2006 Toyota Avalon

2006 TOYOTA AVALON CT DEALER QUOTED $1800 FOR TIMING COVER OIL LEAK; 17 HOURS OF LABOR, INEXPENSIVE PART; 3 RECALLS TO DATE WITH THIS VEHICLE-EXTREME INCONVENIENCE AND SUSPECT OF ANY ISSUES ON THIS CAR AND TOYOTA RECORD IS HORRENDOUS PER MULTIPLE SAFETY AND OTHER RECALLS. I'VE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS TIMING COVER RESEAL EXACT ISSUE. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS SUPPOSEDLY ISSUED IN 2007 EG 019-07. NHTSA BULLETIN 10021531. WHEN WILL CONSUMERS GET PROTECTION ON THESE FURTHER TOYOTA ISSUES?? I WILL RAISE THIS TO HIGHEST LEVELS. *TR

WE SPOTTED DROPS OF OIL COMING FROM OUR TOYOTA AVALON 2006. A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A SLOW OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT TIMING COVER. THE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATES IT WILL COST OVER $2,200 TO RESEAL OR REPLACE THE COVER WHICH COSTS ABOUT $50. WE HAVE DECIDED, AS OF NOW, TO NOT SPEND THE MAJOR DOLLARS INVOLVED, AND KEEP A EYE ON THE OIL IN THE CAR. WE HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN THE 2006 AVALON, AND HAVE FOUND NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, ITEM NUMBER 10021531, AND 2006 TOYOTA AVALON, SERVICE BULLETIN #: 01907. THE SUMMARY OF THIS BULLETIN READS: "ENGINE OIL LEAK FROM FRONT TIMING COVER." THE BULLETIN SEEMS TO BE DESCRIBING OUR PROBLEM EXACTLY. WHEN A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE MONEY INVOLVED WITH THE REPAIR ($2,200) TO THE PART TOYOTA WILL REPLACE ($50), THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE 2006 AVALON'S DESIGN AND/OR THE SITUATION CALLS FOR A TOYOTA RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE HIGHWAY PATROL APPEARED ON THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY GARAGE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 142,000.

IN JULY 2009 OUR 2006 TOYOTA AVALONXL HAD A VVT-I OIL HOSE EXPLODE CAUSING OIL DAMAGE AND PERSONAL REPAIR EXPENSE OF $277.67. I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS HOSE. IT STATED IF ALREADY REPLACED THEN TO SEND IN THE REPAIR ORDER, PROOF OF PAYMENT AND PROOF OF OWNERSHIP FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THIS WAS SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA ON JANUARY 11, 2010. NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM AFTER 71 DAYS. AFTER A LENGTHY DELAY, I WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE REPAIRS WERE NOT COMPLETED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. MY COMPLAINT IS I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES AND REPAIRS DUE TO TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE PARTS WITHOUT REIMBURSEMENT AFTER TOYOTA ADMITTED THEIR PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL MY OIL FROM A RUPTURED OIL LINE WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE 2 MILES AWAY. APPARENTLY TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BASED ON OTHER NUMEROUS SIMILAR INCIDENTS BASED ON WEB COMMENTS. THE OIL WARNING LIGHT NEVER WENT ON AND I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS SENT TO OTHER AVALON OWNERS. *TR

1. I WAS AT A STOPLIGHT, FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, DOING NOTHING BUT WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. SUDDENLY I REALIZED MY CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD, SO I PUSHED THE BRAKES HARDER. THE PEDAL WENT DOWN FURTHER BUT THE CAR KEPT MOVING FORWARD. ALL OF THIS TOOK ONLY A FEW SECONDS. THEN I HEARD AND FELT THE ENGINE ACCELERATING VERY LOUDLY. JUST AT THAT MOMENT THE LIGHT CHANGED, AND TRAFFIC SPED AHEAD. WITHOUT THINKING, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE STOPPED ROARING, THE CAR ACCELERATED NORMALLY AND THE BRAKES WERE RESPONSIVE. 2. THIS WAS THE ONLY INCIDENT. 3. I WAS ACTUALLY ON MY WAY TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, SO I CONTINUED ON MY WAY. WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALER, I HAD THE PERSON WHO MET ME AT MY CAR CHECK THE FLOOR MAT BEFORE I WALKED AWAY. HE SAID IT WAS FINE. TOYOTA PERFORMED ALL RECALL ACTIONS, ASKED IF I WANTED THE COMPUTER RE-PROGRAMMED TO ALLOW THE BRAKES TO OVERRIDE EVERYTHING ELSE (I SAID YES), AND FILLED OUT THE FORMS AND PERFORMED ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN SUA INCIDENT. THEY GAVE ME A LOANER AND THE NEXT DAY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WOULD BE RELEASED. I ASKED FOR, AND RECEIVED A COPY OF THE FORM FOR AN SUA INCIDENT, BUT IT ONLY HAS INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE TECHNICIAN AND NO WRITTEN RESULTS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS FOUND AND WHAT WAS DONE, OTHER THAN NORMAL RECALL WORK. I AM FILLING THIS OUT BECAUSE I NO LONGER TRUST TOYOTA, AND NOW I AM AFRAID. IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, AND I WANT TO BE PART OF THE RECORD OF INCIDENTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN HE HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING IN THE ENGINE AREA. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN HESITATING AND WITHIN SECONDS, RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN THE RPMS. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED WITH A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 06/04/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE HAD A HIGH IDLE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE INTO GEAR AT 10-15 MPH AND THEN CATCH WOULD CATCH UP AND DISENGAGE AND THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN. UPDATED 10/14/10

WHEN SLOWING MY 2006 AVALON FOR TURN, SPEED BUMP, ETC. AND THEN ACCELERATING THERE IS OFTEN A LAG IN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGING AND WHEN IT DOES THE CAR LURCHES. I HAVE COMPLAINED MANY TIMES TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS ABOUT THIS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. AFTER A YEAR OR SO 1 DEALER SAID THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED AN ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE WHICH THEY PERFORMED. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE BUT HAS RETURNED. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT RECALLS AND STORIES ABOUT POSSIBLE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS I WANTED TO ADD MY STORY TO THE LIST. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE LAG IN TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, ESPECIALLY IF IT WORSENS. FURTHER, THE ONLY WAY I KNOW ABOUT THIS LATEST RECALL IS THROUGH THE NEWS - TOYOTA HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME DIRECTLY. THIS MAKES THE THIRD RECALL ON THIS CAR - FLOOR MATS, VVT-I OIL HOSE AND NOW ACCELERATOR! NEEDLES TO SAY - I AM NOT HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE AND WILL SERIOUSLY TRY TO CONVINCE MY WIFE TO TAKE OUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE IN THE FUTURE! *CN *TR