Toyota Avalon Reviews

Car is always garaged! Opened front door one morning and smelled a cigarette (?) odor... We don't smoke. A day or 2 later the smell was intolerable!!! I took the car to a local Collision repair where I know the owner and he found that the carpeting in the ENTIRE INSIDE of the vehicle soaking wet. I used my carpet cleaner to extract the water (took 2.5 days) and it got even worse! We were told it was mold. After much to do w/ the local and national Toyota authorities they told us to bring it in for an evaluation. I told them it was too dangerous to drive and inhale the fumes from the mold.

There is a moldy or musty odor in my 2014 Avalon. I brought it to the dealership and they said they know what I was experiencing. They told me there is no fix, and I should adjust the airflow settings to avoid the odor. I had the service department replace the air and cabin filters (at my expense on a vehicle with 2,600 miles). This did not make a bit of difference. I am now having to live with a $40,000 vehicle and a musty odor every time I get in the car. After reading other reviews it seems this not an isolated issue. Why doesn't Toyota have a resolution for this repeated problem?

I have owned two 2004 Toyota Avalon XLSs. The first one was totaled, through no fault of my own, in a head-on collision in 2006 - 10 months after I purchased that vehicle. I replaced that Avalon with my current vehicle, which has only 41,000 miles. The only major repair I have had to make is to have the brakes replaced. There have been several recall issues, which have been repaired by the local dealer, before I was even aware of most of them. However, I'm very concerned now because the latest recall, an issue with electronic signals that interfere with, and is suppose to cause the airbags to deploy is taking a very long time for Toyota to come up with a solution. Lately, my airbag light keeps coming on and off. It's getting scary. Other than that, I'm am 100% satisfied with Toyota service and value. I have never owned a vehicle that has been so reliable and cost-effective with regard to maintenance.

I bought a used 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited on 2013. Just recently I had to change ignition coil, and now when the car sits long period of time first when I start the car and put on reverse gear, it's making strange noise (STATIC) kind of noise for 5 seconds and stops. After that no problem until I park the car and let it sit for some time and then again it does the same thing.

2006 Avalon XLE - Ruptured VV-i oil line plus other problems. Had a sudden massive UNKNOWN oil leak. No dash lights ever went on, including low oil, temperature or "check engine" lights. Drove it for 30 or so miles before going into our garage. Noticed oily water stains that the tires made on the garage floor as it was raining that day. Turned off the engine and checked the dipstick and it showed no oil level. Added a quart of oil - same thing. Added 4 more quarts of oil, checking the dip stick each time, and no oil level never showed. Looked underneath the car and there was all of the oil, which came out as fast as it could be poured.

Bought my Avalon new and now have 191,000 miles. It's been the best car I have ever had. Show me a car that doesn't need repairs over time and I will consider buying one as long as it has features and qualities equal or better than my Avalon. My 2000 Toyota Tundra is good but does't compare. I drove my 1985 Toyota 22R Extra Cab Pickup for 17 years. It's hard for me to go to another car company. I guess I'm just lucky. You have to drive these cars hard to get the best out of them. Don't be timid!

First, there are plenty of recalls. Second, Toyota is costly, yet no customer care nor quality control! Purchased 4 tires from Superior Toyota Erie, PA and all 4 leaked and needed new valve stems in less than a week, as if our time is not important. Finally, another recall and still they haven't fixed or determined what is causing rust to come from all 4 door handles, as if it is unique until you go on line and find out it is in every car with the same door handles that leak rust. They think we ought to pay to have it fixed but it is a day one defect! They lost this customer when I'm ready to start looking to buy another car but not another Toyota Avalon Limited 2005 with 56,000K almost all highway! I'm gonna fight this and now I know I'm not the only guy; maybe see about a class action. I won't see the repair on their dime.

I purchased my 2007 Toyota Avalon in 2010. I expected a few problems but none like what I have experienced. 2 years in, I got brakes replaced. I had my ignition coils replaced twice. I had an extremely bad oil leak. The rear shade was making this terrible noise. I eventually took the fuse out. My a/c shutter are broken. The paint is peeling on my bumper and the interior dash. The passenger side seat belt is broken. The car currently in the shop getting painted. I have spent approx $3000.00... with the warranty (bumper to bumper is not really bumper to bumper). Should have got a Honda.

At approximately 65,000 miles I had to pay over $500 to replace the bulbs in my headlights. At approximately 110,000 miles both bright lights went out at same time. At 125,000 miles one of my low beam light started cutting out one minute after turning on. I brought the car to my local dealer. They told me both HID headlight assemblies need to be replaced at a cost of $2,662.00.

I purchased a 2009 Avalon new. Had severe headlight problems from the beginning. Headlights were too dim for drive at night safely (come to find out I was driving on the fog lights only, the dim headlight would come on and then turn off so just the fog lights were on), and the dealer would not adjust them stating that it was against the law to adjust them more than the manufacturer's settings, and then the headlight started turning off completely when driving (which was more than terrifying), but the indicator light inside the car said they were on. I took the car back to the dealer many times, always got the same answer: "Your car is fine," "That's just the way they operate".

Just bought a used 2009 Toyota Avalon XLS. The engine knocks for the first 10 mins after starting it up. The adjustable steering wheel collapses while driving and I'm worried about the gas pedal sticking. I have a 2000 with 230,000 miles and a 2003 with 175,000 miles both great cars. They have only been in the shop for main. I've had the 2009 for 3 weeks and it has been in the shop once.

I own a 2002 Avalon XLS, great car but in the past year, it has started making a "groaning" noise when I turn the steering wheel at low speeds. It has been looked at by several mechanics and they indicate that the noise is coming from the steering column. One suggestion was to replace the steering column. I am searching for anyone that knows of a similar situation and what can be done to eliminate this annoying noise. A $35K car should not make these types of noises.

I purchased my car in December and paid top dollar, no discount. I expected to get about 40 mpg and only got 30 mpg. They said wait until summer. Now I get about 34 mpg. I filed a complaint with Toyota and they said it was only an EPA estimate. I contacted the EPA person who handles Toyota and he said that EPA gets mpg from Toyota, and he only proves their correctness. Toyota has gone over this car and said there is nothing wrong. I have checked other owners on the internet and they boast of getting 40 mpg or over. I do not think Toyota wants to investigate thoroughly.

My 2008 Toyota Avalon has a problem with its headlights as do many other 2008 Avalons according to the internet. They go on and off randomly. You can bang the fender when they are off and they will come on. I understand that dealers have a memo on this issue, but have not offered to correct it. My car has 68,000 miles on it and is out of warranty, but this appears to be a defective headlight problem. Are you going to repair this for customers?

Our 2007 Toyota Avalon has approximately 18,000 miles and has been driven very infrequently. On Thursday, December 27, 2012, the wash fluid for the wipers was leaking. Your Toyota Service Bulletin was published identifying this defect and corrective action. This is apparently a manufacturing defect and should be part of the warranty. West Herr fixed the problem on Friday, December 28, 2012. The problem was that the hose became disconnected from the pump.

I purchased a 2011 Toyota Avalon around March 2011 in Florida. Since returning to Pennsylvania, I have had three (3) instances of mice building nests in the air filtration system. The first two times, I spent $150 to get the matter cleaned up. I should not have to do this again. I contacted Toyota directly (not the dealer) and they said in essence, "We don't care." This is a health problem as well as a great inconvenience. Can you help me?

Toyota Care should be renamed to Toyota Doesn't Care. I just traded my 2005 Avalon in for a 2012 Hyundai Azera and won't be looking back. It's not that the Avalon isn't a good car, but the number of recalls for that model was quite a shock. It's not that the dealerships won't help you or try to make things right, they do. It's not that the sales folks won't give you a great deal, if you work with them they will. But never and I mean never count on Toyota Care to do just that, care. They don't care.

Problems 2009 Toyota Avalon - The positive battery post has a recurring corrosion problem. I first noticed it when the car would delay starting. I took it to the Toyota dealer 3 times. They said that this is normal for all cars. I have had several American made cars and never had this problem. So, I assumed they meant it was a problem with all Toyotas. Next, the engine has a knocking noise when first started and accelerating up the hill where I live. This continues for about 3 miles and sounds like valve lifters are not getting oil. Landers’ Toyota said that this is normal in all Avalons. I would just like new customers to be forewarned.

