NHTSA Complaint #10881651 — 2011 TOYOTA AVALON

PURCHASED CERTIFIED AVALON 01/03/2015. NOVEMBER 24, 2015 FRONT PASSENGER AND BOTH REAR DOOR LOCKS CEASE WORKING. THEY CANNOT BE OPENED WITH THE FOB NOR THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. VEHICLE IS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, LITHIA TOYOTA OF ODESSA, ON NOVEMBER 30, 2015. EXPLAIN PROBLEM TO SERVICE ADVISOR AND HE REPLIES THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPROGRAM SYSTEM AND IT WORKS FOR THREE DAYS. CAR IS TAKEN BACK TO SHOP ON DECEMBER 5, 2015 FOR ISSUE AGAIN. THEY FINALLY CALL AROUND 4 THAT AFTERNOON SAYING CAR IS READY. WE MEET SERVICE MANAGER, ADVISOR AND TECH THAT PERFORMED THE WORK TO VERIFY THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. NEVER GIVEN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT WAS DONE. JUNE 25, 2016 PROBLEM ARISES AGAIN WITH THE SAME THREE DOORS. BACK IN THE SHOP, FINALLY I AM TOLD THAT THE POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED AND THE REASON GIVEN IS THE USE OF "CLIP ON AIR FRESHENERS WHICH I AND THE ADVISOR HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING. APPARENTLY SOMEHOW THE VAPORS FROM THESE AIR FRESHENERS SUPPOSEDLY PERMEATE INTO THE DOOR AND COAT THE ACTUATORS WITH A FILM OF SILICONE THEREBY MAKING THEM NONE FUNCTIONAL. NO EXPLANATION FROM TOYOTA AS TO WHY THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE DRIVERS DOOR. APPARENTLY AFTER RESEARCH THIS IS HAPPENING TO SOME NEWER MODELS. NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY UNLESS NEW OR YOU HAVE PURCHASED EXTENDED COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY. SAFETY IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND NEED QUICK ACCESS ONLY DRIVER WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL YEAR AVALON. ON 04/23/13 THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE WAS SUBMITTED TO NHTSA ID NUMBER 10509389, BY ANOTHER CONSUMER. AT THAT TIME DEALER HAD NO ANSWER FOR PROBLEM. NOW WE ARE BRING TOLD IT'S DUE TO AIR FRESHENERS. WERE IS THE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM TOYOTA IF AIR FRESHENERS CAUSE THIS COSTLY REPAIR. POSSIBLE DEFECT?