Ask the Car People.SM


2011 Toyota Avalon

1645 messages,  Last post on Apr 28, 2013 at 10:49 AM

You are in the Toyota Avalon Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Avalon

Messages Page 128 of 165

#1266 of 1645 Re: play in steering wheel [nan48] by silverfocks

Nov 16, 2011 (12:39 pm)

Replying to: nan48 (Nov 03, 2011 3:16 pm)
I purchased my 2011 Avalon in the end of Feb. From the beginning I had a binding and cracking sound in the steeering column and wheel. The noise occurs more frequently now and happens when the vehicle is moving
Toyota could not hear or feel it till the 10,000 mile check. Then they took a new Avlon off the lot and said they heard it first time out.
The Toyota engineer stated he doesn't know what it is or how to fix it, but he is certain it is not a safety issue. I have notified NHTSA and have filed with Toyota--Toyota's reply was"if our engineer's say its safe,its safe" Their engineers do not engender confidence after their recall issues. I am going to file under the Lemon Law and see what transpires.

#1267 of 1645 Re: play in steering wheel [silverfocks] by nan48

Nov 16, 2011 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: silverfocks (Nov 16, 2011 12:39 pm)
Please keep me updated on what happens with your problem. I have this very slight movement in my steering column. It's so slight, I'm sure no one will notice it. I have NOT taken my car to the dealer, yet. I will mention the problem with my next oil change. This should be very soon as I have 13,700 miles on my Avalon as of today. My dealership seems to be a dealership that cares. We'll see. I'll also post any issue they find, if any.
 
The movement is so slight I'm afraid this problem might be going on and no one is noticing it. I do! Again keep me posted and I'll do the same.
 
The problem is this: There is a slight move in the steering column on certain turns. There is no way to make it happens, it just happens. The movement doesn't happen all the time but it is there. I would say it's not a safty issue but there is something going on. I know the problem was not there when I bought the car. Hope this helps everyone. Will update later.

#1268 of 1645 Re: remote starter [nan48] by nvbanker

Nov 20, 2011 (11:47 am)

Replying to: nan48 (Nov 14, 2011 5:08 pm)
Yeah, I keep hoping the host will delete that post.....

#1269 of 1645 Re: remote starter [nvbanker] by nan48

Nov 20, 2011 (11:55 am)

Replying to: nvbanker (Nov 20, 2011 11:47 am)
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, I think it's cute..........at least your agreeing, and not disagreeing.

#1270 of 1645 Yes, by nvbanker

Nov 20, 2011 (4:09 pm)

If I start disagreeing with myself, you'd better call the white coat sqad.....

#1271 of 1645 Re: play in steering wheel [silverfocks] by robin5

Nov 23, 2011 (2:01 am)

Replying to: silverfocks (Nov 16, 2011 12:39 pm)
I have had it with the so-called engineers at Toyota. My 2011 Avalon has the weakest remote key fobs EVER. In trying to get my remote start to work, I had to be the one to tell them it wasn't just the starter, the problem was with the key fobs. After four visits, I have problems with navigation, passenger side windows that don't open, Blue Tooth for the phone, door alarms that work only half the time, puddle lamps that work at 1 foot, the key fobs sometimes won't work at only 15 feet, the list goes on and on. Even though the fobs don't work, the "Engineer" said they're fine and he won't check the car again. Toyota is supposedly refunding the $500 for the remote start. The engineer even said the phone Blue Tooth is supposed to change phones due to stronger signals of the phones. What a load of crap. The car is supposed to use the phone that I tell it to. Changing phones is a 5 step process. I've also noticed that the car tries to take over the phone while I'm on the second floor of my home!
The field techs and engineers have no idea what they're doing.
NOTE!!!
Toyota said the key works at 60-70 feet UNDER OPTIMAL CONDITIONS, LESS IF THERE IS INTERFERENCE. AVERAGE IS 25-40 FEET. Why sell a remote start if the key fob works at 25 feet? In my case, not even at 15 feet. I have never once been able to start the car when I want it to. If it works, it doesn't start until I'm next to the car, then the engine turns off when the door is opened. It's ridiculous.
I have certainly lost interest in Toyota. May as well buy American.

