2008 Toyota Avalon Complaint Log

THE LEVER TO ADJUST THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON DOES NOT STAY IN THE LOCKED POSITION. IT DISENGAGES (FALLS DOWN), RELEASING THE STEERING WHEEL AND ENABLES IT TO SLIDE IN AND OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL INSTANCES IN THE TWO YEARS I HAVE HAD THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. I HAVE SEEN OTHER INTERNET SITES THAT OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT HAVE TRIED TO OBTAIN A REMEDY WITH NO LUCK. *TR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING THE INOPERATIVE OF DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS(DRL) AND HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM BULBS. PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BULBS. PROBLEM CONTINUES AFTER BULB BEING REPLACED. LIGHTS RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION WHEN SWITCHED TO OFF POSITION AND BACK ON. NO SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF OCCURRENCE. EXPLANATION BY DEALERSHIP WHEN CHECKED WAS THAT THEY DID NOT DETECT A PROBLEM AT THE TIME OF SERVICE. NOTE ENTERED BY SERVICE ADVISOR STATED "ELECTRICAL PROBLEM". *TR

RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPING WORKING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, TURNED LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON AND HEADLIGHT WORKED, HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING, WORRIED IT WILL HAPPEN TO BOTH HEADLIGHTS AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS ON TOYOTA AVALON TOURING INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT. YOU HAVE TO RESET THEM BY TURNING OFF YOUR HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS SCARY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED BUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED IS DOWNRIGHT RIDICULOUS. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER. IF YOU DO RESEARCH ONLINE YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE TOURING AND THE LIMITED (THE AVALON VERSIONS WITH HID HEADLIGHTS) AND NOT THE XL OR XLS VERSIONS WITH HALOGENS. THIS IS A HEADLIGHT SYSTEM PROBLEM ($2500 AT DEALER) NOT A BULB PROBLEM! EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS OF THE AVALON. NHTSA PLEASE FACTOR THIS IN TO YOUR RESEARCH IF YOU ARE DOING A % OF COMPLAINTS TO CAR MODELS BUILT NOT TO FACTOR IN THE AVALONS BUILT WITH HALOGENS. THIS PROBLEM IS ABUNDANT ONLINE AND SOME SIMPLE RESEARCH WILL LET YOU SEE THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN ON THEIR HANDS. I KNOW THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE PRIUS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. YES I HAVE 2 KIDS IN THE BACK SEAT IN CAR SEATS. PLEASE KEEP THEM SAFE AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE I AM CHECKING THE DEATHS BOX ON THE ABOVE FORM! THANK YOU! *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT OF MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED DIMMED FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. 4,000 MILES LATER (OUT OF WARRANTY) THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT DIMMED FOR 2 DAYS AND NOW IT IS OUT. DURING EACH INSTANCE, I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND ON AND EACH TIME THE HEADLIGHT WOULD WORK PROPERLY BUT AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD DIM AND THEN GO OUT COMPLETELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT FUSE HIMSELF BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED AND THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

LAST WEEKEND I WAS DRIVING MY 12YR SON TO VISIT HIS GRANDFATHER FOR SPRING BREAK. WE STOPPED TO USE THE RESTROOM AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN WE GOT BACK ON THE ROAD, THE HIGH BEAMS WOULD NO LONGER WORK. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN DARK COUNTRY ROADS IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. I NEEDED EXTRA LIGHT, SO I TURNED ON MY FOG LIGHTS. FORGETTING THE HIGH BEAMS WOULDN'T WORK, I TRIED THEM AGAIN; WHEN I APPLIED THE BEAMS, THE FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT. WHEN I SHUT THE HIGH BEAMS, THEY CAME BACK ON. I NOW HAVE TO GO PICK UP MY SON FROM HIS VISIT AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I'VE HAD MY LEFT HEADLIGHT GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST SHUT OFF, BUT NOW MY LIGHTS ARE ALL GOING OFF. MY BROTHER TRIED TO HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND WE FOUND NOTHING PHYSICALLY WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS. I DRIVE A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON TOURING - AND I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I FREQUENTLY DO A LOT OF NIGHT DRIVING, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I HAVE APPROX 45,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IF THERE IS A SIMILAR RECALL ON THE PRIUS, THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE THERE IS A FATAL ACCIDENT!!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE LIGHT BULB AND WHEN THE LIGHTS BECAME HOT, THEY WOULD CRACK THE HEAD LAMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE HIGH BEAM ON THE LEFT SIDE WEN OUT - WHEN SWITCH IS TURNED OFF THEN ON AGAIN IT COMES BACK ON - THEN BOTH LIGHTS WENT OFF AT SAME TIME AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DARK. THIS INITIALLY HAPPENED TO ME APPROX. 3 MONTHS AGO & CONTINUES DAILY. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BULB UNTIL I HAD IT CHECKED & IT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE THE PROBLEM. RESEARCH INDICATES REPLACEMENT COST BETWEEN $2200 & $3000 IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT IT'S A MANUFACTURER'S ISSUE AND TOYOTA MUST DEVISE A PLAN TO RECTIFY BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE.

