2006 TOYOTA AVALON Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

2006 TOYOTA AVALON CT DEALER QUOTED $1800 FOR TIMING COVER OIL LEAK; 17 HOURS OF LABOR, INEXPENSIVE PART; 3 RECALLS TO DATE WITH THIS VEHICLE-EXTREME INCONVENIENCE AND SUSPECT OF ANY ISSUES ON THIS CAR AND TOYOTA RECORD IS HORRENDOUS PER MULTIPLE SAFETY AND OTHER RECALLS. I'VE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS TIMING COVER RESEAL EXACT ISSUE. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS SUPPOSEDLY ISSUED IN 2007 EG 019-07. NHTSA BULLETIN 10021531. WHEN WILL CONSUMERS GET PROTECTION ON THESE FURTHER TOYOTA ISSUES?? I WILL RAISE THIS TO HIGHEST LEVELS. *TR

WE SPOTTED DROPS OF OIL COMING FROM OUR TOYOTA AVALON 2006. A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A SLOW OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT TIMING COVER. THE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATES IT WILL COST OVER $2,200 TO RESEAL OR REPLACE THE COVER WHICH COSTS ABOUT $50. WE HAVE DECIDED, AS OF NOW, TO NOT SPEND THE MAJOR DOLLARS INVOLVED, AND KEEP A EYE ON THE OIL IN THE CAR. WE HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN THE 2006 AVALON, AND HAVE FOUND NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, ITEM NUMBER 10021531, AND 2006 TOYOTA AVALON, SERVICE BULLETIN #: 01907. THE SUMMARY OF THIS BULLETIN READS: "ENGINE OIL LEAK FROM FRONT TIMING COVER." THE BULLETIN SEEMS TO BE DESCRIBING OUR PROBLEM EXACTLY. WHEN A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE MONEY INVOLVED WITH THE REPAIR ($2,200) TO THE PART TOYOTA WILL REPLACE ($50), THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE 2006 AVALON'S DESIGN AND/OR THE SITUATION CALLS...

IN JULY 2009 OUR 2006 TOYOTA AVALONXL HAD A VVT-I OIL HOSE EXPLODE CAUSING OIL DAMAGE AND PERSONAL REPAIR EXPENSE OF $277.67. I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS HOSE. IT STATED IF ALREADY REPLACED THEN TO SEND IN THE REPAIR ORDER, PROOF OF PAYMENT AND PROOF OF OWNERSHIP FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THIS WAS SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA ON JANUARY 11, 2010. NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM AFTER 71 DAYS. AFTER A LENGTHY DELAY, I WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE REPAIRS WERE NOT COMPLETED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. MY COMPLAINT IS I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES AND REPAIRS DUE TO TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE PARTS WITHOUT REIMBURSEMENT AFTER TOYOTA ADMITTED THEIR PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL MY OIL FROM A RUPTURED OIL LINE WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE 2 MILES AWAY. APPARENTLY TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BASED ON OTHER NUMEROUS SIMILAR INCIDENTS BASED ON WEB COMMENTS. THE OIL WARNING LIGHT NEVER WENT ON AND I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS SENT TO OTHER AVALON OWNERS. *TR

1. I WAS AT A STOPLIGHT, FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, DOING NOTHING BUT WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. SUDDENLY I REALIZED MY CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD, SO I PUSHED THE BRAKES HARDER. THE PEDAL WENT DOWN FURTHER BUT THE CAR KEPT MOVING FORWARD. ALL OF THIS TOOK ONLY A FEW SECONDS. THEN I HEARD AND FELT THE ENGINE ACCELERATING VERY LOUDLY. JUST AT THAT MOMENT THE LIGHT CHANGED, AND TRAFFIC SPED AHEAD. WITHOUT THINKING, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE STOPPED ROARING, THE CAR ACCELERATED NORMALLY AND THE BRAKES WERE RESPONSIVE. 2. THIS WAS THE ONLY INCIDENT. 3. I WAS ACTUALLY ON MY WAY TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, SO I CONTINUED ON MY WAY. WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALER, I HAD THE PERSON WHO MET ME AT MY CAR CHECK THE FLOOR MAT BEFORE I WALKED...

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED WHEN THE OIL LINE APPARENTLY LET GO SPEWING OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. ALL THE OIL DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE AS A RESULT, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT REPAIRED THE LINE MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA ALERTING DEALERS TO THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT A RECALL. A REVIEW OF EDMUNDS AND OTHER WEBSITES SHOWS A LONG LIST OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

CAR HAS MAJOR OIL LEAKAGE ON MY 300+ MILE DRIVE DOWN TO LA FROM SAN JOSE. THAT MORNING, THE CAR IS DRY AND FINE. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE DEALER. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF OIL LOSS. THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT EVEN GO ON. LUCKILY WE TOOK A PIT STOP AT COALINGA, WHERE WE NOTICE BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE WAS EVERY WHERE (AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED). WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL, THERE WAS NO OIL LEFT AS INDICATED ON THE DIPSTICK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA, WHICH DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A PENDING TSB ON THIS LINE, SO THEY CHARGED US FOR REPLACING IT. UP UNTIL NOW, I'M AFRAID TO TAKE THE CAR FOR LONG DISTANCE DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS DONE DUE TO LACK OF OIL. AFTER I GOT HOME, I CONTACTED LOCAL...

