2006 Toyota Avalon

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING, HIS VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. . HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. HE KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED GEARS INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN THE FLOOR MATS. HE DID NOT HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS AFTER THAT FAILURE OCCURRED IN MARCH 2006. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER IN 2009 ABOUT THE FLOOR MAT RECALL 09V388000 AND WAS TOLD TO GO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FLOOR MATS REMOVED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,900. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000. UPDATED 2/26/10 *CN UPDATED 09/07/10*JB

I TOOK MY 2006 AVALON IN TO NALLEY TOYOTA FOR AN OIL LINE RECALL. I ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD ALSO LOOK INTO THE FLOOR MAT RECALL FOR ME. THEY TOLD ME NO DECISION HAD YET BEEN MADE ON THE FLOOR MAT ISSUE BUT WENT AHEAD WITH THE OIL LINE RECALL. I PICKED MY CAR UP THAT AFTERNOON, DROVE 15 MINUTES TO MY MOTHER'S APARTMENT. WHILE SLOWLY GUIDING MY WAY INTO A PARKING PLACE, MY CAR ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY PROPELLING ITSELF UP OVER A CURB AND THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE, LANDING WITH MY BACK TIRES ON THE FRONT CURB OF THE PARKING PLACE. MY BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT AND UPON LANDING ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE SLOPE, MY ENGINE DIED. I CALLED TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY ASKING WHAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN SINCE MY CAR HAD NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE IN THE 4 YEARS I HAD IT, AND YET HAPPENED 15 MINUTES AFTER THEY HAD WORKED ON IT. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS DONE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. WE COMPLAINED TO THE AREA TOYOTA REP AND AN INSPECTOR CAME AND LOOK AT THE CAR AT THE NALLEY REPAIR SHOP WE HAD IT TOWED TO. TOYOTA SAYS MY CAR CHECKS OUT FINE AND ANY PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MATS /DRIVER. THE SERVICEMAN DID NOT ADVISE ME TO REMOVE THE FLOOR MATS THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THE CAR. THEY RELEASED IT TO ME WITH THE FLOOR MATS IN PLACE. FURTHERMORE, I CONTEND THAT THE FIRST THING I CHECK AFTER THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS THE LOCATION OF THE FLOOR MAT,WHICH WAS FLAT AGAINST THE FLOOR. *TR

THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN LOCK LOOSENS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. USUALLY THE LOCK LEVER ONLY DROPS LOW ENOUGH TO HIT YOUR KNEES AS YOU EXIT THE CAR AFTER A DRIVE, BUT DOES NOT LOOSEN ENOUGH TO RELEASE THE COLUMN TELESCOPE. TODAY IT DROPPED ALL THE WAY DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE COLUMN (WHICH I HAVE FULLY EXTENDED NORMALLY) COLLAPSED FORWARD (COMPRESSED). I LOST SOME VEHICLE CONTROL AS I REACHED DOWN TO SECURE THE HANDLE UPWARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FRICTION DEVICE AND HAS NO POSITIVE LOCKING DETENT. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE MORE TROUBLE WITH IT THAN I DO AS THEY CANNOT FORCE IT UP AS FAR, SO IT RELEASES MORE OFTEN. A POOR AND DANGEROUS DESIGN. THE DEALER WANTS $79 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. WE HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF CHECKING THE LOCK FREQUENTLY BUT WHENEVER WE FORGET IT WILL RELEASE THE TELESCOPE AND COLLAPSE THE WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. IT IS HAPPENING ABOUT ONCE A WEEK NOW IF WE FORGET TO CHECK IT. MY WIFE IS 65 AND DOES NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TIGHTEN IT FULLY NOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION. CONSEQUENTLY SHE CRASHED INTO CEMENT AND A FENCE INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. SHE WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMOVE THE FLOOR MATS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

I HAVE BEGUN TO NOTICE A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS, GOING FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I AM NOW READING ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER AVALON 2006 OWNERS. THE CAR HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS STARTED SHOWING UP AT AROUND 30K. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS KNOCKING, BUT I'M ALMOST CERTAIN IT IS THE STEERING SHAFT FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE DESCRIBING. IT GOES IN THE SHOP TOMORROW FOR THE VVT OIL RECALL FIX AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND PERHAPS DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR