2005 Toyota Avalon power train problems

“After the alternator and battery dies the car went right back to accelerating by itself into traffic, I contacted Toyota and explained that after the battery and alternator died the problem came right back but they seem not to care”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE GEARS SHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT FURTHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. TOYOTA OF BOWIE (16700 GOVERNOR BRIDGE RD, BOWIE, MD 20716, 301-867-1600) WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT CITED THE FUEL SYSTEM AS A POSSIBLE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20.”

“ON MAY 28, 2016, ME AND MY 4 YEAR OLD TODDLER WERE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE IN OUR 2005 TOYOTA AVALON (APPROX. 142,000 MILES) WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOSS POWER. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND HEAVY SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT GETTING SLAM FROM BEHIND ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED ON 05/18/2016; WITH NO ISSUE PRIOR TO TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAY. AFTER A DEALER FULL DIAGNOSTIC WAS COMPLETED; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND THAT ALONG WITH THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS THE SECOND OPINION. THE PREVIOUS DEALER FULL DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR IN 11/2015, WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AN "SYSTEM TOO LEAN CODE" APPEARED. AT THAT TIME, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, THROTTLE BODY GASKET, PLEMUM GASKETS AND SPARK PLUGS. OTHER THAN THAT, THE CAR HAS HAVE ROUTINE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON A REGULAR BASIS. HOW DOES A CAR WITH AN EXCELLENT SERVICE RECORD DEVELOP AN ISSUE OF THIS NATURE WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING? THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,500.”

“FIRST CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR SALES U.S.A., INC. IN TORRANCE, CA. AND ADVISED THEM OF MY CAR TROUBLES PRIOR TO GOING TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. I MADE THEM AWARE THAT I DO NOT TRUST DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. THEY ASSIGNED ME A CASE NUMBER AND DOCUMENTED MY ISSUES WITH ENGINE/POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTION THAT STILL EXIST TODAY AND BOTH THE DEALER AND TOYOTA MOTOR SALES HAVE NOT ADDRESSED PROBLEM. ALSO, I STATED TO DEALER THAT THERE WAS LEAKAGE SURROUNDING THE POWER STEERING PUMP. DEALER WAS QUICK TO RESOLVE PROBLEM BY TRYING TO INDUCE ME TO HAVE PUMP CHANGED WITHOUT PERFORMING TRUE DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE; FAILURE TO REMOVE FRONT R/H TIRE TO LOOK AT POWER STEERING PUMP FROM THE FRONT SIDE, FAILURE TO CLEAN POWER STEERING PUMP AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO INVESTIGATE TRUE AREA OF LEAKAGE. INSTEAD, DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE CONCLUSION THAT THE PUMP MUST BE LEAKING FROM PUMP SHAFT BEARING. COST TO REPLACE; $750.00 WHICH I DECLINED TO HAVE REPLACED. WITH THE VEHICLE UP ON JACK STANDS AND WITH TRUE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, I REMOVED FRONT R/H TIRE, THOROUGHLY CLEANED POWER STEERING PUMP AND SURROUNDING AREA AND STEERED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INDEPENDENTLY CHANGE GEARS AND JERK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR UNRELATED MAINTENANCE AND ADVISED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND SECURED AN APPOINTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND POSSIBLE REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,500.”