TOYOTA AVALON TRANSMISSION PROBLEM LEMON DEFECT

keywords Toyota Avalon defect, lemon law, Toyota Avalon class action, transmission defect, problem, lemon law. 

Owners of the usually reliable Toyota Avalon are experiencing problems on the 2005, 2006, and 2007 models:

"Toyota Motor Corp., long known for its problem-free cars and trucks, is experiencing quality control problems in a number of its products.   Among the troubled models are Avalon, Prius and the FJ Cruiser, but it is the Avalon that has attracted the most industry attention.  Toyota introduced the redesigned Avalon in 2005, and ever since it has been beset with problems...  Transmission hesitation problems, which have plagued the automaker in the past, also have resurfaced with the five-speed automatic transmission installed in the Avalon. While the earlier transmission problems were experienced by consumers in a variety of situations, this round of trouble surfaces particularly when the driver presses the acceleration pedal for greater speed. All the difficulties have resulted in the Avalon being downgrading in its quality rating to "average" by Consumer Reports."  www.post-gazette.com/pg/06214/710304-185.stm

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10120329 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: May 9, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B55U...
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION IN MY TOYOTA AVALON 2005 LIMITED OVER THE PAST MONTH. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS DONE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND I WOULD HAVE TO "TRAIN" MY CAR COMPUTER TO DRIVE. I HAVE OVER 1500 MILES ON THE CAR AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. I DRIVE THE CAR AND MAKE STARTS AND STOPS SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT ISSUE, THEN AT THE NEXT STOP I START OUT AND THE CAR SEEMS TO SHIFT IMMEDIATELY TO A HIGHER GEAR AND I HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS. OTHER TIMES, I WILL PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AND HAVE NO RESPONSE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR TAKES OFF. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AS I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL GO OR NOT GO. THERE ARE YET OTHER TIMES THAT IT WILL START OFF NORMALLY AND THEN SEEM TO GET STUCK IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE SECOND GEAR AND REV FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE SHIFTING. PREVIOUSLY, I HAVE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND ENDED UP LURCHING FORWARD WHEN THE SHIFT FINALLY OCCURRED. NOW I LET IT REV UNTIL IT SHIFTS ITSELF WITH NO ADDITIONAL GAS PEDAL DEPRESSION. WHILE THIS HAS STOPPED THE LURCHING, IT HAS LEFT ME VENERABLE IN THAT I CAN NOT DEPEND ON WHEN THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE SO I CAN AVOID ACCIDENTS WITH OTHER VEHICLES, PEOPLE, AND OBJECTS. THIS HAS BEEN QUITE FRUSTRATING. I CONSIDER IT A MATTER OF MY LIFE AND DEATH BECAUSE I TAKE COUMADIN AND IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT, IT COULD AND QUITE POSSIBLE WOULD COST ME MY LIFE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE TOYOTA TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10121398 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: May 18, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B55U...
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Summary:
I JUST PURCHASED 2005 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED. I EXPERIENCE TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SLIPPAGE. IT IS GETTING DANGEROUS WHEN I HAVE TO ENTER HIGHWAY RAMP BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION HESITATION.WHEN I COAST AT LOW SPEED, FOR EXAMPLE, I NOTICE A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AHEAD AND TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS, THE CAR THEN CONTINUES FORWARD AS IF IN GEAR AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME IT FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL, THE RPMS DROP TO BELOW 1,000. THEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGES WHEN MY SPEED IS ABOUT 5 - 10 MPH AND I SLOWLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASE ABOUT 300 - 500 RPMS BUT THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. THEN THE TRANSMISSION GETS THE MESSAGE AND WE START TO ACCELERATE.

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10122087 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: May 19, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B55U...
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA LIMITED. THE TRANSMISSION POSES SAFETY PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT IS VERY UNEVEN AND UNPREDICTABLE, SHIFTING WHEN YOU DON'T EXPECT SHIFTING, AT LOWER AND HIGHER SPEEDS AND IN CRUISE CONTROL. (SEE THE ON-LINE DISCUSSION FORUM AT EDMUNDS WEBSITE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WHICH MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING.

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10127389 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: July 1, 2005
VIN : Not Available
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
Summary:
NOTICING HESITATION AT LOW SPEED GEAR SHIFTING . RESULTS IN NO ACCELERATION INSPITE OF PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND AFTER A LAG CAR SUDDENLY RESPONDS. HAD TROUBLE WHILE MERGING FROM THE RAMP ON TO THE HIGHWAY NOW FOR A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES. CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT SPECIALLY WHILE MERGING OR DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN HEAVT TRAFFIC.

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10138979 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: September 3, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B45U...
Component: POWER TRAIN
Summary:
WE HAD HAVE OUR 2005 AVALON LIMITED FOR 2 MONTHS NOW. WHILE THIS CAR IS AN ABSOLUTE GEM, WE HAVE EXPERIENCE THE ACCELERATION HESITATION AS DID OTHER OWNERS. WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, AND LUCKILY, HE WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, HE SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE LIES IN THE COMPUTER ELECTRONICS. HE COULD CHANGE OUT THE "BRAINS" OF THE CAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. HE ADVISED US TO CALL TOYOTA'S 800-NUMBER TO FILE A REPORT IN HOPES OF RAISING TOYOTA'S AWARENESS. *NM
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10139791 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: August 16, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B05U...
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
Summary:
WITH CRUISE CONTROL (CC) ON, BETWEEN ABOUT 30 & 70 MPH, ON INCLINES THAT CAUSE A SPEED DECREASE OF 3+ MPH, CAR DOWNSHIFTS MORE THAN THE NORMAL 1 GEAR, & SURGES AHEAD QUITE VIOLENTLY, WITH LARGE RPM INCREASES, TO 3+ MPH ABOVE THAT SET, THEN SLOWLY SETTLES TO THE SET SPEED. WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH ON A LEVEL INTERSTATE, I SLOWED TO 60 MPH & SET THE "RESUME" FUNCTION; IT DOWNSHIFTED ONCE, ACCELERATING NORMALLY, UNTIL, @ 64 MPH, DOWNSHIFTED AGAIN, MORE THAN ONE MORE GEAR & SURGED VIOLENTLY AHEAD, UP ABOUT 3000 RPM & TO 72-73 MPH BEFORE RETURNING TO 5TH GEAR, & SLOWING TO 70 MPH. THE RAPID INCREASES ARE STARTLING TO ALL OCCUPANTS, AND COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, AND THE OFTEN RAPID BRAKING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, A REAL CHALLENGE FOR THE TAILGATER BEHIND ON A CELL PHONE! DOWNHILL, WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, IT USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, SPEEDS UP EXCESSIVELY; MORE THAN WITH CRUISE CONTROL OFF. IT USUALLY ACTS NORMAL ON FLAT ROADS, AND, EXCEPT AS STATED, ON HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS WITH GRADUAL INCLINES. WITH CRUISE CONTROL OFF, NONE OF THESE ABNORMAL THINGS HAPPEN. WHEN THE DEALERS SHOP FOREMAN HAD ME TEST DRIVE A 2006 WITH HIM AS PASSENGER. AND BOTH CARS DID IT HE DECIDED IT WAS "NORMAL". BUT EVEN IF ALL 05/06 AVALONS DO, IT'S NOT "NORMAL". WHILE I DO KNOW THAT DOWNSHIFTING GENTLY IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES IS NORMAL, AS A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED COMMERCIAL DRIVER & AIRCRAFT PILOT/MECHANIC, & AVID CC USER, I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE ACT LIKE THIS. WHEN I PHONED CORPORATE TOYOTA, THEY OPENED CASE #2005 0921 1138; HAD THE "AREA REP." INVESTIGATE (HE/SHE NEVER CONTACTED ME, OR DROVE MY CAR); TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE "AREA REP" CONSIDERS IT "NORMAL" MY ONLY RECOURSE WITH THEM IS TO ENTER "ARBITRATION". WE LIKE THIS CAR VERY MUCH, & WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT IF THIS CAN BE RECTIFIED. SURELY IT'S A SOFTWARE GLITCH OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE. PLEASE HELP SOLVE THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW, BEFORE A TRAGEDY FORCES IT. THANK YOU. *JB
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10139804 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: October 14, 2005
VIN : Not Available
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary:
WE PURCHASED A 2005 AVALON LIMITED. FROM NEARLY THE FIRST DAY WE NOTICED A HESITATION DRIVING. THE SYMPTOM IS THAT THE CAR WILL HESITATE AS IT THINKS ABOUT WHAT GEAR TO GO INTO. THIS IS NOTICEABLE GOING UP A HILL, AND IS AT ITS WORST IN A SLOW TURN WHEN THE CAR SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT STALL. QUITE SIMPLY THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FROM EVERYTHING WE HAVE LEERED A RESULT OF DRIVE BY WIRE. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. WE SPENT CLOSE TO $35,000 FOR THIS CAR AND IT IS OUTRAGEOUS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON AVALON (AS WELL AS OTHER TOYOTA MODELS).*JB
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10140951 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: July 29, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B35U...
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
2005 TOYOTA AVALON - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE I JUST PURCHASED 2005 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED. I EXPERIENCE TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SLIPPAGE. IT IS GETTING DANGEROUS WHEN I HAVE TO ENTER HIGHWAY RAMP BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION HESITATION. WHEN I COAST AT LOW SPEED, FOR EXAMPLE, I NOTICE A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AHEAD AND TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS, THE CAR THEN CONTINUES FORWARD AS IF IN GEAR AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME IT FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL, THE RPMS DROP TO BELOW 1,000. THEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGES WHEN MY SPEED IS ABOUT 5 - 10 MPH AND I SLOWLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASE ABOUT 300 - 500 RPMS BUT THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. THEN THE TRANSMISSION GETS THE MESSAGE AND WE START TO ACCELERATE. *JB
