2006 Toyota Avalon Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TWO PREVIOUS AVALONS (97&98) AND THE ONE IDENTIFIED HERE, DID AND DOES ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITH THE CAR BEING IN PARK. THE DANGER IS THAT THE CAR WILL ROLL AND COULD RUN OVER SOMEONE OR INTO TRAFFIC AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. MY HUSBAND AND I ALWAYS REMINDED EACH OTHER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, BUT HE IS NO LONGER WITH ME AND RECENTLY I STARTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND IT STARTED ROLLING WHILE I WAS GETTING OUT. I HAVE COMPLAINED IN THE PAST TO TOYOTA, BUT THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. A RECENT COMPLAINT BROUGHT THE ANSWER THAT THE 36000 MILE WARRANTY DOESN'T APPLY TO THE REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THIS IS EVIDENTLY A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH AVALONS THAT TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS, OR MY 2006 WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALMOST ALWAYS BOUGHT USED CARS AND TRUCKS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT BEING IN PARK. YOU ASK FOR A SPECIFIC DATE AT THE END OF THIS "STEP". IT IS ONGOING SO I HAVE JUST PUT YESTERDAYS DATE. THE CAR WAS A GIFT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014.

UNDER HARD ACCELERATION WHILE TURNING, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. IE, ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM A CROSS STREET.

HESITATION FROM TAKE OFF INTERMITTENT, TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS ON INCLINES. I WOULD BE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WOULD BARLEY MOVE EVEN WITH PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR! THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL JUST TAKE OFF! I'LL BE DRIVING THROUGH THEY CITY AND BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHIFTS ERRATICALLY

The contact owned a 2006 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. The contact heard an abnormal noise as he pressed on the brake pedal; the vehicle eventually came to a stop. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and resume normal driving operation. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that a mechanical fault was found with the vehicle. The manufacturer was also informed of the failure and a complaint was filed. The contact continued to experience multiple failures after the vehicle was inspected. On the latest incident, the contact stated that he had entered a car wash on the left lane and attempted to enter the right lane by reversing the vehicle. Once the vehicle was placed into drive, the vehicle made an abnormal, squealing noise and independently accelerated without warning into a concrete wall. The airbags did not deploy upon impact. A police report was filed with Apex City, NC police department. The contact sought medical attention from his doctor for the soreness to his right hand and right knee. The contact had the vehicle initial towed to a dealer where it was deemed a total loss. The vehicle was then towed to an independent tow yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 155,835

WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AT ABOUT 25 MPH, THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE BY ITSELF TO 30MPH, EVEN IF THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR HAS NO EFFECT. THE ACCELERATION IS BRIEF AND STOPS BY ITSELF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. CRUISE CONTROL NOT ENGAGED. THE CAR COMPUTER WAS RE-FLASHED AT THE DEALER YEAR TO ADDRESS TO ADDRESS SENSITIVE ACCELERATOR ISSUES. *TR

DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS VEHICLES TRANSMISSIONS HESITATES SHIFTING UP OR DOWN BETWEEN GEARS. PROBLEM HAS BEEN POINTED OUT TO TOYOTA DEALER IN BOWIE, MD, HOWEVER, THEY CLAIM THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM TWO TOYOTA CASE # [XXX] AND [XXX]. ALSO SEE SITE: FOURWHEELDRIFT.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/01/16/TOYOTA-AVALON-TRANSMISSION. ECM ISSUE COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO FAIL DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION WHEN MAKING TURNS OR ACCELERATING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I THINK I EXPERIENCED A SURGE IN MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. I WAS NOT SURE BUT PEOPLE OBSERVING THAT DID NOT STAY AND WAIT FOR POLICE SAID MY CAR RACED FORWARD AFTER STOPPED AT A LIGHT. I ENDED UP STEERING TO THE RIGHT AND HIT A TREE RATHER THAN THE CAR AHEAD OR PEDESTRIANS. WHEN THE POLICE AND TOW TRUCK ARRIVED THEY INDICATED THAT MY AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE GONE OFF, BUT IT DID NOT. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. I TOOK IT IN A FEW WEEKS AGO TO HAVE THE ACCELERATOR RECALL PROBLEM "FIXED". TODAY (3/14), I WAS TRAVELING THRU A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT AT 10 TO 12 MPH. AS I TOUCHED THE BRAKE, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE, GRINDING THRU THE BRAKES. I PUSHED IT INTO NEUTRAL AND JAMMED THE BRAKE. THERE WAS A VERY LOUD "THUNK" AND THE CAR STOPPED AND CEASED TRYING TO ACCELERATE. *TR

