2002 Toyota Avalon Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE THE FUEL CAP AND FUEL LINE HOSE WERE REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO DAYS AFTER EACH REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. MOST RECENT, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON 9/24/13 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I DROVE RIGHT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM WAS BELOW THRESHOLD ( CODE P0420). THIS REPAIR COST ME $2,541.27. I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING. AFTER PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR MY AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH, EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE DIAGNOSTIC DID NOT SHOW A CODE. I WAS PREVIOUSLY TOLD THE CODE FOR THE AIR BAG WAS B0113. SINCE PURCHASING THIS 2002 AVALON I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE VALVE ASSY, IDLE REPLACED AT A COST OF 978.63, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO REGULAR SCHEDULED SERVICES. I HAVE OWNED OTHER CARS FOR THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME AND MILES AS THIS TOYOTA AND I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS OUTSIDE REGULAR SERVICES WITH ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES (MAZDA AND ACURA) I HAVE COMPLETELY LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE TOYOTA BRAND. I BELIEVE THERE ARE DEFECTS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE 2002 AVALON. *TR

I BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA AVALON 2002 WITH @ 67K MILES ON IT TWO MONTHS AGO. I NOTICED THAT IT OCCASIONALLY HAD BLUE SMOKE COMING OUT ON COLD START UP. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE AFTER 2,700 MILES ELAPSED FROM WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED. I DID A CARFAX REPORT ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO PURCHASE AND IT SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A ONE OWNER CAR WITH NO REPAIR OR DAMAGE HISTORY BEFORE IT WAS TRADED IN. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR @ 2,000 MILES AFTER THE OIL CHANGE WHEN THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MILES FROM OUR HOME. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND IT DIDN'T READ ANYTHING ON THE DIP STICK. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN IT TOOK 4 1/2 QUARTS TO READ FULL. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALER (EHRLICH TOYOTA, GREELEY, CO) THAT DID MY OIL CHANGE AND THEY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TODAY TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY ABOUT THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SLUDGE THAT EVENTUALLY CAUSES SEVER DAMAGE TO THE AFFECTED ENGINES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THIS TO BE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR THAT I PURCHASED ON THE 17TH OF SEPTEMBER 2010. I DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA CAME OUT WITH A CSP (CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM) TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. IN ESSENCE, TOYOTA AGREED TO PERFORM ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS (INCLUDING ENGINE REPAIR/OVERHAUL) IF THE VEHICLE WAS IDENTIFIED WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THE OWNER COULD PROVE REGULAR OIL CHANGES HAD BEEN DONE. THIS "ONE TIME" GOOD FAITH FIX APPLIED TO THE AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR A PERIOD OF 8 YEARS PLUS 120 DAYS AFTER IT'S ORIGINAL PURCHASE. I DISCOVERED THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF MY AVALON BOUGHT THE CAR ON THE 24TH OF JUNE 2002. THAT ESSENTIALLY MAKES MY CAR OUT OF THE ZONE FOR THIS REPAIR AS OF THE 24TH OF OCTOBER 2010. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEALER SAID IT'S MY PROBLEM! I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW FURIOUS THIS MAKES ME THAT I'M NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECT I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF AT THE PURCHASE DATE OF SEPT 17TH 2010. *TR

IDENTIFY WHETHER OR NOT ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED ON MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON AND 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA. IF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS ARE PRESENT, ARE THEY DEFECTIVE? CAN NHTSA DECLARE THAT IF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROLS ARE PRESENT, THAT THEY ARE SAFE TO OPERATE? MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON ALSO HAS A KNOWN DEFECT (ENGINE OIL GEL ISSUES) WHICH TOYOTA MANAGED TO AVOID A RECALL. WILL TOYOTA REPLACE MY ENGINE IF THE ENGINE FAILS DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT? DID THE NHTSA EVER ISSUE A RECALL DUE TO THIS DEFECT? *TR

THIS IS TO REPORT 3 INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY TOYOTA AVALON. IN EACH INCIDENT, THE CAR ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY FOR A SHORT TIME WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55MPH ON A SMOOTH LEVEL HIGHWAY. THE ACCELERATIONS EXPERIENCED CAN BE BEST DESCRIBED AS A "LUNGE". THESE INCIDENTS WERE NO IMPACT ANOMALIES. THEY ARE BEING REPORTED NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SUPPORT YOUR INVESTIGATION. *TR

OIL GELLING OR SLUDGE CAUSING ENGINE SEIZURE. CONFIRMED BY IDENTIFIX, KELLY BLUEBOOK, AND EDMUNDS.COM. TOYOTA EXTENDING WARRANTY FOR 2YRS AND ADVISING MORE FREQUENT OIL CHANGES. AVALON BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP 8 TIMES AND CHARGED APPROX 800.00 FOR PROBLEM. ADVISED LETTER NOT RESOLVED. ADVISED TO GO TO CLASS ACTION SUITE DESTREHAN, LA. GIVEN RUN AROUND. HAVE LEXUS WITH SAME PROBLEM, COMPUTER WAS CHANGED AND NO FURTHER PROBLEM. SUGGEST TOYOTA AVOIDING EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND REQUEST RETURN OF MY MONEY. *TR

I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND HAVE HAD CONTINUING TROUBLE WITH WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE FUEL SYSTEM. UPON ACCELERATION THE CAR WILL PERIODICALLY (DAILY) SOUND LIKE IT IS RUNNING ON DIESEL FUEL OR AS IF WATER IS MIXED WITH THE GASOLINE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECREATE THE NOISE AND, THEREFORE, CLAIM THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE VEHICLE EMITS A STRONG SULFUR ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS CHANGED THE TYPE OF GAS USED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH *NLM