2011 Toyota Avalon Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO READJUSTED THE STEERING COLUMN HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE WITHIN A FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,800.

NHTSA ID

11397586

Incident

Jan 11, 2021

Mileage

111,800 mi

I WAS USING THE LEVER TO PUSH THE SEAT AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN ONE SIDE STOPPED MOVING, CAUSING THE OTHER SIDE TO DERAIL. I TOOK THE CAR TO JIM HUDSON TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY, AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO GET SEAT BACK ON TRACK. HOWEVER, HE WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE SIDE MOVING, AND STATED THE ENTIRE SEAT RAIL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, I WAS TOLD I HAVE A LEAK IN THE ROD AND PINION SYSTEM BECAUSE THE INNER SEAL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH, I SERVICE MY VEHICLE REGULARLY WITH FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA, AND NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ID

11373521

Incident

Nov 5, 2020

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING COLUMN TELESCOPIC LEVER COMES LOOSE AND THE COLUMN DEPRESSES. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE PULLING UP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING WHEEL, DURING SHARP TURNS FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE LEVER UNLOCKS. THEN AS SOON AS YOU PRESS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, PERHAPS SOME TIME LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL GOES COMPLETELY INTO THE DASH. IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS FALLING AWAY FROM ME, AND I HAVE PARTIALLY GONE THROUGH TWO (THANKFULLY EMPTY) INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED UNEXPECTEDLY.

NHTSA ID

11338711

Incident

Jul 9, 2020

Mileage

115,000 mi

POWER STEERING FLUID WAS SEEPING AND THEN BECAME A FULL LEAK THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF ALL POWER STEERING FLUID. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED, AND TOYOTA QUOTED A $1800 RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT. MILEAGE OF FAILURE IS APPROXIMATELY 126K MILES.

NHTSA ID

11292561

Incident

Dec 25, 2019

Mileage

126,000 mi

THE TILT/TELESCOPIC LEVER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN STAYS IN PLACE VIA SOME TYPE OF FRICTION TENSION. IT REGULARLY DISENGAGES BY ITSELF AND ALLOWS THE STEERING COLUMN/STEERING WHEEL TO FALL DOWN OR SUDDENLY MOVE INWARD. THIS CAN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT BOTH HIGHWAY AND SLOW SPEEDS. IT IS DANGEROUS AS IT CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HANG ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OF THIS ISSUE SHOWS LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME PERHAPS MORE THAN 50 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11279406

