2001 Toyota Avalon Electrical Problems

I HAVE REPLACED O2 SENSORS TWICE TO GET RID OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR CODES THAT HAVE POPPED YOU P1135 & P1155. TOOK CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND NO ONE COULD FIGURE OUT WHY THE LIGHT IS STILL ON. ALL SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH DENSO PARTS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A RECALL IF NOT EVEN THE TOYOTA DEALER COULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH TOYOTA'S. I NEED MY CAR TO PASS A SMOG AND IT COULD NOT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. CAR ONLY HAS 62,000 MILES AND RUNS GREAT.

NHTSA ID

11343042

Incident

Jun 20, 2020

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,047.

NHTSA ID

10714040

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

189,047 mi

DROVE VEHICLE TO WORK IN AM. NOTICED KEY DIDN'T "CATCH" FIRST TIME, THOUGHT IT WAS HUMAN ERROR AND WROTE IT OFF AND DROVE TO WORK. WENT TO LEAVE WORK AND TURNED KEY IN IGNITION, LIGHTS AND RADIO LIGHT UP BUT KEY FREELY TURNED LIKE BUTTER AND STEERING FELT TIGHTER THAN NORMAL. COULD NOT START VEHICLE. HAD MECHANIC REMOVE IGNITION ASSEMBLY ON SITE TO DETERMINE THAT THE LINKAGE IN BETWEEN THE LOCK CYLINDER AND IGNITION SWITCH HAD A BROKEN METAL PIECE STUCK OFF INTO THE SWITCH. THIS LINKAGE IS CONTAINED IN A METAL HOUSING UNIT WITH 3 HOLES. WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER AND ASKED FOR THE LINKAGE PART, WAS SHOWN THE HOUSING UNIT IT WAS CONTAINED IN, ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. WAS TOLD BY EMPLOYEE THAT THE PIECE HE WAS SHOWING ME CAME OFF A CAR LIKE MINE THEY HAD JUST REPAIRED BECAUSE OF A RECALL ON THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THIS PIECE IS CONNECTED TO THE PIECE THAT I NEED TO REPLACE. I FEEL MY ISSUE OCCURRED BETWEEN DRIVING AND PARKING AT MY WORK AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE RECALL ON THIS PIECE. CAR IS NOW AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, SO FAR THEY HAVE PICKED UP THE TOWING BILL BUT GIVEN ME GRIEF THAT I HAVE A "13 YEAR OLD CAR" REGARDLESS OF THE CAR'S AGE I FEEL THAT IF THAT PIECE I NEED CAME OFF A REPAIRED CAR DUE TO RECALL, THEY NEED TO COVER THE BILL FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631307

Incident

Sep 4, 2014

Mileage

140,000 mi

HORN SOUNDED SQUEAKY, THEN INOPERATIVE. AIRBAG LIGHT WENT ON. CRUISE NO LONGER WORKED. TOYOTA DIAGNOSED THE SPIRAL CABLE A/K/A CLOCK NEEDED REPLACEMENT. OTHER VEHICLES, INCLUDING TOYOTAS, HAD RECALLS ON THIS. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AT THIS AGE OF THE CAR, ONLY 108,000 MILES. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL, PAID BY TOYOTA. IT COST ME NEARLY $500 TO GET IT FIXED. MAYBE THE CABLE WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE STEERING LOCK BAR WAS FIXED, ON A PREVIOUS RECALL (YEARS PRIOR).??? *TR

NHTSA ID

10564135

Incident

Jan 31, 2014

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY START THE VEHICLE. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID

10436897

Incident

Nov 23, 2010

Mileage

64,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. ON AUGUST 26, 2007, THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED, EVEN WHILE DRIVING. HE JIGGLED THE WHEEL AND IT UNLOCKED. HE STATED THAT THE INTERLOCK FAILS TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE PURCHASE DATE AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,740. UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER BRACKET

NHTSA ID

10200895

Incident

Aug 26, 2007

Mileage

81,740 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT TOOK THE 2001 TOYOTA AVALON TO THE DEALER ON 01/03/07 BECAUSE THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. AT THE DEALERSHIP THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T DEPLOY,. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE AIR BAGS, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING WAS BECAUSE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS CREATING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CONTACT FELT THAT THIS INCIDENTWAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND COULD PROVIDE A COPY OF THE INVOICE REPAIR IF NEEDED. *AK UPDATED 01/31/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177789

Incident

Jan 3, 2007

Mileage

55,184 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

THE SENSOR THAT CAUSES THE REAR WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER TO TURN OFF MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE BACK GLASS TO OVERHEAT AND SHATTER. I HAVE A MR2 WHICH WAS NOT LISTED IN THE VARIOUS MODELS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058558

Incident

Feb 19, 2004

Mileage

42,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON 9/13/02 AT 65MPH, THERE WAS A TOTAL FAILURE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR A SPLIT SECOND. I DISREGARDED IT THINKING THAT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION. HOWEVER, THE VERY NEXT DAY THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE CAR WAS DEAD MAKING THE CAR INOPERATIVE. CAUSE: DISINTEGRATION OF NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL END WHICH CAUSED THE NEGATIVE CABLE TO DISCONNECT FROM ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS A SAFETY RELATED FUNCTION IN THAT IT COMPLETELY DISABLES THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA ID

767692

Incident

Sep 14, 2002

LIGHTS ON VSC STAY ON ALL THE TIME. AUTO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES. KEPT HAVING ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME BY THEMSELVES. BATTERY FAILED. DEALER REPLACED STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. TRUNK OPENS BY ITSELF. DEALER FOUND LATCH NOT HOLDING SECURELY ON LATCH LOCK BAR. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID

8008249

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CORRECT PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED. HEADLIGHT FAILURE IS THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT TODATE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLES TRAVELING AT THE SAME TIME ALONG THE HIGHWAY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE PROMPTLY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

757426

Incident

Jan 27, 2002

MULTIPLE FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INFORMATION PANEL LIGHTING. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED -- BUT NO RESPONSE TO DATE.

NHTSA ID

755636

Incident

Mar 6, 2001