2006 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

TWO PREVIOUS AVALONS (97&98) AND THE ONE IDENTIFIED HERE, DID AND DOES ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITH THE CAR BEING IN PARK. THE DANGER IS THAT THE CAR WILL ROLL AND COULD RUN OVER SOMEONE OR INTO TRAFFIC AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. MY HUSBAND AND I ALWAYS REMINDED EACH OTHER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, BUT HE IS NO LONGER WITH ME AND RECENTLY I STARTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND IT STARTED ROLLING WHILE I WAS GETTING OUT. I HAVE COMPLAINED IN THE PAST TO TOYOTA, BUT THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. A RECENT COMPLAINT BROUGHT THE ANSWER THAT THE 36000 MILE WARRANTY DOESN'T APPLY TO THE REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THIS IS EVIDENTLY A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH AVALONS THAT TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS, OR MY 2006 WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALMOST ALWAYS BOUGHT USED CARS AND TRUCKS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT BEING IN PARK. YOU ASK FOR A SPECIFIC DATE AT THE END OF THIS "STEP". IT IS ONGOING SO I HAVE JUST PUT YESTERDAYS DATE. THE CAR WAS A GIFT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014.

HESITATION FROM TAKE OFF INTERMITTENT, TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS ON INCLINES. I WOULD BE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WOULD BARLEY MOVE EVEN WITH PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR! THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL JUST TAKE OFF! I'LL BE DRIVING THROUGH THEY CITY AND BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHIFTS ERRATICALLY

I AM HAVING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND WHEN I PUT CAR IN REVERSE, FOOT ON BRAKE, FOUND WAS REAR WINDOW SHADE(SUNSHADE). NOISE LAST MIN. AT STATIONARY AND IN MOTION, THEN GOES AWAY. APPARENTLY KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 2006 AND 2007

DASHBOARD CRACKING IN TWO PLACES. OUR 2006 DASHBOARD IS CRACKING IN TWO PLACES, AREA BY DRIVERS DOOR AND IN THE PLACE WHERE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS LOCATED. OUR 2008 DID THE SAME THING AND TOYOTA REPLACED THE WHOLE DSAH BUT OUR 2006 IS TOO OLD TO BE COVERED. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT ONCE THE CRACK GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE COMPARTMNT WHERE THE SIR BAG IS THAT IT WILL BUST OPEN HIT THE PASSENGER IN THE FACE.

ON JUNE 7, 2019, I WAS DRIVING THE AVALON, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON CITY STREET. WITH THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, I WAS TRAUMATIZED AND DID MY BEST TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND HOOKED UP TO A CODE READER, WHICH YIELDED CODES P0345, P0300, P0302, P0304, P0306. WE DID FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AND DISCOVERED THE 3 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE VARIABLE-VALVE TIMING (VVT) GEAR TO THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT CAME LOOSE, THESE BOLTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPER-RESISTANT AND NEVER BE REMOVED WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THE RESULT OF ENGINE DYING IS CAUSED BY SERIOUS MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN DEFECTS. PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED THREE PICTURES SHOWING 3 BOLTS LAYING NEXT TO VVT GEAR, VVT GEAR LOOSELY HELD ON AND THE VIBRATION OF BOLT LEFT CUTTING MARK ON THE GEAR, AND ALL INTAKE CAM ROCKERS FALLING OUT. I DID MORE RESEARCH AND CONCLUDED THE ROOT CAUSE OF ENGINE STOPPED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN IN OUR AVALON IS IDENTICAL TO TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL 13V-395 IN LEXUS VEHICLES 2006 TO 2011. PLEASE FIND ATTACHED TWO DOCUMENTS, RCRIT-13V395-3180.PDF ON RECENT RECALL FOR TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL 13V-395, RCDNN-13V395-1839.PDF ON DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT FROM TOYOTA TO NHTSA ON LEXUS INTAKE-SIDE VARIABLE-VALVE TIMING (VVT) SYSTEM PART 573. ON JUNE 27, 2019, I CALLED STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA AND TOYOTA HQ AND LOGGED CASE [XXX]. I WAS INFORMED BY TOYOTA THERE'S NO RECALL FOR AVALON WITH THE VIN, AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO FACTORY WARRANTY (CURRENTLY 153K MILES), AND NO EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH ENGINE STALL FOR AVALON. AS A RESULT, WE NEED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IN OUR OWN EXPENSE WHICH REQUIRES ENGINE REBUILT AS ENGINE STALL HAS CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I WAS APPALLED BY TOYOTA FOR LACK OF INITIATION TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY RISK IN OUR AVALON AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION IN THIS MATTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

