2011 Toyota Avalon Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STEERING COLUMN BECAME ABNORMALLY LOOSE AND EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL POPPING NOISE AS THE CONTACT WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,500. UPDATED 03/07/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS RX350 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR DOOR WAS OPENED, THE CHIME DID NOT INDICATE THAT DOOR WAS OPEN WHILE THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE GARAGE; THE VEHICLE DOOR CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR AND WAS DAMAGED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A WARNING CHIME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT SOMEONE FROM THE DESIGN DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT HIM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,300.

FOOT FIRMLY ON BRAKE, SHIFTING TO REVERSE. ENGINE ROARED TO LIFE AND VEHICLE THRUST BACKWARD. FOLLOWED BY FOUR OTHER EPISODES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE FOOT ON BRAKE. THE LAST OF THESE RESULTED IN LIGHT REAR-END COLLISION. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO STRUCK PICKUP. FRONT GRILL OF AVALON VISIBLY CRUSHED. THESE FIVE INCIDENTS OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT NINE DAYS. I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT SINCE.

I BOUGHT A NEW 2011 AVALON MAY 2010. WITHIN 2 WEEKS, FILM FROM GAS VAPORS FORMED ON INTERIOR WINDOWS. THE FILM IMPEDES CLEAR VISION WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE FILM IS SO THICK, ONE CAN WRITE THEIR NAME. LOOKING OUTWARD IT APPEARS YOU ARE INSIDE AN IRIDESCENCE BUBBLE. REFLECTION FROM SUN AND HEADLIGHTS WORSENS THE PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR CAR AND OTHER VEHICLES. I'VE BEEN TO ARBITRATION THROUGH NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION CASE # 2210170; I REQUESTED MSDS SHEETS FOR THE CAUSE OF THE GAS VAPORS. INSTEAD I WAS PROVIDED A COPY OF A LETTER FROM TOYOTA CORP DATED 1989 STATING "THERE ARE NO KNOWN CARCINOGENIC MATERIALS." TASC# 102320282. .I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IN 21 YEARS TOYOTA HASN'T CHANGED THE PARTS IN CARS. I REQUESTED EITHER (1) PERMANENT RESOLUTION TO FIX THE FILM ON THE WINDOWS PROBLEM; (2) A FULL REFUND, OR (3) NEW CAR W/O THE GAS VAPOR PROBLEM. I WAS OFFERED $500 FOR CAR WASHES! A BUMPER STICKER ON THE CAR NOW STATES "I AM A LEMON, NEVER BUY A TOYOTA." *TR

I BOUGHT A NEW 2011 TOYOTA AVALON IN APRIL OF 2010. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOWS ARE COVERED WITH A FILM FROM GAS VAPORS. IT IS SO THICK THAT IT REDUCES YOUR VISION PARTICULARLY IN THE SUN. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY JUST LISTEN AND DO NOTHING. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO BOUGHT A NEW AVALON IN MAY OF 2011 AND THEIR CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM SO OVER A YEAR LATER THE AVALONS ARE DOING THE SAME THING. *TR

I HAVE A NEW 2011 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED WITH JUST OVER 1,700 MILES. THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL LEVER LOCATED UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE "LOCKED" POSITION FIVE TIMES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSES IN TOWARDS THE DASH. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. I, MYSELF, HAVE NOW FOUND REPORTS BY OTHER AVALON OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *KB