Incident

Nov 11, 2019

Mileage

73,000 mi

TELESCOPIC STEERING WHEEL LEVER WILL RANDOMLY DROP, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION

NHTSA ID

11190227

Incident

Mar 12, 2019

Mileage

63,000 mi

WENT FOR MY ROUTINE SERVICE AND WAS TOLD I HAVE A RACK&PINION LEAK, NO LEAKING OBSERVED UNDER CARPORT BUT WAS SHOWN THE LEAK ONCE CAR WAS PLACED ON RACK TO BE VIEWED. ASKED IF CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE TO ATLANTA, MECHANIC AND SERVICE MANAGER ENCOURAGED ME TO GO AHEAD AND DRIVE IT, THEY STATED IT WILL NEED A NEW RACK & PINION, STATING IT WILL COST APPROX.. $800.00 PULSE $89.00 FOR FRONT END ALIGMENT. THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL FOR AVALONS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEARLERSHIP WITH 38,000 ON SPEEDOMETER AND AT THE TIME OF SERVICE I ONLY HAD PUT APPROX. 21,000 MILES. I READ UP ON RACK AND PINION LEAKS AND IT STATED IT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF THE FLUID STARTED TO SPUR OUT WITHOUT A WARNING AND CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I PURCHASED I THOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR $2600 AND TO BE TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MAY 2018, 3YRS OR 30 THOUSAND MILES AND CAR WAS SERVED IN AUG.2018. I FILED BANKRUPTCY IN 2016 AND DON'T HAVE EXTRA MONEY TO FIX MY CAR SO I CALLED THE FEDELITY WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD AS MY DEALERSHIP FOR A POSSIBLE REFUND. NOW THE VEHICLE DRIVE VERY BAD AND I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD AT COMPENSATE ME AND FIX THE VEHICLE AT A REDUCED CHARGE SINCE I PAID THEM $2600. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE HAS BEEN PUT IN DANGER BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE A CAR NOTE AND PAY A LARGE FEE TO FIX THE CAR. ALSO I ASKED FOR NEW TIRES, BUT THEY SAID THE TIRES WERE GOOD FOR AT 15,000 MILES. I PAID $24,995 FOR THE AVALON 2011 IN 2014. THEY AGREED TO GIVE ME 2 NEW TIRES WHEN NEEDED, BUT THESE WERE NOT MICHELINS, THEY WERE CHEAP TIRES AND THE THESE WERE PLACED ON THE FRONT AND THE OLD MICHELINS WERE PLACED ON THE BACK LAST YEAR AND AT THE NEXT SERVICE DATE THEY TOLD MED THEY COULD NOT BALANCE THE TIRES. I'M DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I FEEL I GOT A BAD DEAL. I HAVE NEVER KNOWN IT TO BE NORMAL FOR A TOYOTA BRAND CAR TO EXPECT PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11132204

Incident

Aug 23, 2018

Mileage

60,778 mi

TELESCOPING COLUMN FEATURE COLLAPSES RANDOMLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. MUST RESET THE ADJUSTER PERIODICALLY TO PREVENT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAN AND HAS HAPPENED WHILE UNDERWAY

NHTSA ID

11079629

Incident

Mar 3, 2016

Mileage

55,000 mi

THE LOCKING LEVER ON THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL WILL WITH OUT NOTICE RELEASE ITSELF CAUSING THE STEERING TELESCOPING FEATURE TO BECOME LOOSE AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL NEEDING TO ADJUST AND REPOSITION THE LOCKING LEVER TO REGAIN STEERING CONTROL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. I JUST PURCHASED THE USED ONE OWNER 2011 AVALON WITH ONLY 28,000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SIX TIMES IN A ONE MONTH PERIOD.

NHTSA ID

11010123

Incident

Jul 22, 2017

Mileage

28,000 mi

STEERING COLUMN POSITION LOCK LEVER CONTINUES TO DISENGAGE. THE LEVER, OVER TIME, WORKS IT'S WAY DOWN UNTIL IT RELEASES THE "SET" POSITION OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS CAUSES THE STEERING COLUMN TO MOVE OUT OF IT'S SET POSITION WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. I THINK THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER YEAR MODELS OF THE TOYOTA AVALON BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY 2011 WAS EXCLUDED.

NHTSA ID

11002889

Incident

Jul 3, 2017

Mileage

23,000 mi

TOLD MY AVALON WITH 43,609 MILES HAS THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY LEAKING

NHTSA ID

10968656

Incident

Mar 27, 2017

Mileage

43,609 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENT LEVER DROPS ON IT'S OWN AND THE STEERING MOVES IN AND OUT. IT'S HAZARDOUS FOR DRIVING AS WELL AS FOR KNEE INJURIES.

NHTSA ID

10967345

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

44,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. TOLD THE PART WOULD BE $800. ONLY 49000 MILES ON THE CAR