My 2006 Toyota Avalon suffered a complete loss of engine oil due to a faulty oil line. The engine light never went on and only when the car made terrible noises did I have it towed to the dealer. They fixed it for free because the part had been recalled, but one month later, I have a cam shaft failure. Toyota is trying to tell me that it has nothing to do with the complete loss of oil, although from my own research, I see that this is not the case. Therefore the repair is "on me." Corporate tells me that it is up to the dealer and the dealer tells me it is up to corporate. I believe that if a car company makes a faulty part that results in further damage to the engine, it should be held at least partially responsible. We are talking about repairs well into the thousands of dollars.

I was parking my car into my garage, when all of a sudden; the engine revved forward, causing me to crash into a freezer. I braked, and shoved the gear into park. I wanted to reverse an inch back. When I shifted to reverse, the car jetted out of the garage, with my foot still on the brake. I quickly shifted to park again, but not after totaling out two garage doors behind me. I had the car towed to Toyota. Upon inspection, nothing was deemed wrong with the car, although $1,200 later, I was given a perfectly safe car to drive back. It ran fine one day, then upon turning the car the next day, the RPMs revved up to 6, and the same thing was going to happen. This could have been another horrible accident, if it had happened on the road.

Bright headlights burn out at the same time several months ago. They said they have ordered the headlights but that they are on backorder. My wife has to drive this vehicle at night with no bright lights. We had a friend with same problem and they had ordered a second set for his car and they told us that they could not put them on our vehicle because of warranty. This is a problem with 2009 Avalon.

I purchased a Toyota Avalon in 2006 after owning a Lexus for 13 years. This has been a good car for the most part. Unfortunately, I recently had to replace the air condenser. The repair shop told me they do not normally see this problem in newer vehicles. I am considering purchasing another Toyota. Considering this early repair, would you offer some remuneration on the purchase towards a new Toyota?

I purchased my 2006 Avalon 10 months ago from Melody Toyota. I've had to bring in my vehicle for 2 engine rebuilds due to black smoke spewing from the tail pipe while on the freeway. On July 7, 2011, I noticed my engine was ticking/knocking and I wasn't due for an oil change for another 3,000 miles. I brought my car to the closest Toyota, City Toyota in Daly City. They noticed the knocking and contacted my extended warranty and gave me a rental Prius. Upon the advise of my service advisor, who recently resigned, I called up Toyota Customer Service 800-331-4331 and opened up a ticket #**. My case manager who was assigned was Debra ** ext **.

My 2001 Toyota Avalon has 85,00 miles. Something inside the drivers side door handle must have snapped off or broken because the front door can now only be opened by using the outside latch. That is a safety issue because someone could get trapped in their car. Toyota says that door handles are just an "expected wear and tear" item and that I should be delighted that my door handle mechanism lasted so many years because they expect most to break earlier. The repair would cost 140 for parts and 198 for labor. Although it is an "expected wear and tear" item there are no references to that in any manual and there is no easy access to repair.

My mother was driving her 2003 Avalon home on September 2, 2007 and her car suddenly drifted off to the right and over an embankment and hit a tree. She was killed within seconds. Her autopsy results indicated she had died of chest trauma and no apparent other reasons such as heart attack or stroke. My concern is that there was problem in the steering mechanism of the vehicle, which impaired her ability to drive the vehicle. Her vehicle would be on the recall list but was totaled in the accident.

New Avalon 11/10/01. Discovered sludge problem 5/28/10. Pederson Toyota confirmed 7/12/10. Current mileage 42,993. Said no help was available. Car is not drivable and has not been since 5/28/10.

My daughters Toyota Avalon xsl 1997 makes a loud moaning noise when she first moves the car. She was told by a salesman that all of these cars make this noise. I think they are wrong. Has anyone else complained about this strange moaning noise?

I have a 2006 Toyota Avalon XLS. My wife was driving the car and the oil line blew. After the car was towed in to Pauly Toyota in Crystal Lake, they told us there was a faulty oil line on the car which I had never gotten notice from Toyota for any faulty oil lines. The oil line blowing resulted in an engine replacement. Toyota had the car for probably a week or more. As soon as I got it back, the car was not driving right, accelerating too slowly or too fast, sputtering making noises.

