130 of the
4,245 complaints filed about the Toyota Avalon
are about the suspension —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the brake line was leaking brake fluid. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the subframe and rear axle were rusted. The contact had replaced the brakes. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 00V154000 (Suspension). The contact called the independent mechanic, who determined that a brake line replacement was needed. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 278,000.
NHTSA complaint #11655498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 1- AUG 2020- MEGA MOTERS- PURCHASSED AUTO- CARFAX AND AUTO GURO- RECOMMENDED THIS VEHISCAL AND SALES PITCH INCLUDED THESE COMPANIES- HE SAID HE DOES GOOD BUSINESS- HE SAID HE WILL FIX ALL ISSUES IF THE ISSUE WAS WITH-IN 30 DAYS- CAR DROVE FINE- HE PUT AN INSPECTION STICKER- IT DID NOT SMOKE THEN BECAUSE HE HAD A HELPER WHO STARTED THE CAR AND PLACED INSPECTION STICKER READIN 10;2021? BUT IT WAS AUGUST 2020? THE HELPER DROVE IT TO THE FRONT OF THE DEALERSHIP- AFTER I PAID 7000.00 AND THUS DID NOT SEE START UP SMOKE AT THE DEALERSHIP 2. AT START UP - TOOK MY TWO SISTERS FOR A TEST DRIVE- GREY SMOKE- SAME DAY- AS PURCHASSED - SHOCK ISSUES-SUSPENTION AND DEALER- MY SISTER WAS DRIVING AS i CALLED TO TELL HIM i LOVED THE CAR AND IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE- EXCEPT FOR THE SMOKE ANDRED OIL LIGHT AND THE SHOCKS- SUSPENTION- UNCOMFORTABLE SCRAPING SOUND- I WILL FIX- AS HE SAID HE FORGOT TO PUT THE NEW OIL CAP ON OIL AND SENSOR- HE SAID HE WOULD PLACE THE TIRE SHOCKS TO FIX SUSPENTION. 2- I LIVE FAIRLY CLOSE- AND ONLY DRIVE SHORT DISTANCE- LIGHT OF OIL CAME ON- BUT GAGES READ NORMAL- MILES WERE AT 9800, DROVE FINE- JUST WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOUD SCRAP SOUND ON ANY DIPS ON ROAD AND THE SMOKE- AT START UP - AND DEALER AT MEGA MORTOR- SAID- TO BRING IT IN HE FORGOT TO PUT A SENSOR AND THE SHOCKS HE HAS THEM AT THE SHOP AND THE NEW OIL CAP- 2 RETURNED THE FOLLOWING MORNING- NO ONE WAS AT THE SHOP- I CALLED HIM HE SAID HE WOULD BE THERE AT 10 AM- - THE CAR SMOKED AT START INCREASED- - HE WAS NOT THERE AT 1030AM- CALLED HIM HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIX IT AS HE WAS BUSY- HE ASKED ME TO COME IN THE NEXT DAY- i CALLED NO ANSWER- CALLED AGAIN- AND HE SAID HE NEEDED ME TO BRING IT SATURDAY MORNING- AND HE WILL FIX- HE WAS RUDE AND SAID HE WAS BUSY- IT WAS SEPTEMBER- AND THE CAR IS HAZARD- IT STOPPED ON MY WAY INTO HIS SHOP AND GOT IT HOME- I GOT COVID 10-2020 TO 4/2020- LONGHAUL-
NHTSA complaint #11418364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'VE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, ELECTRICAL, COOLANT OR SOMETHING. MY MECHANICS FINDS NO LEAKS, BUT I CHECKED ONCE AND THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY, FIND NO LEAKS. SOMEHOW, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR MUD FLAP CAME OFF AND THE TRUNK LID DOESN'T LINE UP. IT ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE IT'S PARTIALLY OPENED. WHEN DRIVING I HEAR AND FEEL RATTLING SOUNDS THAT SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION OR BODY PANELS. MORE LIKE THE SUSPENSION. THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAD TIMING CHAIN, O2 SENSOR, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CHECKED AND FIXED OR REPLACED. THEY ALSO HAD IT COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT AND ANYTHING WRONG WAS FIXED. IT ALSO GETS VERY POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE STEERING ALSO DOESN'T FEEL QUITE RIGHT, CAN'T REALLY EXPLAIN THAT VERY WELL, OTHER THAN IT'S NO QUITE RIGHT. ALSO, FOR SOME REASON THE BATTERY WOULDN'T START THE CAR ONE DAY AND WE CHECKED THE BATTERY AND THE CELLS WERE DRY.
NHTSA complaint #11396567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY PAID CASH FOR THIS TOYOTA AVALON $5000 WORTH $2200 THE CAR HAS 6 RECALLS NONE OF WHICH WERE EVER INVESTIGATED BY TOYOTA OR ANYONE ELSE. I FIRST GOT THE CAR STARTED DRIVING AND THE BELT STARTED SMOKING BEFORE 3 YRS THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED OUT BY ADVANCED AUTO FREE / WE PAID FOR A NEW BELT THEN THE TIRE WENT OUT 2 X FOUND OUT THEIRS A WHEEL ALIGNMENT ISSUE WITH THE ARMS THAT NEED REPLACING TOY DEALER AND AMERICAN BEST RECOMMENDED NEW ARMS AMER BEST PRICED $800 TOY DEALER PRICED $3-5K AMONG BRAKES WIPERS SUSPENSION ETC ! TOY SHOULD BE LIABLE TO FIX THE CAR PARTS AS I WENT THERE FOR HELP INSTEAD THEY SEND AN EST FOR THOUSANDS TO FIX WHEN THERE ARE 6 RECALLS REMAINING ! I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 10/30 SOMEONE HIT ME WHILE DRIVING FROM BEHIND . THE CAR I BELIEVE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT PRIOR TO OWNERSHIP. EVERYTHING I MENTIONED IS HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE FOR MANUFACTURERS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UNSAFE CARS ON THE ROAD!
NHTSA complaint #11373914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
*** SUSPENSION & OE TIRE BRIDGESTON EL440 - ROLLING WHILE CORNERING ON UNEVEN/BUMPY ROAD - NOT SURE BUT I FEEL TIRE STANDING WAVE SOMETIMES - I REPLACED IT WITH MICHELIN PREMIER A/S AND GOT BETTER GRIP AND 50%-LESS-ROLLING EFFECT. *** BLIND SPOT MONITOR(BSM) IS UNRELIABLE - NOT PROPERLY WORKS SOMETIMES - IT CANNOT DETECT A CAR PASSING BY AT HIGH SPEED. - IT CANNOT DETECT A CAR AT A TINY BIT OVER PERMISSIBLE ANGLE, ESPECIALLY MERGING ROAD. (I FEEL THAT BSM ANGLE IS TOO NARROW OR SHORT AND IT WORKS ONLY WHEN THE OBJECT IS EXACT PARALLEL TO MY CAR.) - I WOULD LIKE THIS BSM TO BE ALWAYS ON AT ANY TIME AND CONDITION.
NHTSA complaint #11278189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING OUR NEW 2019 TOYOTA AVALON DOWN THE FREEWAY IT WANDERS AND MOVES AROUND . THE CAR SEEMS TO CHASE THE SMALL LINES THAT ARE GROUND INTO CONCRETE FREEWAY. I TOOK .THE CAR BACK TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE CHECKED THE 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHICH WAS WITHIN PERFECT SPECS. THE CAR STILL CONTINUES TO DRIFT AND WANDER TO THE POINT THAT IT SEEMS UNSAFE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE WARRANTY. THEY OPENED A CASE # 1909232297. THEY TOLD ME A TOYOTA FIELD ENGINEER WOULD COME OUT AND DRIVE THE CAR TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. I RECEIVED A CALL TODAY FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE INFORMING ME THAT THEY WHERE NOT SEND ANYONE OUT. WE SHOULD SIMPLY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM ON OUR OWN
NHTSA complaint #11270499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, EACH LITTLE BUMP OR IMPERFECTION IN THE PAVEMENT WOULD CAUSE A RATTLE UNDER THE DRIVER FRONT. EXAMINATION BY AN AUTO REPAIRMAN REVEALED THE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING WAS CRACKED. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS THIS WAS NEXT TO THE TIRE AND COULD PUNCTURE IT WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE REPAIRMAN ALSO STATED THAT THIS WAS UNUSUAL IN A TOYOTA. HAD MAYBE SEEN THIS TWICE OVER 2 YEARS BUT RECENTLY WITHIN ONE MONTH HAD SEEN THIS HAPPEN ABOUT 15 TIMES. THE REPAIRMAN FELT IT WAS TEMPERATURE RELATED TO SUBZERO TEMPERATURES IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY CAUSING THE METAL SPRING TO BRAKE.