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10144371 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: June 6, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B15U...
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
SINCE PURCHASING THE AVALON IN EARLY JUNE, I HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH HOW THE CAR OPERATES BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHAT GEAR IT NEEDS TO SHIFT INTO. IT WILL FREQUENTLY RACE 1000 RPM AHEAD WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN SPEED. THEN SUDDENLY IT WILL ACCELERATE AND THE RPM'S WILL DROP BACK TO NORMAL RPM. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST OFTEN IN RUSH TRAFFIC WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE LANES. THE HESITATION IN ACCELERATION WILL CAUSE ME TO LOSE MOST OF MY MARGIN OF SAFETY IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING LANES. IN THIS REGARD, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR, AND THEREIN, LIES THE SAFETY HAZARD. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE LAST EFFORT BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE MY COMPUTER PROGRAMMING FAILED TO ACHIEVE ANY LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT TO MY SATISFACTION WITH ONE EXCEPTION. SINCE THE FIRST COMPUTER UPGRADE, I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE COMPLETE LOSS OF GEAR AT HIGH SPEEDS. IS THIS A PROBLEM IN ALL 2005 AVALONS? IS TOYOTA AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DO THEY HAVE PLANS TO RESOLVE IT? SERVICED ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21. TOYOTA RESET THE COMPUTER LEARNING BACK TO FACTORY DEFAULT. TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN CA EXPLAINED THAT THERE ARE NO CURRENT PLANS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. ONCE THE LEARNING PROCESS DEVELOPS A BAD PATTERN, IT MUST BE RESET BACK TO FACTORY DEFAULT AND THE RELEARNING STARTED OVER. THE PROBLEM STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN AND THERE IS NO "UNLEARNING" THE PROBLEM. *JB
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10144371 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: June 6, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B15U...
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary:
SINCE PURCHASING THE AVALON IN EARLY JUNE, I HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH HOW THE CAR OPERATES BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHAT GEAR IT NEEDS TO SHIFT INTO. IT WILL FREQUENTLY RACE 1000 RPM AHEAD WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN SPEED. THEN SUDDENLY IT WILL ACCELERATE AND THE RPM'S WILL DROP BACK TO NORMAL RPM. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST OFTEN IN RUSH TRAFFIC WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE LANES. THE HESITATION IN ACCELERATION WILL CAUSE ME TO LOSE MOST OF MY MARGIN OF SAFETY IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING LANES. IN THIS REGARD, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR, AND THEREIN, LIES THE SAFETY HAZARD. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE LAST EFFORT BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE MY COMPUTER PROGRAMMING FAILED TO ACHIEVE ANY LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT TO MY SATISFACTION WITH ONE EXCEPTION. SINCE THE FIRST COMPUTER UPGRADE, I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE COMPLETE LOSS OF GEAR AT HIGH SPEEDS. IS THIS A PROBLEM IN ALL 2005 AVALONS? IS TOYOTA AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DO THEY HAVE PLANS TO RESOLVE IT? SERVICED ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21. TOYOTA RESET THE COMPUTER LEARNING BACK TO FACTORY DEFAULT. TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN CA EXPLAINED THAT THERE ARE NO CURRENT PLANS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. ONCE THE LEARNING PROCESS DEVELOPS A BAD PATTERN, IT MUST BE RESET BACK TO FACTORY DEFAULT AND THE RELEARNING STARTED OVER. THE PROBLEM STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN AND THERE IS NO "UNLEARNING" THE PROBLEM. *JB
 

Make : TOYOTA Model : AVALON Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10145698 Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: September 23, 2005
VIN : 4T1BK36B45U...
Component: OTHER
Summary:
I HAVE A 2005 AVALON AND THERE IS A HESITATION BETWEEN THE PUSHING OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACTUAL BRAKING OF THE CAR, THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE GAS PEDAL. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP WENT ON A TEST DRIVE WITH ME AND TOLD ME THAT THESE ACTIONS WERE FOUND IN OTHER TOYOTA PRODUCTS AND THERE WAS NOT YET A FIX ON THEM. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR BACK THREE TIMES AND ON THE FINAL REPAIR TRIP THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WROTE THAT THE CAR WAS TO MANUFACTURER SPECS. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE AS OF YET. *JB
 

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Keywords  Toyota Avalon transmission problem, Avalon class action, Toyota Avalon transmission lemon law, transmission defect, Toyota Avalon