2006 Toyota Avalon Steering Problems

ON JUNE 7, 2019, I WAS DRIVING THE AVALON, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON CITY STREET. WITH THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, I WAS TRAUMATIZED AND DID MY BEST TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND HOOKED UP TO A CODE READER, WHICH YIELDED CODES P0345, P0300, P0302, P0304, P0306. WE DID FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AND DISCOVERED THE 3 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE VARIABLE-VALVE TIMING (VVT) GEAR TO THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT CAME LOOSE, THESE BOLTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPER-RESISTANT AND NEVER BE REMOVED WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THE RESULT OF ENGINE DYING IS CAUSED BY SERIOUS MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN DEFECTS. PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED THREE PICTURES SHOWING 3 BOLTS LAYING NEXT TO VVT GEAR, VVT GEAR LOOSELY HELD ON AND THE VIBRATION OF BOLT LEFT CUTTING MARK ON THE GEAR, AND ALL INTAKE CAM ROCKERS FALLING OUT. I DID MORE RESEARCH AND CONCLUDED THE ROOT CAUSE OF ENGINE STOPPED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN IN OUR AVALON IS IDENTICAL TO TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL 13V-395 IN LEXUS VEHICLES 2006 TO 2011. PLEASE FIND ATTACHED TWO DOCUMENTS, RCRIT-13V395-3180.PDF ON RECENT RECALL FOR TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL 13V-395, RCDNN-13V395-1839.PDF ON DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT FROM TOYOTA TO NHTSA ON LEXUS INTAKE-SIDE VARIABLE-VALVE TIMING (VVT) SYSTEM PART 573. ON JUNE 27, 2019, I CALLED STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA AND TOYOTA HQ AND LOGGED CASE [XXX]. I WAS INFORMED BY TOYOTA THERE'S NO RECALL FOR AVALON WITH THE VIN, AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO FACTORY WARRANTY (CURRENTLY 153K MILES), AND NO EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH ENGINE STALL FOR AVALON. AS A RESULT, WE NEED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IN OUR OWN EXPENSE WHICH REQUIRES ENGINE REBUILT AS ENGINE STALL HAS CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I WAS APPALLED BY TOYOTA FOR LACK OF INITIATION TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY RISK IN OUR AVALON AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION IN THIS MATTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY

ISSUES I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT FOR YEAR TO TOYOTA ONLY TO FIND OUT NOW TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THEM ALL ALONG THERE WERE RECALLS & SERVICE BULLETIN. THAT SHOULD HAVE COVERED MY TOYOTA ISSUE THE INFORMATION BELOW CAME FROM SITES TOYOTA ISSUED THIS WARNING TOO. THE RECALL FOR STEERING COLUMN WAS ON 2005 MINE IS A EARLY MODEL 2006 WITH THE EXACT SAME SAFETY ISSUE. THE RESOLVE FOR ME IS THAT TOYOTA FIX THE VEHICLE AND NOT TRY AND HOLD ME RESPONSIBLE FOR HALF THE COST AS THE ARE NOW DOING. MY CAR HAS BEEN CARED FOR ONLY BY TOYOTA SERVICE SINCE THE DAY IT WAS PURCHASE FROM TOYOTA NEW IN 2006, THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR TOYOTA [XXX] MADE THE CALL NOT TO HONOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: 00306 COMPONENT(S): STEERING NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10019689 VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL YEAR(S)TOYOTA AVALON2005-2006 VEHICLE SLIGHT PULL/DRIFT FEELING IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT TOYOTA: A NEW ADJUSTMENT LEVER DETENT CLIP WAS DEVELOPED TO CORRECT THE LOOSENESS OF SECURING THE TELESCOPIC ON STEERING COLUMN FOR SOME VEHICLES. MODEL 2005-2012 AVALON. *PE ITEM AFFECTED: STEERING: COLUMN DATE ANNOUNCED: 05/18/2005 DESCRIPTION OF RECALL: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE STEERING YOKE WAS NOT WELDED TO THE STEERING SHAFT. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE YOKE MAY COME OFF FROM THE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON 03/22/2010 TOYOTA REPLACED A VVTI OIL HOSE UNDER RECALL # 90K BECAUSE THE RUBBER PORTION OF THE HOSE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE OIL TO SPAY OUT. ON 07/24/2012 THE REPLACEMENT HOSE RUPTURED CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO SPRAY OUT. THE ENGINE OIL SOAKED THE SERPENTINE BELT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONENTS. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHICH NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

