2004 Toyota AVALON: complaints, problems and recalls

THE REAR WHEEL FROZE WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID 8 FEET UP IN THE AIR ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED BRUISES ALL OVER HIS BODY AND RECEIVED 20 STITCHES IN HIS ELBOW . *JB *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074270 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A BRUSHING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON TWO OCCASIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE A/C WAS RUNNING THE VEHICLE WOULD DIE AS WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED, THE TRUNK GASKET LEAKED, NOISES WERE HEARD WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT (STEERING FELT TIGHT), THE TRUNK BOTTOM WOULD NOT OPEN, THE WIPERS WOULD HIT THE HOOD, THERE WAS A SCRAPING WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS LEAKING WATER, AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT …

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083551 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTRA ADDED SAFETY DEVICE USED TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THIS VEHICLE WILL EVER LOSE TRACTION AND SKID. THE OWNER HAS PUT 381 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE TRACK OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND THAT SPECIAL TRACTION DEVICE WAS NOT WORKING. THE SECOND LIGHT V.S.C. LIGHT VEHICLE STABILIZING CONTROL LIGHT APPEARED AND THE THIRD LIGHT WHICH WAS THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 7,361 miles reported. Look up ODI 10091499 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *TT *NM *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099310 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 35 MILES PER HOUR THE CONSUMER HIT A CURB WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TO GO FLAT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE STRUT ARM, KNUCKLE STEERING, BUSHINGS AND BEARINGS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105388 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF/RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108850 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. *NM THE RPM REACHED 7000. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS MARKS THE FOURTH TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED 10099310. HEAVY SMOKE CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE CRASH. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RACING. *TC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 8,614 miles reported. Look up ODI 10109571 at NHTSA ↗

TOYOTA AVALON XLS 2004 PROBLEM SEEING THE TRUNK WHEN BACKING UP FOR VISUAL IDEA OF HOW CLOSE TO WHAT BEHIND ME. *BF SIX DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND ALL THE DASH LIGHTS STAYED LIT. THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10113429 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-07-29 (July 29, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.

Consequence: SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2011-11-09 (November 9, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2015-01-28 (January 28, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.

Consequence: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.