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE NY I-87 IN MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WHEN THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WITHIN A MINUTE OR SO, THE "CHECK OIL" LIGHT STARTED BLINKING SLOWLY AT FIRST, THEN AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS IT WAS ON CONTINUOUSLY. BY THIS TIME I HAD PULLED OFF INTO A GAS STATION. AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE STATION THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. AFTER IT WAS PARKED, I CHECKED THE DIPSTICK AND THERE WAS NO OIL REMAINING IN THE ENGINE. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR, INCLUDING INSIDE OF WHEELS AND BRAKES WAS COMPLETELY COATED WITH OIL AS WELL AS THE BACK OF THE TRUNK. PRESUMABLY FROM THE SPRAY UNDERNEATH WHILE TRAVELING @ 65-70MPH. I THEN PURCHASED 3 QUARTS OF OIL, PUT IT IN THE ENGINE AND IT DRAINED ONTO THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE IS A PIN HOLE IN THE RUBBER...

EXPERIENCED A LEAK IN THE "VVTI" OIL LINE TO THE REAR CYLINDER BANK IN THIS TRANSVERSE MOUNTED V6 ENGINE AT 78,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, THIS WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE ENGINE FAILURE OR DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING EQUIPMENT OCCURRED. SEARCHING ONLINE, HAVE FOUND OTHERS WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FIRE AS OIL LEAKS ON HOT PARTS. THE REPAIR COST WAS $202 FOR LABOR. TOYOTA PAID FOR PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR AS PART OF A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RESPONSE AFTER A COMPLAINT WAS MADE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS PART, AS MY RESEARCH ONLINE REVEALS IT TO BE OCCURRING TO MANY PEOPLE WHEN THEIR CARS ARE OVER 70,000 MILES AND THEREFORE OUT OF THE NORMAL WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT AND NOT A NORMAL WEAR ITEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2009, HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A RETURN FUEL LINE IN THE FUEL PUMP AND WAS AT RISK OF CAUSING A FIRE IF THE LINE WERE TO BREAK. HE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK ON THE FLOOR AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE PART NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS ON BACK ORDER. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT A FIRE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77000.

FOR SOME TIME - SEVERAL WEEKS - I HAD NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING OIL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. I WAS EXITING THE INTERSTATE AND AT THE STOPLIGHT NOTICED A GREAT AMOUNT OF SMOKE POURING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS, FORTUNATELY, WITHIN A MILE OF THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR AND DROVE IT INTO THEIR SERVICE BAY. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR I NOTICED THAT A GREAT AMOUNT OF OIL WAS POURING OUT ONTO THE FLOOR OF THE SERVICE BAY. THE SERVICE MAN CAME OVER AND I BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OIL LEAK. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME WHAT IT WAS - AN RUBBER OIL LINE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR THREE DAYS AND RETURNED IT "REPAIRED". NOW AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS I AGAIN NOTICE THE SAME SMELL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND INTEND TO...

I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON, AND RECENTLY I REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL QUITE PROFUSELY. I TOOK IT RIGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATING THAT THE VVT (VARIABLE VALVE TIMING) INJECTION HOSE WAS BROKEN. THEY REPLACED MY HOSE AS I HAVE THE PLATINUM CARE PROTECTION PLAN THROUGH TOYOTA. MY CONCERN IS IT SEEMS LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER WHO OWN 2006 AVALONS. IF THE PART IS FAULTY WHY DON'T THEY RECALL THE CARS AND REPLACE THE FAULTY PARTS. *TR

AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I PULLED INTO GARAGE AND NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING OIL. UPON EXITING THE CAR, I SAW A TRAIL OF OIL FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR UP MY DRIVEWAY, EXTENDING UP TO THE STREET. LOOKING UNDER THE CAR, I NOTICED OIL DRIPPING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. I FOUND THAT I LOST ALL ENGINE OIL WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR SOUNDS ADVISING ME OF THE PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY THE LOSS OF OIL ONLY OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE AREA. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. THEY INSTALLED SEVERAL GASKETS, A TIMING CHAIN COVER, A FIPG OIL PAN, A BELT (V-RIBBED), NON-CHLOR BRAKE C, A REPLACEABLE ELEME, ANOTHER GASKET, A PIPE SUB-ASSY, 0I. SINCE OIL WAS SPRAYED IN ENGINE AREA, THEY HAD TO WASH ENGINE OFF. UPON RESEARCHING THIS OIL LOSS PROBLEM, I FIND MANY OTHER 2006 TOYOTA AVALONS HAVE EXPERIENCED EXACTLY THE SAME THING. IF...

