2006 TOYOTA AVALON Steering Problems

ON JUNE 7, 2019, I WAS DRIVING THE AVALON, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON CITY STREET. WITH THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, I WAS TRAUMATIZED AND DID MY BEST TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND HOOKED UP TO A CODE READER, WHICH YIELDED CODES P0345, P0300, P0302, P0304, P0306. WE DID FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AND DISCOVERED THE 3 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE VARIABLE-VALVE TIMING (VVT) GEAR TO THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT CAME LOOSE, THESE BOLTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPER-RESISTANT AND NEVER BE REMOVED WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THE RESULT OF ENGINE DYING IS CAUSED BY SERIOUS MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN DEFECTS. PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED THREE PICTURES SHOWING 3 BOLTS LAYING NEXT TO VVT GEAR, VVT GEAR LOOSELY HELD ON AND THE VIBRATION OF BOLT LEFT CUTTING MARK ON THE GEAR, AND ALL...

HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY

ISSUES I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT FOR YEAR TO TOYOTA ONLY TO FIND OUT NOW TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THEM ALL ALONG THERE WERE RECALLS & SERVICE BULLETIN. THAT SHOULD HAVE COVERED MY TOYOTA ISSUE THE INFORMATION BELOW CAME FROM SITES TOYOTA ISSUED THIS WARNING TOO. THE RECALL FOR STEERING COLUMN WAS ON 2005 MINE IS A EARLY MODEL 2006 WITH THE EXACT SAME SAFETY ISSUE. THE RESOLVE FOR ME IS THAT TOYOTA FIX THE VEHICLE AND NOT TRY AND HOLD ME RESPONSIBLE FOR HALF THE COST AS THE ARE NOW DOING. MY CAR HAS BEEN CARED FOR ONLY BY TOYOTA SERVICE SINCE THE DAY IT WAS PURCHASE FROM TOYOTA NEW IN 2006, THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR TOYOTA [XXX] MADE THE CALL NOT TO HONOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: 00306 COMPONENT(S): STEERING NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10019689 VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL YEAR(S)TOYOTA AVALON2005-2006 VEHICLE SLIGHT PULL/DRIFT FEELING IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT TOYOTA: A NEW...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT LOCK SECURELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

THE STEERING COLUMN TELESCOPIC ADJUSTMENT LEVER HAS "SLIPPED OUT OF ITS LOCKED POSITION" FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA JUST ISSUED THE "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT" FOR, AND WHILE I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT, I RESENT THEIR SAYING "...THE MAJORITY OF VEHICLES WILL NOT EXPERIENCE THIS CONDITION." FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM OTHER AVALON OWNERS, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. *TR

TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSES WHILE DRIVING CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITION. FRICTION RELEASE DOESN'T STAY LOCKED, AND DRIVER MUST CHECK IT REGULARLY WHILE DRIVING. *TR

ON 03/22/2010 TOYOTA REPLACED A VVTI OIL HOSE UNDER RECALL # 90K BECAUSE THE RUBBER PORTION OF THE HOSE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE OIL TO SPAY OUT. ON 07/24/2012 THE REPLACEMENT HOSE RUPTURED CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO SPRAY OUT. THE ENGINE OIL SOAKED THE SERPENTINE BELT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONENTS. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHICH NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON(TOURING) HAS A LOUD KNOCKING/CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER SAID THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 AVALONS AND CAN BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $700-800. CAR HAD 42K MILES JUST OUT OF WARRANTY AND OFFERED NO TOYOTA HELP UNTIL I TOLD HIM I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH TOYOTA REPAIR WAS MADE. 15K-20K LATER ,SAME PROBLEM. SECOND STEERING COLUMN REPLACED.15K-20K LATER..SAME PROBLEM..DEALER LUB THE LINKAGE,15K-20K LATER SAME PROBLEM,DEALER LUB THE LINKAGE AGAIN. AT 98000,SAME PROBLEM,MY TOYOTA WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT 96K AND THE DEALER WANTED $800 TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN,HIS COST AMOUNT.AREA TOYOTA REPR.SAID IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ,MORE OF A NUISANCE FACTOR. SHOULD BE A TOYOTA RECALL TO FIND THE FIX. JUST REPLIED TO A TOYOTA SURVEY. HAVE NOT REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN..WAITING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE SURVEY. LIKELY WILL...

