2003 Toyota Avalon Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle started smoking and the engine stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the engine needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

THE AUTO SURGES FORWARD AS I'M TRYING TO STOP EITHER AT A STOP LIGHT OR PARKING SPOT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES AND MY MECHANIC SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WOULD BE FOR IT TO HAPPEN WHILE HE WAS DRIVING IT. THERE'S NO PATTERN TO WHEN IT HAPPENS BUT IT'S SCARY AND I'M AFRAID TO LET MY WIFE DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AS I WAS COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE ENTERING A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. THE OTHER TIMES IT HAPPENED WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP. I NOW PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHEN IT HAPPENS AND THE ENGINE IS RACING AWAY. PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ISN'T ENOUGH TO COME TO A COMPETE STOP. I'VE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING WITH NO HONEST ANSWER FOR CORRECTING IT. MOSTLY TRAIL AND ERROR. TOYOTA HAS TO KNOW THE ANSWER BUT THERE'S NO SERVICE BULLETINS FROM THEM. I'M AFRAID THAT IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR BODILY INJURY TO ME OR MY WIFE. NHTSB HAS GOT TO LOOK INTO THIS ASAP. P.S. MY CAR HAS 71000 MILES ON IT.

TESTING API.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A SQUEALING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V539000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2003 MODELS, ONLY 2004. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 01/04/12*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 2008. UPDATED 01/09/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE EXHIBITED SLUDGE. THE CONTACT HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE WHO CONFIRMED THE SLUDGE BUILDUP IN THE ENGINE BUT THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

2003 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH GAS PEDAL AND IDLE RUNNING TOO HIGH *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE HIGH AT TIMES AND THEN TOO LOW, TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STAY ON. THE PROBLEM WAS INCONSISTENT, BUT RECURRING. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS MOUNTED TOO HIGH.

OUR 2003 TOYOTA AVALON HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR TOYOTA DEALER AND BOTH TIMES THEY SAID THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE FLOORMAT STICKING UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. THE MAT WAS REMOVED AND IT STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I LET OFF THE GAS TO SLOW DOWN AND IT STARTED TO SPEED UP. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV UP AND DOWN FROM 1000 RPM TO 2500 RPM. THIS CONTINUED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART IT. (THIS IS ALWAYS THE FIX...TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT. IT SEEMS TO RESET THE COMPUTER). THIS PROBLEM STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO AND CONTINUES TO OCCUR ALMOST MONTHLY. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND EVEN IF IT WAS, I DON'T FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM HAS A FIX, YET. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER ONE AND THE RESALE VALUE HAS PLUMMETED. JUST LAST WEEK MY WIFE WAS STOPPED BY A DPS OFFICER FOR SPEEDING FROM A STOP LIGHT. SHE DID NOT EVEN HAVE HER FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. SHE EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WAS NOT TICKETED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE RESPONDED SLOWLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NINE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,858.