1999 Toyota Avalon

WAS DRIVING SOUND ON GREGORY RD AND ANOTHER CAR WAS TRAVELING NORTH SHE CAME INTO MY LANE AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND HIT ME HEAD ON MY AIRBAG NEW DEPLOYED AND MY SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD I HAVE A BRUISE ACROSS MY CHEST FROM STEERING WHEEL AND BUMPS ON MY HEAD. *TR

DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL ABOUT THE 17TH OF DECEMBER 2013, I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE CAR TO A STOP. INSTEAD THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD SUDDENLY OUT OF CONTROL AND MOUNTED THE SIDEWALK. IT TRAVELED ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE IT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS NO OBJECT OR PERSON IN THE PATH OF THE CAR AND NOBODY WAS INJURED. THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH INCIDENT. THE FIRST WAS ON JUNE 3, 2006; THE SECOND WAS ON 3 FEBRUARY 2010. ALL INVOLVED THE CAR EITHER BEING STOPPED OR COMING TO A STOP. I DOCUMENTED BOTH, WRITING TO TOYOTA FULL ACCOUNTS OF EACH INCIDENT. I HAVE COPIES OF THESE LETTERS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON JUNE 3, 2006 LONG BEFORE THE WIDELY PUBLICIZED DEATH OF 4 PEOPLE IN AN ACCELERATING TOYOTA VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE DRIVER OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A RECURRING FAILURE IN WHICH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON INVOLUNTARILY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98E035000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC "EVENT" CAR JUST SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE. CAR WAS PARKED, DRIVER AWAY FROM THE CAR, WHEN DRIVER RETURNED AND GOT INTO CAR NOTICED A SMELL, THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE, PUT THE WINDOW UP AND SMELL WAS STRONGER. LOOKED DOWN AND FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER THE RADIO. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED, FIRE EXTINGUISHED. *TR

ON AUGUST 9, 2009, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER AVALON WITH OUR 8-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER IN IT, TO GRAB A BITE TO EAT IN WALNUT CREEK, CA. WHEN MY WIFE TRIED TO STOP THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING EVEN THOUGH THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION. SINCE SHE COULD NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE, SHE DECIDED TO DRIVE BACK HOME THAT WAS ONLY MINUTES AWAY. BUT ON HER WAY HOME, THE CAR LOST POWER AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, WHITE SMOKE WAS ERUPTED OUT OF THE ENGINE. LUCKILY, THEY WERE TRAVELING ON THE RESIDENTIAL STREET AND MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO STEP ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR IN TIME BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. EVEN PEOPLE FROM NEARBY RESIDENCE SAW THIS INCIDENT AND CAME OUT TO OFFER HELP. I COULD NOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THEY WERE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. NEVERTHELESS, MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTERWARD DUE TO THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOW THE CAR WAS DEAD!! I ORDERED AAA TO TOW THE CAR TO WALNUT CREEK TOYOTA DEALER THAT DAY FOR REPAIR. ON AUGUST 10, 2009, I WAS INFORMED BY TIM LUBECK, A TOYOTA ADVISOR THAT MY CAR STARTER STUCK ON THE 'ON' POSITION THE WHOLE TIME AFTER THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUNNING, CAUSING THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THEY HAD EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE STARTER AND THE MELTED POSITIVE & NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLES FOR TOTAL REPAIR COSTS OF $922.04, WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCESSIVE ' ESPECIALLY THE LABOR COST THAT WAS $475.87. I'VE MAILED A LETTER ALONG WITH A COPY OF REPAIR INVOICE AND IMAGE OF DEFECTIVE STARTER ON 3/4/2010 [XXX] TO REQUEST FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF MY REPAIR COSTS THAT I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SINCE THIS WHOLE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE TOYOTA STARTER. SO FAR, TOYOTA DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A COURTESY TO RESPOND TO MY LETTER. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS, REPAIR INVOICE AND IMAGE OF THE DEFECTIVE STARTER AND MELTED WIRES. *TR

1999 TOYOTA AVALON. UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS AT A CAR WASH WHICH WAS NEARING THE END OF THE WAS ON THE CONVEYOR BELT WITH THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL GEAR AS REQUIRED. AT THE END OF THE WASH CYCLE, THE GREEN LIGHT CAME ON WHICH WAS HER SIGNAL TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND EASE OFF THE BELT ONTO THE LOT. AT THE GREEN LIGHT, THE CONSUMER PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO CHANGE THE GEAR FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE. ONCE IN DRIVE GEAR, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND INSTANTLY ACCELERATED AT A TREMENDOUSLY HIGH SPEED. THE CONSUMER STOMPED ON THE BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY WITH NO RESULT. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE EAST SIDEWALK AND THREE EMPTY SOUTHBOUND LANES. IT THEN COLLIDED INTO THE THREE NORTHBOUND-LANE CARS; CROSSED THE WEST SIDEWALK AND CRASHED THROUGH A SIX FOOT COMMERCIAL CHAIN LINK FENCE; HIT A PARKED PICK UP TRUCK AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE WALL WAS THE FINAL OBJECT THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHICH HAD MAINTAINED EXCESSIVE SPEED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. *JB

