2003 Toyota Avalon Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE PERMANENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KENDALL TOYOTA (10943 S DIXIE HWY, MIAMI, FL 33156) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE BATTERY WAS ALSO REPLACED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE ODOR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ID

11182815

Incident

Dec 20, 2018

Mileage

25,000 mi

TESTING API

NHTSA ID

10789446

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

Mileage

100 mi

THE ENGINE STARTED COLD AND REVVED TO 2500 RPM AND THEN OSCILLATED BETWEEN 2500 AND ABOUT 3000 RPM AND NEVER SLOWED DOWN. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND DROVE IT THE BLOCK AND A HALF TO MY HOUSE USING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT THE ONLY STOP SIGN ON THE ROUTE BUT STOPPING WAS DIFFICULT. THE NEXT MORNING I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ULTRA-FAST IDLE AND DROVE THE CAR ON AN ERRAND THAT WAS ABOUT 2 MILES DISTANT. THE SAME PATTERN PERSISTED BUT THE BRAKES WERE HEATING UP AND SMELLING FROM FREQUENT USE IN KEEPING THE CAR WITHIN THE CITY SPEED LIMIT. IT ALSO STRESSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHILE BRAKING AGAINST THE FAST MOTOR. I STARTED SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND COASTING TO CONTROL THE SPEED WHILE THE ENGINE SPEED OSCILLATION CONTINUED. I PARKED THE CAR BACK HOME AND HAD A TOW TRUCK TAKE IT TO MARIETTA TOYOTA WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE IDLE CONTROL MOTOR AT A COST OF $669.00 LESS A $99.00 NEGOTIATED DISCOUNT. THAT SERVICE SOLVED THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM HAD THE POTENTIAL TO OVERHEAT THE BRAKES, CAUSE ONE TO COAST IN NEUTRAL WITHOUT IDEAL CONTROL OF THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY, ETC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671578

Incident

Jan 5, 2015

Mileage

138,766 mi

THERE HAVE BEEN REPEATED DISC BRAKE MECHANISM (CORROSION) FAILURES WHERE BRAKE DRAGS AND WEARS OR HAVE "LOCKED UP" AND DRAGGED ENOUGH TO EFFECT STEERING. *TR HAS BEEN SERVICED BY BOTH LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP. NOTE: LOT BETTER RESULTS AND AND LESS EXPENSIVE SERVICE FROM LOCAL SHOP. SIMILAR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ON INTERNET, E.G., CAR VALUE / PROBLEM WEBSITES AND REPORTS.

NHTSA ID

10577096

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

65,000 mi

2003 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. SHE FRANTICALLY TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, EVEN SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONSUMER FINALLY CRASHED INTO THREE CARS THAT WERE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

10534594

Incident

Jun 9, 2013

HELLO IM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. 1. IVE RECEIVED AN RECALL NOTICE FOR MY 2003 TOYOTA AVALON FOR "STEERING PROBLEM UPPER BRACKET". AND HAVE, TRIED TO REMEDY THIS, ONLY TO FIND OUT TOYOTA, OFFERS NO COURTESY VEHICLE?. OR A DEFINITE TIME YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED?. 2ND THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER DEFECT ON THIS CAR, WHEN GOING OVER "ROUGH" ROADS AND BRAKING, THE CAR FEELS LIKE ITS NOT BRAKING AT ALL. OR LIKE THE BRAKES ARE SLIPPING?. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE 2003 AVALON? THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS TO DATE, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED. *KB

NHTSA ID

10416796

Incident

Aug 2, 2011

Mileage

149,866 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT AND THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE INJURED. A LOCAL MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS DID NOT HAVE ANY SCREWS TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE SCREWS WERE NOT PROPERLY PLACED IN THE CALIPERS. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE BRAKES PROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10346420

Incident

Jul 9, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH INTO THE RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, FOLLOWED BY NO POWER RESPONSE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A NEARBY SHED. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY OR VEHICLE DAMAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 10/20/10 *BF UPDATED 10/21/10

NHTSA ID

10345642

Incident

Jul 7, 2010

Mileage

87,000 mi

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE ACCELERATOR ON MY CAR GOT STUCK EVEN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. I HAD TO BOTH STOP ON THE BRAKES AND PUMP THE GAS PEDAL TO GET THE CAR FROM CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE. I'VE SINCE REMOVED THE CAR MATS, BUT NOW I'M NOT 100% SURE THAT'S THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312699

Incident

Jun 14, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BECOME STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGES WAS 26,245. UPDATED 04/16/10. *LJ UPDATED 10/05/10

NHTSA ID

10306589

Incident

Nov 21, 2007

Mileage

26,245 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE, VSC, AND TRACTION OFF LIGHTS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND STAYS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 6-7 TIMES. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AND WAS REFILLED. THE NEXT TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB WAS PERFORMED BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FOUND AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. *AK UPDATED 7/7//2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10158765

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

Mileage

31,000 mi

2003 TOYOTA AVALON HAS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BRAKE EQUIPMENT.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WITH ABOUT 3 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND, THE VEHICLE LOST TRACTION AND THE WHEELS BEGAN TO SPIN AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO OIL SPILLAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE IS STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10117416

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

THIS PERTAINS TO A NEW 2003 TOYOTA AVALON LXS BRAKING SYSTEM. AT RANDOM TIMES THE BRAKES APPEAR TO BE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED. THEY BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND SEVEREL VIBRATE. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO MACHINED THE FRONT ROTORS AND SANDED THE PAD, THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED IN JUNE 03. THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED THE END OF JUNE 03. A REGIONAL SERVICE TECH WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER AND WHILE HE WAS IN THE VEHICLE THE CONDITION OCCURRED AGAIN. THEY REPLACED TH MASTER CYCLINDER & HYD FLUID. IT OCCURRED 4TH TIME ON 29 JULY 03.IT WAS VERY DIFFICIUTL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. AGAIN THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON 30 JULY 02. STIL WAINTING ACTION . VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THIS CONDITION SINCE THERE IS NOT CONTROL OVER WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS. AT TIMES IT IS SO BAD IT IS NECESSARY TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030665

Incident

May 25, 2003

Mileage

2,650 mi

WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION, IT CAN'T BE SEEN FROM 40MPH AND UP. IN ORDER TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE ATTENTION OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO VIEW THE SPEEDOMETER DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE DASHBOARD DESIGN. TS THE BRAKES NEEDED EXCESSIVE EFFORT IN ORDER TO STOP. UPON THE SECOND APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED. SCC

NHTSA ID

10001386

Incident

Oct 29, 2002

CONSUMER STATED AFTER APPLYING FORCE TO BREAK PEDAL TO MAKE A STOP VEHICLE WENT INTO EXTENDED STOPPING. TS ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER APPLYING FORCE TO BREAK PEDAL. DEALERSHIP FOUND BRAKE LINES WERE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8023943

Incident

Dec 6, 2002

Mileage

3,398 mi