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE TOYOTA VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM, OWNER OF A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON EXPERIENCED ACCELERATION PROBLEM. *TGW IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED A PROBLEM IN ACCELERATING, DECELERATING AND SHIFTING GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER A FEW WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NO MAJOR PROBLEM AND THAT A MINOR ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE TO THE SHIFTING POINTS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED FINE FOR A WHILE, BUT THEN THE SAME PROBLEMS QUICKLY RESURFACED. A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A DEFECT; RATHER IT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS INTENDED TO HANDLE DUE TO ITS DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE WENT ON TO SAY THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM DID NOT HAVE A TRADITIONAL ROD THAT CONNECTED THE PEDAL TO THE ENGINE; RATHER, THE PEDAL WENT TO AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM THAT SENSED THE INTENDED ACCELERATION AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO ACCELERATE AS DIRECTED BY THE DRIVER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE HESITATION HE COMPLAINED OF WAS NORMAL AS THE SYSTEM WAS DETERMINING HOW MUCH TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT BELIEVE THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS DUE TO A STICKING PEDAL; RATHER A PROBLEM WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, THROTTLE OR ONBOARD COMPUTER.*JB

THE TRANSMISSION POSES SAFETY PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT IS VERY UNEVEN AND UNPREDICTABLE, SHIFTING WHEN YOU DON'T EXPECT SHIFTING, AT LOWER AND HIGHER SPEEDS AND IN CRUISE CONTROL. *TR

I TOOK MY 2006 AVALON IN TO NALLEY TOYOTA FOR AN OIL LINE RECALL. I ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD ALSO LOOK INTO THE FLOOR MAT RECALL FOR ME. THEY TOLD ME NO DECISION HAD YET BEEN MADE ON THE FLOOR MAT ISSUE BUT WENT AHEAD WITH THE OIL LINE RECALL. I PICKED MY CAR UP THAT AFTERNOON, DROVE 15 MINUTES TO MY MOTHER'S APARTMENT. WHILE SLOWLY GUIDING MY WAY INTO A PARKING PLACE, MY CAR ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY PROPELLING ITSELF UP OVER A CURB AND THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE, LANDING WITH MY BACK TIRES ON THE FRONT CURB OF THE PARKING PLACE. MY BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT AND UPON LANDING ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE SLOPE, MY ENGINE DIED. I CALLED TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY ASKING WHAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN SINCE MY CAR HAD NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE IN THE 4 YEARS I HAD IT, AND YET HAPPENED 15 MINUTES AFTER THEY HAD WORKED ON IT. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS DONE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. WE COMPLAINED TO THE AREA TOYOTA REP AND AN INSPECTOR CAME AND LOOK AT THE CAR AT THE NALLEY REPAIR SHOP WE HAD IT TOWED TO. TOYOTA SAYS MY CAR CHECKS OUT FINE AND ANY PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MATS /DRIVER. THE SERVICEMAN DID NOT ADVISE ME TO REMOVE THE FLOOR MATS THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THE CAR. THEY RELEASED IT TO ME WITH THE FLOOR MATS IN PLACE. FURTHERMORE, I CONTEND THAT THE FIRST THING I CHECK AFTER THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS THE LOCATION OF THE FLOOR MAT,WHICH WAS FLAT AGAINST THE FLOOR. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES, JUMPS, AND BUCKS AND ACCELERATION IS VERY UNEVEN. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 0 MPH (I.E. AT A RED LIGHT), THE CAR HESITATES, AND THEN AT APPROX. 20 MPH, WHILE KEEPING THE GAS PEDAL STEADY, THE RPM'S REV UP, AND THE CAR ACCELERATES WILDLY. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AT AROUND 20 MPH, IT FEELS LIKE IT SHIFTS INTO A GEAR ABOVE WHAT IT SHOULD BE. THE CAR ALWAYS FEELS LIKE IT IS IN THE WRONG GEAR. THIS CAUSES PROBLEMS WHEN ACCELERATING AND BRAKING AND HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS "CLOSE CALLS." *TR THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY MADE A MINOR ADJUSTMENT TO THE SHIFTING POINTS IN THE TRANSMISSION. UPDATED 02/17/10.

SINCE OWNING A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS CAR SURGING & TAKING OFF. FLOOR MATTS ARE NOT A ISSUE SINCE THE WERE REMOVED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE LAST YEAR.. TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, NOT JUST ONE TIME. *TR

THIS IS JUST TO PASS ALONG TO YOU THAT I TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT ODD SENSATION OF MOMENTARY ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING, BUT WHILE LETTING OFF THE ACCEL PEDAL. ON THE HANDFUL OF OCCASSIONS WHEN IT HAS TAKEN PLACE, I BELIEVE I WAS ALWAYS DRIVING IN HEAVY STOP-AND-GO FREEWAY TRAFFIC. ALMOST FROM THE FIRST DAY I LEASED THE CAR, I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FRIENDS THAT I THOUGHT MY ELECTONICALLY-CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION WAS "TOO SMART"--THAT IT THOUGHT IT KNEW BETTER HOW TO DRIVE THE CAR THAN I DID. I HAVE A FEATHER TOUCH IN MY DRIVING STYLE, AND I HAVE NOT LIKED HOW THE TRANSMISSION IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF IT WANTS TO BE SHIFTING UP OR DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. NOW, WITH THE RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE, I AM WONDERING IF THE ISSUE IS BROADER AND COULD BE PART OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ISSUE? *CN

