11 of the 110 complaints about the 2009 Toyota Avalon are about the braking system — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 1,995 miles.
11
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE CAR FOR SOME REASON HAS THE AIR BAG LIGHT COME ON AND ALSO THE VSC AND ABS LIGHT S COME.
NHTSA complaint #11013595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOBBLED AND VIBRATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,616.
NHTSA complaint #10594842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOBBLED AND VIBRATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,616.
NHTSA complaint #10594842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WE HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON, WHICH WE PURCHASED IN MID-NOVEMBER OF 2009. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH TWO RECALLS ALREADY. EVERYTIME WE USE THE BREAKS AND RELEASE THEM IT MAKES A "THUD" NOISE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY IT OCCURRED. MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT HAPPY WITH TOYOTA OR NHTSA WHO SHOULD OF RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC THE MANY ISSUES TOYOTA WAS HAVING WITH THEIR AUTOMOBILES IN 2009. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS PROBLEM AUTO IF NHTSA HAD NOTIFIED THE MEDIA OF THE ISSUE IN OCT. OR THE 1ST OF NOV. I DID SEE AN NBC NEWS INTERVIEW WITH MATT LAURER AND THE PRESIDENT OF NORTH AMERICAN TOYOTA WHO STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN LATE OCT. OF 2009. I GUESS THE BRAKES WILL BE THE NEXT ISSUE. IF YOU CAN LET ME KNOW WHY MY NEW TOYOTA (ONLY 5200 MILES) MAKES A THUD NOISE WHEN I RELEASE THE BRAKES I WOULD APPRECIATE IT, SINCE MY TOYOTA DEALER DOESN'T KNOW!
NHTSA complaint #10320584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I'M THE OWNER OF A 2009 AVALON. TOYOTA'S WEB PAGE HAS A CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE NUMBER, 1-800-331-4331, FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR RECALL FOR STICKY PEDAL AND FLOOR MAT ENTRAPMENT. I'VE CALLED TWICE. EACH TIME I WAITED FOR 1.5 HOURS, THEN DISCONNECTED SINCE THEY NEVER ANSWER BUT KEEP YOU ON HOLD. THIS DEMONSTRATES THAT ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. TOYOTA IS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS RECALL. NHTSA NEED TO INSIST THAT TOYOTA RESPOND TO PHONE CALLS REGARDING THEIR RECALLED CARS.
NHTSA complaint #10316993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE WITH 2009 TOYOTA AVALON DRIVING VERY SLOWLY (110-15 MPH) DOWNHILL ON SMOOTHLY PAVED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY ROAD; APPLIED SLOW, STEADY PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL ON APPROACHING STOP SIGN INTERSECTION. FELT AND HEARD A RATCHETING NOISE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, BUT CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD INTO INTERSECTION. LIFTED FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND HIT PEDAL AGAIN, MORE FIRMLY. ONLY THEN DID VEHICLE STOP, ALREADY INTO THE THANKFULLY EMPTY INTERSECTION. BROUGHT PROBLEM TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER'S ATTENTION ON FEBRUARY 12TH (AT WHICH TIME, THEY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THE ACCELERATOR RECALL STATUS OF MY VEHICLE.) WHILE SAID DEALER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL FIX, THEY DID NOT TAKE ANY REMEDIAL ACTION ON THE REPORTED BRAKE FAILURE, ALTHOUGH THEY DID SUGGEST THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A DYSFUNCTIONAL ENGAGING OF THE ABS. THEY SAID THAT THEIR DIAGNOSTICS DID NOT EVINCE A CONFIRMING PROBLEM CODE(S), NOR DID A SHORT TEST RUN REPLICATE THE GLITCH. THIS IS A VIRTUALLY BRAND NEW 2009 TOYOTA AVALON WITH ONLY 790 MILES ACCUMULATED ON IT TO DATE (THE FIRST 100 OF WHICH WERE ACCRUED ON THE ORIGINAL DEALER'S SALES LOT). IT IS WORRISOME THAT SUCH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ABS DYSFUNCTION SHOULD BE SHOWING UP SO SOON!
NHTSA complaint #10311548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE WITH 2009 TOYOTA AVALON DRIVING SLOWLY (10-15 MPH) DOWNHILL ON VERY SMOOTHLY PAVED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY STREET; APPLIED SLOW, STEADY PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL ON APPROACHING STOP SIGN INTERSECTION. FELT AND HEARD A RATCHETING, SORT OF GEAR-GNASHING NOISE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, BUT CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD INTO INTERSECTION. LIFTED FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND HIT PEDAL AGAIN, MORE FIRMLY. ONLY THEN DID VEHICLE STOP, ALREADY INTO THE THANKFULLY EMPTY INTERSECTION. BROUGHT PROBLEM TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER'S ATTENTION ON FEBRUARY 12TH (AT WHICH TIME, THEY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THE ACCELERATOR RECALL STATUS OF MY VEHICLE.) WHILE SAID DEALER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL FIX, THEY DID NOT TAKE ANY REMEDIAL ACTION ON THE REPORTED BRAKE FAILURE, ALTHOUGH THEY DID SUGGEST THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A DYSFUNCTIONAL ENGAGING OF THE ABS. THEY SAID THAT THEIR DIAGNOSTICS DID NOT EVINCE A CONFIRMING PROBLEM CODE(S), NOR DID A SHORT TEST RUN REPLICATE THE GLITCH. THIS IS A VIRTUALLY BRAND NEW 2009 TOYOTA AVALON WITH ONLY 790 MILES ACCUMULATED ON IT TO DATE (THE FIRST 100 OF WHICH WERE ACCRUED ON THE ORIGINAL DEALER'S SALES LOT). IT IS WORRISOME THAT SUCH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ABS DYSFUNCTION SHOULD BE SHOWING UP SO SOON!
