2008 Toyota Avalon Visibility Problems

OEM high beam bulbs continuously explode. I’m not saying they just burn out, these bulbs shatter, and send shards of glass on the inside of the headlamp housing. I believe it’s a big safety risk, because for me, it happened while I was driving late at night in the dark where there are deer nearby. Brights are essential to see far and when you’re driving through hills, going up a hill you need your brights to extend higher than your normal lights do. This is a commonly complained about problem for the 2008-2010 models of this Toyota Avalon. Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin back in 2011, but it is a major defect and I believe it should be fixed regardless of whether a customer pays for a warranty or not. A mechanic told me also that they are not sure why Toyota has not warrantied vehicles with this issue. The solution is replacing the headlight housing. So there is clearly a material defect, and I believe it affects safety. Vehicles are required to have high beam headlights for a reason, and the high beams on this vehicle burn out commonly on certain vehicles, and replacing bulbs does NOT solve the problem. It is a very expensive repair as well. What kind of car manufacturer doesn’t recall or acknowledge a material defect or design flaw in such a crucial safety feature or a vehicle such as headlights? It’s an expensive, annoying, and dangerous issue that continues to happen. There are so many complaints about this high beam issue for the 2008 year. In my mind this really reduces Toyotas reputation and credibility since they did not and will not recall these headlights. We just have to deal with their faulty design. Fix your mistakes instead of making customers foot the bill for your poor craftsmanship. This is pathetic.

NHTSA ID

11516621

Incident

Apr 4, 2023

Mileage

110,950 mi

This car has a rear window shade that started going up on its on when it is hot outside. I could not locate this feature in the owners manual. I did read that a safety feature for the shade is that when car is placed in reverse the shade is automatically closed. This feature has stopped working, in fact the shade now will not even lower. I used to be able to manually assist the shade down while someone would press the switch but down it raises back up almost immediately. I checked with Google and apparently this is a common problem. I have finally pulled the fuse to keep the shade down permanently.

NHTSA ID

11431646

Incident

Sep 2, 2021

POWER SUNSHADE IS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION BLOCKING THE BACK WINDSHIELD AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON WHICH DISABLES TRACTION AND STABILITY CONTROL. THESE MAKE THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE

NHTSA ID

11384845

Incident

Dec 2, 2020

POWER REAR SUNSHADE GETS STUCK IN UP POSITION CAUSING VISIBILITY HAZARD AT NIGHT

NHTSA ID

11350817

Incident

Jul 15, 2020

Mileage

162,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS STICKY AND MELTING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IMAGE OF THE DASHBOARD WAS REFLECTED ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE ONCOMING VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS DUE TO THE REFLECTION. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE DASHBOARD WAS EXCEEDED AND NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED HEADQUARTERS ADMITTED THERE WAS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. UPDATED 12/04/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11132089

Incident

Sep 28, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD GETS STICKY ON SUNNY DAYS AND THE SURFACE BECOMES SHINEY WHICH THEN REFLECTS OFF THE WINDSHIELD. THE REFLECTION (ON THE WINDSHIELD) SIGNIFICANTLY OBSTRUCTS DRIVERS VIEW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR PEDESTRIANS ON SUNNY DAYS. DRIVER IS BLINDED OR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH THE REFLECTION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE CAR OWNER AND THE PUBLIC (ACCIDENT CAN AFFECT OTHER VEHICLES, PROPERTY, OR PEDESTRIANS) THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED AS A PERMANENT SOLUTION BY TOYOTA CORPORATION FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLES ARE IN MOTION AND STATIONARY WHEN THIS OCCURS. ANY RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED BY TOYOTA TO ALL VEHICLES HAVING THIS CONDITION THAT ARE CURRENTLY DRIVEN AND NOT LIMITED TO ANY ARBITRARY DATE OF COVERAGE. DASHBOARD REPLACEMENT BY TOYOTA CORPORATION IS CURRENTLY KNOWN TO BE THE ONLY SOLUTION

NHTSA ID

11130876

Incident

Jul 10, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE REAR WINDOW SUNSHADE COMES UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND WILL NOT GO DOWN. I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE SUNSCREEN CAME UP BLOCKING MY VIEW OF CARS BEHIND ME AND WAS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GET THE SHADE DOWN.

NHTSA ID

11103540

Incident

Nov 13, 2016

DASHBOARD IS STICKY AND SHINY. THE SHEEN ON THE DASH ALSO CREATES A GLARE ON SUNNY DAYS, WHICH CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. TOYOTA IS AVOIDING A RECALL FOR THE USE OF INFERIOR PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680619

Incident

Jan 27, 2015

Mileage

49,000 mi

REAR SUNSHADE STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND WILL NOT GO DOWN AUTOMATICALLY, REDUCES VISIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10536449

Incident

Aug 19, 2013

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE REAR WINDOW SUNSHADE COMES UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND WILL NOT GO DOWN. I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE SUNSCREEN CAME UP BLOCKING MY VIEW OF CARS BEHIND ME AND WAS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GET THE SHADE DOWN. A DEALER SUGGESTED THAT IF I CAN CRAW IN THE BACK SEAT AND MANUALLY MANEUVER IT INTO THE DOWN POSITION, I COULD REMOVE THE FUSE AND IT WOULD BECOME INACTIVE; THEREBY, KEEPING IT IN THE DOWN POSITION. I HAVE CHECKED VARIOUS WEBSITES AND CUSTOMERS ARE REMOVING THE FUSES TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514322

Incident

Apr 26, 2013

Mileage

89,000 mi

REAR WINDOW VISIBILITY IS MY PROBLEM, AT DARK AND WHEN IT RAINS IT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CLEARLY ANYTHING THROUGH MY BACK WINDOW. THE REAR WINDOW SUNSHADE IS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WELL THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW IN THE RAIN AND WHEN IT'S DARK. IF IT WAS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION THAT WOULD BE OK, BUT IT'S NOT. I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE CHARGED ALMOST $900. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO FIX ONE. FIRST OFF THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO LOWER IT EVEN IF IT'S NOT FIXED TO GO UP AND DOWN. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. WHEN I CALLED THEM ABOUT MY DYNAMIC CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING LAST YEAR THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT FOR FREE OR AT GREATLY REDUCED PRICE BECAUSE I WAS PAST THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH I HAD LESS THEN 25,000 OR 26000 MILES ON IT WHEN I CALLED. IT HADN'T WORKED AT THAT TIME FOR A GOOD 6 TO 8 MONTHS. TOYOTA DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS IN MY OPINION. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

NHTSA ID

10498185

Incident

Sep 20, 2012

Mileage

26,000 mi