2005 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF UNINTENDED AND SUDDEN INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). ACCELERATION WITH MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON [XXX] . ONE RESULTED INTO ME CRASHING INTO THE GARAGE. I HAVE FORMALLY WRITTEN TO JAMES LENTZ AND AKIO TOYODA AND I HAVE HAD MY CAR INSPECTED BY HERB WILKIE FROM TOYOTA. I NO LONGER FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE... *TR

ON 1/17/2009 MY MOTHERS CAR LEFT THE PAVED ROADWAY AT APPROX. 70 MPH AND STRUCK A BRICK WALL. NO SKID MARKS WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME AND WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSED THE CRASH AND SUBSEQUENT DEATH OF MY MOTHER. UPDATED 03/14/10 *BF UPDATED 05/10/10*JB UPDATED 9/29/11*CW

WE HAVE A POSSIBLE BRAKE PEDAL INTERFERENCE AND A VARIABLE VALUE TIMING ISSUE ON OUR 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE, APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. AN INCREASE OF ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED RECALL NUMBER 1001101339. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FLOOR MAT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ UPDATED 01/27/11*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH, A VEHICLE PRECEEDING VEHICLE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING AN ANIMAL IN THE STREET. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES, HOWEVER THE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH IN TIME AND SHE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 40 MPH, A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE STOPPING AND SHE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. SHE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ADDITIONAL CRASHES WHERE SHE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AND THEY WOULD NOT ENGAGE OR WERE SLOW TO ENGAGE. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR LOCAL DEALER WERE CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 108,000.

OUR 2005 TOYOTA AVALON WAS SERVICED FOR SAFETY RECALL ON 3/1/10 AND GAS PEDAL FEEL BECAME MORE SENSITIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. ON 3/2/10 WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED SEVERAL TIMES DURING NORMAL APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. THIS WAS ALARMING AND VERY DISCONCERTING. SUBSEQUENT DRIVING LATER THIS WEEK DID NOT EFFECT A REPEAT OF THE ABS CONCERNS. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN OCCASIONAL SLIGHT SURGE IN SPEED WHICH SEEMS TO RELATE TO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINTS WHICH DID HAPPEN BEFORE THE RECALL SERVICE. *TR

ON FEB. 11, 2010 I TOOK MY TOYOTA AVALON IN FOR THE ACCELERATOR RECALL. ON FEB. 17, 2010 I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE ON THE GROUNDS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I WORKED AT THAT DAY WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED. IT JUMPED THE CURB SIDESWIPING MY CAR WITH A CAR THAT WAS PARKED ON MY RIGHT. AFTER IT HIT THE GROUND FROM JUMPING THE CURB IT ACCELERATED AGAIN HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD THE SCHOOL BUILDING. I PUT TWO FEET ON THE BRAKE AND PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD. THE CAR DID STOP. THE CAR WAS TOWED BY AAA TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN FORT SMITH, AR (WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED). I BOUGHT THE CAR AT MOLLE TOYOTA IN KC, MO WHERE I LIVE (OVERLAND PARK, KS). THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR CAME THAT DAY TO CHECK THE DAMAGE. HE SAID AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE OUT TO CHECK IT THE "CAUSE OF IMPACT". AS OF NOW, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. MY INSURANCE COMPANY KEEPS TELLING ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO KC FOR REPAIRS AND I TOLD THEM I WILL NOT DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR. I WILL NOT TOUCH THE CAR UNTIL SOMEONE INVESTIGATES THE REASON FOR THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER, WHO HAS BEEN WONDERFUL; TOYOTA CORPORATE WHO HAS BEEN HORRIBLE (THE FIRST THING "BARBARA" SAID TO ME WAS "WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT?") SHE RELUCTANTLY SAID SHE WOULD CHECK IT OUT. SHE CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER IN FORT SMITH AND TOLD HIM THAT TOYOTA INSPECTORS WOULD BE OUT WITHIN 10 DAYS BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHEN. I CALLED THE HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY DEPT. WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T DEAL WITH THAT AND TO CALL MY KS ATTORNEY GENERAL. I CALLED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO TOLD ME TO EMAIL THIS ADDRESS. SO . . . STATUS: MY CAR IS STILL IN FORT SMITH, AR ON A TOYOTA LOT AND NOBODY WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED OR HELP ME WITH MY NEXT STEPS. I DON'T THINK ANYONE BELIEVED THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED AFTER THE RECALL FIX. FINALLY, IT APPEARS THAT OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT I WILL NOT DRIVE AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. THANK YOU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS S 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND CONTINUED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I TOOK MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON TO THE DEALER TO GET FIXED FOR ITS RECALL AND WHEN I GOT IT BACK IT WAS WORSE THEN BEFORE IT ACCELERATED FUNNY IT WOULD MAKE THE CAR JERK ALL CRAZY I FELT MORE UNSAFE IN MY CAR THEN BEFORE ....NOW THE CAR IS BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY NEED TO RESET THE COMPUTER BUT LETS SEE IF IT WILL WORK ....HOPEFULLY BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT I AM SAFE IN MY CAR I WOULD OF RATHER HAD IT NOT FIXED I FELT MORE SAFE THEN....AND THEY SAID THEY TEST DROVE IT WELL THEY SHOULD OF KNOW THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT IT WOULD JERK AT 25 MPH THEN AT 40 THEN AFTER 60 IT WOULD RIDE SMOOTHLY....VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE TOOK IT BACK RIGHT AWAY. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON, BACK ON 4/18/09 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO SOUTH BAY TOYOTA TO HAVE THEM CHECK OUT THIS PROBLEM-MY CAR WAS HESITATING B4 TAKE OFF AND IT WOULD EXCEL FASTER. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. BUT THE RESULT FROM TOYOTA WAS: PERFORMED INSPECTION COULD NOT CONFIRM ANY ABNORMALITIES AT THIS TIME. NO PENDING MALFUNCTION CODES STORED IN COMPUTER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. WELL I TOOK MY CAR BACK BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE RECALL MODEL FOR THE PEDAL AND THEY MADE THE CHANGE ,BUT NOW IT IS WORST NOW, IT ACCELERATES FASTER THAN B4. WHILE WAITING FOR AT A SIGNAL SOME TIMES I CAN HEAR IT SLIGHTLY RARING UP.(I THEN PUT IT IN PARK) AND HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN ALL THE WAY. I AM TOTALLY AFRAID OF THIS CAR. I TRIED TO TRADE IT IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER BUT FOR THE SUV I WANT IT WAS TO MUCH, AND THEY WEREN'T WORKING WITH ME AT ALL. *TR