Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Toyota Avalon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 40 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 40, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,970 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
CONTINUOUS LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID. STEERING FELT TIGHT. RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 99,000 MILES. NOTICED A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
1997 TOYOTA AVALON THE POWER STEERING RACK LEAKS AT 51000 MILES AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO TOYOTA. ALSO NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT 99000 MILES THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTING ALSO FAILED NEAR 50000 MILES AND IS FAILING AGAIN AT 99500 MILES. THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE AND LEAKS. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 51000 MILES AS WELL. WEAKNESS IN THE STEERING MAKES THIS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ALL TOYOTA DEALERS TO CHECK FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND RECOMMEND REPAIRS. THE COST AVERAGES $1000. WHILE ASKING TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR HELP I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE CEO IN JAPAN IF NOT SATISFIED WITH THE REPAIR COSTS. *JB
I HAVE HAD MY RACK AND PINION REPLACED ON MY CAR TWICE AND I AM HAVING IT REPAIRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE STEERING WHEEL LOOSES POWER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS. *NM
BOUGHT USED 97 TOYOTA AVALON AT 96,000 MILES COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. FROM DAY ONE, NOTICED CRANKLING AND RATTLING NOISE AT THE FRONT AND BACK. AS THE TIME WENT BY, IT GOT WORSE. FINALLY JUST HAD MY REAR STRUTS REPLACED BUT THE FRONT IS STILL BAD. EVERYTIME GOING SLOW 20/35 MPH I COULD HEAR THINGS ARE SHAKING, RATTLING. NOW THE DELAER JUST TOLD ME THAT RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING TOO. DID A SEARCH ON MY OWN ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT THESE HAPPEN TO BE KNOWN ISSUES WITH AVALON. HAVE HAD EVRYTHING DONE BY A LOCAL DEALER HERE IN HOUSTON BUT MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN DEALERSHIP GUYS NEVER MENTIONED OR ACKNWLEDGED THESE KNOWN ISSUES. DO WANNA GET RID OF IT BUT IT WOULD BE UNFAIR WITH THE PURCHASER. SO NOW KEEPING IT AND GOING TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS WITH MOUNTS AS WELL, HOPING THAT CRANKLING AND RATTLING WOULD GO AWAY COMPLETELY. SPENDING MORE BUCK . FEEL SORRY FOR THOSE WHO BOUGHT AVALONS AT VERY LOW MILEAGE. LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST ONE CAN EASILY FIND THESE COMPLAINTS FROM DIFFERENT WEBSITES FROM LOT OF PEOPLE , I THINK ITS ABOUT TIME SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THANKS. *NM
LEAK IN POWER STEERING MECHANISM CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL,I.E. STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT.
1997 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 50,000 MILES DEVELOPED LEAK IN RACK AND PINION STEERING. DEALER REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH COST OF REPAIRS DUE TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY. DEFECTIVE PARTS REPLACED BY A REPUTABLE MECHANIC.*AK
SEEMS I'M ALSO THE VICTIM OF A COMMON 1997 AVALON PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING PUMP/RACK WERE LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN REVIEWING ALL OF THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, IT SEEMS A RECALL SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED FOR THIS ALL TOO COMMON (AND EXPENSIVE) PROBLEM.*AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, SHE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS STEPPING ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF EGR VALVE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP AS WELL. THE PROBLEM HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE THROTTLE BODY INJECTOR. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 4K RPM'S. *SC THE POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK AND EGR VALVE WERE REPLACED. UPDATED EVOQ 08/27/10 UPDATED EVOQ 11/17/10
I NOTICED A WOBBLE IN THE STEERING AND TOOK THE CAR TO A TIRE DEALER. DEALER BALANCED TIRES AND SAID ALL WOULD BE OK. IN LESS THAN 10 MILES WOBBLE REAPPEARED AND TOOK CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP OF TIRE DEALER. WOBBLE WAS LESS NOTICIBLE AND NEXT DAY NOTICED POWER STEERING OIL ON DRIVEWAY. I TOOK CAR INTO TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE RACK & PINIPN STEERING UNIT AT A COST OF 1200.00. I WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATED PRICE OF REPAIR DOWN TO 1044.15, APPARENTLY BECAUSE I WAS A GOOD CUSTOMER. I YELLED A LOT! *AK
I PURCHASED A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON XLS WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT FROM LEITH TOYOTA IN RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA IN MARCH OF 2002. I NOW HAVE 74,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND COMPLETE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1200.00. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. I HAVE REVIEWED THE NTSB WEBSITE AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL? I TRIED TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO COVER SOME OF THE COSTS AND ALL THEY OFFERED WAS A FREE RENTAL. MAYBE I SHOULD WRITE OPRAH, SEEMS EVERYONE LISTENS TO HER AND SEE IF SHE CAN MAKE IT PUBLIC!
