1996 Toyota Avalon problems

Filed Jul 9, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 220,000 miles · MA

While driving to an appointment, I had unintended acceleration. Luckily, I was able to pull over to side of road after using two feet to slow vehicle, and shut vehicle off. After trying to restart vehicle several times, it was still revving. After a half hour, I was able to start it and bring it home. Very scary! It has happened several times since then, when my husband was driving, and we were able to pull off to safety. We took it to our mechanic, and since it was not doing it while they had it, they couldn't find what was causing the problem, and fix it. While trying to find the cause of this problem on the internet, we discovered that this was a common problem to this vehicle year, and most were on camry's. We do not have replacement floor mats, and the pedal was not stuck. We called toyota to check on recall information. Said there were no recalls on our VIN#, and told it was out of warranty, due to the mileage, but they documented my report in their corporate records, and to take it to a toyota dealership to have it evaluated and repaired, which would no doubt be at our expense since it was not under warranty. We are senior citizens, and are afraid to even drive this car now, much less drive it all the way to a dealer out of town.

Filed May 27, 2013 · Electrical · 208,300 miles · CA

Automatic air conditioner, A/C amplifier, air inlet servo motor & servo link & heater controls stop working and only works intermittently by itself. Toyota will not own up to this problem. Toyota only wants more money to fix the problem without telling you exactly what the problem is. Toyota has known about the inferior parts of their A/C system since 1995. They must have high profile lobbyist in washington for the federal safety agency to let them get away with this for so long. Somebody must be getting paid some kind of way for the federal safety agency to ignore this problem and let them get away with it. The federal safety agency should make toyota come clean about their A/C problems and recall all automobiles with A/C problems. Toyota owners should at least be given a free diagnostic test on the A/C system to determine what is wrong and tell us in writing what parts that are affected, and (this is a long shot) repair the A/C for free. Thank you, for your time and consideration in dealing with this ongoing A/C problem. And I hope you had a good memorial day weekend.

Filed Mar 3, 2013 · Acceleration, Brakes · 188,000 miles · OH

After receiving a jump, I was told to drive the car for about 20 minutes to recharge the battery. After driving for about 10 minutes, the gas pedal seemed to stick. Then when driving the speed began to accelerate without pressing the gas pedal. The longer we drove the higher the engine revved. I decided to return to my home about 5 minutes away then the car brake would not stop the car at a stop light and I had to quickly turn the corner to a side street until the light changed and I was able to enter my street. I pulled the car to the side to park it and it would not stop with my foot on the brake to the floor so I quickly put it in park and turned it off. It revved a few seconds before finally turning off.

Filed Jun 27, 2012 · Seat belts · 240,000 miles · OK

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. The contact stated the front drivers side seat belt was stuck and would not retract. The contact stated there was no seat belt light warning light on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure and current mileage was 240,000.

Filed Feb 16, 2012 · Acceleration · 97,909 miles · NY · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. The contact stated that while in reverse with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated suddenly and without warning. The contact was unable to regain control of the vehicle, crashing into the front of a parked vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 97,909.

Filed Feb 18, 2011 · Acceleration · 226,444 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. The contact was involved in a crash and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact had to be cut out of the vehicle in order to be transported to the hospital via ambulance. The contact sustained a fractured hip. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal remained stuck to the floor when the pedal was engaged which caused him to crash into a building. Both the dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 226,444. A police report was filed. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Nov 2, 2010 · Fuel system · 215,000 miles · IA

Filler pipe has corroded, spills fuel on the ground when filling vehicle.

Filed Nov 9, 2009 · Acceleration · 68,047 miles · NJ · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. While pulling up to a curb, the consumer attempted to stop, but the vehicle accelerated forward. The consumer tried to stop the vehicle by using repeated brake application, then putting the gear in park which made the vehicle go into reverse. The vehicle then accelerated backwards 50 feet and pinned a pedestrian under the vehicle dragging him approximately 50 feet. The pedestrian died from his injures. The vehicle continued backwards until it hit a utility pole. The failure mileage was 68,047. Updated 02/19/10 *bf updated 09/02/10*jb updated 9/27/11

Filed May 23, 2008 · Steering · 85,290 miles · ME

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. While turning the steering wheel to the left or right he lost power steering. The dealer diagnosed the failure on the incident date; however, the vehicle was there for 14 days. The axle shaft assembly was repaired at the owners expense for $984.51. The failure mileage was 85,290 and the current mileage was 85,300. Updated 07/29/08 *bf updated 07/29/08.

Filed Aug 13, 2007 · Airbags · GA · crash · 1 injury

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 toyota avalon. While driving 32 MPH, the vehicle began to fishtail and drove head on into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact was ejected through the sun roof and sustained a severe head concussion. She also lost complete vision in one eye, acute memory loss, and is unable to perform certain functions on the right side of her body. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. The contact cannot remember any other vehicle information due to her memory loss.