THE LEVER TO ADJUST THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON DOES NOT STAY IN THE LOCKED POSITION. IT FALLS DOWN, RELEASES THE STREEING WHIEEL AND THEN IT SLIDES IN AND OUT WHILE DRIVING. IN THE LOWERED POSITION I HAVE TORN CLOTHING GETTING IN/OUT OF THE CAR. I HAVE PERMANENTLY SCARED MY KNEE AS WELL. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIR THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. NOT SURE WHAT THEY DID THE 2ND TIME. THE 3RD TIME THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT! YEAH, RIGHT! VERY POOR DESIGN AND DANGEROUS. AND INJURIOUS. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2008 AVALON TOURING IN FEBRUARY 2008 WITHIN TWO YEARS OF OWNING, I NOTICED THAT MY HIGH-BEAM NO LONGER WERE WORKING. I TOOK INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE CHECKED, THEY INDICATED THE HIGH-BEAM BULBS HAD BURNED OUT. WHEN INQUIRING WHY THEY WOULD BOTH BURN-OUT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF OWNING THE VEHICLE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE HIGH BEAM BULB ALSO WORKS AS YOUR DAY RUNNING LIGHTS, THEY QUOTED A FIGURE OF OVER $160 FOR THE BULBS AND ANOTHER $180 TO COMPLETE THE WORK. I PURCHASED THE BULBS AND PUT THEM IN MYSELF. UPON INSPECTING THE BULBS ON REMOVAL, BOTH HAD COMPLETED EXPLODED WHEN THE WENT BAD. KEEPING FINGERS CROSSED THAT THIS WILL BE THE LAST TO TIME TO REPLACE. OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS I NOTICED THAT THE LOW-BEAM LIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEEMED TO BE SHUTTING DOWN PERIODICALLY. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT IT APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH OTHERS. ALL INDICATIONS WERE THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IS REPLACING THE BULB. ONCE AGAIN OUT OF POCKET FOR OVER A $150. WAS ABLE TO REPLACE MYSELF. READ A FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE INDICATED THEY HAD TO PULL THEIR ENTIRE BUMPER OFF TO REPLACE. NOT THE CASE. THERE IS A SAFETY CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BULB IN PLACE, AND IT TAKES ALITTLE WORK TO GET IT OFF THE FIRST TIME, BUT NOT THAT DIFFICULT ONCE YOU'VE DONE. SCHEDULE TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE THIS WEEK, AND I PLAN TO INQUIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP AS TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE NOTICED ON THE WEB WITH THEIR HEADLIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2008 AVALON. *TR

UPDATE TO NHTSA REPORT 10361610 CONCERNING TOYOTA AVALON HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. HID BRIGHTS SHATTERED AND THEN HID LOW BEAMS WILL GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY EITHER SIDE. SYSTEM WILL RESET BY TURNING LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON. KNOWN TSB BY TOYOTA. DEALT WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECEIVED A BENEFIT PACKAGE THROUGH TOYOTA CORPORATE AND WHERE CAR IS SERVICED. MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. BENEFIT PACKAGE WAS REPLACEMENT OF BOTH SIDES OF HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. VALUE WAS STATE AT $2,300.00, MY COST WAS $500.00 WHICH IS PROBABLY THE ACTUAL COST OF THE UNITS AND THE LABOR TO REPLACE;I.E. TOYOTA WASN'T OUT A DIME. HAVE A DOCUMENT WHICH STATES THAT IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM THAT I WILL RECEIVE BACK THE $500.00. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN SUDDENLY, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES BUT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS AFTER THE REPLACEMENT. MOST RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE MALFUNCTION WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

TOYOTA AND THE NHTSA CONTINUES TO IGNORE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF HID HEADLIGHTS IN THE AVALON. THEY INTENT FOR SOMEONE TO DIED BEFORE CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED TODAY BY TOYOTA DIRECT THAT MY HID COMPUTERS ARE OVERHEATING CAUSING MY RIGHT HEADLAMP TO FAIL FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE LEFT HIGHBEAM NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. MY COST TO FIX IS $2788.00. TECHNICIAN APOLOGIZED BUT CLEARLY IT'S NOT A DEALERSHIP PROBLEM - THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM - SAME A PRIUS. IF TANAZIANS CAN OVERTHROWN A GOVERNMENT ON FACEBOOK, SURELY AVALON OWNERS CAN KILL PRODUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO NO HEADLIGHTS. OF COURSE WE NEED HEADLIGHTS TO DRIVE OUR VEHICLES AT NIGHT!! I AM GOING TO CREATE A FACEBOOK PAGE TODAY TO START THE GLOBAL PROCESS OF TAKING THIS VEHICLE OF THE MARKET. THOSE READING THIS, PLEASE PASS THE MESSAGE TO THOSE LOOKING TO PURCHASE AN AVALON. FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WORKS. I REFUSE TO LEFT TOYOTA CRAP ON THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND YOURS SHOULD WE MEET AT NIGHT--AND I HAVE TO NAVIGATE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. STATES REQUIRE HEADLIGHTS TO BE ON WHEN IT'S RAINING, DAY LAMPS FOR SAFETY AND OF COURSE AT NIGHT. LOOK FOR THE FACEBOOK PAGE. NEVER NEVER BUY A TOYOTA! *TR

THE LEVER THAT LOCKS THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE LOOSENS/DISENGAGES, RESULTING IN THE STEERING WHEEL 'LURCHING' FORWARD. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE MULTIPLE TIMES NOW. THE LEVER IS UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AND ENGAGES/TIGHTENS BY PUSHING IT UP TOWARD THE STEERING WHEEL. THE LEVER ENGAGES BY 'COMPRESSION' ONLY - THERE IS NOT CLIP OR SPRING THAT PHYSICALLY 'LOCKS' THE LEVER IN PLACE. OVER TIME, FOR WHATEVER REASON (ROAD BUMPS/VIBRATIONS/ETC. AND WITH THE HELP OF GRAVITY) THE LEVER LOOSENS/DISENGAGES. THIS IS AN INHERENT SAFETY DESIGN FLAW IN THE TELESCOPING FUNCTION, AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS/TRAGIC ACCIDENT IF THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED OR WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN. THERE WERE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LOGGED BY OTHER TOYOTA AVALON OWNERS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES WHEN I SEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. *TR

HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS GOING OFF. THE LAST INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WAS WHILE DRIVING ONE NIGHT AT AROUND 70 MPH.. ALL LIGHTS WENT OFF! WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND TURN LIGHTS TO OFF AND THEN BACK TO ON. WERE ABLE TO GET LOW BEAMS BACK ON BUT NOT THE HIGH BEAMS. LATER DISCOVERED AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT BOTH HIGH BEAM BULBS HAD EXPLODED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERSHIP AND AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH OUR MODEL/YEAR OF CAR WHICH IS A 2008 AVALON. STILL FEARFUL THAT WE COULD HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE LOW BEAMS. THIS IS AN URGENT SAFETY ISSUE! IN ADDITION, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE COST TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WOULD RUN AROUND $2500.00! WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE ARE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT WITH 47,000 MILES. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT HAS GONE OUT WITH 75,000 MILES. I HAVEN'T HAD HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT ON MY CARS IN 20 YEARS UNTIL NOW. MY CAR IS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED. *TR

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA LIMITED AVALON. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCE EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEMS THAT WHILE DRIVING MY HEADLAMPS GO OUT. I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WHEN I NOTICED MY HIGHBEAMS WERE OUT. WHEN REPLACING THE LAMPS I WAS TOLD BOTH HIGHBEAMS EXPLODED. NOW MY LOW BEAMS CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND ONLY WHEN I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON DO THEY COME BACK. WENT TO TOYOTA DIRECTLY AND THEY TOLD ME THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RECALL. BASED ON NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OVER THE INTERNET, THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME FAILURE. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. MY CAR STARTED THIS ISSUE WITH APPROX 48K MILES. IN ADDITION, I DO NOT HAVE THE AMOUNT OF DISPOSABLE FUNDS IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE BULBS. IN ADDITION, IT APPEARS CHANGING OF THE BULBS IS NOT THE PROBLEM AND IT IS THE HOUSING BASED ON OTHER CAR OWNERS DOCUMENTATION ON THE INTERNET. WITH THAT SAID, IT IS IMPERATIVE TOYOTA TAKES RESPONSIBILITY AND ACTION. NUMEROUS CAR OWNERS OF THE 2008 AVALON ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE SAFETY IS NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY TOYOTA. ARE THEY WILLING TO LET A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE TAKES THEM TO COURT? THEY MUST HAVE GREAT LAWYERS!! *TR

2008 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED: AT 35 MONTHS AND 40,000 MILES, THE HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS (HID) BEGAN INTERMITTENT OPERATION AND POINTED STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND MAKING NIGHT DRIVING UNSAFE. THE DEALER CLAIMED THE LOW BEAM HID HEADLAMP WAS GOING OUT AND THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR THE HID LOW BEAM BULB WAS AN EXORBITANT $300 DOLLARS ($125 FOR THE BULB AND $175 FOR INSTALLATION). THE BULB REPLACEMENT DID NOT FIX THE AIM PROBLEM AND A NEW HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED. THE HEADLAMPS STILL POINT AT THE GROUND MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD ALLOW TOYOTA TO CREATE SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD AS A LIGHT BULB THAT WORKS INTERMITTENTLY OR COSTS $300 TO REPLACE, WHICH IS HARDLY AFFORDABLE BY A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS. THE FACT THAT THE DEALER CAN NOT GET THE LAMPS TO AIM CORRECTLY ON THE STREET INDICATES THE DESIGN IS ALSO FLAWED. THIS IS NOT A LUXURY ITEM LIKE ELECTRIC WINDOWS OR AIR CONDITIONING. THIS IS A SAFETY DEVICE, REQUIRED BY LAW, AND THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE HID MALFUNCTION OCCURS PREMATURELY WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER HEADLAMPS AND IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET BUT TOYOTA IS EVIDENTLY DENYING ANY ISSUE EXISTS. *TR

MY HIGH-BEAM LIGHTS WENT OUT OVER A YEAR AGO ON MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON TOURING (HID LIGHT PACKAGE), NOT SURE ON MILEAGE BUT APPROX. 60,000. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE AVALON FROM (AND ALSO BOUGHT THE TOP DOLLAR EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 100,000 MILES). THEY SAID THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT $2,800. I THOUGHT MY WARRANTY SHOULD REPLACE IT, THEY DISAGREED. THEY SAID I COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE MY LOW BEAMS WERE FINE AND DIDN'T SEE ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS HAPPENING. A FEW MONTHS LATER, I RECEIVED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY'S AT NO CHARGE TO ME IF I HAD LESS THAN 72,000 MILES. I HAD ABOUT 80,000 AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. ON 4/13/2012, DRIVING OVER AN HOUR HOME FROM DINNER, MY DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM STARTED FLASHING AND WENT OUT COMPLETELY. IN THE DARK. I TOOK MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TODAY TO FIX THE BULB. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $380 ISH TO REPLACE THE ONE LOW BEAM BULB. BUT SAID BOTH HIGH BEAMS AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WERE OUT TOO. AND THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY'S AND THOUGHT I SHOULD REPLACE THEM BOTH, BACK TO THE $2,800 FOR LIGHTS!!! I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMPLAINED BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I WAS PAST THE 72,000 MARK. THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULDN'T BE BASED ON MILES OR TIME. THEY POSTED A WARRANTY EXTENSION, ADMITTING THEIR PROBLEM, BUT ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T DRIVE MANY MILES. I FEEL TAKEN BY TOYOTA. THIS COULD HAVE (AND MAY IN THE FUTURE) CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. MAKE IT RIGHT TOYOTA!!! *JS

HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF, INTERMITTENTLY. I WENT TO MY GREEN TOYOTA IN LEXINGTON KY FRIDAY JANUARY 29, 2011 AND THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE IT. NOW I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS. THE NEXT EVENING (TONIGHT) I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, DRIVING AND THE LEFT LIGHT WENT OUT. SOMETIMES IT IS THE RIGHT. WHEN I TURN OFF THE SWITCH AND THEN ON AGAIN THEY RESUME OPERATION...FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE TIME. *TR

HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND STILL NO RECALL. PLEASE HOLD TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED OVER IT!! *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE TRANSFORMER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE SINCE THERE WAS NO CURRENT RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 41,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I JUST HEARD ON THE RADIO THIS MORNING THERE IS A RECALL ON THE HEADLAMP'S INTERMITTENTLY WORKING/NOT WORKING ON THE PRIUS. PLEASE ADD THE 2008 TOYOTA AVALON TO THIS RECALL. ON DECEMBER 24,2010, AS MY WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING MY DAUGHTER AND SON IN-LAW'S HOUSE AT APPROX. 8:30 P.M., I USED MY REMOTE START AND STARTED MY CAR. MY SON-IN-LAW LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAID, 'YOU HAVE A HEADLIGHT OUT'. IT WAS THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLAMP. I GOT IN THE CAR AND TURNED THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON TO 'AUTO' AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAME ON ONCE AGAIN. HOWEVER, I HAD TO TURN THEM OFF AND TURN THEM BACK ON TO GET THEM BOTH WORKING. ON JANUARY 16, 2011, MY WIFE, MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MYSELF WERE LEAVING A RESTAURANT. I AGAIN USED MY REMOTE START AND STARTED THE CAR. I WALKED PAST THE FRONT OF THE CAR ON MY WAY TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND WOULD HAVE NOTICED A LIGHT OUT BUT I DID NOT. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE RESTAURANT, WE ENTERED A DARK AREA AND WE NOTICED WE COULD HARDLY SEE THE ROAD. I SAID TO MY WIFE, I THINK I HAVE A HEADLIGHT OUT? I AGAIN TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON TO THE AUTO POSITION AND THEY BOTH CAME ON ALLOWING US TO SEE THE ROAD AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS THE LEFT FRONT HEADLAMP THAT WENT OUT. AGAIN, PLEASE ADD THE 2008 TOYOTA AVALON TO THE RECALL LIST ABOVE. *TR

HEADLIGHT TRANSFORMER IS NOT WORKING, TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME 2,096 TO FIX IT. *TR

OWNER OF 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. TWO WEEKS AGO THE LEFT HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT (SHATTERED), HAD THAT REPLACED AND THIS WEEK BOTH HIGH BEAMS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. BOTH HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WERE SHATTERED WITHIN THE HOUSING AREA. WENT TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND ADVISED OF THE $2,000 PLUS COST SINCE VEHICLE IF OUT OF WARRANTY WITH 76,000 MILES. LUCKILY, WE HAVE NOT HAD THE TOTAL LIGHT FAILURE SITUATION. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT TOYOTA EXPENSE. *TR

DRIVING DOWN A DARK ROAD, THE HIGH BEAMS WOULD NOT COME ON. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID HIGH BEAMS BURNED OUT AND THE REPAIR WOULD COST $2600. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IF THEY WERE REPLACED, THEY MAY BURN OUT AGAIN. UPDATED 02/14/11 *BF

HIGH BEAMS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. FUSES ARE FINE. NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND BASED ON THE COST IN OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT MAY BE AWHILE. HAVE EMAILED LOCAL TOYOTA ASKING IT THIS WAS COMMON WITH 2008 AVALON BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY. *TR

2008 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH HIGH BEAM LIGHTS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD USING THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED WORKING. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS HAD BURNED OUT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE REPLACEMENT COST WAS $1300 PER HIGH BEAM LIGHT. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLES HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT BULB WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD SHUT OFF RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER WHO REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE HID LIGHT TWICE AND THE LEFT SIDE ONCE; HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,032. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. UPDATED 06/0611 *BF UPDATED 06/10/11

HEAD LIGHTS QUIT WORKING IN DECEMBER OF 2010 HIGH BEAMS, TOYOTA FIXED THEM, HIGH BEAMS QUIT WORKING AGAIN ON DECEMBER 24TH 2013. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. *TR

BOTH HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHT ON 2008 TOYOTA AVALON STOP WORKING. 28,000 MILES ON VEHICLE .TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TSB ON ALL 2008 TO 2010 AVALONS HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BUT ARE CHARGING $ 2200 TO REPLACE WITH A NEW REDESIGNED HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY THEY ADMIT TO PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL . DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED ? *TR

2008 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED, 40,000 MILES. BOTH HIGH BEAM HEADLAMPS BROKE. DEALER KNOWS IT'S A MANUFACTURER DESIGN PROBLEM DUE TO OVERHEATING. REPLACEMENT COST FOR BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES IS MORE THAN $2,000. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WILL NOT COVER COST. *TR

LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AND RANDOMLY, INCLUDING WHEN NEEDED MOST ON DARK WINDING ROADS CREATING A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS TO TURN OFF HEADLIGHTS AND TURN BACK ON TO RESTORE LIGHTS. FAILURE IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT FOR VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 75K MILES. IT COSTS OVER $1500 TO REPAIR, WHICH IS NOT COVERED BY MANUFACTURER EXTENDED 100K MILE WARRANTY. THEY CLAIM IT IS A WEAR ISSUE. A FULL RECALL MUST BE ISSUED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ARE FOUND ON-LINE. MANUFACTURER KNOWS IT IS PROBLEM. *TR

BOTH HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL) ARE INOPERATIVE, PER NHTSA ODI # TSB-0044-10. COMPLAINT: TOYOTA AND ODI HAVE KNOWN OF THIS RECURRING LIGHTING SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT ON VARIOUS VEHICLES FOR THREE MODEL YEARS 2008-2010. TOYOTA HAS EVEN DEVELOPED A NEWLY DESIGNED HIGH BEAM/DRL REPLACEMENT HOUSING ASSEMBLY TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, WITH AN APPROXIMATE COST TO EACH VEHICLE OWNER OF $3,000+, UNLESS COVERED BY 3 YEAR/36,000 WARRANTY. IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH TOYOTA AND NHTSA TO EXPOSE VEHICLE OWNERS TO HIGH REPAIR EXPENSE FOR KNOWN SERIOUS LIGHTING SAFETY-RELATED DEFECTS, IF VEHICLE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. ODI SHOULD RECLASSIFY THIS DEFECT, PLEASE!

HIGH BEAM EXTERIOR LAMP LIGHTING FAILURE. AUTO REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT BULBS WERE SHATTERED INSIDE OF HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND REPLACED THE BULBS. HIGH BEAM BULBS FAILED AGAIN AFTER 9 MONTHS. TOYOTA STATES THAT BOTH HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES MUST BE REPLACED AT $1088 EA TO PREVENT HIGH BEAM BULBS FROM SHATTERING IN THE FUTURE. *TR

BOTH HIGH BEAM LAMPS SHATTERED INSTANTANEOUSLY IN GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS. FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR DISTRACTION AND DANGEROUS TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE PRIMARY VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES AS WELL. WHILE TOYOTA FREELY ACKNOWLEDGES DEFECTIVE PARTS USED IN 2008,2009 AND 2010 MODELS, THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR, OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY PERIOD.(T-SB-0044-10) THE STANDARD CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER RANGES BETWEEN $2400.00 AND $800.00.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PLAYING AROUND WITH THE SWITCH, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED BACK ON. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

RIGHT HID LOW BEAM HEADLAMP WENT OFF WITH OUT NOTICE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. ALSO, RIGHT HID LOW BEAM HEADLAMP WENT OFF AFTER TURNING ON FOG LIGHTS OR HIGH BEAMS. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES BETWEEN 11 NOV 2010 AND 20 NOV 2010 WITHOUT ANY WARNING. HEADLAMPS IN AUTO MODE. MILEAGE 48K. *TR