#1272 of 1645 Re: play in steering wheel [robin5] by nan48

Nov 23, 2011 (8:46 am)

Replying to: robin5 (Nov 23, 2011 2:01 am)
If I was that unhappy with my car, then I probably would sell it. I have minor problems. Problems that probably no one would pick up if they drove my car. Like a slight movement in the steering wheel.
 
No electrical problem at all. None! I don't have a remote start though. Electrical problems can be a big thing. We once bought a used jeep. The jeep would stop for odd reasons, AC would not come on, heater would not work then work, etc. A big hassel. We took it to a good electrical shop. Notice I say good electrial shop. They (three men) spent hours going over the jeep electrical things. It was a LTD jeep. Top of the line. Finally they found a short in the tail gate. All the problems I had came from one short. A short I thought NO ONE would find. Plus of all places, in the tail gate. When they fixed the short all my electrial problems went away. I was very happy to pay the 300 plus dollars. To this day I don't know how they found it. Trial and error, I guess. I had plenty of electrial problems too but all of them stem from ONE problem.
 
Even though my Jeep was top of the line. It doesn't have near the electrial stuff our Avalon's do. If I was you, I would not be a happy camper. I do think it's an isolated problem and NOT a problem with Avalon's in general. I know this does't help you but it might get you to thinking about getting rid of the car you have.

#1273 of 1645 Factory Nav or Plug in? by cove148

Nov 24, 2011 (9:59 am)

In the market for a new Avalon, but i have almost decided to order one without the Nav system. Two reasons, I plan on keeping the car quite a while and am sure the technology will be out of date within several years and the associated cost for repair and update. I have been buying a Garmin GPS unit every couple years for my limited use of GPS and has severed me well, with a known replacement cost of $100.00. Also the Nav. on my smart phone works great and can be turned on in seconds.
 
Is this a dumb move for a car I will keep for 5-7 years?

#1274 of 1645 Re: play in steering wheel [robin5] by nvbanker

Nov 28, 2011 (11:52 am)

Replying to: robin5 (Nov 23, 2011 2:01 am)
Do you have a Lemon Law statute in your state? If so, you have a perfect candidate, but your dealer sounds like a putz too.
 
On the electronic transmission of signal issue, if you live near a military base, and they have their scrambler on, the signals in the entire area can be supressed, but everyone on most frequencies should be affected. That happened here with our Air Force Base. Someone turned on the scrambler, and failed to turn it off, and it stayed on for months, until there was enough outcry from the community that nobody's garage door openers or key fobs worked, they finally figured it out. Turned it off, everything went back to normal.
 
OR, your battery in your car could be weak, it would cause most of these same problems if so.
 
At any rate, with that many problems, I agree with Nan, get rid of it, give it back to Toyota. My dealer here would kill themselves trying to help me and run this down, so I think your dealer sucks. Try another one?
 
As for the Bluetooth, what it's doing connecting from far away is normal. Mine does that all the time, in the car wash if they turn the car on, or following my own car in another car, the bluetooth will take over my phone. It's the one thing that is working normally, it sounds like.

#1275 of 1645 Newly desined 2013 Avalon by marv15

Dec 10, 2011 (11:11 am)

I spoke with my dealer last week. He assured me that they will have the new Avalon in their showroom the end of February/beginning March 2012. They placed orders for them and the delivery to the dealer after processing, total time approx 45 days to dealership.. He still hasn't seen any pictures of the newly designed Avalon, but after seeing it at the Vegas dealer show in 2011, he says it will really make you take a long look. So can't wait to see it.

Messages Page 128 of 165

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement