2013 Toyota Avalon Complaint Log

2013 AVALON TOURING ON APRIL 2013 EXPERIENCE WITH THIS CAR HASN'T BEEN VERY GOOD CONSIDERING THAT IT IS A NEW CAR. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE LEATHER ON THE BACK SEAT BUCKLING AND A STAIN THAT WAS ON THE HEADLINER IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR AREA BECAUSE OF A WATER LEAK FROM THE ROOF. IT WAS TAKEN TO CLINT'S AUTO TRIM TO CORRECT THE LEATHER. HE FELT IT WAS A WATER STAIN THAT WAS THE RESULT OF WATER LEAKING FROM AN AREA ON THE ROOF THAT WASN'T SEALED CORRECTLY. BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM CLINT'S AUTO TRIM, WE TESTED THE CAR BY PLACING WATER ON THE CAR OVER THE AREA WHERE THE STAIN WAS PRESENT. IT REVEALED A NEW WATER STAIN ON THE HEADLINER. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO SERVICE ABOUT OUR FINDING. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO STEPHEN'S AUTO GLASS TO FIX THE LEAK. THE STAIN ON THE HEADLINER WAS CLEANED. HOWEVER, THE STAIN CAN STILL BE SEEN. WE REQUESTED THAT THE HEADLINER BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE STAIN. HOWEVER, MY WIFE IS HAVING ISSUES WITH HER EYES BURNING AND NOSE RUNNING WHILE IN THE CAR DUE TO THE SMELL OF MILDEW. WE TURNED OUR CAR IN FOR SERVICE YESTERDAY TO GET THE HEADLINER REPLACED. NOW, THEY TELL US THAT THE HEADLINER IS TOO SHORT TO INSTALL. SO ANOTHER ONE WILL HAVE TO BE ORDERED. SO OUR CAR WILL HAVE STAY UNTIL TUESDAY. I AM HIGHLY UPSET THAT A BRAND NEW CAR HAS SO MANY ISSUES. FIRST, IT WAS THE LEATHER, THEN A WATER LEAK, AND THE HEADLINER IS TOO SHORT FROM THE FACTORY. PROBLEMS JUST CONTINUE TO STACK ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER. THE TOYOTA EXPERIENCE HARDLY LIVES UP WHAT IS STATED ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BRING A SMILE TO SOMEONE'S FACE AS AKIO TOYODA SAID IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN REFLECTION FROM THE CHROME ON THE DASHBOARD AND ARM REST DISTORTED HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. UPDATED 07/16/13*LJ

COMPLAINT: SUN GLARE REFLECTION COMING FROM DASHBOARD, SAFETY ISSUE, SIMILAR TO NETS. ON 04/01/13, JAMES FEWEL TOYOTA NATIONAL HQ, DOCUMENTED MY DASH GLARE ISSUE UNDER FILE #[XXX]: ON 3-16-2013, WE PURCHASED A 2013 AVALON FROM COGGIN TOYOTA JACKSONVILLE. IT HAS FL LEGAL WINDOW TINTING. THE DASH'S CHROME TRIM CAUSES A GLARE ISSUE ON A SUNNY DAY, CAUSING BRIGHT GLARE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DASHBOARD TRIM THAT IS SILVER/CHROME. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH GLARE COMING FROM THE DASH AREA. WHAT IS TOYOTA'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE? ON 05/21/13, [XXX], SERVICE DIRECTOR, TOYOTA AVENUES, RESPONDED: [XXX], I FORWARDED YOUR PICTURES TO OUR TECH DEPT AS WELL AS SUBMITTED A PRODUCT QUALITY CASE. RESPONSE BACK FROM MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED AT THIS TIME TO KEEP THE GLARE COMING OFF OF THE CHROME TRIM PANELS. THE REF FOR THE DEALER PRODUCT REPORT IS CASE # [XXX] IF YOU WISH TO CALL THE CUST SPT CENTER TO UPDATE YOUR CASE. THANK YOU, [XXX], TOYOTA AVENUES [XXX]. ON 05/22/2013 [XXX] AT TOYOTA HQ RESPONDED: [XXX], WE ARE SORRY FOR THE CONCERNS THIS CONDITION HAS CAUSED AND HAVE FORWARDED YOUR EMAIL TO A CASE MANAGER HERE IN OUR DEPT. THE CASE MANAGER WILL CONTACT YOU VIA PHONE BEFORE THE END OF BUSINESS, MAY 23, 2013. WE HAVE DOCUMENTED YOUR EMAIL AT OUR NATIONAL HQ UNDER FILE #[XXX]. ON 05/23/2013 RECEIVED A CALL FROM TOYOTA CASE MANAGER [XXX], SO I SENT HIM PICTURES SHOWING THE GLARE ISSUE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM TOYOTA HQ ON IT. BOTTOM LINE: TOYOTA NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A FIX TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE, REPLACING ALL THIS GLOSSY CHROME WITH SOMETHING NON-REFLECTIVE. PUTTING CHROME IN THE DASH AREA WAS A POOR DESIGN. MY WIFE OFTEN FEELS SICK, DUE TO THE WAY THIS GLARE HURTS HER EYES. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SUNLIGHT IS REFLECTED INTO THE EYES OF THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER FROM THE INTERIOR TRIM. THIS BRIGHT REFLECTION NOT ONLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AT TIMES, THE SUNLIGHT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE RETINA AND CORNEA. THE LIGHT COMES FROM MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CAR SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONSTANTLY SHIELD WITH OUR HANDS WHILE DRIVING. WE KEEP THE SUNROOF CLOSED. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE SUN IS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD OR AT AN ANGLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS THAT REFLECT THE LIGHT. WE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF PURCHASE. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. WHILE THEY INITIALLY SEEMED WILLING TO HELP, IT IS OBVIOUS FROM THEIR SILENCE, THAT THEY HOPE THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CONDITIONS SUCH AS MACULAR DEGENERATION, CATARACTS, AND PTERYGIUM, CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO BRIGHT SUNLIGHT IN THE EYES AND ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT COULD RESULT FROM THIS CONSTANT EXPOSURE. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD CORRECT THE DESIGN FLAW IN OUR CAR. *TR

IN THE 2013 TOYOTA AVALON, DRIVER VISIBILITY IS DANGEROUSLY DISTORTED WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AT APPROACHING CARS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT), DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE NEW 2013 ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE REAR GLASS MATERIAL, REAR GLASS CONTOUR AND ANGLE, TINTING, AND DEFROST STRIPS. ALL LIGHTS (ESPECIALLY VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC.) OBSERVED THROUGH THE REAR GLASS HAVE LONG, BRIGHT, VERTICAL LINES RADIATING AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FROM THE MAIN LIGHT SOURCE VIEWED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THESE VERTICAL LINES SHINING FROM ALL OF THE NUMEROUS LIGHT SOURCES OBSCURE THE REAR VIEW VISION, CAUSING CONFUSION FOR THE DRIVER IN MANY WAYS: 1) NOT BEING ABLE TO CORRECTLY JUDGE REAR CAR DISTANCE, 2) NOT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF VEHICLES IN THE REAR, 3) NOT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE LANES SAFELY BECAUSE OF DISTORTIONS THROUGH THE REAR GLASS PANEL, 4) NOT BEING ABLE TO JUDGE HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE APPROACHING AND/OR PASSING, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, 5) CAUSING THE DRIVER TO STARE LONGER THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISCERN WHAT IS TAKING PLACE BEHIND WHICH TAKES THE DRIVER'S EYE OFF OF THE FRONT VISION FOR TOO LONG. ALTHOUGH THE BRIGHT VERTICAL LINES CAN BE SEEN MORE DISTINCTLY AT DUSK AND NIGHT, THEY ARE ALSO OBSERVABLE DURING THE DAYTIME IF THE VEHICLES COMING FROM BEHIND HAVE FRONT LIGHTS ON, AND/OR THE SUN SHINES ON THE CHROME. THESE RADIATING VERTICAL LINES TAKE ON THE COLOR OF THE MAIN LIGHT SOURCE SEEN FROM BEHIND SO THE DRIVER MAY OBSERVE WHITE, YELLOW, RED, GREEN, ETC. COLORS. THIS CAUSES CONFUSION WHEN TRYING TO JUDGE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH APPROACHING VEHICLES FROM BEHIND. ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THESE MANY-COLORED VERTICAL LINES RADIATING UP AND DOWN FROM THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HEADLIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, ETC. CAUSE A CONFUSING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE DRIVER.