2006 TOYOTA AVALON, TELESCOPIC STEERING ADJUSTMENT LOOSENS BY ITSELF CAUSING THE STEERING TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY..40K MILES *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING. TOLD BY DEALER IT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSES WHILE DRIVING CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITION. FRICTION RELEASE DOESN'T STAY LOCKED, AND DRIVER MUST CHECK IT REGULARLY WHILE DRIVING. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS EXHIBITS LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 AVALON AND CAN BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $911. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT SINCE 2004 AND HAVE ISSUED VARIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS ON SUBJECT. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON STEERING WHEEL WAS GETTING STUCK WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON. I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TO TRY AND TURN THE WHEEL IN ORDER FOR IT TO RELEASE. ADDITIONALLY THE CAR WAS LEAKING FLUID. ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS "STEERING RACK LEAKING FROM RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBFRAME TO BE WET WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND ALIGN". SO AT A COST OF $1338.85 THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED. I AGREE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT SINCE 2004 AND HAVE ISSUED VARIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS ON SUBJECT. ON JANUARY 7, 2012 I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I AM STILL EXPERIENCING AN OIL LEAK THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE WITH NO RESOLUTION. NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THERE IS A LEAK AT TWO RETURN HOSED IN THE POWER STEERING COLUMN AND ARE CHARGING $500 FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR. SO NOW IN A YEAR AND HALF I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $2000 TO REPAIR THE STEERING ON A FAIRLY NEW CAR. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS 2006 AVALON STEERING ISSUE. APPARENTLY TOYOTA HAS NEVER RECTIFIED THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND CONTINUES TO MAKE MONEY ON SUBSTANDARD, DANGEROUS PRODUCTS. THIS IS THE SEVENTH TOYOTA THAT I HAVE OWNED AND THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AND RECALLS FOR. YOU WOULD THINK THAT FOR THE COST OF THIS CAR, YOU WOULD GET BETTER QUALITY. I MAY HAVE TO RECONSIDER BUYING TOYOTAS IN THE FUTURE IF THIS IS THE QUALITY OF CAR THEY ARE PRODUCING. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE THAT I HAVE HAD TO DATE. I HAVE ALSO GONE ON-LINE AND RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

ISSUE: AFTER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 DRIVEN MILES, THE LOCKING DEVICE ON THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN WILL LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES FULLY DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN WITH THE TELESCOPING COLUMN FULLY EXTENDED AND THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF WHEN THE LOCKING DEVICE HAS BECOME DISENGAGED. DURING HARD BRAKING SITUATIONS THE DRIVER NATURALLY APPLIES SUPPORT PRESSURE TO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE DISENGAGED STEERING COLUMN TO FULLY COLLAPSE. THIS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED COLLAPSE OF THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSES THE DRIVER AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN AND AN EMERGENCY REACTION, UP TO AND POTENTIALLY INCLUDING THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, TO AN ALREADY HAZARDOUS SITUATION (HARD BRAKING). THE ABOVE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. REPORTING: THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AT EVERY SCHEDULED 5,000 MILE CHECK UP FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 2+ YEARS. THIS ISSUE IS NOT NEW AND AT MY REQUEST THE SERVICE AGENT CONTINUES TO ADD THE ISSUE TO THE SERVICE ORDER. TOYOTA RESPONSE; TOYOTA SERVICE PERSONNEL STATE THAT THEY CAN NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE SINCE THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. AS WAS STATED ABOVE THE ISSUE OCCURS AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2,000 DRIVEN MILES. HOW TOYOTA EXPECTS TO REPLICATE 2,000 DRIVEN MILES BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND THE PARKING LOT IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE TO ANY REASONABLE PERSON. TWO MONTHS OF DRIVING CAN NOT BE CONDENSED INTO 10 MINUTES. FOR SAFETY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY FOR ONE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, TO BE DISMISSED AFTER A 10 MINUTE CURSORY INSPECTION OR NONE AT ALL, IS BEYOND WILLFUL NEGLECT AND IS EVIDENT THAT TOYOTA'S SAFETY CULTURE HAS NOT IMPROVED. THE ISSUE WITHIN TOYOTA REMAINS UNREPORTED, UNACKNOWLEDGED AND UNRESOLVED. *TR

IN JULY 2010 I TOOK MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON TO WALDORF TOYOTA FOR THE 60,000 SERVICE AND REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING STICKING WHEN TURNING LEFT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ALIGNMENT NEEDED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHICH I HAD THEM PERFORM. HOWEVER, AFTER APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AND HALF I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I RETURNED THE CAR AGAIN IN EARLY AUGUST 2010 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, CONSEQUENTLY THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED. FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST 2011, MORE THAN ANOTHER YEAR LATER, I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME EXPLANATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLUTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS WHEN THE STEERING STICKS A VERY QUICK RESPONSE IS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE VEHICLE GO WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I NEVER KNOW WHEN I WILL BE SURPRISED WITH THIS UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA AND CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY.

