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2008 Toyota Avalon

618 messages,  Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 8:01 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Avalon, Future Vehicle, Sedan


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#560 of 618
Re: Headlight problem? [mlingga] by fin
Apr 30, 2009 (8:28 pm)
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Replying to: mlingga (Apr 30, 2009 5:54 pm)

Possible the leveling mechanism is defective but more than likely it's fine. The problem is that the newer Avalons, and many other cars, have headlights that illuminate more to the sides and less to the front. Why? Ask the designers. They say it works better for all drivers. I disagree because I like distance penetration on suburban roads and interstates where I drive most of the time, but...
 
The lights also have a very distinct "horizontal cutoff". Notice on a dark road that everything below a horizontal line out in front of the car is illuminated but there is hardly any illumination above the line. This is hard for some people, including me, to adjust to. But it works, you hit things on the road or that enter the road, not in the air above the car.
 
Others may have more ideas, hope this helps....
#561 of 618
Re: Headlight problem? [mlingga] by wwest
May 01, 2009 (8:43 am)
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Replying to: mlingga (Apr 30, 2009 5:54 pm)

With the advent of more common use of HID headlights, "tight" beam focussing projector lense, and even in some cases "extra" bright halogen bulbs, the requirement to "shade" your headlights against interferring with an oncoming driver's vision is raised.
 
So if you have HID headlamps, or even halogen headlamps with projectors lense, then there is a "requirement" for more upper beam cutoff, SHARP upper beam cutoff, than in yesteryear.
#562 of 618
Re: Headlight problem? [wwest] by mlingga
May 01, 2009 (9:15 am)
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Replying to: wwest (May 01, 2009 8:43 am)

What both of you point out makes sense, and it's certainly true that the cutoff on my Av is very sharp. Still, I find that the amount of pavement illuminated is so short that it's truly dangerous to drive on an unlighted road at anything approaching the speed limit. I can certainly say that the Av on high beam is no brighter to oncoming traffic than the Suburban on low.
 
If anyone with a Limited has absolutely nothing to do some evening, I'd love to hear how many feet their headlights illuminate to see if it's just Avalon headlights or my vehicle in particular. Thanks!
#563 of 618
Re: Headlight problem? [mlingga] by wwest
May 01, 2009 (2:16 pm)
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Replying to: mlingga (May 01, 2009 9:15 am)

The headlights in your Suburban are mounted quite a bit higher than your Avalon, so yes, they will have a greater low beam distance pattern by that measure. Check to see if the high beams on your Avalon are actually working. Lots of new cars have "bi-xenons", wherein the HID low beam "shade" is moved out of the way to give the high beam mode more distance.
 
You will also have, typically, a pair of normal halogen high beam bulbs that illuminate in parallel with the high beam mode of the bi-xenon.
 
The high beam beam bulbs are also often used at half voltage for greater distance DRLs. Operation of halogen bulbs at this low voltage will often reduce their lifecycle significantly so you might want to check to be sure that both bulbs are operating.
 
But yes, operating/driving at highway speeds, 60+ MPH, on only low beams can get a bit nerve racking, even scary.
#564 of 618
Headlight problem by doug3030
May 01, 2009 (2:55 pm)
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My 2008 Av Limited has the same problem as indicated by others. I made a remark on the forum some time ago that when driving in the country, I had a difficult time picking up deer standing beside the road while in the bright mode and darn near impossible when using the dims. Seems the brights just don't reach out there to illuminate the road as they should. Change bulbs ? Suggestions? When I checked w/Toyota dealer they commented, "Normal".
#565 of 618
Re: Headlight problem [doug3030] by mlingga
May 03, 2009 (7:59 am)
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Replying to: doug3030 (May 01, 2009 2:55 pm)

Doug: sounds like we're both complaining about the same problem. I was afraid of just what you said, that if I took it to the dealer they'd just say "that's the way they all are." That's why I'm hoping someone with an Av Limited will take the time to measure the throw distance on their low beams, If not, maybe I'll try to talk the dealer into letting me see the throw distance on a Limited on their lot and see if it's equally miserable.
 
I'll say again, that 30 feet of throw is way inadequate. I'm talking about overdriving the headlights not at 60 mph, but at 30 mph!
#566 of 618
Re: Question on miles per gallon display [pasqvinc] by gilseidman
May 06, 2009 (5:20 pm)
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Replying to: pasqvinc (Feb 27, 2009 6:27 pm)

I think it depends on your average speed when you are driving. My MPG display on my 2008 Avalon Limited, is in the twenties when I fill up and my average speed is 25-30 mph until I hit a highway. When I put it in automatic cruise control on the highway and set it at 62mph, the mpg display gradually increases and has reached 35.2 mph after about an hour of driving nonstop. When I fill the tank on the highway, my actual mileage is 35.1 miles to the gallon. It does not get any better than that.The MPG range has never been over 385 miles but that is not a factor for me. On the way back, my mileage never exceeds 33.2 mpg driving under the same conditions.
#567 of 618
Re: Keyless Remotes [TheHopper] by jennifer26
May 08, 2009 (11:47 am)
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Replying to: TheHopper (Dec 08, 2008 7:16 am)

Did you ever find out what the problem was? I have one that is doing the very same thing.
 
Thanks
#568 of 618
Disabling Traction Control by stoneybroke
Jun 08, 2009 (5:24 pm)
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I just purchased a new 2008 Touring with VSC and TRAC. I think the VSC is a great idea, but the TRAC system is really poor, in that there is no way to spin your way out of a really low traction situation. Is there any way to temporarily disable the TRAC system?
#569 of 618
Re: Disabling Traction Control [stoneybroke] by tjc78
Jun 09, 2009 (3:43 am)
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Replying to: stoneybroke (Jun 08, 2009 5:24 pm)

This worked on my '06 XLS. Info from an earlier forum post.
 
Needs to be done within 30 seconds.
  
1. Make sure the car is in Park and the parking brake is disengaged before you start the car.
2. Start the engine.
3. Engage the parking brake.
4. Fully depress the brake pedal and then release.
5. Fully depress the brake pedal and then release.
6. Disengage the parking brake.
7. Fully depress and hold down the brake pedal.
8. Engage the parking brake, then disengage it (while holding down the brake pedal).
9. Engage the parking brake, then disengage it (while holding down the brake pedal).
10. Release the brake pedal.
11. Engage the parking brake.
12. Fully depress the brake pedal and then release.
13. Fully depress the brake pedal and then release.
 
After this the VSC/TRAC lights will light on the dash. Of course you can also pull the wires off a sensor under the hood to cause a CEL which would also disable the TRAC/VSC

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