FAILED COMPONENT IN THIS VEHICLE, AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER 2013 TOYOTA AVALON, HAS A DISTORTED REAR WINDOW AND ONE CANNOT GET A CLEAR VIEW OF WHAT IS BEHIND. ALL LINES ARE ZIG-ZAG AND EVERYTHING BEHIND IS FUZZY. THIS IS NOT A DISPUTE BETWEEN ONE CAR OWNER AND TOYOTA, BUT A DISPUTE THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERY 2013 TOYOTA AVALON AND IN WHICH THE NHTSA SHOULD TAKE INTEREST. I HAVE DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THAT ALL THESE VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THIS CAR 12/17/12 ON A RAINY, OVERCAST DAY. AFTER DELIVERY, I NOTICED THE WINDOW, AND THINKING IT COULD BE REPAIRED BY REPLACEMENT, TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER THEY CHECKED OTHER CARS ON THE LOT, FOUND ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIELD SERVICE REP AND I MET AND HE DROVE THE VEHICLE. HE TOO, SAW THE PROBLEM. WE MET AGAIN, AND HE HAD MET WITH THE TECHNICAL PEOPLE IN JACKSONVILLE, AND NO CAR HAD A CLEAR WINDOW. HE STATED, IN WRITING, THAT HE WOULD PURSUE A RE-PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ADVISED TO GET A CASE NUMBER AND I DID SO. AFTER WORKING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITH THE CASE MANAGER, HE INFORMED ME THAT ON MAY 17TH, THE DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE MANAGERS WERE MEETING AND ON MAY 20TH, HE WOULD CALL TO LET ME KNOW IF A WINDOW HAD BEEN RE-ENGINEERED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CORRECTION COULD NOT BE MADE, SO ARBITRATION PAPERS WERE SENT. AFTER PURSUING THIS, I WAS INFORMED I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ARBITRATION BECAUSE IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT NO MFG. SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PUT ON THE ROAD. A VERY EXPENSIVE CAR THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE CONDEMNED TO DRIVE BECAUSE ONE CANNOT GET A CLEAR VIEW OF WHAT IS BEHIND. ON 6/13/13, I WAS INFORMED TOYOTA WOULD NOT RE-PURCHASE THE CAR, NOW WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY DID NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. IT IS. EVEN THE REP. INVOLVED THINKS THE CAR SHOULD BE RE-PURCHASED. IT SHOULD BE RE-PURCHASED AND EVERY 2013 TOYOTA AVALON SHOULD BE RECALLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW WAS DISTORTED, CAUSING HIS VISIBILITY TO BE MINIMIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLIANT WITH STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000. UPDATED 03/05/14*LJ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE AN ENGINEER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND AGREED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000. *TR

I STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT FELT THE CAR ACCELERATE AND START TO GO FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. WHEN I TRIED TO RETURN TO DRIVE THE CAR JUMPED A FOOT.I STILL HAD MY FOOT PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. I WENT BACK TO NEUTRAL. BY THAT TIME THE LIGHT CHANGED AND I WENT TO DRIVE AND THE CAR WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THE CAR IS 7 MONTHS OLD AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.I WENT TO THE DEALER AND AFTER 4 HOURS I WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR.ONE OF THE MECHANICS SAID :IT'S FUNNYTOF ALL THE COMPLAINTS WE GET OF THIS NATURE WECANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG,EVEN OUR ENGINEERS CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. THIS DISCONCERTING. WHILE NOT ADMITTING IT THEY SEEM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR GOOD REASON. CAN I PURSUE THE LEMON LAW? *TR