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON STEERING WHEEL WAS GETTING STUCK WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON. I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TO TRY AND TURN THE WHEEL IN ORDER FOR IT TO RELEASE. ADDITIONALLY THE CAR WAS LEAKING FLUID. ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS "STEERING RACK LEAKING FROM RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBFRAME TO BE WET WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND ALIGN". SO AT A COST OF $1338.85 THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED. I AGREE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT SINCE 2004 AND HAVE ISSUED VARIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS ON SUBJECT. ON JANUARY 7, 2012 I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I AM STILL EXPERIENCING AN OIL LEAK THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN NUMEROUS...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE SWERVED UNEXPECTEDLY. IN ADDITION, THE VSC AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE IGNITION COIL WAS REPLACED. ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND A DIFFERENT IGNITION COIL WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,561. KMJ

IN JULY 2010 I TOOK MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON TO WALDORF TOYOTA FOR THE 60,000 SERVICE AND REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING STICKING WHEN TURNING LEFT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ALIGNMENT NEEDED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHICH I HAD THEM PERFORM. HOWEVER, AFTER APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AND HALF I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I RETURNED THE CAR AGAIN IN EARLY AUGUST 2010 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, CONSEQUENTLY THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED. FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST 2011, MORE THAN ANOTHER YEAR LATER, I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME EXPLANATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLUTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS WHEN THE STEERING STICKS A VERY QUICK RESPONSE IS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE VEHICLE GO...

2006 TOYOTA AVALON, TELESCOPIC STEERING ADJUSTMENT LOOSENS BY ITSELF CAUSING THE STEERING TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY..40K MILES *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING. TOLD BY DEALER IT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE DEALER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE WHEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *BF UPDATED 02/03/11

MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON XLS EXHIBITS LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 AVALON AND CAN BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $911. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT SINCE 2004 AND HAVE ISSUED VARIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS ON SUBJECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN WITHOUT WARNING ,THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN UNLOCKED IN A DOWNWARD MOTION, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TRAVEL TOWARDS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IMMEDIATELY THE CONTACT REDUCED SPEED AND ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILURE. THE CONTACT CAUTIOUSLY DROVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO RE-LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED - TELESCOPIC STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

I WAS EXPERIENCE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A "STICKY" STEERING WHEEL. I FIRST NOTICED IT IN DECEMBER OF 2009. IN 2010, I WENT TO TOYOTA NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T LOOK IN TO IT BECAUSE 1. IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND 2. "LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK". I SAVED THE PAPERWORK OF WHERE I HAD CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP COMPLAINING OF SUCH ISSUE WHICH PROVED TO BE FRUITFUL WHEN TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN JULY. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY WITH MY PAPERS STATING MY PREVIOUS INQUIRES. STILL THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE TOYOTA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY FIXES TO THE DEALERSHIPS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TIMES I FELT LIKE THE CAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF A TURN. I HAVE SINCE SOLD MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. ONE GOOD THING IS...

ISSUE: AFTER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 DRIVEN MILES, THE LOCKING DEVICE ON THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN WILL LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES FULLY DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN WITH THE TELESCOPING COLUMN FULLY EXTENDED AND THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF WHEN THE LOCKING DEVICE HAS BECOME DISENGAGED. DURING HARD BRAKING SITUATIONS THE DRIVER NATURALLY APPLIES SUPPORT PRESSURE TO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE DISENGAGED STEERING COLUMN TO FULLY COLLAPSE. THIS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED COLLAPSE OF THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSES THE DRIVER AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN AND AN EMERGENCY REACTION, UP TO AND POTENTIALLY INCLUDING THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, TO AN ALREADY HAZARDOUS SITUATION (HARD BRAKING). THE ABOVE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. REPORTING: THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AT EVERY SCHEDULED 5,000 MILE CHECK UP FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 2+ YEARS. THIS ISSUE IS NOT...

