2000 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

WHILE TRYING TO TURN KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH OFF DOORS AND WINDOWS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT BRAKES FEEL SPONGY, ALSO WHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES ACCELERATE BY ITSELF.*SLC

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL GLIDE INSTEAD OF STOPPING WITHOUT WARNING.*AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD. SLUDGE LIKE SUBSTANCE IN OIL MAKES VEHICLE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WATER PUMP WENT OUT, CAUSE KNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK

INSTRUMENT PANEL (PORTIONS OF SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE) REFLECTS IN WINDSHIELD AT EYE LEVEL. AT NIGHT, THIS GLARE IMPAIRS VIEW OF ROAD, AND NORMAL HEAD MOVEMENTS CREATE THE IMPRESSION OF SOMETHING COMING INTO ROAD IN FRONT OF CAR, CAUSING REFLEXIVE BRAKING OR SWERVING. IN DAYLIGHT, SUNLIGHT STRIKING INSTRUMENT PANEL REFLECTS IN DRIVER'S EYES AS A BLINDING FLASH OR BAND OF LIGHT. I REPORTED THIS TO MANUFACTURER AS PART OF DISPUTE THAT INCLUDED OTHER DEFECTS (RATTLES AND SQUEAKS IN DASH AREA) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD REPOSITION INSTRUMENT PANEL PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN B0014-0. THE REPAIR ATTEMPT FAILED TO CORRECT THE BLINDING GLARE OR THE OTHER DEFECTS. I RECENTLY ACCEPTED AN 2002 AVALON AS A RENTAL CAR AND WAS STUNNED TO FIND THAT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION PERSISTS IN THE 2002 MODEL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DASH LIGHTS REFLECT IN WINDSHIELD AT EYE LEVEL, GIVING A BLINDING GLARE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XLS SUFFER FROM A BRAKE PAD CLICKING NOISE THAT CAN NOT BE ELIMINATED. TOYOTA ISSUED TECHINCAL SERVICE BULLETIN BR004-00 DATED 10/20/00. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN REVERSE I HEAR THIS NOISE, THEN AGAIN WHEN THE DRIVING DIRECTION CHANGES TO GO FORWARD. THIS NOSIE OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, ESPECIALLY IF THE VEHICLE SITS OVER 30 MINUTES. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT WENT TO THE SHOP AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE REGENCY MOTOR GAVE UP. I'VE BEEN THROUGH ARBITRATION, THE ARBITRATOR FAILED ME MISERABLY. HE DECIDED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, TOYOTA CAN'T REPAIR THE CAR. SO HOW DOES HE KNOW IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. TOYOTA HAS NOT ELIMINATED THE NOISE. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S BULLETIN ALL MODELS FROM "90 TO 00" COULD SUFFER FROM THIS BRAKE PAD CLICKING NOISE. TOYOTA HAS MERELY CREATED A BAND-AID FOR THE NOISE (THE BULLETIN ADVISES THAT A DIC BRAKE CALIPER GREASE IS TO BE APPLIED), BUT THEY HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. AND THE PROPOSED FIX ONLY WILL LAST 6 MONTH TO 1 YEAR. IT DID NOT LAST A WEEK FOR ME. AS A CONSUMER WITH A CAR THAT IS STILL UNDER ITS 3YEAR/36000 MILE WARRANTY, I FEEL CHEATED. PLEASE LOOK INTO TOYOTA'S UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM.*AK

FRONT END "BOTTOMS OUT" AND HITS THE FRONT TIRES WHEN EXITING AND /OR ENTERING INCLINES TO STRIP MALLS, ETC. AND V DITCHES ON PUBLIC STREETS WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 25 MPH. THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO TIRES WHEN GOING AT HIGHER SPEEDS.*** DIMS11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS***755954. *AK

THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS FORWARD WITH AT LEASE 1 INCH OF PLAY. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ORIGINALLY ADVISED US IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS, AND COMPLAINTS TO TOYOTA, THEY "FOUND" A BULLETIN THAT SAID THE SEAT MOUNT "COULD BECOME" WORN PREMATURELY. WE SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED ON ALL AVALONS. AFTERALL, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE MOUNT WENT BAD AND THE SEAT BECAME DETACHED FROM THE CAR WHILE SOMEONE WAS DRIVING?

AFTER PROCEEDING ON A GREEN LIGHT, VEHICLE IN FRONT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, CONSUMER COMMENCED TO APPLY BRAKES, AND VEHICLE AT FIRST STOPPED, AND THEN LEAPED AND REAR ENDED FRONT VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING 35-40 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS ORGINAL EQUIPMENT GENERAL HP 400 TIRE, SIZE P20565R15, MILES UNKNOWN. WHILE PULLING HARD TO LEFT A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT OCCURRED. TIRE DEALER INSPECT TIRE AND GAVE CONSUMER CREDIT TOWARD PURCHASE OF A NEW TIRE. *AK *TT