NHTSA Complaint #10284372 — 2006 TOYOTA AVALON

AVALON LIMITED 3.2L V6 * AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION * 72,900 MILES WELL, THIS IS MY 3RD TOYOTA, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UP UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN I STARTED THE CAR I HEARD A CRANKY FAN LIKE NOISE, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS AFTER I DROVE SHOPPING AND CAME BACK AFTER 2-3 MILES AND PARKED THE CAR ON MY DRIVEWAY IN THE DARK. NEXT MORNING WHEN I PULLED MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE NOISE CONTINUED AND I SAW A POOL OF ENGINE OIL ALL OVER, I CALLED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND SURPRISINGLY THEY OFFERED TO REPAIR THE CAR THE SAME DAY (SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS-NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE EVEN FOR JUST OIL CHANGES) AFTER TAKING A LOOK THEY SAID THE OIL LINE NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND COST WOULD BE $450 FOR A HALF DAYS WORK. I CALLED BACK THE EVENING AND WAS TOLD NOW THEY CALLED TOYOTA AS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG BUT HAVE NOT HEARD FROM TOYOTA SO I WONT GET MY CAR UP UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY WEEKEND- (HAD TO GET A RENTAL FOR A WEEK) NEXT WEEK, THEY TOLD BE THE GEAR SHAFT CRACKED AND GASKETS NEED REPLACEMENT AND A 16 HRS JOB AND WOULD COST APPROX $6000 TO REPAIR "BUT TOYOTA WILL COVER 50%" EVEN THOUGH I AM OUT OF 60,000 MILES WARRANTY. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I WALKED IN TO DEALER TO SEE MY CAR AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE BROKEN PART AND TOLD ME TOYOTA HAS SINCE REDESIGNED THIS PART SO IT DOES NOT BREAK AND CAUSE SUDDEN OIL LEAKS- ONCE THE NEW PART IS REPLACED I SHOULD NOT EXPECT MORE SIMILAR PROBLEMS- I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY MADE A NOTE OF MY PROBLEM BUT SAID I HAVE TO GET THE NUMBER OF THE TOYOTA REGIONAL MANAGER FROM THE DEALER WHO SAID HE CANNOT LET ME TALK DIRECTLY DUE TO" BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM". I TOLD THEM ITS NOT FAIR FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR THE MANUFACTURING FAULTS OF TOYOTA. FINALLY THE "HIDDEN" TOYOTA REGIONAL MANAGER OFFERED TO SETTLE FOR PAYING 2/3 RD FOR MY CAR'S REPAIR. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS DRIVING THE AVALON AND A BIG COVER-UP BY TOYOTA. *TR