11 of the 205 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Avalon are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 69,500 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
WHILE ACCELERATING MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, CAR'S ACCELERATOR STUCK "TO THE FLOOR", CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO 80MPH UNTIL THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PHYSICALLY LIFT THE PEDAL WITH THE SIDE OF HER FOOT. BROUGHT CAR TO REPAIR CENTER WHERE NO CAUSE WAS FOUND. PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE INITIAL INCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10302523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 69,500 MARK. OOK CAR INTO DEALER AND THOUGHT IT WAS NOISY BRAKES. ROVE ABOUT 100 MORE MILES AND SOMETHING BROKE. THE TRANSMISSION ALMOST SEIZED, COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10083045 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO AND OUT OF GEAR WHILE TRAVELLING CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION.
NHTSA complaint #10060204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL AND COOLANT MIXED IN TOGETHER.
NHTSA complaint #10053493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE MY USUAL MECHANIC WAS PERFORMING PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT 64,500 MILES, HE DISCOVERED A LARGE, BENT BOLT IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID PAN WHICH WAS NOT THERE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS LAST SERVICED AT 39,000 MILES. HE DID NOT NOTE ANY METAL SHAVINGS, ETC. AND THE CAR RUNS FINE. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE THE BOLT CAME FROM. HOWEVER, THIS IS AN OBVIOUS CONCERN AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TOYOTA HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT AND WHETHER IT IS LIKELY TO CAUSE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OR FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10000658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE DROPPED OVER AN EMBANKMENT ROLLED OVER ONCE AND CAME TO REST UP RIGHT, POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE(KENTUCKY UNIFORM POLICE TRAFFIC COLLISION REPORT). NLM
NHTSA complaint #562308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIIONS. YH
NHTSA complaint #609041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
VEHICLE HAS CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO BODY DUE TO INCIDENTS OF LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SHIFT GEAR MAKES NOICES. YH
NHTSA complaint #608763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PERFORMING POORLY CAUSING THE "SKID" LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE VEHICLE TO STALL.
NHTSA complaint #544917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE PASSENGER LEANED OVER AND ACCIDENTLY PUSHED THE AUTOMATIC TRANMISSION GEAR FROM DRIVE POSITION TO NEUTRAL POSITION, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. OWNER BELIEVES THIS EASE IN SWITCHING GEARS IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. *AK.ET.
NHTSA complaint #832443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.