I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 1997 TOYOTA AVALON FOR MY WIFE. THE VEHICLE HAS JUST RECENTLY TURNED OVER 29,000 MILES, AND OBVIOUSLY HAS PASSED THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT HAS YET TO REACH THE NORMAL 36,000 MILE WARRANTY MARK. ON JANUARY 18, 2003 I NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS, AND FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS ALMOST EMPTY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING, AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $850.00 PLUS TAX, FOR A RE-MANUFACTURED PART. I CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WITH THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD SUCH LOW MILEAGE. HE SUGGESTED I CONTACT TOYOTA CORPORATE, BUT THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT BEING VERY GENERIOUS WITH "GOOD WILL" COMPENSATIONS. I CALLED TOYOTA COROPORATE IN CALIFORNIA AND LODGED MY COMPLAINT. WHILE I HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM (IT IS NOW FEBRUARY 6, 2003) I WAS GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE TO HELP ME DEFREY THE COST OF THESE REPAIRS. I HAVE SINCE DONE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH VIA THE INTERNET, AND ON THE NHSTA WEBSITE ALONE, I FOUND A LARGE PORTION OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAD BEEN FILED REGARDING THIS VEHICLE WAS THE RESULT OF THE POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING FLUID, AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. HOW MANY OTHERS ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NOT FILED A REPORT. I BELIEVE THIS PROBELM COULD RESULT IN SOME ONE BEING KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK UP OR BECOME TOO HARD TO MOVE BECAUSE OF ALL THE FLUID LEAKING FROM THIS DEVICE. I FURTHER BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA SHOUL BE INSTRUCTED TO RECALL AND REPAIR, OR REIMBURSE ANYONE WHO HAS ONE OF THESE VEHICLES.
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED THE SEAL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
RIGHT SIDE STEERING RACK SEAL WAS LEAKING, DEALER REPLACED STEERING RACK. *SLC
WHILE HAVING VEHICLE SERVICED TECHNICIAN NOTICED RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS LEAKING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I PREVIOUSLT WORKED WITH 2 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY FAIL ON THEIR 1997 TOYOTA AVALONS. *AK
I HAVE SPOKEN TO 2 PEOPLE WITH 1996 TOYOTA AVALON AND THEY HAVE OR HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING FROM MY 1997 AVALON. IT ONLY HAS 37,000+ MILES ON IT. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEED TO REPLACE MY POWER STEERING ASSEMBY RACK WHICH WILL COST $1250. *AK
IT APPEARS THAT THE COMMON PROBLEM OF RACK AND PINION FAILURE HAS FINALLY OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND DEALER AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THE PART WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I ASKED THE QUESTION THAT IF YOU KNEW A PART WAS CERTAINLY GOING TO FAIL AFTER WARRANTY AND IT COST ROUGHLY $1000 WOULD YOU BUY THAT VEHICLE? I THINK THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.*AK
NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM RACK AND PINION STEERING BOOT, DEALER REPLACED ASSEMBLY, PARTS HAD TO BE BACK ORDERED BECAUSE OF FREQUENCY OF PROBLEM, ALSO RIGHT SRTUT MOUNT HAD TO BE REPLACED,AND BACK ORDERED .*AK
UPPER AND LOWER TIE RODS SEVERED AT LOW SPEED (PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE). IF FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHER SPEED, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE ENSUED.*AK
SEAL ON RACK STEERING WENT BAD AND STARTED LEAKING FLUID. DEALER REPLACED RACK, BUT CONSUMER WAITED A MONTH BEFORE PART WAS AVAILABLE.*AK
AFTER NOTICING OIL SPOTS ON PAVEMENT HAD MECHANIC CHECK VEHICLE. FOUND RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED/ DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO TENSIONER TIGHTENING UP WITH TOO MUCH FORCE/ TIRES WERE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO BAD SUSPENSION/VEHICLE HAD ROUGH RIDE, AND STRUTS WERE LEAKING. *AK
RACK AND PINION STARTED LEAKING FLUID AND WITHIN 2 WEEKS NO LONGER HELD ANY FLUID AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED REPLACED. CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY FILED THE COMPLAINT, BUT OFFERED NO REMEDY AND WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. FROM OTHER RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COSTLY PROBLEM ON MANY OF THE '97 AVALONS. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .