2000 Toyota Avalon Interior & seats Problems

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AT NIGHT AND FOR ONCOMING DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10335590

Incident

May 27, 2010

MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON STEERING WOULD RANDOMLY LOCKUP WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE PIN THAT LOCKS UP THE STEERING WHEEL FOR THEFT PROTECTION WOULD ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH IN TURN WOULD LOCK THE STEERING UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN HE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN RUNNING CAR INTO THE CURB. A WEEK LATER I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING LOCKED CAUSING ME TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AND I AVOIDED A COLLISION. MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAD NO EXPLAINATION FOR THE PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPLACING THE PART WITH LABOR WOULD BE ABOUT $800.00. I HAD A MECHANIC AT A LOCAL GARAGE JUST REMOVE THE LOCKING DEVICE FOR $200.00 AND NOT REPLACE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308238

Incident

Sep 10, 2009

Mileage

49,500 mi

DT: 2000 TOYOTA AVALON HAS POWER SEATS. ON JANUARY 22, 2002 BOTH SEATS RECLINED ALL THE WAY WITHOUT ANYONE OR KEYS IN THE VEHICLE. THE DOORS WERE LOCKED, AND THE CONSUMER WATCHED THIS HAPPEN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID IT COULD NOT HAPPEN. THE SECOND TIME ONLY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT RECLINED WITH NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER JUST STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN HE LOOKED BACK THE SEAT WAS RECLINED.*AK SECOND OCCURANCE WAS MAY 26, 2005. THE MILAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 56,900. THE DEALERSHIP THAT IS ON QUESTIONAIRE IS NO LONGER OPEN. *SB *NM

NHTSA ID

10124312

Incident

Jan 22, 2002

Mileage

17,159 mi

PROBLEMS WITH CONSUMER GETTING LOCKED IN VEHICLE AS WELL AS BRAKE PROBLEMS. *MR THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN, NEITHER WOULD THE KEY TURN THE IGNITION. THE BRAKE PROBLEM REMAINED UNRESOLVED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE CONSUMER TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE WOLD STOP, WAS TO TURN THE KEY AND THE SHUT THE MOTOR OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE IGNITION PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10076020

Incident

Oct 6, 1999

VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKS . THE DRIVER WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S LOCK NOR PASSENGER'S LOCK WOULD OPEN WHILE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PASSENGER HAD A PANIC ATTACK BECAUSE THE DOORS WOULD NOT RELEASE FOR SAFETY. PASSENGER HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10040788

Incident

Sep 26, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT AT NIGHT, THE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REFLECTS OFF THE WINDSHIELD MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO SEE. NLM A REPAIR WAS MADE BUT IT DID NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER ADDS THAT THE NEW PLASTIC DEFLECTOR ALSO REFLECTS ON THE WINDSHIELD AT NIGHT CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *TT

NHTSA ID

8008121

Incident

Jul 26, 2000

THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS FORWARD WITH AT LEASE 1 INCH OF PLAY. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ORIGINALLY ADVISED US IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS, AND COMPLAINTS TO TOYOTA, THEY "FOUND" A BULLETIN THAT SAID THE SEAT MOUNT "COULD BECOME" WORN PREMATURELY. WE SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED ON ALL AVALONS. AFTERALL, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE MOUNT WENT BAD AND THE SEAT BECAME DETACHED FROM THE CAR WHILE SOMEONE WAS DRIVING?

NHTSA ID

755920

Incident

Oct 20, 2001

DEALER STATES THAT EVEN THOUGH THE INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING THE VSC SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING THAT THE SYSTEM IS STILL WORKING AS DESIGNED. I HAVE HAD 4 VISITS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM INCLUDING A FACTORY TECHNICIAN. DEALER STATES I HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

738407

Incident

Feb 28, 2000