MY 1999 TOYOTA AVALON PERIODICALLY SURGES WHEN I USE CRUISE CONTROL ON AN UPHILL INCLINE. TO STOP THE SURGE IN SPEED, I TAKE THE CAR OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL. *TR

IT HAS HAPPENED ON LEVEL SURFACES AS WELL AS INCLINES. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE, THEY FIRST MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THEY MAKE A SOUND LIKE A METAL SPRING UNCOILING (LIKE A CLICKING, OTHERWISE). AFTER THAT, YOU ARE FREE SAILING AS YOU HAVE NO BRAKES! THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE EITHER TRYING TO BRAKE OR EVEN AFTER BRAKING SUCCESSFULLY AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY LET LOOSE WHILE AT A STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. I HAVE THANKFULLY BEEN ABLE TO AVOID ANY SERIOUS INJURY OR ACCIDENTS, HOWEVER HAVE HAD A MINOR ISSUE WITH HITTING A FENCE DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. WE HAVE HAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED FOR ANY REPAIRS NEEDED ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO NOTE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LITE OFTEN COMES ON DASH EVEN ON DRY SURFACES. THIS BRAKING PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SIENNA, BUT IN OTHER MODEL TOYOTAS AS WELL. CURRENTLY, IT IS ONLY THE PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS GETTING PUBLIC ATTENTION, HOWEVER. *TR

MY 1999 TOYOTA AVALON XLS, HAS HAD SEVERAL ACCELERATION EVENTS, THIS HAS OCCURRED WILL AT A STOP, WITH FOOT BRAKE ENGAGED, IN DRIVE GEAR, THE CAR SURGES FORWARD FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS. THE BRAKE IS ABLE TO KEEP CAR FROM MOVING MORE THAN A FOOT. *TR

SUSPECT SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IS DEATH. *TR

AT ABOUT 5:00 P.M. MARCH 18, 2007, AS I WENT TO PICK UP MY 96 YEAR OLD MOTHER AT THE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, I STOPPED MY 1999 TOYOTA AVALON UNDERNEATH THE DRIVE-THROUGH CANOPY TO WAIT FOR HER. AS I WAITED THERE, I NOTICED THAT A CAR HAD PULLED UP BEHIND ME AND WAS PREPARING TO DISCHARGE AN ELDERLY PASSENGER SO I PROCEEDED AROUND THE CIRCULAR DRIVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. AS I SLOWLY CIRCLED AROUND THE DRIVE BACK TOWARD THE ENTRANCE I NOTED THE OTHER CAR HAD CLEARED OUT. AS I COASTED TOWARD THE ENTRANCE I NOTED A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK WALKING TOWARD THE ENTRANCE IN FRONT OF ME. AS I CONTINUED SLOWLY BACK TOWARD THE ENTRANCE, I FELT MY VEHICLE ACCELERATE VIOLENTLY TOWARD THE GROUP OF PEDESTRIANS. ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, I GRADUALLY BROUGHT MY VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AND CONTINUED TO A SAFE STOP WHERE I SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. IT WAS A TERRIFYING FEELING TO FEEL THE SURGE OF POWER THAT I WAS BARELY ABLE TO CONTROL AND TO REALIZE THAT WITH THE PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF ME I COULD HAVE INJURED OR KILLED SOMEONE. THE PEOPLE WERE ONLY ABOUT 30 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. I CALLED MY HUSBAND TO COME PICK UP MY MOTHER AND ME AS I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER WHO SCHEDULED AN INSPECTION. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AFTER CLASSIFYING THE INCIDENT AS 'UNINTENDED ACCELERATION', PROCEEDED TO CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY, CLEAN THE FUEL INJECTORS, AND DE-CARBON THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. THE THROTTLE BODY HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED AT 45,900 MILES, (AN INTERVAL OF 43,240 MILES). A SERVICE INTERVAL OF 50,000 MILES IS RECOMMENDED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR GREAT HARM TO PEDESTRIANS, THIS WAS THE ONLY INCIDENT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT WE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR DURING THE FOUR YEARS THAT I OWNED IT. ON FEB 13, 2008, I SOLD THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO CHANGE LANES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. IT BEGAN SWAYING FROM ONE LANE TO THE NEXT. SHE TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE. SHE HIT THE CENTER DIVIDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE HAD NO CONTROL AND COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. WHEN INSPECTED, THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN 2007. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 27,000. UPDATED 03/10/10 *BF UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB