2004 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

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

STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT FORWARD DIRECTION AFTER A TURN. FORCE WAS REQUIRED TO BRING VEHICLE BACK TO STRAIGHT PATH. PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY INTERNAL LEAKING OF STEERING FLUID. DEALER REPLACED STEERING RACK. POWER STEERING LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUSTING. *TR

TOYOTA DEALER IN MERRITT ISLAND, FL ADVISED ME "POWER STEERING RACK IS LEAKING..." 2-2-2012 MY SON IN HAS A TOYOTA 2005 SIENNA IN ANNAPOLIS, MD WAS ADVISED THAT HIS POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING. 7-17-2012 A FRIEND WITH A TOYOTA CAMRY IN BOWIE, MD WAS ADVISED THAT HIS POWER STEERING RACK IS LEAKING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NOSE, KNEES AND LIP. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED BRUISING AROUND THE EYES. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

2004 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TWO RECALL NOTICES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT WOULD BE A 150 MILE- ROUND TRIP TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALLS PERFORMED. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE COMPETENT FORD, GM AND CHRYSLER AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS THAT COULD PERFORM THE WORK IF PROVIDED THE PARTS AND GUIDANCE. *JB