2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT SEATS, THERE IS A METAL BAR THAT IS NOT WELL PADDED. FROM ALL INDICATIONS THIS BAR AFFECTED EITHER THE NERVES OR BLOOD FLOW IN MY LEGS CAUSING THEM TO GO NUMB. THIS WAS 1.5 HOURS INTO A 5 HOUR DRIVE THAT WE MAKE SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER CAR. THIS WAS THE FIRST TRIP WITH THE NEW TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS MORE PADDING THEN THE PASSENGER SIDE MAYBE IN ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE THIS PROBLEM? THE LIGHTER THE PERSON, THE LESS OF AN ISSUE THIS MAY BE. WHILE TRYING…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10627829 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER BUMPS AND POTHOLES VERY ROUGHLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S BODY WAS VERY SORE AFTER DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TEN OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10639271 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON THE SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM (PCS) SPONTANEOUSLY ENGAGED, QUICKLY BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR; THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS AND NO STOPPED TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE TRAVELING CLOSE BEHIND, OTHERWISE A REAR COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10693131 at NHTSA ↗

ON OCTOBER 7, 2014, WE PURCHASED OUR CAR FROM NEW ROCHELLE TOYOTA. SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE BARELY DRIVEN THE CAR. AFTER FIVE MONTHS WE HAVE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 1,700 MILES. WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY AVOIDED DRIVING THE CAR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AND ON BUMPY ROADS. DESPITE OUR CARE, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT BUMPER HAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THAT A SCREW HAD COME OUT, BUT ON CLOSER INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT THE METAL PIECE OF THE BUMPER WHICH THE SCREW HELD IN PLACE HAD BROKEN OFF. I…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10695166 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN APPLYING FOOT ON ACCELERATOR VEHICLE DELAYS MOVEMENT AND HESITATION ENGINE MAKES RATTLING NOISE HIT BUMPS AND POTHOLES EVEN HIGHWAY JOINT VERY ROUGHLY ,VERY POOR STEERING CONTROL FEELS UNSAFE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10704587 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS T-BONED BY AN UNLICENSED, UNINSURED DRIVER. HIS 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CARE HIT MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, BACK DOOR. DESTROYED BOTH DOORS, FRONT FENDER, REAR FENDER, AND TWO TIRES. NO AIRBAG WENT OFF IN MY TOYOTA AND I WAS WONDERING WHY. I MAY HAVE A BROKEN BONE IN THE ROTOCUFF OF MY LEFT SHOULDER. I AM SCHEDULED FOR AN MRI TO FIND OUT.

Owner-reported narrative. 11,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10731384 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER IN SUMMER AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS OR OVERNIGHT; THERE IS A MUSTY, URINE TYPE SMELL. I DID WHAT TOYOTA SERVICE RECOMMENDED BY NOT RECIRCULATING THE AIR; WHICH WE RARELY DO UNLESS DUSTY. THE SYSTEM DEFAULT IS FOR RECIRCULATING AIR AND WE SWITCH IT OVER RIGHT AWAY TO FRESH AIR WHEN WE START THE VEHICLE. WE CHANGED THE CABIN FILTER TO A TOYOTA CHARCOAL FILTER WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED BY TOYOTA WHICH HELPED FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS WE ARE CONCERNED THIS MAYBE LINKED TO A MOLD PROBLEM ETC.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10745166 at NHTSA ↗

AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM.IN THE MORNING WHEN TURN ON THE FAN THE AIR COME OUT IS VERY STINT.DURING THE DAY AFTER USING THE AIR CONDITIONING ,STOP THE CAR.WHEN YOU START THE CAR AGAIN THEN OPEN THE FAN THE AIR COME OUT HAS A FOUL ODOR.COMPLAIN 3 TIMES DURING 2014-2015 ,AS TOYOTA RECOMMEND CHANGING THE AIR FILTER USING THE CARBON ONE,CLEAN UP THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ,CLEAN THE WHOLE CAR ,THE STINT STILL EXIST.EVERY MORNING WHEN WE START OPERATE THE CAR WE HAVE TO INHALE THE FOUL ODOR CAUSING HEADACHE .VERY FRUSTRATION BUT TOYOTA STILL SAID I…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10785306 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-11-03 (November 3, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.

Consequence: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.

Reported: 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

Consequence: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.