2006 TOYOTA AVALON LXS DRIVING HOME FROM VACATION NOTICED NOISE WHEN TRANSMISSION SHIFTED. GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS WE APPROACHED HOME. CHECKED OIL NEXT DAY. ENGINE EMPTY OF OIL. PUT OIL IN AND LEAKED IMMEDIATELY OUT. OIL LINE BROKEN. NO WARNING OF ENGINE TROUBLE, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO WARNING AT ALL. HAD CAR TOLLED TO REPAIR SHOP. ENGINE MAY BE GONER. *TR

2006 TOYOTA AVALON TRANSMISSION HESITATES AT 0-35 MPH, ESPECIALLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I NEED HELP BECAUSE TOYOTA IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

2006 TOYOTA AVALON GAS PEDAL DOES NOT PROVIDE POWER UNTIL DEPRESSED OVER 50 PERCENT TRAVEL THEN IT SUDDENLY PROVIDES POWER REPRESENTATIVE OF HALF THROTTLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHEN IT DOES DELIVER POWER UNDER THIS CONDITION. ON RARE OCCASIONS WHEN MOVING FROM STOPPED POSITION THE CAR ACCELERATOR IS OVERLY SENSITIVE AND ACTS LIKE I JUST STOMPED ONTHE GAS PEDAL AND NOT THE SLOW MOVEMENT I GAVE TE GAS PEDAL TO MAKE A SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. I HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THE WAY IT DRIVES AND IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR THE PAST 10 MONTHS. TODAY THE GAS PEDAL HAS VERY LITTLE RESPONSE TO THROTTLE RESPONSE. I CANNOT DRIVE IT THIS WAY AND HAVING CAR TOWED TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. SOME DAYS AFTER DRIVING OVER 30 MINUTES THE CAR ACTS NORMALLY WITH EXCEPTION OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *CN

THE PROBLEM SEEMS RELATED TO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROBLEM NEVER OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD OR FROM A STOPPED POSITION. PROBLEM IS NOT CONSISTENT ON AVERAGE OCCURRING ONCE A DAY DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM: IN PARKING LOT OR AFTER LOT OF LOW SPEED DRIVING FORM TRAFFIC PROBLEM OCCURS?.. ACCELERATE THE RPMS RACE ON THE TACH AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS OUT OF SINK THERE IS A DELAYED RESPONSE A SHUDDER, SHIFT TIMING FEELS OFF KILTER, ERRATIC HUNTING, THEN A HARSH FORWARD THIS MAY BE A ONE TIME EVENT OR SEVERAL IN SUCCESSION AND THEN RETURNS TO NORMAL SHIFTING PATTERN 2- CRUISING 30 MPH PROBLEM OCCURRED GAVE IT SOME GAS... TACH SHOT TO 4K DELAYED FORWARD ENGAGING THEN THE CAR DROVE ITSELF FOR 1/4 MILE WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. *TR

I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AROUND A ROTARY, AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR TO DRIFT A BIT TO ALLOW A PRECEDING CAR TO ENTER. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL GENTLY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN VIOLENT KICK WHICH FRIGHTENED BOTH ME AND MY WIFE. (I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION HAD SHIFTED IN LOW, BUT IT WAS AS IF WE HAD BEEN HIT IN THE REAR WITH A LARGE SLAPPING HAND!) I HAD TO REACT QUICKLY TO AVOID BEING DRIVEN INTO THE CAR AHEAD BY THIS SUDDEN SMALL BURST OF SPEED. AN ACCIDENT COULD EASILY HAVE OTHERWISE TAKEN PLACE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ERRATIC AT TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT THIS WAS THE WORST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED. I HAVE HAD THE LATEST COMPUTER UPGRADE ON THIS PROBLEM INSTALLED, AND IT WAS WITHIN 1 DAY AFTER THAT THIS TOOK PLACE. I HAD READ ALL OF THE NHTSA SAFETY REPORTS ON THIS CAR, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR. IN MY MIND THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS ADDRESSING. (A SIMILAR BUT MUCH LESS VIOLENT SERIES OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL GOING SOMEWHAT UPHILL, WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTS AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP NOTICEABLY AND IN SOME CASES SO MUCH SO THAT I HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT OF CRUISE FOR A BIT) SUCH UNPREDICTABILITY MAKES BOTH MY WIFE AND I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR AT THOSE TIMES. *JB

TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A BRAKING SITUATION. TRANSMISSION DELAY IMPAIRING ABILITY TO MERGE OR SAFELY CHANGE LANES. REPEATED OCCURRENCES SINCE MAY 2006. CAR IS ONCE AGAIN IN SHOP FOR INSPECTION. *TR