2005 Toyota Avalon

LEVER THAT CONTROLS TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL DROPS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS WAS NEVER A RECALL BUT WAS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA THEY SENT OUT LETTERS BEGINNING IN APRIL 2014 ADVISING OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM. WE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER. TOYOTA FURTHER ADVISES US THAT THE WINDOW FOR FREE REPAIR OF THE DEFECT CLOSED ON MAY 31,2015 AND THEY WILL NOT PAY TO FIX IT. WHY WAS THIS NOT MADE AN OFFICIAL RECALL? I HAVE INJURED MY KNEE SEVERAL TIMES ENTERING THE VEHICLE.

I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH UP I-81 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND LOST ALL POWER. I WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE SHOULDER. I TURNED ON FLASHERS, PUT CAR IN PARK, TURNED KEY OFF, AND TRIED TO RESTART ENGINE. IT IMMEDIATELY CRANKED RIGHT UP AND I PROCEEDED UP THE INTERSTATE. FIVE MINUTES LATER, AT 70 MPH, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE ENGINE. I CONTINUED ON HOME FOR ANOTHER 2 HOURS WITH NO PROBLEMS. ON 5/18, I WENT TO CHURCH AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. SINCE I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY, IT WAS HARD TO STEER (NO POWER STEERING). AT NO TIME HAS A LIGHT COME ON SHOWING IT NEEDED SERVICE OR SOME PROBLEM. I ASSUME SINCE I WAS DRIVING SO FAST ON THE INTERSTATE, I DIDN'T NOTICE THE POWER STEERING LOSS WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I AM AFRAID THAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN AND I MIGHT GET KILLED FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO PULL ONTO A SHOULDER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK AND POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,245.

I NOTICED THE TELESCOPING LEVER HAD FALLEN A FEW TIMES WHILE ENTERING VEHICLE BUT PAID IT NO MIND AND JUST PUSHED IT UP. I WAS DRIVING ALONG ONE DAY AND I PUT THE BRAKES ON AND MAKING A TURN AND THE WHEEL JUST COLLAPSED TO THE ALL THE WAY DOWN POSITION AND IT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD AND I ALMOST CRASHED! I TRY TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE FALLEN LEVER BUT IF NEGLECT TO PUSH IT UP THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL WILL FALL AT LEAST ONCE A DAY WHILE DRIVING USUALLY WHEN BRAKING SINCE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING THERE IS MORE DOWNWARD FORCE ON THE COLUMN. THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CORPORATE ARE TELLING ME THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE AND ITS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND I NEED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A LIE SINCE I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND EVEN A TSB TOYOTA ISSUED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOW AND WHY SHOULD I BE HELD FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A SAFETY CONCERN THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO FIX. I HATE THAT IT MIGHT CAUSE A CRASH AND MAYBE THEN AFTER THE CRASH THEY MIGHT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. ONE MORE THING THE TELESCOPING OPTION IS ALMOST NEVER USED SO ITS CERTAINLY NOT FROM BEING USED TOO MUCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE EXPERIENCED AN EXCESSIVE PULSATION IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) IN JUNE OF 2010. THE FAILURE RECURRED RECENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THERE WAS ALSO A DEFAULT WITH THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ...UPDATED 05/22/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REBUILT. UPDATED 06/14/2013 *JS

THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEGUN MAKING A RATHER NOTICEABLE "CLACKING" NOISE WHEN TURNING. IT CAN BE BOTH HEARD AND FELT IN THE WHEEL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND TOYOTA HAS PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN (#00206, NHTSA # 10019669)FOR REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WANTS $930 TO REPAIR IT IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY'RE CLAIMING IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT A STEERING WHEEL THAT MAKES NOISES YOU CAN HEAR (AND FEEL) DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT SAFE. *TR