NHTSA ID

10808741

Incident

Oct 1, 2015

Mileage

46,000 mi

CAR IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. IT HAS AN ADJUSTABLE (IN AND OUT) STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. UPON ACCEPTING THE CAR, THIS WAS SET AND HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED WITH MYSELF BEING THE ONLY DRIVER. TWICE (ONCE IN 2ND YR, ONCE IN 4TH YR) WHEN TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED. I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN, AND THEN READJUST THE COLUMN AND LOCK IT. IN THIS 5TH YEAR I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A SAFETY RECALL ON THE AUDIO SYSTEM, AND AT THE SAME TIME ASKED THAT A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT BE DONE ON SECURING THE TELESCOPIC ADJUSTMENT LEVER - THINKING THIS WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THE TELESCOPIC ADJUSTMENT WAS FOR THE STEERING COLUMN GOING UP AND DOWN (NOT IN AND OUT), AND THOUGH MY CAR DID NOT NEED THIS CORRECTION, IT WAS DONE. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT THE COLLAPSING OF THE STEERING COLUMN (IN AND OUT) WAS DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN BEING WORN OUT; THAT IS WAS NOT COVERED BY THE CAR WARRANTY; AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $997.04 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I DECLINED THINKING THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY - I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A STEERING COLUMN WEARING OUT. SINCE LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, 9/24/2015, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING NUMEROUS TIMES, BOTH IN TURNS AND WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT HEAD AND BRAKING. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED AS I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. THE AIRBAG IS IN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND IF IT SHOULD HAVE TO BE USED, IT MAY COLLAPSE THE STEERING WHEEL INSTEAD OF PROTECTING THE DRIVER! THIS SHOULD BE A WARRANTY ITEM. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ITEM! THIS IS DEFINITELY MUCH MORE SERIOUS THAN THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING WHEEL GOING UP AND DOWN. DATE SHOWN BELOW IS APPROXIMATELY THE FIRST TIME OF NUMEROUS TIMES THE STEERING WHEEL HAS COLLAPSED SINCE ASKING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10783842

Incident

Sep 26, 2015

Mileage

72,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-26 THROUGH COLUMBIA, S.C., THE LEVER THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL IN POSITION AFTER ADJUSTMENT BY DRIVERS BECAME DIS-ENGAGED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL QUICKLY FALL FORWARD CAUSING ME TO LOSE PARTIAL CONTROL AND SWERVE SLIGHTLY BEFORE I COULD REGAIN FULL CONTROL. I REPORTED THIS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT JOHNSON CITY TOYOTA ON MY RETURN HOME. I RETURNED AGAIN A MONTH LATER TO REPORT ANOTHER INCIDENT AND FOUND THE FIRST REPORT WAS NOT RECORDED. I, AS WELL AS MY WIFE HAVE HAD THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE AND SOMETIMES TWICE A MONTH FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. I CHECKED YOUR DATA BASE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER AVALON OWNERS REGISTERED THIS SAME COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ID

10764019

Incident

Oct 4, 2014

Mileage

45,300 mi

STEERING COLUMN LOCK LEVER COMES LOOSE WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING COLUMN TO TELESCOPE TO ITS LOWEST POSITION. HAPPENS IN TRAFFIC CAUSING UNSAFE REACTION WHEN TRYING TO REENGAGE THE LOCK LEVER TO STABILIZE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705478

Incident

Mar 18, 2015

Mileage

20,000 mi

PURCHASE THE 2011 TOYOTA AVALON ON JUNE 13, 2010 WHICH ON MY FIRST SERVICE DATE I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STEERING COLUMN AND HARSH FEELING OF THE CAR DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN. BUENA PARK TOYOTA KEPT TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG RIGHT UP TO THE LAST SERVICE THAT WAS DONE THE END OF JUNE 2014. ON JUNE 30TH WENT TO VICTORVILLE TO VISIT MY WIFES SISTER. ON JULY 2 2014 WE STARTED BACK HOME WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACKING LIGHT CAME ON, FORTATLEY THE ISSUE HAPPENED BEFORE COMING DOWN THE CAJHON PASS ON HIGHWAY 15. WE WHERE ONLY 2 MILES AWAY FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN VICTORVILLE AND THEY FOUND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND REPLACED COLUMN ASSY, STEERING AND BOLDT STEERING LOCK. PLUS PO500 TRANS SPEED SENSOR POSS LOOSE CONNECTIONS CLEANED AND TIGHTENED CONNECTIONS AT SPEED SENNSOR. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT SHOWES A DEFECT ON THE COMPUTER SHOWING THE STEERING COLUMN HAS A DEFECT. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL CONCERNING THE ABOVE THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHICH COULD TAKE A LOT OF INNOCENT LIFES. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

NHTSA ID

10608465

Incident

Jul 2, 2014

Mileage

45,222 mi

TELESCOPING LEVER RELEASES BY ITSELF CAUSING WHOLE STEERING WHEEL TO SUDDENLY COLLAPSE TO SEATED (LOWEST) POSITION. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING WITHIN SPEED LIMIT (55 MPH) WHILE ON HIGHWAY. IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY, UNEXPECTED AND TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE IF AN ACCIDENT WHICH COULD BE FATAL OCCUR. THERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BUT NO AUTHORIZED REPAIRS FROM THE MANUFACTURE AT THIS TIME WHICH IS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A "SAFTEY ISSUE". PLEASE HELP US IN GETTING THIS MATTER RESOLVED SINCE IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, FORTUNATELY I THINK THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY FATALITIES "YET". *TR

NHTSA ID

10578683

Incident

Apr 15, 2013

Mileage

8,500 mi

THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY TELESCOPED TOWARD THE DASHBOARD. UPON INSPECTION, THE LOCKING LEVER HAD DROPPED DOWN SLIGHTLY RELEASING THE TELESCOPE FEATURE. HAVE REPORTED THIS 4 TIMES TO THE DEALER. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH SURFACES. SUPPOSEDLY CORRECTED EACH TIME OR ELSE COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564333

Incident

Apr 12, 2011

Mileage

6,000 mi

THE STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT LEVER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN CONTINUALLY FALLS/COMES LOOSE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO DROP DURING MOTORIZED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563836

Incident

Oct 14, 2013

Mileage

23,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL TELESCOPING LOCK FAILS REPEATEDLY DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558085

Incident

Jun 12, 2013

Mileage

20,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED I NOTICED THE LEFT SIDE LEVER OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD LOOSENED CAUSING ME TO SWERVE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE SUDDENNESS OF THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES BETWEEN MY WIFE AND I. *TR

NHTSA ID

10544657

Incident

Feb 5, 2013

Mileage

16,000 mi

THIS IS MY SECOND AVALON THE FIRST BEING A 2006 WHICH HAD TO HAVE A STEERING COLUMN REPLACED WHEN IT HAD 24407 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO TIME I PAID LABOR. THE 2011 AVALON HAS SAME PROBLEM 25000 MILES AND JUST UNDER 30 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY SAY IT IS DIFFERENT BUT IS THE SAME PROBLEM PER THE TECH JUST CHANGED PART NUMBERS. WITH THE STEERING PROBLEM THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHICH THEY SAY THEY WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY . THE SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME ALL OF THE AVALONS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE A BULLETIN TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THEY GET A COMPLAINT FROM THE CUSTOMER. WHEN YOU ADJUST THE TELESCOPIC WHEEL THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE AND KNOCKS WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10544007

Incident

Jun 14, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AS THE CONTACT DROVE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510976

Incident

Jun 15, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

2011 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH PARKING BRAKE AND STEERING WHEEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD ON A 6% GRADE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. THE DEALER ADJUSTED IT TO SPECIFICATION, BUT THE BRAKE STILL DID NOT HOLD. THE STEERING WHEEL TELESCOPE CLAMP LEVEL VIBRATED LOOSE, ALLOWING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TELESCOPE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER INDICATED THE MALFUNCTION WAS SOMEWHAT COMMON, BUT TOYOTA HAD NOT ISSUED A REPAIR BULLETIN.

NHTSA ID

10480283

Incident

Oct 1, 2012