2000 Toyota Avalon

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 114000.

TL* THE CONTACT 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. THE STEERING ON THE VEHICLE HAS A TENDENCY TO LOCK UP ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN ON A STREET CORNER AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 98,000. UPDATED 03/30/10. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. UPDATED 07/01/10.*JB

MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON STEERING WOULD RANDOMLY LOCKUP WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE PIN THAT LOCKS UP THE STEERING WHEEL FOR THEFT PROTECTION WOULD ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH IN TURN WOULD LOCK THE STEERING UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN HE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN RUNNING CAR INTO THE CURB. A WEEK LATER I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING LOCKED CAUSING ME TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AND I AVOIDED A COLLISION. MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAD NO EXPLAINATION FOR THE PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPLACING THE PART WITH LABOR WOULD BE ABOUT $800.00. I HAD A MECHANIC AT A LOCAL GARAGE JUST REMOVE THE LOCKING DEVICE FOR $200.00 AND NOT REPLACE IT. *TR

DEAR SIR OR MADAM, I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. MY CAR IS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XS, AND THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. I DRIVE ABOUT 25 MILES TO WORK DAILY THROUGH THE FREEWAY AND YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ITSELF WHILE THE CAR WAS ON, FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES I WAS UNABLE TO GO IN ANY OTHER DIRECTION OTHER THAN STRAIGHT BECAUSE IT HAD LOCKED ITSELF. AFTER USING FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT HAD FINALLY DISLODGED, IT WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAD STARTED TO DRIFT INTO THE OTHER LANE SO I SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE LOCKED IN A STRAIGHTAWAY INSTEAD OF A TURN. HOWEVER THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME IT HAD HAPPENED, LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN I WAS DOING ERRANDS IT HAD LOCKED UP ONCE AGAIN, THIS TIME OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE. AFTER TRYING TO BUDGE IT FOR A WHOLE HOUR IT FINALLY UNLOCKED AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO OUR CAR SHOP. THE OWNER OF THE SHOP, A FRIEND OF OURS, ENCOURAGED US TO WRITE TO YOU TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. *TR

WHILE I WAS TURNING A 90 DEGREE RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO A CITY STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. NOT POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE, BUT COMPLETE LOCK UP. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND STOPPED THE CAR. AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION OFF, THEN BACK ON, THE CAR COULD AGAIN BE STEERED. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, AND WE HAD BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2000. CAR NOW HAS 92,000 MILES. THE DEALER REMOVED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK AT MY INSISTENCE. NO OTHER PART WAS REPAIRED OR REPLACED, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM SOUTHBOUND EASTERN AVE. TO WEST BOUND WARM SPRINGS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN THE TURNED POSITION CAUSING THE CAR TO GO OVER A CURB NEARLY HITTING A UTILITY POLE. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS BENT AND THAT TIRE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FRONT END LIKELY KNOCKED OUT OF ALIGNMENT. IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES A DISASTROUS CRASH COULD EASILY HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE A PHONE CALL IN TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO FIX THINGS. *TR