED SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND COASTING TO CONTROL THE SPEED WHILE THE ENGINE SPEED OSCILLATION CONTINUED. I PARKED THE CAR BACK HOME AND HAD A TOW TRUCK TAKE IT TO MARIETTA TOYOTA WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE IDLE CONTROL MOTOR AT A COST OF $669.00 LESS A $99.00 NEGOTIATED DISCOUNT. THAT SERVICE SOLVED THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM HAD THE POTENTIAL TO OVERHEAT THE BRAKES, CAUSE ONE TO COAST IN NEUTRAL WITHOUT IDEAL CONTROL OF THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY, ETC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V147000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE.

DURING THE DRIVE TO FLORIDA, A HARD BRAKE (NO SKID) AND STEER TO THE LEFT WAS NECESSARY. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, THE STEERING BECAME SHAKY AND A ROAD RUMBLING NOISE WAS NOTICED. AFTER SETTLING IN, WE TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND THEY RE-BALANCED THE TIRES. THAT DID NOT STOP THE SHAKY STEERING WHEEL OR THE ROAD NOISE. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE CHANGING LANES, THE TIRES RAN OVER LANE DIVIDER BUMPS AND A BLOWOUT OCCURRED. REPLACED THE FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE (FULL SIZE) AND IMMEDIATELY, THE ROAD NOISE CEASED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL. I INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND A 2 INCH RIP/GAP IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. WENT BACK TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I HAD RUN OVER A SOME KIND OF SHARP ROAD HAZARD. I BELIEVE THE BELT BENEATH THE TREAD HAD FAILED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V147000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.