NHTSA complaint #11064876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED VEHICLE "AS IS" WHILE RECOVERING FROM SURGERY. COULD NOT INSPECT VEHICLE. ON FIRST DRIVE ON CITY STREET, COULD NOT SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A RH TURN. BRAKES DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE, AND DRIVER HAD TO SHIFT DOWN. VEHICLE ENTERED ADJACENT LAWN BEFORE STOPPING. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN SLOWLY TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS EXAMINED. ESTIMATE TO GET VEHICLE RUNNING SAFELY: $4,719.11. VEHICLE DECLARED UNSAFE WHEN SOLD.
NHTSA complaint #10918968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE MADE LOUD NOISES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATERAL ARM SNAPPED OFF THE SUBFRAME DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 11/03/16*LJ
NHTSA complaint #10894082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND VEERING LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE SHOCKS AND MOTOR MOUNT WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10882557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION: MAKES STRANGE SOUNDS - LIKE PARTS ARE GRINDING AGAINST EACH OTHER ESPECIALLY WHEN BACKING UP. STEERING - MAKES UNUSUAL SOUNDS - AS IF PARTS ARE RUBBING AGAINST EACH OTHER.
NHTSA complaint #10861732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE TRUNK AND FOUND THAT THE TORSION BAR WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORSION BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT A REPAIR WOULD BE DONE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
NHTSA complaint #10838630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT HIGHWAY SPEED, FELT VEHICLE PUSH TO THE LEFT, AS IF BY A STRONG GUST OF WIND. HEARD INTERMITTENT CLUNKING SOUND UNDER REAR OF CAR. UPON PARKING, NOTICED REAR RIGHT WHEEL CANTED INWARDS. AFTER REMOVING THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL NOTICED THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION ARM ASSEMBLY NUMBER 2 DISENGAGED AND HANGING LOOSE. INSPECTED THE THREADS ON THE ASSEMBLY AND THEY WERE RUSTED AND WORN DOWN. I GOOGLED THIS PART FAILURE AND THIS FAILURE SEEMS EXACTLY LIKE THAT DESCRIBED FOR THE TOYOTA RAV 4 THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10608954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
NHTSA complaint #10605169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IT WAS DAYLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 3 PM LOCAL TIME. WE WERE ON GOOD INTERSTATE ROAD WITH MODERATE TRAFFIC AND DRY PAYMENT. WE WERE ON I-65 ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF FRANKLIN, TN. MY WIFE AND I WERE THE ONLY PASSENGERS IN OUR VEHICLE AND WE WERE BOTH WEARING SEAT BELTS. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL VEHICLE OWNER AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. WE WERE NOT IMPAIRED AND HAD STOPPED FOR A REST BREAK AND A DRIVER CHANGE 15 MINUTES EARLIER. SHE WAS DRIVING, I WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT US IN THE RIGHT LANE SUDDENLY SWERVED INTO OUR LANE FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. WE HAD TRAFFIC TO OUR IMMEDIATE RIGHT SO THE ONLY PLACE AVAILABLE FOR MY WIFE TO AVOID WAS THE LEFT EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS WHERE SHE WENT. THE LEFT SHOULDER WAS ROUGH DUE TO RECENT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA. SHE LOST CONTROL AND WE SPUN OUT IN THE GRASSY MEDIUM WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. SHE WAS UNHURT. MY RIGHT CLAVICLE WAS BROKEN IN TWO PLACES WITH THE TWO BREAKS THE WIDTH OF THE SHOULDER BELT APART WHICH IS ASSUMED TO BE THE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF THE BREAK. I WAS EVACUATED BY AMBULANCE TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA CENTER AND HAD SURGERY TWO WEEKS LATER TO REPAIR MY CLAVICLE. IT TOOK SURGERY, THE LARGEST CLAVICLE PLATE THEY MAKE, AND 10 SCREWS TO PUT MY SHOULDER BACK TOGETHER. OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT FIRE. OUR SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONERS DID NOT FIRE. THE OTHER VEHICLE FLED THE SCENE. OUR CAR WAS REPAIRED AT A STATE FARM CERTIFIED REPAIR CENTER.
NHTSA complaint #10596917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.