2001 Toyota Avalon Brakes Problems

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON OCT. 7, 2009, AT ABOUT 3:00 PM EDT ON A SUNNY DAY IN BRADENTON, FL, I WAS DRIVING ALONE WHILE SOBER, ALERT, AND HEALTHY AT ABOUT 35 MPH ON A PAVED SIDE ROAD [XXX] APPROACHING A RED STOPLIGHT AT U.S. 41 SO. WITH 2 OR 3 CARS STOPPED AHEAD OF ME FOR THE LIGHT. ABOUT 100 YARDS BEFORE THE STOPLIGHT, I APPLIED MY FOOTBRAKE,[XXX] (OK WHEN INSPECTED &DRIVEN A WEEK EARLIER AS PART OF OIL CHANGE &GENERAL CHECKUP). THE FOOT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT. I SWERVED TO THE LEFT OF THE CARS AHEAD OF ME AND MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN WHEN I REACHED U.S. 41, TO AVOID HITTING/BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. MY CAR ROLLED OVER AND CRASHED. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE CAR'S ROOF[XXX] . I NEVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT THE PAIN WAS TERRIBLE. I BLED, UPSIDE DOWN, FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES, FEARING ANOTHER CRASH FROM ONCOMING CARS, HANGING FROM MY SEATBELT. A BYSTANDER STANCHED THE BLOOD EVENTUALLY. THE PARAMEDICS SHOWED UP IN AN AMBULANCE& TOOK ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT MANATEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN BRADENTON. THE DR. CLEANED VERY PAINFUL GLASS SHARDS FROM MY MULTIPLE SCALP WOUNDS, THEN PUT IN FIVE STAPLES& RELEASED ME. TWO SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES INTERVIEWED ME& SAID MY CAR'S TIRE-MARKS SHOWED SIGNS OF ACCELERATION. I DENIED ACCELERATING; IT MADE NO SENSE TO ME UNTIL RECENT STORIES IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT TOYOTA BRAKE PROBLEMS AND SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION IN OTHER CASES. A FRIEND PICKED ME UP. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE GARAGE OF ELMER'S TOWING, WHICH HAD TOWED MY TOTALLY WRECKED CAR. I ASKED FOR THE FOOT BRAKES TO BE CHECKED. THEY WERE NORMAL. I FOUND THIS VERY PUZZLING; IT ONLY MADE SENSE RECENTLY AS I READ AND HEARD ON TV ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS BY OTHER WITH TOYOTAS. SHELLY DEVANE OF ELMER'S IS A WITNESS TO THE REPORT OF OK BRAKES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES CAUSED THE WRECK. I DID NOT FILE THIS COMPLAINT EARLIER BECAUSE THE EVIDENCE IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL & THE CAR NOW GONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324350

Incident

Oct 7, 2009

Mileage

100,800 mi

GOING HOME ON NORTH ON LOS OLIVOS RD (25 MPH ZONE) AND ROLLING TO A FOUR WAY STOP CROSSING MANZINITA RD (NE SANTA ROSA, CA) MY 2001 AVALON ACCELERATED AT FULL THROTTLE (ROAR). I HAD MY FOOT ON BRAKE SO I WAS SHOCKED. PRESSING HARD ON BRAKE THE ACCELERATOR DISENGAGED AFTER ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I TOLD MY WIFE THAT I HAD A SENIOR MOMENT, THINKING I HAD PRESSED ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE AT SAME TIME. NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. SEEING 2001 AVALON MENTIONED USA TODAY MOTIVATED THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10320260

Incident

Mar 14, 2009

Mileage

45,000 mi

2001 TOYOTA AVALON HAS A MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC BRAKES CONTROL MODULE, REPAIRED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. THE SAID MODULE MALFUNCTIONED. PURCHASED NEW MODULE FROM TOYOTA $1200. AND INSTALLED $800.. SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR HAVE NO BRAKES WHEN TRAVELING ON ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS ALWAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313732

Incident

May 24, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

2001 TOYOTA AVALON XLS: VIBRATION FELT IN STEERING, TYPICALLY ABOVE 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE OR BRAKING GOING DOWN A HILL. ALIGNED FRONT END, RE-BALANCED TIRES/WHEELS, REPLACED TIRES, REPLACED FRONT ROTORS TWICE WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES, BRAKE PADS, CALIPER PINS, REGREASED CALIPER PINS WITH APPROPRIATE PIN GREASE, ENSURED PROPER AIR IN TIRES - NONE OF THIS HAS ADDRESSED THE VIBRATION. NOTED A FAIR NUMBER OF OTHER AVALON OWNERS SEARCHING THE INTERNET ON THE WORDS '2001 TOYOTA AVALON VIBRATION'. VEHICLE HAS NOT SUSTAINED ANY DAMAGE, SUCH AS JUMPING A CURVE OR BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO OTHER SUGGESTED REPAIRS FROM TOYOTA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285881

Incident

Sep 30, 2009

Mileage

150,000 mi

DT:STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AT SPEEDS FROM 60 TO 75 MPH. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEARS TWICE TO BALANCE AND ROTATE THE TIRES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA AND HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE LUBRICATED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. VEHICLE HAS 22000 MILES. CONSUMER SAYS THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE UNDER THE CARRIAGE. *JB WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS A VIBRATION.

