2000 Toyota Avalon Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE FRONT SIDE OF HIS FOOT BECAME PARTIALLY STUCK BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REMOVE HIS FOOT. THE DEALER INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOT A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

ON MAY 22, 2009, I BACKED MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON INTO A PARKING AREA NEXT TO A SHORT PRIVATE ROAD LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN A HIGH CLIFF ABOVE A BEACH. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I DECIDED TO MOVE IT ABOUT A FOOT FURTHER OFF THE ROAD. SO I BACKED UP VERY SLOWLY UNTIL THE BUMPER JUST TOUCHED THE CLIFF BEHIND ME. I BRAKED, THE CAR STOPPED, AND THEN I STEPPED VERY LIGHTLY ON THE GAS PEDAL, INTENDING TO BRAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER MOVING FORWARD A FEW INCHES. TO MY HORROR, THE CAR SHOT FORWARD RAPIDLY, AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL. I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TURN IT TO THE LEFT AND THUS AVOIDED PLUNGING OVER THE CLIFF BELOW ME. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, FISH-TAILING UP A SLIGHT GRADE. THEN IT HIT A PARKED CAR AND TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN ON THE ROAD. I SUFFERED BROKEN VERTEBRAE IN MY BACK AND NECK AND HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR 12 DAYS AND WEAR A HEAD-NECK BRACE FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR BRAKES AND 1 ROTOR. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN TO 50% CAPACITY.*AK

I PULLED IN DRIVEWAY WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PROCEEDED TO TRY TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. WHEN I HIT THE BUTTON, MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DASHED FORWARD, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THE GARAGE DOOR, FRAME AND WALL. MY DEALER SAID IT COULDN'T HAPPEN AND WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE VEHICLE.*AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, ONE TIME ONLY, RESULTING IN SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE. I WAS AT ENTRANCE TO CAR WASH SPEAKING TO THE ATTENDANT WHEN THE CAR TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED. MY CAR WAS STOPPED BY HITTING THE REAR END OF A JEEP AT THE END OF THE CAR WASH. THE REASON WAS INEXPLICABLE. *TR

AFTER PROCEEDING ON A GREEN LIGHT, VEHICLE IN FRONT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, CONSUMER COMMENCED TO APPLY BRAKES, AND VEHICLE AT FIRST STOPPED, AND THEN LEAPED AND REAR ENDED FRONT VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. *SLC

BRAKES TAKE TOO LONG TO STOP BEFORE ABS KICKS IN. PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. FRONT END HAS A GRABBING FEELING WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CONSUMER HAS BEEN WITH SERVICE TECHNICIAN, AND IT WAS DOCUMENTED AS OKAY. *AK

I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE FRONT END WAS OKAY AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE .FOUND ENGINE CHECK AND ABS LIGHTS ON IN THE DASH,AND DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE INSPECTION AND I WOULD NEED TO BRING THE CAR BACK FOR THIS PROBLEM.I HAVE WAITED FOR PARTS AND HAVE BEEN BACK TO THEM AT LEAST 7 TIMES WITH THE CONTINUED RELATED PROBLEM. *AK

I WAS FOLLOWING MY WIFE OUT OF THE SUBDIVISION TO WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 06:40. I WENT THROUGH 3 STOP SIGNS WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEMS BREAKING. WHEN MY WIFE STOPPED AT THE 4TH SIGN, MY BREAK PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HIT HER REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. THERE SCRATCHES AND DENTS IN BOTH BUMPERS. I CREPT BACK HOME AT 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT ALL THREE STOP SIGNS. THE CAR STOPPED SLOWLY, BUT THE BREAK PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR EACH TIME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. A TOYOTA FACTOR REPRESENTATIVE EXAMINED THE CAR ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2000. I RECIEVED A CALL FROM TOYOTA TODAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. THIS IS THE BIGGEST BUNCH OF BULL SINCE FIRESTONE SAID THEY MAKE GOOD TIRES. I TALKED TO THE OWNER OF THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD LOST COFINDENCE IN THE CAR AND TOYOTA, AND WANTED MY MONEY BACK. HE SAID THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS AN "ALLEGED" BREAK FAILURE THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES (ADMINISTERS THE TEXAS LEMON LAW). I WILL PERSUE THESE AVENUES OF RECOURSE, BUT ALSO WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA'S LAWYERS HAVE CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION, AND THERE IS NO WAY THEY WILL ADMIT THAT THEIR PRODUCE IS FAULTY. DOES THE NHYSA HAVE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF BREAK FAILURES ON NEW TOYOTA AVALON'S? I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE. THANKS MIKE VORNDAM

CONSUMER HEARS SQUEAKING NOISE IN BRAKES IN FORWARD AND REVERSE MOTION, DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WITHIN THE SYSTEM. *SLC

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST 99% OF THE BRAKES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. TS

WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WHEELS ON THE RIGHT SIDE LOCK UP DURING DRY WEATHER. ALSO, IN WET WEATHER THE TIRES WOULD GIVE A QUICK SPIN. CONSUMER IS ASKING A FULL REFUND OF THE VEHICLE. *YH

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL GLIDE INSTEAD OF STOPPING WITHOUT WARNING.*AK *JB

WHILE TRYING TO TURN KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH OFF DOORS AND WINDOWS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT BRAKES FEEL SPONGY, ALSO WHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES ACCELERATE BY ITSELF.*SLC

MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XLS SUFFER FROM A BRAKE PAD CLICKING NOISE THAT CAN NOT BE ELIMINATED. TOYOTA ISSUED TECHINCAL SERVICE BULLETIN BR004-00 DATED 10/20/00. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN REVERSE I HEAR THIS NOISE, THEN AGAIN WHEN THE DRIVING DIRECTION CHANGES TO GO FORWARD. THIS NOSIE OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, ESPECIALLY IF THE VEHICLE SITS OVER 30 MINUTES. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT WENT TO THE SHOP AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE REGENCY MOTOR GAVE UP. I'VE BEEN THROUGH ARBITRATION, THE ARBITRATOR FAILED ME MISERABLY. HE DECIDED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, TOYOTA CAN'T REPAIR THE CAR. SO HOW DOES HE KNOW IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. TOYOTA HAS NOT ELIMINATED THE NOISE. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S BULLETIN ALL MODELS FROM "90 TO 00" COULD SUFFER FROM THIS BRAKE PAD CLICKING NOISE. TOYOTA HAS MERELY CREATED A BAND-AID FOR THE NOISE (THE BULLETIN ADVISES THAT A DIC BRAKE CALIPER GREASE IS TO BE APPLIED), BUT THEY HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. AND THE PROPOSED FIX ONLY WILL LAST 6 MONTH TO 1 YEAR. IT DID NOT LAST A WEEK FOR ME. AS A CONSUMER WITH A CAR THAT IS STILL UNDER ITS 3YEAR/36000 MILE WARRANTY, I FEEL CHEATED. PLEASE LOOK INTO TOYOTA'S UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM.*AK