---BUYERS BEWARE.--- TIRES PURCHASED: 215/55R-17 CONTINENTAL PURECONTACT LS SL PURCHASED THESE TIRES ON TIRE RACK AND HAD THEM PROFESSIONAL PLACED ON BY FIRESTONE PERSONNEL (APPROPRIATE TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED). IN JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, LESS THAN 100 MILES, AND WITHOUT ANY TRAUMA (NO POTHOLES, CURBS, ETC), THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE HAD A MAJOR, SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ON THE HIGHWAY (70 MPH) WITH NEAR CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. CONTINENTAL WILL NOT ALLOW A REFUND BUT WILL ONLY PERMIT ME TO PURCHASE TIRES IN THEIR LINEUP ACCORDING TO THEIR 60 DAY POLICY. HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION DUE TO THE NEAR MISS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY HARM OR DEATH. I DO NOT TRUST THESE TIRES GIVEN THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE FROM SUCH LITTLE USAGE (PLEASE SEE PHOTOS). THEY HAVE DENIED ANY CLAIM OF DEFECT IN THEIR TIRES BUT I AM PERPLEXED ON HOW SUCH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO A TIRE CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY TRAUMA OR INCITING EVENT. PLEASE DON'T PUT YOUR FAMILY OR LOVED ONES IN HARM'S WAY AND HIGHLY CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE BRAND OF TIRE THAN GENERAL OR CONTINENTAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH TO PULL INTO AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE AREA, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND FAILED TO RELEASE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH FORCE, BUT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR. UPON IMPACT, A YELLOW PIECE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FRACTURED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND NECK AND SUSTAINED BODILY SCRATCHES AND BRUISING, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PLANNED TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG AND ACCELERATION FAILURES. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 10V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND 09V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.

TOYOTA COMPANY REFUSE TO HONOR MY COMPLAINT THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY LETTERS REGARDING A RECALL ON MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. TOYOTA COMPANY STATES THAT THE RECALL ON MY 2006 AVALON HAS EXPIRED. TOYOTA COMPANY STATED THEY MAIL OUT A RECALL LETTER TO MY ADDRESS IN 2015 AND 2017. I DID NOT RECEIVE THE LETTER AT MY ADDRESS. I LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME PARK WHERE ITS ABOUT 30 MOBILE HOMES IS LOCATED WITH THE ADDRESS, EXCEPT THE LOT NUMBER IS DIFFERENT. I SEARCH THROUGH MY MAIL TO DOUBLE CHECK AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY LETTERS REGARDING A RECALL. I CALLED LAST YEAR (2018) BECAUSE I NOTICE SEVERAL SPLITTING LINE ACROSS THE DASH BOARD OF MY CAR DASHBOARD AND IT HAS A STICKY FEELING BY TOUCHING. I HAVE READ SEVERAL EMAILS STATING "ACCORDINGLY, PER WEBSITES ON RECALL THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT ON GETTING A RECALL FIXED, AND MOST DEALERS SHOULD HONOR THE RECALL AND FIX YOUR CAR FREE OF CHARGE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS IF YOUR VEHICLE IS OLDER THAN TEN YEARS AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL, THE DEALER MAY NOT FIX THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. REGARDLESS, YOU SHOULD STILL MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES OR CONTACT THE AUTOMAKER DIRECTLY AND LET THEM KNOW OF YOUR PREDICAMENT". MY PREDICAMENT IS I DO NOT WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE COST TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO REALIZE THAT MY DEFECT FOR THE RECALL DID NOT SHOW UNTIL LAST YEAR. I GET MY CAR SERVICE EVERY YEAR AND THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DEFECT ON THE DASHBOARD.

MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF IN A PREVIOUS RECALL I BELIEVE BUT WITH THIS UPDATE ON OTHER VEHICLES EFFECTED I 100 PERCENT SURE MY 06 AVALON XLS AND MAYBE OTHERS ARE HAVING AIRBAG ISSUES. THE SEATS (LEATHER) HAVE BEEN EFFECTED BY THE SEAT WARMERS OVER HEATING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A VEHICLE MERGED INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE AND STRUCK THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL DRIVER AND FEET AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH GASES AND METAL FRAGMENTS, WHICH INJURED THE DRIVER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO PRESENT. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND DIAGNOSED WITH A DISLOCATED VERTEBRAE, FACIAL INJURIES, CHEST INJURIES DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS, AND INJURIES TO THE SHIN BECAUSE OF THE FEET AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT REQUIRED SURGERY TO THE DAMAGED VERTEBRAE AND HER HEARING WAS LOST PERMANENTLY. THE DEALER (SHEEHY TOYOTA OF STAFFORD, 95 GARRISONVILLE RD, STAFFORD, VIRGINIA, (540) 720-4700) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN IMPOUND LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.*DT*JB