NHTSA ID

10126416

Incident

May 30, 2005

Mileage

22,000 mi

THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. AT 17217 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL, THE WERE APPLIED AND THERE WAS A FEELING OF METAL ON METAL. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THIS TIME. AT 27000 MILES THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE ROTORS. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A LACK OF USE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ROTORS HAD RUSTED CAUSING THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO TOYOTA WHO ADMITS THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION. *TT THERE WAS NO WARNING. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10123961

Incident

Jun 2, 2005

Mileage

17,217 mi

2001 TOYOTA AVALON EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, AND WINDOWS. *MR THERE WAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH NOISE THAT SEEMED TO ORIGINATE FROM THE FRONT END. THE NOISE WAS INTERMITTENT AND NOTICEABLE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED, WHEN MAKING TURNS OR WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CALIPER SLIDE WAS STICKING ONTO THE LEFT FRONT SIDE. THE BRAKE ROTORS SHOWED SIGNS OF GLAZE, THERE WAS A WOBBLY FEELING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT, THE DRIVERS WINDOWS WOULD GO UP AND DOWN, THE STRIPPING ON THE BUMPER WAS COMING OFF, THE STEERING WOULD SHAKE AT TIMES, THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATED, THE RADIO BUTTONS WERE FADING, THE CASSETTE WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WAS BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VENT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH NO WARNING, THE WIPER BLADE(S) WERE NOISY, THE WINDSHIELD HAD "MILLION" OF DOTS ALL OVER IT, AND THE FRONT PANEL WAS LIT FOR THE BACK LIGHTS AND THERE WAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF AIR/HEAT THAT WOULD BLOW ON THE DRIVERS FEET. THE ROTORS WERE MACHINED AND THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. THE FRONT STRUTS WERE CRACKED AND CAUSED THE FRONT END NOISE. THE RADIO,STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND THE FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED. *SC

NHTSA ID

10122602

Incident

Sep 7, 2001

Mileage

16,276 mi

PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE EQUIPMENT ON 2001 TOYOTA AVALON WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED LIGHT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THERE WAS A THUMP SOUND. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT HOLD AND ONLY MILD DECELERATION OCCURRED. CONSEQUENTLY THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10119092

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

VEHICLE SLID TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITH THE WHEELS LOCKED ON A SNOWY AND ICY ROAD AT 35 MPH. *PH THE VEHICLE ENDED UP SLIDING INTO A DITCH. NONE OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED DURING THIS ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10065084

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

13,150 mi

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, HIS FOOT SLIPPED AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10011429

WHILE STOPPING VEHICLE BRAKE PEDA LWENT TO THE FLOOR, BRAKES STARTED PULSATING , AND THEY DIDN'T HOLD. HAD TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ID

8016210

Incident

Aug 9, 2002

VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM IS OF CONCERN. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL MOVE DOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED. THE TWO TIMES I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER, I AM BEING TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE AND THAT ALL OF THEM DO THIS. THIS IS THE SECOND AVALON I HAVE OWNED AND THE FIRST ONE DID NOT HAVE THE SITUATION HAPPEN. OTHER AVALON OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWNWARD AFTER STOPPING DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME. IT LOOKS TO OCCUR AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN LOCAL TRAFFIC THAT REQUIRES CONSTAND STOPPING AND STARTING. THE PEDAL MOVEMENT OCCURS ABOUT 10 TO 15 SECONDS AFTER STOPPING BUT DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME. THIS BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT IS OF CONCERN SICE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 40 YEARS. BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT AFTER STOPPING A VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGN OF FAILURE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. USUALLY A FAILING MASTER CYLINDER. THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AFTER STOPPING IS NOT A CONFORTABLE FEELING AND ALL THAT I HAVE TALKED TO (BOTH TOYOTA OWNERS AND OTHER MFG'S) NO ONE HAS EXPERIENCE THIS PEDAL MOVEMENT. THIS INCLUDES CARS THAT HAVE SKID CONTROL SYSTEMS. I AM CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT THIS BRAKE PEDAL ISSUE AND WANT CONFIRMATION FROM THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER (NOT THE DEALER) THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. CLOSING NOTE, TALKED TO A FEW LEXUS OWNERS, NONE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

761776

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND GO HALFWAY TO THE FLOOR, THE DEALER HAS BLED THE BRAKES AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, HOWEVER THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST, CONSUMER GIVES 2 ADDRESSES AND 2 PHONE NUMBERS, 394 CASA GRANDE, EDGEWATER, FL 32141, 386-427-2455, FLORIDA IS WHERE THEY SPEND THE WINTER. *SLC

NHTSA ID

565535

BRAKE PEDAL PROCEEDS ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR WHEN PRESSED AT STANDSTILL. *AK

NHTSA ID

756783

Incident

Oct 25, 2000