NHTSA complaint #10311550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BOUGHT AVALON FEB. 2009. WITHIN 1 MONTH CAR BEGAN CREEPING FORWARD AFTER APPLYING BRAKES. THE INCIDENT INVOLVING DAMAGE OCCURRED ON MAY 9, 2009. I STOPPED IN LINE AT THE BANK DRIVE THROUGH. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STOPPED. I REACHED FOR SOMETHING IN MY PURSE, THE CAR BEGAN MOVING FORWARD. MY REACTION WAS TO PUMP THE BRAKES. NOTHING STOPPED THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD. IT REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DAMAGE WAS INCURRED TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. $600 WAS PAID OUT BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I TOOK MY CAR INTO TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED CAR. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT NO OTHER PERSON IN THE US HAD COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE OTHER TOYOTA DEALER IN TULSA. I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING THERE. THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS AND THE NATIONWIDE COMPUTER REPORTED NO SUCH PRIOR INCIDENTS. I LEFT MY CAR WITH A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A WEEK. HE DROVE IT MANY TIMES BUT DID NOT EXPERIENCE WHAT I HAD DESCRIBED. FROM THE INFORMATION I GAVE HIM, HE SAID HE WOULD BET THE PROBLEM WOULD BE THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE BRAKES. THIS MECHANIC HAS NO CONNECTION TO THE TOYOTA COMPANY. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I LEAVE PLENTY OF ROOM BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR AHEAD. I STAY READY TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK . THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND AND MY BROTHER WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. NO CRASHED WERE SUSTAINED BY THEM.
NHTSA complaint #10310391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
GOING VERY SLOWLY AND HEADING INTO A CURB IN A PARKING LOT, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND INSTEAD THE CAR ACCELERATED AND STOPPED ONLY WHEN IT HIT A LIMB OF A LARGE BUSH. IT LEFT A DENT IN MY FRONT BUMPER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10285972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
PURCHASED 2009 AVALON IN FEB. 2009. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. AFTER BRAKING, THE CAR STARTED MOVING FORWARD UNDER ITS OWN POWER. IT WAS NOT JUST ROLLING FORWARD, THERE WAS POWER. LUCKILY NO CAR WAS CLOSE. I PROCEEDED ON HOPING THIS WAS A ONE TIME INCIDENT. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME, I HAD BRAKED TO YIELD TO A CAR IN A PARKING LOT. THE BRAKES STOPPED THE CAR INITIALLY, THEN CAR STARTED MOVING FORWARD AGAIN. I HAD TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER WHILE DRIVING ONE DAY. IT HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND AT A LIGHT. BY NOW I AM FEELING APPREHENSIVE WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR. A FEW WEEKS WENT BY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEN ONE DAY I WAS IN THE DRIVE THROUGH LANE AT THE BANK. I WAS THE THIRD CAR BACK. I BRAKES, THE CAR STOPPED. I REACHED FOR MY PURSE WHEN I FELT THE CAR BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS WITH POWER. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION HAS KICKED IN. I STARTED PUMPING THE BRAKES TO NO AVAIL. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. INSURANCE PAID MY DEDUCTIBLE WAS $500. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY SAY THEY CANNOT THE CAR TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE MECHANIC IN THE CAR. SO NO PROBLEM EXIST. WE WERE TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. A FEW DAY LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. NO CRASH THIS TIME. IN ALL THERE HAVE BEEN 8 INCIDENTS. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP. WE HAD A MECHANIC KEEP THE CAR AND DRIVE IT FOR A WEEK. HE COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO DO THIS. HE GUESSES THE PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. TOYOTA JUST SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG. MY HUSBAND CALLED TOYOTA. THEY SUGGESTED WE TAKE IT TO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT. SAME AS BEFORE. IF DOES NOT HAPPEN TO THEM, THEN NOTHING IS WRONG. I HAVE DISCONTINUED DRIVING CAR. I PAID $36,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10276479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED LIGHT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CONTACT HAD TO EXERT MAXIMUM PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT A CASE MANGER WOULD RETURN HIS CALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300.
NHTSA complaint #10256495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.