I WAS EXPERIENCE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A "STICKY" STEERING WHEEL. I FIRST NOTICED IT IN DECEMBER OF 2009. IN 2010, I WENT TO TOYOTA NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T LOOK IN TO IT BECAUSE 1. IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND 2. "LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK". I SAVED THE PAPERWORK OF WHERE I HAD CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP COMPLAINING OF SUCH ISSUE WHICH PROVED TO BE FRUITFUL WHEN TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN JULY. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY WITH MY PAPERS STATING MY PREVIOUS INQUIRES. STILL THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE TOYOTA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY FIXES TO THE DEALERSHIPS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TIMES I FELT LIKE THE CAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF A TURN. I HAVE SINCE SOLD MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. ONE GOOD THING IS THAT THOUGH MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REACH CORPORATE TO GET GUIDANCE ON THE ISSUE, THEY OPENED UP A CASE NUMBER TO BRING IT TO TOYOTA'S ATTENTION THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING IN A 2006 MODEL AND THE OWNER HAD PROOF THAT SHE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ISSUES MONTHS BEFORE A RECALL WAS ISSUED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED BRAKING ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DEACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO ENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND ALMOST HIT A ANOTHER VEHICLE. TWO WEEKS AGO THE CONTACT SURGED FORWARD WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE COMPUTER DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER POWER STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42800.

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 AVALON XLS. THE STEERING COLUMN WILL SUDDENLY COLLAPSE. *TR

2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED - TELESCOPIC STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN LOCK LOOSENS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. USUALLY THE LOCK LEVER ONLY DROPS LOW ENOUGH TO HIT YOUR KNEES AS YOU EXIT THE CAR AFTER A DRIVE, BUT DOES NOT LOOSEN ENOUGH TO RELEASE THE COLUMN TELESCOPE. TODAY IT DROPPED ALL THE WAY DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE COLUMN (WHICH I HAVE FULLY EXTENDED NORMALLY) COLLAPSED FORWARD (COMPRESSED). I LOST SOME VEHICLE CONTROL AS I REACHED DOWN TO SECURE THE HANDLE UPWARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FRICTION DEVICE AND HAS NO POSITIVE LOCKING DETENT. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE MORE TROUBLE WITH IT THAN I DO AS THEY CANNOT FORCE IT UP AS FAR, SO IT RELEASES MORE OFTEN. A POOR AND DANGEROUS DESIGN. THE DEALER WANTS $79 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. WE HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF CHECKING THE LOCK FREQUENTLY BUT WHENEVER WE FORGET IT WILL RELEASE THE TELESCOPE AND COLLAPSE THE WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. IT IS HAPPENING ABOUT ONCE A WEEK NOW IF WE FORGET TO CHECK IT. MY WIFE IS 65 AND DOES NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TIGHTEN IT FULLY NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE DEALER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE WHEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *BF UPDATED 02/03/11

I HAVE BEGUN TO NOTICE A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS, GOING FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I AM NOW READING ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER AVALON 2006 OWNERS. THE CAR HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS STARTED SHOWING UP AT AROUND 30K. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS KNOCKING, BUT I'M ALMOST CERTAIN IT IS THE STEERING SHAFT FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE DESCRIBING. IT GOES IN THE SHOP TOMORROW FOR THE VVT OIL RECALL FIX AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND PERHAPS DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

THIS EVENT OCCURRED TWICE DURING ROUTINE DRIVING. MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON SEEMED TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY STRAIGHTENING THE STEERING WHEEL OUT AFTER A TURN. *TR

STEERING WAS BINDING ON MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON UNDER SLOW SPEED RIGHT HAND TURNS. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE TOYOTA MODELS BUT REFUSED TO COVER ANY OF THE COST OF REPAIRS. *TR