2004 Toyota Avalon

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V147000 (AIR BAG) HOWEVER, THE PART WAS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CONNECTION PROBLEM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT AND AS A RESULT, THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

I WAS ALONE IN THE CAR AND HAD DRIVEN INTO MY DRIVEWAY (AFTER OPENING THE GARAGE DOOR) TO ENTER THE GARAGE. THE CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF AND BEFORE I KNEW, I HAD CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE AND WENT THROUGH IT. THE CAR SMASHED INTO GARDENING TOOLS, SNOW SHOVELS, LAWN MOWER, LEAF BLOWER, TRASH CANS, AND FLOWERING POTS. IT CAME TO A STOP PARTLY BY THE COAT CLOSET WALL THAT PROTRUDES INTO THE GARAGE AND PARTLY BY ALL THE STUFF THAT GOT CAUGHT UNDER THE CAR. THE GARAGE DOOR RAILING WAS DAMAGED AND THE DOOR WAS HANGING A FEW INCHES ABOVE MY CAR. I HEARD THINGS FALLING ABOVE ME. I THOUGHT THAT THE ROOF WOULD COLLAPSE. I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS STILL REVVING AND I SHUT IT. I SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN I OPENED THE DOOR AND RAN OUT INTO THE HOUSE. THE CAR, THE GARAGE, AND GARAGE CONTENTS WERE DAMAGED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I THINK IT WAS CAUSED BY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH IN THE DRIVEWAY AND I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. IT APPEARED THAT THE CAR JUST FLEW AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN MY LANE AT 40 MPH UNTIL AN AUSTEX TOWING TRUCK WENT INTO MY LANE WITHOUT A SIGNAL AND I WAS RIGHT BESIDE HIM. I HONKED TO NO AVAIL AND HE WAS STILL PROCEEDING INTO MY LANE. I HIT THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND I HAD TO SWERVE A LITTLE TO MY LEFT (TO MY LEFT WAS THE CURB AS IT WAS A 2 LANE ROAD) TO AVOID HIM HITTING MY RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER I AVOIDED HIM, HE WAS DRIVING HALF INTO BOTH LANES FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS LANE. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY FROM TIME TO TIME, THEN OPERATES NORMALLY AFTER INSTRUMENT PANEL START UP CHECK. MANY SIMILAR COMMENTS MAY BE FOUND ON INTERNET BY SEARCHING 2004 (AND OTHER MODEL YEARS) TOYOTA AVALON. DEALERS NOR TOYOTA MANUFACTURING APPEAR NOT TO HAVE AN ABSOLUTE/ACCURATE RESOLUTION. SOME TECHNICIANS FEEL THE PROBLEM (AMONG OTHERS) MAY BE RELATED TO A STEERING RECALL REPAIR AS A CABLE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED IN THE REPAIR PROCESS OR STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE OR AS AN INADVERTENT CABLE WEAR UNDER NORMAL STEERING CONDITIONS. OWNERS ARE BEARING THE COST OF REPAIR AND LOSS OF VEHICLE RESALE VALUE. UNKNOWN IS THE POTENTIAL LACK OF PASSENGER SAFETY IF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE. ACCIDENT RECORDS INDICATE THAT IN SOME ACCIDENT CASES AIR BAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED AND PASSENGER INJURY/DEATH HAS OCCURRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE SHE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OF UNDER 10 MPH. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, TRAVELED OVER THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A MAIL BOX. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT HOWEVER, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,600. ..UPDATED 12-26-13 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND WHEN HE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE GEAR, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN SINCE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

ON 5-27-2013, I EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING INCIDENT WITH MY TOYOTA AVALON. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO KEEP THE A/C GOING FOR OUR DOG, WHILE I ASSISTED MY WIFE FROM THE BACK SEAT. I PRESSED THE DOOR UNLOCK FEATURE TO OPEN ALL THE DOOR LOCKS. WHEN I EXITED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE I CLOSED THAT DOOR. WHEN MY WIFE EXISTED FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE I CLOSED THAT DOOR AND THEN WENT TO THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO GET MY DOG. IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, ALL OF THE DOORS HAD AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED, TRAPPING MY DOG IN THE CAR. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN A CHILD IS IN THE VEHICLE. IN MY CASE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MY SON DRIVE ME TO MY HOME TO GET MY SPARE KEY AND RETURN TO OPEN THE VEHICLE. THE RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA TO THIS COMPLAINT WAS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT THEY OFFERED NO EXPLANATION OR REASON FOR THIS EVENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH INTO A PARKING SPACE AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

2004 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR POWER STEERING AND WHEEL HUB REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE EXPERIENCED STEERING FAILURE, TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WENT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, BECAUSE THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WAS TOO FAR TO DRIVE TO FOR THE REPAIR. UPON SUBMITTING ALL THE REQUIRED PROOF, TOYOTA REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT STATING THE REPAIR SHE PAID FOR WAS NOT THE REASON FOR THE RECALL. THEREFORE, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE CORRECT REPAIR, WHICH SHE FELT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. LAST FALL, THE CONSUMER STARTED TO HEAR A WHIRRING NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THEN, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND AGAIN, SHE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. AT THAT TIME, THE NOISE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A WHEEL HUB THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT A COST OF $ 750 PER WHEEL PLUS TAX TOTALING OVER $3,000. THE LEAD MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING ONE REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT REAR HUB, NOT ALL FOUR. *JB