2007 Toyota Avalon

Immediately upon making a low-speed contact of my back bumper with a pole, the engine revved loudly. I attempted to go from reverse to drive to get some clearance from the pole. I then immediately attempted to put the car in park so I could get out and observe any damage. Immediately, the car accelerated extremely suddenly and quickly. I went over a curb where I had parked prior to backing up and contacting the pole. I hit a landscaping decorative boulder and a young tree. It was clear that my car was headed into the two-way street straight ahead since it was clear my breaking efforts were useless. I believe the car went airborne for a second, landed and continued straight, thankfully not hitting any vehicle or pedestrian. I saw a parked black full-size pickup truck and figured we would hit it, we did. I thought if the truck didn't stop us then we would continue into the building just beyond it. We landed on a memorial boulder next to the truck with the front end on the boulder and the rear of the car low to the ground. It was very difficult to exit the driver's door because the truck was angled so that my door wouldn't open much. It was difficult to get the door handle to actually open the door. I kept trying the lock in case it was engaged. I squeezed out praying loudly for God to help us, over and over again as I squeezed out. I thought the engine was on fire - I thought I saw smoke but later realized it was the powder from the airbags. I was trying to get to the other side of the vehicle to help my friend out. I had a hard time walking due to scraped up legs. A lady came up to me to help. I asked if my friend was ok. I asked if anyone was hit. She said he was out of the vehicle and no one was hit. I held onto her because I was very weak and shaking. I thought my chest pain was due to a heart attack. But when she coached me on my breathing I realized the pain at my sternum was from the seatbelt. I yelled, "I tried to stop, I couldn't stop, the brakes didn't work!

NHTSA ID

11751413

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

I was driving my 2007 Toyota Avalon returning home from work and was driving on a local road at approximately 25 MPH and turning my vehicle towards right on a curved road and the steering wheel seized and car veered and jumped the curb causing the passenger side bottom of car protection plastic guard clips damaged. No other damage to car observed other than minor scratches to front bumper due to tree limbs on grassy island next to curb. Hit the brakes hard and was able to stop vehicle stopping just before it could hit the tree on side of road. No warning lights were illuminated. No air bags were deployed. Was able to restart the vehicle and reversing down on the road and eventually was able to unseize the steering wheel. Was able to drive the car home and will be taking it to either Toyota dealer or vehicle repair shop for further diagnosis. No injures were sustained. No police report was filed. Will be calling the manufacturer to notify steering wheel seizure. The mileage of car was around 205,000+ miles.

NHTSA ID

11681812

Incident

Aug 19, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the transmission fluid was low. The contact became aware that transmission fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 123,226 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 311,025.

NHTSA ID

11673268

Incident

Mar 11, 2025

Mileage

311,025 mi

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel had seized causing a crash. The front passenger side and rear passenger side bumper impacted into a guard rail during the crash. No warning lights had illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact managed to restart the vehicle and the failure was temporarily fixed. No injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the insurance provider for further diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11610510

Incident

Aug 8, 2024

Mileage

160,000 mi

Was not informed of Bad VVT or recall.

NHTSA ID

11547906

Incident

Oct 2, 2023

The dashboard melts/gets sticky when it is hot and humid outside. Once the dashboard is in the sticky state, it appears wet with melted/sticky plastic. When we look out the front windshield while driving, the sun reflects off of the extra shiny sticky dashboard and the experience of the entire front dashboard surface reflecting the sun is like looking directly into the sun. You cannot see out the front windshield because the glare is too severe because of the shiny dashboard top. Even with sunglasses on and visor down, it is impossible to see ahead of the car while driving because of the blinding glare. The glare off of the sticky dashboard and the reflection of the dashboard onto the inside of the windshield is very scary. The Toyota dealer said that they are aware of the issue and extended the warranty to replace the dashboard because of the problem, but they did NOT issue a recall. The extended warranty expired, ironically, this vehicle has been kept in a garage since it was bought in 2007 and only has 50,000 miles on it now...so we didn't know there was a problem until several years after their extended warranty expired in 2017. The dealer said that I would have to pay out of pocket to replace the dashboard and they would not pay for it. We called Toyota "Resolution Department" and they said the same thing. We asked them if they admit that it is a factory defect and it creates a dangerous driving situation, why would they not want to make it right?

NHTSA ID

11518741

Incident

Apr 14, 2023

Is available gas pedal stuck open hitting the brake wouldn't stop it didn't stop till impact with another vehicle doing 1to5 miles an hour in parking lot haven't taken in yet can't afford it Dec 27 day of accident was first time 2nd owner talked to first owner said brake recall is the one he fixed didn't know about the gas pedal recall

NHTSA ID

11507986

Incident

Dec 27, 2022

Steering wheel locked up while driving ! No warning lights. steering bracket assembly is the issue . Same issue with 2000-2004 Avalons …all were recalled and fixed but anything after those years are not recalled or fixed . This is clearly a defect and should be recalled again before someone has a bad accident .

NHTSA ID

11504939

Incident

Jan 31, 2023

Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manual and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines.

Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, normal buffing or polishing repair procedures should not be attempted. This can cause further damage and result in visible depressions in the paint surface. The following are the three major categories of acid rain damage: •Minor damage: requires only buffing to repair. •Moderate damage: usually requires neutralizing, color sanding, and buffing. •Severe damage: extending beyond 1/2 mil of clearcoat on a pearl, metallic, or solid color, requires neutralization, sanding, and repainting. In cases where acid rain damage is minor, neutralization and buffing with a liquid-type paint finessing product may provide an adequate repair. Only specially formulated products outlined in this bulletin should be used for that purpose. Unfortunately, other than minor damage, there is no simple method of determining the actual extent (depth) of acid penetration other than color sanding a representative affected area until there is no visible etching or depressions, followed by measuring the amount of paint removed with either a magnetic or digital-type film thickness gauge. The procedures in this bulletin are intended for use by qualified body/paint technicians and should not be attempted by inexperienced personnel. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. Perform frequent vehicle washing, as often as daily, during high heat and humidity periods to minimize the potential for paint damage due to acid rain exposure. This is especially important in geographical areas known for high frequency and concentration of acid rain and industrial fallout.

The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation and corrosive action also occur more rapidly on dark colored cars as direct sun heat increases. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. In areas known for high frequency and/or concentration of acid rain, frequent vehicle washing during high heat or humidity periods will minimize the potential for paint damage caused by acid rain. It is further recommended that either reverse osmosis or deionized water be used to prevent water spotting.

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.

Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application.

Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles such as rail dust during rail transportation or extended storage near industrial areas.