2006 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, I HEARD A TREMENDOUS, SHARP NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT THE CAR HAD BEEN HIT WITH A ROCK OR HARD BALL, BUT NOBODY IN THE CARS AROUND ME SEEMED TO HAVE ANY CONCERN OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SOMETHING HAVING HIT MY CAR. UPON PULLING OVER AND OPENING THE TRUNK, I REALIZED THE TRUNK HAD NO COUNTERBALANCE AND WOULD NOT POP OPEN OR STAY OPENED ONCE MANUALLY LIFTED, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH THE TRUNK, WITHOUT BEING HELD OPEN, WILL SLAM SHUT WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO SEPARATE SHOPS AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE TORSION BAR RIPPED THROUGH/OUT OF THE BRACKETS HOLDING IT ONTO THE TRUNK STRUCTURE. THE REPAIRS WILL REQUIRE WELDING INSIDE THE TRUNK--A VERY EXPENSIVE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS REPAIR. THE BRACKETS WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED. BOTH SHOPS EXPRESSED THAT THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A DESIGN FLAW AND THAT IT REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE TRUNK HAD BEEN PROPERLY DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED WITH SUFFICIENTLY STRONG PARTS.

STARTED CAR AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE EXHAUST WHILE STATIONARY. CHECKED OIL LEVEL AND FOUND TO BE WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. WHEN DRIVING, CAR WAS SLUGGISH UNDER ACCELERATION WITH INTERMITTENT SMOKE. TOOK CAR TO SAN MARCOS TOYOTA AND THEY FOUND THE ENGINE TO BE SLUDGED AND REQUIRE AN OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINE ($4900) OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE ($6900). THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 140,000 MILES. WE ENDED UP HAVING AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OVERHAUL/CLEANUP THE TOP SIDE OF ENGINE FOR $4000. I HAVE THE ESTIMATES AND RECEIPTS FOR THE WORK IF NEEDED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON-LINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER AVALON OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPE THAT TOYOTA WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE POOR ENGINEERING OF THIS V6 ENGINE AND ISSUE A RECALL AND REIMBURSE THEIR CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS ENGINE FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH EXTREME FORCE BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V499000 (SERVICE BRAKES,HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, AN ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED UNDER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT BOAT DETACHED AND FRACTURED THE ENGINE'S AXLE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT BOAT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE'S AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

CAR HAS 32000 MILES AND HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE SINCE NEW. DASHBOARD IS SO SHINY, WE CAN NO LONGER DRIVE IT. TOYOTA HAS DELAYED GETTING THE REPLACEMENT DASHBOARD FOR MOST OF 2015, AND NOW SAYS IT COULD BE ANOTHER YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF. WE CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE THE SUN SHINES OFF OF THE DASHBOARD, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THE REFLECTION IN THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IS SO INTENSE, THAT WE HAVE ELECTED NOT TO DRIVE IT (IT WAS OUR PRIMARY CAR), SO WE WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A NEW HONDA. I'M A DISABLED VETERAN, AND THIS REALLY HURT OUR BUDGET - BUT WE HAD TO HAVE A DEPENDABLE CAR. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE ELEVATED TO A SAFETY RECALL TO FORCE TOYOTA TO STEP UP AND PRIORITIZE REPLACEMENT DASHBOARDS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE TRUNK AND FOUND THAT THE TORSION BAR WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORSION BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT A REPAIR WOULD BE DONE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BARRIER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, IN REVERSE, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT DEPRESSION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT FULL FORCE DURING THE ACCELERATION WITH OUT EFFECT. VEHICLE CONTINUED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, CROSSING OVER THE STREET, THEN JUMPED THE OPPOSING CURB, STRIKING A STONE WALL.

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES MOVE ABOUT 10 FEET AND THEN HESITATE FOR ABOUT 1 TO 2 SECONDS. IT WILL THEN ACCELERATE NORMALLY. WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS UNDER 35 THE CAR HESISTATES BADLY WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THEN "JUMPS" FORWARD. SAME THING HAPPENS ON THE DOWNSIDE TO THE POINT THAT IT FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO STALL. THE SERVICE ADVISOR ALSO SAID THERE HAD BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CONDITION. THIS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND NOT NORMAL.

MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT FOR MY AIRBAG HAS BECOME ILLUMINATED ALL OF THE TIME. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR, 161,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. DEALER WANTS $75 TO "CHECK OUT" THE WARNING LIGHT. I DON'T BELIEVE I SHOULD BE CHARGED ANY AMOUNT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY SYSTEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT I HAVE A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM, POSSIBLY MANUFACTURED BY TAKATA. I DO LIVE IN A HUMID ENVIRONMENT IN EASTERN KANSAS.