2013 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. The contact stated that several instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that they were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the vehicle was a hazard and could catch on fire. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

WAS DRIVING HOME ONE DAY AFTER TAKING MY DAD ABOUT 45 MINS AWAY WAS DRIVING AS USUAL AND THE CAR DIED HAD TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD PUT IN PARK AND RESTART. HAS DONE IT SEVERAL TIMES AFTER WE HAVE HAD IN AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE. SENT ME HOME WITH AN UNSAFE CAR FOR THE 4TH TIME. TRIED TAKING CAR BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT AS ISSUE HAPPENED ON FEB 6 21 AND I PURCHASED ON JAN 27 21 GOING TO CHANGE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEXT WEEK AND SEE IF THATS WHAT IT IS. PLEASE HELP I AM STUCK WITH A 23000 LOAN FOR A CAR I CANT DRIVE SAFELY OR CONFIDENTLY!

THE REAR SUN SHADE WHICH EXTENDS AND RETRACTS TO COVER THE BACK WINDOW OF MY AVALON HAS A FAULT WHICH CAUSES IT TO GET STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, COVERING THE REAR WINDOW. THIS DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE VISIBILITY OUT THE REAR WINDOW AND THERE IS NO OBVIOUS OR SIMPLE FIX FOR THE ISSUE. I HAVE FOUND ONLINE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. BEFORE THE SHADE GOT STUCK, IT WOULD RANDOMLY EXTEND OR RETRACT DURING HOT DAYS, WHICH SEEMS TO BE DUE TO A FAULTY RELAY. THIS IS CLEARLY A POOR DESIGN WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND ANYONE BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHILE BACKING UP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSSED THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE VEHICLE AHEAD STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE STOP BUT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HIM WAS UNABLE TO STALLED CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE. WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT OF THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT VEHICLE TO RUN IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AHEAD OF HIM. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED FROM VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTATINED BACK PAIN, AND BUMP ON THE HEAD AND NECK STRAIN , THE CONTACT DAUGHTER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURY AND HIS SON HAD TOOTH INJURY CAUSING BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER INJURIES FROM THE OTHER DRIVERS. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WAS RECEIVED AT THE SCENE BUT THE CONTACT DECLINE GOING TO THE HOSPTIAL TIL THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHILCE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DEEMED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOSS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

I JUST PURCHASED A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON FROM CARMAX. DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS OF DRIVING I HAD OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING. ONE. THE REAR WINDOW IS DISTORTED AND WILL NOT COME CLEAN NO MATTER WHAT I ATTEMPT TO USE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CLEAR VISIBILITY. I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THAT WHILE IN A STOP POSITION, WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND I HAVE TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND REAPPLY TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE A SEVEN DAY RETURN POLICY NO QUESTIONS ASKED. BUT I REALLY LOVE THIS CAR IN BEEN WAITING TO FIND THAT PARTICULAR COLOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR WHICH IS BLACK LEATHER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL OR OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS.

CAR STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT OR SLIPPAGE WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR. THIS USUALLY HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED. IT THEN BEGAN TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER NORTHTOWN TOYOTA AMHERST, NY AND THEY CHANGED THE FLUID AND UPDATED SOFTWARE. CAR RAN OK FOR 2 WKS, THEN STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN A FEW TIMES PER WEEK WITH A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR. THIS HAPPENS AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED. TOOK CAR INTO CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION 909 HERTLE AVE, BUFFALO NY WHERE THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND PULLED THE TRANSMISSION OUT AND FOUND THAT THE UTILITY PUMP HAD FAILED AND THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO THE GEARS AND OTHER PARTS. OPTIONS WERE A REBUILD ($3800USD) OR REPLACEMENT NEW TRANSMISSION ($6200USD). CURRENTLY HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. CAR HAS 22,300 MILES ON IT, IS OUT OF WARRANTY (7 YRS OLD) AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT/REPLACED.

THIS ISSUE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. REAR SUNSHADE RANDOMLY DEPLOYED AND IS PERMANENTLY STUCK IN THE UP POSITION COMPLETELY BLOCKING REAR VISIBILITY. SUNSHADE IS SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE, THIS FUNCTION NO LONGER WORKS FURTHER INHIBITING SAFE VEHICLE MANEUVERING. THE REAR FACING BACKUP CAMERA HAS A STATEMENT SAYING TO NOT RELY ON THE BACKUP CAMERA WHEN BACKING UP, THIS NO LONGER AN OPTION FOR ME AS I CAN NO LONGER CLEARLY SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. NIGHT TIME REVERSING IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE WITH ANY DEGREE OF SAFETY. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AS THEY REPLACED A RELAY IN THE SUNSHADE IN MODEL YEARS AFTER 2014 THAT SEEMS TO HAVE REMEDIED THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO WAY MANUALLY LOWER THE SUNSCREEN. THERE'S NO WAY TO EASILY SWAP OUT THE DEFECTIVE RELAY. THERE'S NO WAY TO DISCONNECT THE SUNSHADE FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. THERE ISN'T AN INDEPENDENT FUSE FOR THE SUNSHADE THAT CAN BE REMOVED. THE SUNSHADE APPEARS TO BE ON A FUSE THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, BRAKING SYSTEM AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM. BY REMOVING THE FUSE THIS WOULD MAKE MY VEHICLE EVEN LESS SAFE THE IT ALREADY IS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE STOPPED SHORT AT A YELLOW STOP LIGHT AT 20 MPH. THE ACCIDENT BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. THE WIFE SUFFERED A CRACKED STERNUM WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS A POLICE THAT WAS FILED AMD THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER TOYOTA WALNUT CREEK (2100 N BROADWAY, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596 925-357-3700) STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK OVER THE CLAIM AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER CONTACTED THE CONTACT BY MAIL AND STATED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL . THE CONTACT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN AIR BAG ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE VEHICLE COLLISION AND WAS THE MIDDLE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE POLICE CAME TO THE SCENE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES AND HIS WIFE WHO WAS THE PASSENGER SUSTAIN BRUISING. THE CONTACT STATED HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MCDANIEL TOYOTA (1111 MT VERNON AVE, MARION, OH 43302) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.*BF CONSUMER STATED HE HAD A BACK SURGERY AND AIRBAG FAILURE HAPPENED TWICE.*JB

THE REAR SUNSHADE IS STUCK IN THE 'UP' (EXTENDED) POSITION, GREATLY HINDERING VIEW TO THE REAR, BOTH WITH REAR-VIEW MIRROR AND WHEN DRIVER TURNS HEAD TO THE REAR. THIS DEVICE IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT FROM 'UP' POSITION EVERY TIME THE CAR IS SHIFTED TO "REVERSE" GEAR, SO AS TO NOT HINDER REAR VIEWS. IT WORKED FINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT LAST MONTH IT BECAME STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, AND CANNOT BE RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM AT ALL TIMES; BUT IS ESPECIALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AT NIGHT, WHEN DARKNESS HINDERS VIEWS. FROM ONLINE SEARCHING, IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VERY FREQUENTLY, AND MOST COMMENTERS SAY IT'S NOT WORTH FIXING, BECAUSE REPLACEMENT UNITS DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM. REMOVING THE UNIT IS MY PREFERRED APPROACH. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR ARE REQUIRED, AS THE REAR SEAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF A MOVING CRASH; IT HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY, AND IS NOW AN ISSUE 100% OF THE TIME. *TR