2007 Toyota Avalon

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE SLOWING DOWN FROM 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION RACES BUT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD AFTER STOPPING AT INTERSECTIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 2,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9.

I AM ON HIGHWAY WITH 65MPH SPEED. I TURNED THE LASER CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME IS SLOWING DOWN, THE LASER CRUISE CONTROL DETECTS THE SPEED AND SLOW DOWN AUTOMATICALLY. HOWEVER, THE DEFECT IS: THE BRAKING LIGHTS NEVER LIGHT UP WHILE THE CAR IS SLOWING DOWN. IT ALMOST CAUSES ME AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME CAN NOT RECOGNIZE MY CAR BEING BRAKED. IT HAPPENS MANY TIMES AT CRUISING WITH HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FELL FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TOYOTA WHO WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE WINDOW BECAME DETACHED. TOYOTA SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A CHANGE IN PRESSURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP AND THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. CURRENTLY, THE TOYOTA DEALER HAS THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 190.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF, THERE IS NO WAY TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK DUE TO THE KEYLESS ENTRY. SHE IS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THIS FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY AFTER SHE EXITS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DANGEROUS AND WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE DESIGN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 3,993 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

FROM: ASK TOYOTA TO: DESDIV222@NJ.RR.COM SENT: TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2007 2:13 PM. SUBJECT: LOCK OUT FOR TRUNK AND GAS TANK RELEASE WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION [INCIDENT: 070515-000131] BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF YOUR CONTACT MESSAGE AND OUR RESPONSE SUBJECT. LOCK OUT FOR TRUNK AND GAS TANK RELEASE WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. E APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE TRUNK OPENER SWITCH AND FUEL FILLER DOOR OPENER SWITCH. AK PLEASE NOTE: TOYOTA DOES NOT CURRENTLY MARKET A LOCK OUT FEATURE FOR THE TRUNK OPENER SWITCH AND FUEL FILLER DOOR OPENER SWITCH FOR THE 2007 AVALON. YOUR FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. IT IS THROUGH COMMENTS SUCH AS YOURS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REVIEW AND IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTS. YOUR EMAIL HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AT OUR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS UNDER FILE #200705150711. 05/15/2007 09:57 AM HAVE A NEW 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. S I AM NEW TO THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IS NEW TO ME, I AM STILL FUMBLING FOR THE CORRECT SWITCH, KNOB, ETC. THIS MORNING, TUESDAY, WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 10 MPH, I NEEDED TO RAISE THE REAR WINDOW SUNSHADE. I REACHED DOWN TO THE LEFT AND AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL AND ACTIVATED A SWITCH. INSTEAD OF THE REAR SUNSHADE SWITCH, I INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE TRUNK RELEASE AND THEN THE GAS TANK DOOR RELEASE. BOTH THE TRUNK OPENED AND THE GAS TANK DOOR OPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE OF COURSE). TO ME THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, NOT TO MENTION AN ANNOYANCE. ARE THESE SWITCHES FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THAT IS ARE THEY DESIGNED TO PERMIT ACTIVATION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR? OTHER VEHICLES THAT I HAVE OWNED OR RENTED LOCK THESE MECHANISMS FROM OPENING THE TRUNK LID RELEASE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. TOOK 2007 TOYOTA AVALON OPERATE IN THE SAME SAFE MANNER AS I INDICATE FOR OTHER VEHICLES , SUCH AS LOCK OUT THE SWITCHES UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL?*AK