OIL GUSHED FROM ENGINE, LEAVING A TRAIL FROM MY HOUSE TO MY NEIGHBOR'S WHERE HE NOTICED THE OIL ON THE HIGHWAY (ENOUGH TO REMAIN THERE FOR TWO WEEKS). THIS WAS A BULLETIN, NOT A RECALL VIA TOYOTA. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING ALL OF THE OIL. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD MY CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. IF I HAD BEEN SPEEDING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE COULD HAVE LOCKED UP AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND CAUSED OTHER PROBLEMS. I'M UNCERTAIN AS TO WHICH BULLETIN IT WAS, I JUST LOST ALL OF MY OIL IN A MATTER OF SECONDS!!!!! *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND NOTICES A CLOUD OF SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE REAR OF OUR 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN SHE ARRIVES AT WORK SHE SEES OIL POURING ONTO THE PARKING LOT SURFACE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT OR DASHBOARD NOTICE SIGNALING OIL PRESSURE LOSS. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY NOTED THAT A RUBBER HOSE THAT PRESUMABLY CIRCULATES ENGINE OIL HAD RUPTURED. THE REPAIR WAS DONE THAT DAY WITH PARTS READILY AVAILABLE FROM THE LOCAL DEALER. WHEN THE REPAIR MAN WAS CONVERSING WITH THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER (A FRIEND), THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM THEN LATER CHANGED HIS STORY. RATHER SUSPICIOUS.*TR

A FEW MONTHS AGO I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO TOYOTA ON NICHOLASVILLE WITH AN "OIL PROBLEM". IT HAD BEEN SLOWLY LEAKING OIL. NO OIL LIGHTS HAD COME ON. THEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I SAW SMOKE AND SMELLED OIL. THE VVTI OIL LINE WAS LEAKING AND HAD SORT OF "BLOWN UP" ALL OVER MY ENGINE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS VERY UPSET. I WENT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. IT WAS REPAIRED QUICKLY AND I PAID ALMOST $500.00 FOR THE REPAIR! I THEN RESEARCHED ON-LINE AND BECAME AWARE THE VVTI OIL LINE LEAK WAS A PROBLEM FACED MY MANY AVALON OWNERS. AFTERWARDS I REMEMBERED I HAD PURCHASED "TOYOTA EXTRA CARE" AND FREE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I SUPPOSE I SHOULD PROBABLY FILE A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA FOR REIMBURSEMENT; BUT I GUESS THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE! I NOW REMEMBER TO TELL MY SERVICE TECH BEFORE EACH REPAIR! NOW, A FEW MONTHS LATER,...

CAR COMPLETELY RAN OUT OF OIL WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER ILLUMINATING. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. FOUND OUT VVTI LINE HAD TSB (ALTHOUGH I HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT FOR OIL CHANGE THE MONTH BEFORE) THE PART WAS BEING REDESIGNED BY TOYOTA AND WAS BACKORDERED. SIX WEEKS LATER ( I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY CAR), TOYOTA REPLACED THE PART AND REFUSES TO TEST THE ENGINE FOR DAMAGE CAUSED AS A RESULT OF CAR RUNNING COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ASSIGNED US A CASE NUMBER BUT THEN NO ONE EVER CALLED US BACK, MEANWHILE I DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT MY CAR AS I FEEL IT IS POTENTIALLY UNSAFE DUE THE OBVIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE THAT HAD TO HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE ENGINE WAS BANGING AND KNOCKING BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ISSUE RECALL AND...

1. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING WHIRRING NOISES WHEN IN MOTION AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED (UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, IT WAS DROPPING OIL. 2. AFTER IT WAS FIRST REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, IT OCCURRED AGAIN. 3. DEALER REPORTED FAILURE OF THE VVT-I PIPE, REPLACING THE PIPE, TIMING CHAIN COVER, GASKETS, CAMSHAFT GEAR ASSEMBLY, CYLINDER HEAD GASKET, CAMSHAFT BEARING, CAMSHAFT GEAR ASSEMBLY, ADDITIONAL GASKETS AND BOLTS. *TR

