19 of the 205 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Avalon are about the suspension — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 105,000 miles.
19
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SUSPENSION
Tie rods detached from frame, along with steering parts became unsafe on minor highway speed turnes
NHTSA complaint #11528799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AT THE LIGHT, ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED. BATTERY LIGHT STAY ON, LIGHTS DIMMED OUT, LOST SPEED. HAD TO GET PUSHED OUT THE ROAD AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN ATLANTA GEORGIA ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.. BOUGHT A SECOND ALTERNATOR, SAME EXACT INCIDENT . ONCE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AT NIGHT, CAR LOOSES TOTAL POWER. I HAD TO DRIVE FIVE BLOCKS AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS ON RALPH DAVID ABERNATHY BLVD, ATLANTA GEORGIA, EVEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS DRAINED A BRAND NEW BATTERY PURCHASED 12/02/2018.
NHTSA complaint #11155533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
THE FRONT SUSPENSION RATTLES REALLY LOUD WHEN GOING OVER SMALL WASHBOARD TYPE BUMPS OR ANY DISTURBANCES IN THE ROAD. THIS IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY STRUT MOUNT.
NHTSA complaint #10151265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
THUNKING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT FROM AREA OF FRONT WHEEL ON PASSENGERS SIDE DETERMINED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE A STRUT MOUNT, WHICH APPARENTLY IS A PROBLEM KNOWN BY TOYOTA. CAR HAS ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #10105762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. WAS INFORMED BY TOYOTA THAT FRONT STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. THEY KNOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT ARE UNWILLING TO HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10025256 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
PREMATURE FAILURE OF LEFT FRONT STRUT AT 63000 MILES ALONG WITH BOTH STRUT SUPPORTS.
NHTSA complaint #10003537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR SPRINGS/STRUTS ARE SO WEAK THAT IF I HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT, OR SEVERAL SUITCASES IN THE TRUNK, THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WIGGLE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP. MY NEW TIRES ARE STARTING TO FLAT SPOT AS DID MY LAST SET. I BROUGHT THIS TO COURTESY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRENTEE. THEY CLAIMED NO PROBLEM AND READJUSTED MY HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CONTACED CAPITOL TOYOTA IN CHATANOOGA, TN. A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS SOMETHING WAS WORN OR DAMAGED. I CALLED TOYOTA. THEY SAID THE SAME. BUT TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINED THEY MIGHT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #757072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROADS WITH PASSENGERS IN REAR SEAT, THE REAR SUSPENSION REPEATEDLY "BOTTOMS OUT" CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE VEHICULAR MOVEMENTS AND LOUD NOISE. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH VEHICLE LOADED NEAR DESIGN LOAD LIMITS.
NHTSA complaint #756601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
FRONT SUSPENSION CREAKED AND GROANED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER (BOTH SIDES) AT 3000 AND AGAIN AT 32000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #756602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
THERE WAS A LOUDER THEN USUAL THUMP IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TO VEHICLE TO DEALER REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC NOTED THAT FRONT STRUT WAS BREAKING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE STRUT, BUT WA SNOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.
NHTSA complaint #8002221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
NOISE AND THUMP IS COMING FROM SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING OVER WASHBOARD TYPE BUMPS, DEALER REPLACED A LOOSE HEADLINER, HOWEVER THE THUMP AND NOISE IS STILL PRESENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #785129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
PREMATURE WEARING OF FRONT STRUTS EVENTUALLY CAUSED TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAROUT. ALSO, VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO LEFT OR RIGHT WHICH WAS ALSO A RESULT OF PROBLEM WITH FRONT STRUTS. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #878816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT STRUT BRACKET FAILURE CAUSING FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE, POOR RIDE, AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. PREVIOUS TSB'S WERE NOTED BY OWNER. PROBLEM FIXED BY DEALER UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURE AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE FOR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY OVER $500 IF NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. DO TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE IN TOYOTA CARS, WOULD THINK THIS IS LIKELY MANUFACTURING OR ENGINEERING DEFECT AND DUTY OF TOYOTA TO FIX.
NHTSA complaint #738718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
THE CAR HAS BEEN RE-ALIGNED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IS CONSTANTLY GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. TIRES HAVE ALSO WORN EXCESSIVELY. INDEPENDENT ALIGNMENT (GOODYEAR) REPORTED THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER AVALONS.
NHTSA complaint #726785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUSPENSION BANGS AND CLANKS GOING OVER ANY SIZE BUMP AT ANY SPEED. ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR DEVELOPING EVEN WITH ROTATION. DEALER STATES CONDITION IS "NORMAL" NO RESOLUTION AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS.
NHTSA complaint #722676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT GIVING THE FEELING OF TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADEQUATE REAR STRUTS. YH
NHTSA complaint #551116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT .
NHTSA complaint #851195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE, SIX ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO FIX, HOWEVER NOT REMEDIED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUSPNSION MAKES AN "UNDAMPENED" CLUNK WHEN GOING OVER SLIGHTLY ROUGH ROAD. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY
NHTSA complaint #703618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.