1999 TOYOTA AVALON Complaints

WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN STEPPING ON GAS TO ACCELERATE THE CAR JERKS NOTICEABLY. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. *AK

MY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON 1 OR 2 TIMES A MONTH, WHILE DRIVING. IT STAYS ON FOR 15-30 SECONDS. MY NEXT PROBLEM IS THAT MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IN 11/99. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. THIS WAS REPAIRED BUT I DON'T FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPEN TO A NEW CAR AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE. ALSO AROUND 16,000 MILES THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY ROTORS. THIS ALSO SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPEN AT THIS EARLY AGE. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO THE CONSUMER WITH A DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS COUPLING THAT IS POSITIONED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT, CONSUMER HAS BEEN WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT PART FOR EXTENDED TIME. *MJS

PROBLEM 1: THE CAR SHIFTS POORLY WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS AND THEN ACCELERATE OR DO A ROLLING STOP. TOYOTA'S FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST, RON WYTOCK SAID THAT THOSE DRIVING SITUATIONS PRODUCED A 2 GEAR DOWNSHIFT WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BUT THAT WAS NORMAL AND NOT REPAIRABLE. PROBLEM 2: THE CAR HAS A VERY NASTY, ACRID ODOR, THAT GIVES US HEADACHES AND MAKES US NAUSEOUS WHEN WE DRIVE IT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN MORE THAN 4 TIMES IN ATTEMPTS TO GET IT REPAIRED, BUT THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. WE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE THE SMELL MAKES US ILL: WE ARE CONCERNED THE CAR MAY CATCH FIRE; AND WE ARE CONCERNED CAR COMPONENTS MAY FAIL WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. TOYOTA HAS GUESSED AT SEVERAL CAUSES OF THE SMELL, BUT NOW SAYS THE SMELL IS NORMAL AND NOT A CAUSE OF CONCERN. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REARENDED ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT FELL FORWARD, AND SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE. CONSUMER RECEIVED VARIOUS INJURIES. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

CAR HAS DEFECTIVE PLASTIC WIRING HARNESS COUPLING THAT CONTROLS DRIVER SEAT MEMORY CONTROL. COUPLING AS ATTACHES TO WIRING THAT LEADS TO AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. CAR HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S REPAIR CENTER FOR FIVE WEEKS WITH NO INDICATION AS TO WHEN IT CAN BE FIXED. DEALER WILL NOT RELEASE CAR TO OWNERUNTIL CAR IS REPAIRED BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM.

ENGINE SURGING WHEN BREAKING AT INTERSECTIONS. MUST HOLD BREAK PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO STOP VEHICLE FROM ENTERING INTO INTERSECTION.

ERRATIC OPERATION OF SPEED CONTROL. IT TURNS ITSELF OFF DURING OPERATION WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL OR TOUCHING OFF SWITCH. DEALER INSPECTED / REPLACED SOME PARTS, BUT NOTHING CAN CORRECT THE PROBLE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

THIS CAR SUDDEN ACCELERATES AND WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE GOES 10MPH. THE BODY TRIM BY THE DOORS IS SEVERLY WORN AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPLACE IT AND SAYS IT CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM.

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CAN NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK