1997 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING AT 58,000 MILES. DEALER ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IS $1,370. CONTACTED TOYOTA - UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR AVALONS. CONFIRMED THIS WITH FORMER TOYOTA MECHANICS WHO SAID THEY SAW A LOT OF 1997 AVALONS AND CAMRYS WITH LEAKING STEERING RACKS. ALSO, NEED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS REPLACED, ANOTHER APPARENTLY DEFECTIVE PART IN 1997 AVALONS.

VEHICLE LEAKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF POWER STEERING FLUID, PRIOR TO NOTICING THE LEAK THE CONSUMER WAS ACCELERATING FROM AN INTERSECTION AND VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT ALMOST CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL AND GO INTO A CENTER MEDIAN, DEALER STATES THE STEERING RACK IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND NEEDS REPLACED. *SLC

RACK AND PINION ASSEMBY BEGAN LEAKING FROM SEAL FAILURES ON THE INSIDE OF THE UNIT. *AK

VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION, MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENTEMENT/REPAIRS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK

SUSPENSION OF MY CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS MOANING, GROANING, SQUEAZING, ETC. WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL, WHEN I DRIVE OVER A BUMP AND WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES. VERY SCARY SOUND, SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG.

THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT STRUTS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE 1995 AND THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST IN YEAR 2001. *AK

FAILURE OF FRONT STRUTS ASSEMBLY AS EVIDENCED BY BOUNCING OF FRONT WHEELS AND RATTTLING. INSPECTION BY TOYOTA SERVICE DEALER FOUND STRUTS TO BE LEAKING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY ON BASIS OF TIME (3 YEARS) EVEN IF NOT BY MILEAGE, THEY WERE NOT AT FAULT. FOLLOWING MY PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT A FRIEND HAD ASIMILAR PROBLEM ON THEIR RENTED 1998 MODEL OF THE SAME CAR AND TURNED THE CAR IN AT THE END OF THE RENTAL INSTEAD OF PURCHASING IT.*AK

VEHICLE IS LEAKING STEERING FLUID DUE TO A BROKEN RACK AND PINION. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN AND ADDITONAL INFORMATION. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED/ LEAKING OIL, AND FRONT STRUT SUPPORT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS RATTLING CONSTANTLY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE. ALSO, HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS SOUND. ONLY AFTER BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED A SECOND TIME KNOCKING SOUND STOPPED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED WHEN MAKING TURNS. CONSUMER FELT UNSAFE IN VEHICLE. *AK

DEALER MECHANIC TOLD ME IN STRICT CONFIDENCE THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON. COST TO REPLACE TWO FRONT STRUTS IS $743.00. ACCORDING TO MECHANIC, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD RESULT IN TIRE FAILURE. *AK