VVT OIL LINE FAILURE-AS I WAS DRIVING, I HEARD A ?WHIRRING? NOISE FOR 1-2 MINUTES. THEN IT STOPPED, AND THE OIL LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND OIL WAS SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THERE WAS NO OIL LEVEL INDICATED ON THE DIPSTICK. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE REMAINING OIL DRAINED OUT UNDER THE CAR. THE TOYOTA DEALER INDICATED THEY HAD 3 OTHER AVALONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND PARTS WERE BACKORDERED. NO REPAIR DATE WAS PROMISED. FROM ON-LINE MESSAGE BOARDS, THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE 05-06 AVALON. TOYOTA IS APPARENTLY WELL AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO PROACTIVE REPAIR/REPLACE THE LINE. THERE IS NO WARNING OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT HAPPENS, AND IT MAY LEAVE THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR IN A POTENTIALLY...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE ARRIVED AT HER RESIDENCE AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT AN OIL HOSE HAD BURST. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ALTHOUGH THE PART WAS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS COMPONENT NOT BEING REPAIRED DUE TO THE PART BEING ON BACKORDER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,788. 4/01/09 *NJ UPDATED 04/09/09. *JB

I FOUND A HUGE AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE DRIVEWAY AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES TO TAKE MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. THE OIL STICK READ EMPTY. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED OIL SO I COULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I MADE SEVERAL CALLS BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I HAD RECENTLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WHEN DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM THE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT INSTANTLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE AVALON. I CALLED TWO OTHER DEALERSHIPS AND THEY HAD THE SAME RESPONSE. WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND AT THAT TIME TOLD ME THAT THE "PIPE ASSEMBLY" PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND THAT THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING THE PART UNTIL FEBRUARY 16, THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN WAS JANUARY 15TH. TOYOTA IS TAKING LITTLE TO NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS CAUSING UNDO...

CAR HAS BEEN FINE UP UNTIL THIS POINT. BUT WHEN STARTING THE CAR ONE MORNING, OIL BEGAN STREAMING ONTO THE GROUND. I FILLED THE CAR WITH OIL, DROVE THE 2 MILES TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND JUST UNDER 2 QUARTS LEAKED OUT AFTER THAT SHORT DRIVE. AFTER THEY REMOVED THE INSPECTION PLATE, THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF CHAFFING BUT A SIMPLY SMALL HOLE THAT HAD DEVELOPED IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE VVTI OIL SUPPLY LINE. THEY REPLACED THE OIL SUPPLY LINE AND NOW THE CAR ENGINE HAS A LOT OF CLATTER AT LOW RPMS. I HAVE THE OLD PART AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. CAR HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A DEAD STOP, THE ENGINE IDLES AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO THE EMISSION CONTROL. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN TRAVELING UPHILL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,000. UPDATED 03-25-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AT LOW SPEEDS THE ENGINE REVS AND AFTER INFORMING THE DEALER HE WAS INFORMING NHTSA THE DEALER FOUND A FIX FOR THE DEFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED STILL SHIFTS UNEVENLY. UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR

WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM THE ON RAMP AND WITH PLENTY OF TIME UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS MY TOYOTA AVALON, UPON ACCELERATION THE ENGINE ACTUALLY CUT OUT I MEAN WITH A SERIOUS HESITATION THAT I COULD NOT RESPOND TO IN TIME. THE AUTO QUICKLY APPROACHING MY REAR VEERED INTO THE NEXT LANE CAUSING THE THIRD CAR TO RUN OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS IS INDEED A HIGHLY SAFETY PROBLEM. I ESCAPED WITHOUT A SCRATCH TO MYSELF OR CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THOMPSONS TOYOTA IN PLACERVILLE CA 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND EACH TIME THEY TELL ME THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW BUT THE PROBLEM SURFACED LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS I NEED THE CAR...

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS, I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE GAS PEDAL CONTINUED TO DEPRESS ON ITS OWN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF IT. I STOOD ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT TOOK ABOUT 5 SECONDS FOR THE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE AFTER ACCELERATING VERY RAPIDLY. THE THIRD TIME, I HAD TO SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. I AM AFRAID TO PRESS HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL AT THIS POINT AS IT IS A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION. A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER WOULD GET INJURED. I WILL NOT LET ANYBODY ELSE DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALER HAD NO EXPLANATION WHICH I FIND VERY DISTURBING. HELP!! *JB

I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON WITH ~15,000 MILES ON IT. INTERMITTENTLY, THE CAR WILL HESITATE ON ACCELERATION. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES, AT TIMES, TO AVOID A SIDE-SWIPE COLLISION. THE DELAY IN INPUT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACTUAL ACCELERATION IS 2-4 SECONDS AT TIMES. THIS IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO TOYOTA. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DESCRIBES IT AS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS "CHARACTERISTIC" AND I'M CERTAIN WILL RESULT IN ACCIDENTS. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES ON THE "FORUM" ON EDMUNDS.COM WHERE OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED THE SAME PROBLEM/CONCERN. *NM