UNINTENTIONAL AND UNEXPECTED UNLOCKING OF THE TELESCOPIC STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED BRAKING ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DEACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO ENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND ALMOST HIT A ANOTHER VEHICLE. TWO WEEKS AGO THE CONTACT SURGED FORWARD WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE COMPUTER DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER POWER STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42800.

THIS EVENT OCCURRED TWICE DURING ROUTINE DRIVING. MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON SEEMED TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY STRAIGHTENING THE STEERING WHEEL OUT AFTER A TURN. *TR

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 AVALON XLS. THE STEERING COLUMN WILL SUDDENLY COLLAPSE. *TR

THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN LOCK LOOSENS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. USUALLY THE LOCK LEVER ONLY DROPS LOW ENOUGH TO HIT YOUR KNEES AS YOU EXIT THE CAR AFTER A DRIVE, BUT DOES NOT LOOSEN ENOUGH TO RELEASE THE COLUMN TELESCOPE. TODAY IT DROPPED ALL THE WAY DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE COLUMN (WHICH I HAVE FULLY EXTENDED NORMALLY) COLLAPSED FORWARD (COMPRESSED). I LOST SOME VEHICLE CONTROL AS I REACHED DOWN TO SECURE THE HANDLE UPWARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FRICTION DEVICE AND HAS NO POSITIVE LOCKING DETENT. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE MORE TROUBLE WITH IT THAN I DO AS THEY CANNOT FORCE IT UP AS FAR, SO IT RELEASES MORE OFTEN. A POOR AND DANGEROUS DESIGN. THE DEALER WANTS $79 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. WE HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF CHECKING THE LOCK FREQUENTLY BUT WHENEVER WE FORGET IT WILL RELEASE THE TELESCOPE AND COLLAPSE...

I HAVE BEGUN TO NOTICE A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS, GOING FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I AM NOW READING ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER AVALON 2006 OWNERS. THE CAR HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS STARTED SHOWING UP AT AROUND 30K. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS KNOCKING, BUT I'M ALMOST CERTAIN IT IS THE STEERING SHAFT FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE DESCRIBING. IT GOES IN THE SHOP TOMORROW FOR THE VVT OIL RECALL FIX AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND PERHAPS DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

STEERING WAS BINDING ON MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON UNDER SLOW SPEED RIGHT HAND TURNS. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE TOYOTA MODELS BUT REFUSED TO COVER ANY OF THE COST OF REPAIRS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL DROPPED DOWNWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE UNDER THE WARRANTY COVERAGE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH TILT STEERING AND TELESCOPING STEERING. WHILE DRIVING, THE PRESSURE ARM UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH HELD THE TELESCOPING COLUMN IN PLACE BECAME LOOSE DUE TO A VIBRATION. UPDATED 02/24/09. *JB

STEERING COLUMN TELESCOPING LEVER DROPS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. FULLY DOWN (ALTHOUGH NOT VISIBLE THROUGH STEERING COLUMN) WITHIN 2-3 HOURS DRIVING. LEAVES STEERING WHEEL WITH FREE PLAY DURING OPERATION. SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I STARTED TO NOTICE A CLUNK WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHICH I THOUGH T WAS UNUSUAL. IT CONCERNED ME THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A WORN LINKAGE OR BALL JOINT AND THE CAR HAD ONLY 21,000 MILE ON IT. WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A BAD LOT OF A STEERING LINKAGE PART PUT ON CERTAIN AVALONS THAT THEY COULDN'T IDENTIFY. THEREFORE, NO RECALL WHICH DISTURBED ME. I THOUGH TOYOTA WAS KNOWN FOR OUTSTANDING QUALITY! THE CAR NOW HAS 26,300 MILES AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER ISSUES. *TR