I bought a new 2002 Toyota Avalon with an extended warranty. I had no problems with the car until about 60,000 miles. It began to smoke and use oil. The car had never been in the shop and had used only AmsOil in the engine. I took it to the dealership. Tests were run and I was told that the engine had sludge. I was also told that since my son-in-law, who is an AmsOil dealer and a mechanic for Fed Ex, had taken care of oil changes, they could not say I had taken care of the car. It is a known fact that Toyota has had sludge problems, but I was told that they did not by the service manager. I am 78 years old, retired, and on a fixed income. I cannot afford a new car and I feel that I have been insulted by them at the very least. He said they could repair it for $4,000 which I cannot afford.

I purchased Toyota Avalon in 2000. Two or three years later, the engine was packed with sludge. Toyota repaired the problem at no cost, but told me it could occur again. And it did in 2008. My husband took care of the basic maintenance car repairs. Unfortunately, I didn't keep all of the receipts.

My 2009 Avalon XLS came with two problems: front end vibration above 65 mph and an intermittent vibration between 38 and 42 mph. After 5 trips to the dealer within two months and 5,000 miles, an inspection by a Southeast Toyota technician concluded that the car was operating normally. I placed 140 lbs of weights on the front passenger floor. That seemed to alleviate the vibration over 65 mph but created an obvious unsafe condition. The inconsistent vibration between 38-42 mph was still there. The only response I received from Toyota Corp or the dealer was a copy of the technician's report. I sent a final letter to Toyota. They opened a new file on the case after I traded the car. Rather than put up with these annoyances, I traded the car for a Hyundai. I would have traded for another Toyota but the dealer offer was ridiculous.

I purchased new 2007 Toyota Avalon from the showroom. Since I have the car, I had to make 5 trips to dealer. First, my tires went flat at 17800 miles and the dealer told me that it was an issue with Avalon. Next, the car was very noisy then the dealer told me that the factory forgot to put the liner with roof and the seats are sinking and quite uncomfortable for a long driving. The car is not as good as the Avalon I had purchased in 2001. Telescopic Steering Wheel Latch opens with road vibration and steering wheel goes down. Very scary experience.

I have a 2004 Toyota Avalon sitting idle in my driveway with roughly 30,000 miles and a blown engine due to oil sludge. After reading through this website, I see I had the typical Toyota experience. I was told the sludge was my fault, I must never have changed my oil, must not have driven it enough, etc. They also did the condescending, "You must be an idiot or a liar because our cars don't create this problem" approach. I have to admit I must be an idiot - this is my second Avalon, the first also had the sludge, they told me I must have "put diesel" in it, but I was able to get that one repaired on my own with an engine overhaul at an independent mechanic. Do I have any recourse?

I inherited a 1997 Toyota Avalon after my brother's death in 2002. He took impeccable care of his "baby" and never had a problem. I have been driving the car since then, and starting last year (2008) I noticed blue smoke when I started the car and while driving. I brought the car to a garage last year, and to a repair garage that I trust. They said that it was not burning oil. I do regular oil change maintenance on the car, and actually was getting an oil change every two months because the oil level was going down quickly. I took the car back to the garage in May 2009 and they told me that the car has engine sludge and that I should check out what Toyota is doing for the consumers with this issue because of the class action lawsuit. I called the Toyota dealer who then asked how many miles are on the car. I said somewhere around 100,000 and it is my main source of travel. She then said, "Sorry, we can't do anything for you." I can't afford a car now and I can't afford to get this fixed. What do I do?

We purchased a 2006 Toyota Avalon three years ago. From my first oil change I reported having a feeling of pulling in the transmission. It felt as though it would down shift rather than upshift when accelerating. I was told by several service writers that it was how the Avalon drove and to get use to it. My vehicle is 3 years old and currently has 63994 miles on it, just outside of the 60K warranty.

More than 10 days now I have no car because my air conditionin my Avalon product in 2005 was brkdown and no more AC. I took the car to Toyota branch in Makka were I live. They promise after 10 days I will receive it on Sunday 19 Aug but now they say they have no more compressor. Imbelievable? Please help.

On Christmas Eve, 2000, I was involved in an accident where a drunk driver ran a stop sign and I hit him broadside. I have a 1998 Avalon and the airbags did not deploy. The extent of the damage is up to $12,000. We requested Toyota to look into this. It took them one month to visit the car. Once they visited, the outcome was that the impact was not sufficient to deploy the airbags and they would send a report. This was in January 2001 and have not received this report as yet.