WE HAD A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR CONDUCTING A CLASS USING THE 2007 AVALON. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS DRIVING AND ACCELERATED TO PASS A VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND THE ACCELERATORS STUCK AND THE CAR REACHED 8000+ RPMS THE INSTRUCTOR HAD TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF, USING THE PUSH BUTTON START. IT FINALLY TURNED OFF AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES ON THE PUSH BUTTON. ONCE THE MOTOR TURNED OFF THE ACCELERATOR THEN CAME UP SLOWLY BY ITS SELF. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND WERE TOLD IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE FLOOR MATS. THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE IN THIS CAR AND THEY ALL SAW THE SAME THING. THE FLOOR MATS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE HAD THE DEALER GO OVER THE CAR AND AGAIN WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WE HOWEVER DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR FINDINGS. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. THE VEHICLE'S PUSH BUTTON STARTER WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PUSH STARTER NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE DAY AFTER THE PUSH BUTTON STARTER WAS REPROGRAMMED THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. DURING A SECOND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE STARTER WITH THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 200. *AK UPDATE 04/19/07 *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL OF THE CAR READ- CAUTION PEOPLE WITH AN IMPLANTED CARDIAC PACEMAKER OR DEFIBRILLATOR SHOULD KEEP AWAY FROM THE SMART KEY SYSTEM BECAUSE THE RADIO WAVES MAY AFFECT THE OPERATION OF SUCH DEVICES. THE CONTACTS FATHER HAD ONE. HE CONTACTED TOYOTA, AND GOT TECHNICAL DETAILS ON THE FREQUENCY OF THE SYSTEM. HE SENT THE INFORMATION TO HIS CARDIOLOGIST, WHO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DEFIBRILLATOR, AND HE WAS ADVISED NOT TO LET HIS FATHER WITHIN 18 INCHES OF THE CAR. THE CONTACT QUESTIONED IF HE SHOULD KEEP HIS FATHER AWAY FROM THE CAR BUT WHAT WAS HIS LIABILITY IF SOMEONE WALKED OR PARKED NEXT TO THIS CAR, AND THE PERSON HAD AN IMPLANTED PACEMAKER, AND HE DIED, WHAT WOULD BE HIS LIABILITY ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK UPDATE 4/23/07*TR

NOV 23, 2006: IN REPOSITIONING MY 2007 AVALON XLS IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY SISTER'S HOUSE, I SLOWLY PULLED FORWARD TO RE-PARK AND APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP AND THE ACCELERATOR IMMEDIATELY WENT TO HIGH RPMS - I HAD TO BRAKE VERY HARD TO KEEP FROM HITTING MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND HIS HOUSE. I WAS BRAKING - AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. ON DEC 23, 2006 THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED TWO BLOCKS IN A ROW IN OUR CONGESTED DOWNTOWN AREA. THE 1ST TIME, I WAS STOPPING VERY SLOWLY; THE SECOND TIME I WAS BRAKING TO WAIT FOR A PARKING SPACE. THE 1ST TIME I TRIED CHANGING GEARS AND THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE SECOND TIME I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. MY WIFE WAS A WITNESS. I DROVE THIS CAR FOR THE MONTH AFTER IT'S PURCHASE NEW (SEP 6, 2006), EVERY 2ND/3RD DAY FOR THE MONTH OF OCT 2006, AND OFF/ON DURING NOV 2006 WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. I TOLD THE LOCAL/DISTRICT TOYOTA PERSONNEL THAT I COULD NOT TRUST THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN PARKED EITHER AT THE DEALERSHIP OR IN MY GARAGE ALMOST EVERY DAY SINCE DEC 23, 2006. THE DISTRICT TOYOTA PERSONNEL SAID THAT THEY DID NOT CONSIDER MY CAR UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY 'COULD NOT FIND ANY ERROR CODES' IN THE CAR'S SYSTEM, AND ON THE 102 MILE TEST DRIVE THEY DID, WITHOUT ME PRESENT, THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE MY PROBLEM. THEY DID SIMULATE IT BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME!!!! I WAS ON THE HIGHEST ALERT THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 23RD! MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR! I WAS BRAKING ALL THREE TIMES - OR ELSE MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED, HIS HOUSE DAMAGED, AND CARS DOWNTOWN HIT. I RESENT THE INSINUATION THAT I WAS PUSHING BOTH PEDALS ALL THREE TIMES. NO EXPLANATION WHY I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THE NEARLY THREE MONTHS (WITH THE SAME SHOES ON) BEFORE THE PROBLEM FIRST AROSE. TOYOTA CLOSED MY PROBLEM REPORT AS 'SOLVED' EVEN THOUGH THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE DID NOT CONSIDER IT 'SOLVED'. WHY? *NM