FAILURE: HIGH BEAM/DRL BULBS HIR1 9011. IN NOVEMBER 2010, THE RIGHT FRONT HID LOW BEAM BULB WAS FLICKERING AND FAILED. AS PART OF THE RIGHT FRONT HID LOW BEAM BULB REPLACEMENT, I DECIDED TO REPLACE BOTH OE TOSHIBA HIGH BEAM/DRL BULBS WITH PHILIPS REPLACEMENTS. TOSHIBA NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE HIR1 9011 BULBS. THIS MOVE WAS STRICTLY A PRECAUTIONARY ACTION. KEPT THE TOSHIBA BULBS AS SPARES. WITHIN 6 MONTHS ONE PHILIPS HIR1 BULB FAILED IN THE DRL MODE AND THE OTHER BULB FAILED IN THE HIGH BEAM MODE. REUSED THE TOSHIBA BULBS. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. I HAD THE HEADLIGHT REPLACED AT A COST OF $250, ($80 FOR THE LAMP AND $170 IN LABOR. AFTER DRIVING 11,270 MILES, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. *TR

2008 TOYOTA AVALON DEFECT - HIGH AND LOW BEAM HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY IN MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON, I LOST MY HIGH BEAMS AND MY LEFT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. UPON CHECKING BULBS, BOTH HIGH BEAM 9011H1R1 BULBS BLEW OUT (SHATTERED). I FOUND THE TSB NOTICE ON LINE (TSB-0044-10) AND WENT TO TOYOTA SEEKING TOYOTA TO FIX THE DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME THE COST WAS $2,400 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. THEY DID OFFER TO SPLIT THE COST 50/50 WITH ME BUT I DECLINED STATING THAT IT WAS A DEFECT AND WAS OCCURRING IN 2008, 2009 AND 2010 TOYOTA AVALON. IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. TOYOTA DECLINED STATING IT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT A TSB. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I LOST NOT ONLY MY HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT WARNING, BUT ALSO MY LEFT LOW BEAM HEAD LAMP. TOYOTA SHOULD CLASSIFY THIS AS A 'RECALL' AND NOT A TSB.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE HEADLIGHTS RE-ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRONT LIGHT UNIT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,925.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN ON THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. HE CONTINUED DRIVING MOMENTARILY BEFORE THE LOW BEAMS FAILED A SECOND TIME. THE FOG LIGHTS WERE THE ONLY EXTERIOR LIGHTS THAT WOULD FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH EXTERNAL HEADLIGHTS WOULD FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WOULD ADJUST THE LIGHT SWITCH FOR THE LIGHTS TO BECOME OPERABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 4/2/12 *CN UPDATD 04/16/12

EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS SHUTS OFF AUTOMATICALLY. I BOUGHT 2008 TOYOTA AVALON TOURING MODEL. PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HID LIGHTS SHUTS OFF AUTOMATICALLY. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS COMMON ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AVALON. EXPECTING TOYOTA TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MY CAR HAS 40K MILES ON IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS HAD BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

2008 TOYOTA AVALON PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT SHUTS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BULB FOR $385.00. PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS AND NOW STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN. THE PROBLEMS SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED TO AUTO MODE. I TRAVEL WITH MY LIGHTS ON DURING THE DAY FOR SAFETY REASONS AND CHECK THEM OFTEN. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT FOUND THE LIGHT OFF NOT ONCE. I PLAN ON HAVING THE DEALERSHIP MOVE THE LEFT BULB TO THE RIGHT AND VICE-VERSA TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM FOLLOWS THE BULB OR STAYS CONSISTENT TO THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, HE HEARD A NOISE AND PULLED OVER WHEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE BETWEEN THE FIREWALL AND THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND DISTRICT MANAGER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND HOLES IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 10V017000 (ACCELERATOR PEDAL) AND WAS REPAIRED AT THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD ALSO PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA ITEM NUMBER (10032630) ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, OIL SUPPLY HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIR AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,836. UPDATED 12/30/10 *BF UPADTED 01/07/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.