Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

chetz

So the Pie-toy03 will work for the 2003 avalon eh ?

qualitynut

Upon review of the websites listed by Nomad56, there is no specific mention of the '03 Avalon. In addition, my '03 XLS has the in-dash 6-disk changer and there is no mention of compatability with it. There is, however, mention that the units are compatible with radios that have "changer controls" which to me could be different than with radios that "have a built-in changer". I dunno.

dfurnier

I received the following reply from LogJam Electronics after inquiring about their adapter working with the 03 Avalon:

"The Avalon does not appear on the application list for this adapter. We do not believe that this adapter, or any other, will work in the Avalon."

Someone should try it - any takers? Or does anyone know of another source?

nomad56

Sorry, I was away this weekend.... Here's ALL my info: My 96 Avy has a 2001 JBL 6 CD in-dash changer, from a Solara(I made a crossover adapter). The TOY-AUX shows up as CD1. The in-dash CD changer shows as CD. ie) Hit your FM button repeatedly, you will notice FM1, FM2, for the 2 banks of presets. Similarly, the TOY-AUX shows as CD1. Each time you hit the CD input button, it cycles through CD, CD1, etc. This in-dash changer was controlling an external Alpine CD changer in the trunk, which played MP3 cd's(I had 12 cd's total). I forfeited the Alpine to add the TOY-AUX, to connect my MP3 player (60 gig drive), which is far more convenient than the 6 MP3 cd's. NO control of the MP3 player, and it shows as CD1 DISC 1 TRACK 0.

Contact PIE directly for application in an 03. I bet they have something, since their is an interface for most 03 cars and the Avy radios have fairly standard "interfaces" (read "PLUGS".) Their actual harness and AMP interface is what is different. Before you contact them, get the radio model number off the face of your radio. Their tech support is excellent. Hope this helps. Any Q's lemme know. -nomad56-

nomad56

FYI-No guarantees, but my spec sheet shows PIE-TOY03-AUX fits ALL 03-05 Toyo's "WITH THE 12 PIN ADAPTER." You may have to pull your radio to check the plug. I am very familiar with these plugs, if you can't figure it out, e-mail me a jpeg. -nomad56-

chetz

Nomad, do you need a special tool to pry the ashtray and top vents from their clips ?
Or is it just a matter of pulling them out with enough force ?

nomad56

They just pull out. If it is resistant, use a hookshaped tool. Send this into the vent, hook from behind, and pull it out. I bent the end of a paint can opening tool. You can also use a putty knife, to pry it out. 1-2 inch blade wrapped in a rag will not scratch. The use of a tool, however, is rare! The clips are located at the corners. -nomad56-

rattlecage

Well I just dumped my 2000 Avalon, the engine gummed up, just like others have reported, and it deteriorated over the 36,000 miles that I owned the car.

I dont know if the previous lease owner abused it ( I bought it at 50k, and solid it a 86k) but regardless, its a Toyota, and it should survive a little abuse.

Just a little heads up, i know i was pretty excited on this forum when i first go the car, and it otherwise was mechanically excellent.

Very boring car to drive though... you may as well have an American car, if you want a large cruiser that has known issues.

abfisch

Rattlecage/Forum:

I saw you wrote the above note at 0347 (AM) and must be quite annoyed, unless you had trouble sleeping. Please, can you eloborate for the forum sake, of your "gumming" up issues and what the car is doing and not doing. I am sorry for your misfortune as the Avalon is not perfect nor Toyota. There are some things that someone who is not comfident about any corporation, Toyota included, might want to heed.

First, never, ever, buy a used or NEW first model year car. My opinion, and this stands for the NEW MODEL Toyota Avalon coming out in JAN 05. Just resist, no matter how much better. You are taking too much of a chance unless someone else is buying the car for you.

Second, I have over 53K on my Avalon. While imperfect in alot of categories, it still does exactly what it was suppose to do, and that is be a full size comfortable 6 passengar, reliable car without a high price and alot of what I call "fufu". It still does that very well in comparision to the Crown Vic, Pontiac Bonneville, Buick Park Ave Ultra, etc.

Three, it is stock, any un-inspiring handling auto, although, the fully independent suspension while of simple design, is fully competent, unlike the Crown Vic or others. The reason why as mentioned throughout on many posts from many contributors are the quality or lack threreof of the parts. Some of the parts used, specifically, the struts for sure, tires, rotors, are inferior and are in FACT, some of the same parts Toyota uses on their other models, specifically the Camry, Solara, Lexus ES, etc. While my 02 XL, not even a XLS, is not as refined as a BMW 530i, you would be very surprised as the refined comfort and superior level of handling of mine, after changing the struts, sway bar bushings, and tires. It is remarkable, how much of a difference this car responds to, much because of a competent suspension set up, to PREMIUM parts.

While I did have initial fit and finish problems as well as incompetency beyond belief at a NY state Toyota dealership, I worked through it and this car mechanically is extremely sound. I do even tow a small utility trailer about 1 or 2 times a month and it handles this well also.

I hope some of this helps with your next purchase. I am not big on any corporation and rely on Consumer Reports for most, but not all of my objective evidence to purchase these rather expensive and manitenance intensive machines as all machines with combustion engines are.

Good luck with your next purchase. Try to buy well into the model year. Let someone else take the hit on road testing the new model.

"Feed the forum"

abfisch

fin

Your problem has been discussed on these boards many times. Most likely poor care by a prior owner added to an engine design that may be prone to this condition. My impression was that the real frequent repairs were in the '99 and earlier models but certainly '00 is very close. My '99 was checked at trade-in for this by the dealer. All was OK.

Toyota sent warranty papers to many owners, including me. Essentially, Toyota offered to fix the "gel problem" if it happened. But it meant nothing to me because mine never needed repairs.

As others have said...Toyotas aren't perfect. But, Acura, that quality car from Honda, has had over 4000 transmissions fail in recent years, so don't feel too bad.

At 2 years and 41k miles, my '03 XL has already had a new battery installed and needed a new rear view mirror. The mirror bracket snapped when the car hit a bump. Strange... But I still like the car and recommend them to others. Maybe you should try another...like an '04 on sale, or any with a factory warranty still in effect.

rattlecage

I was using 5W30 oil (Synthetic blend), and changing every 5k miles. The engine light started going on. I checked and the oil sometimes showed full and sometimes showed empty. My guess is this was caused by gumminess at the botton of the dipstick pipe.

The car started running rough, i took it to my mechanic. He said i had too much oil in it ( 2 quarts high), he cleaned the upper manifold,lambasted me, and sent me home.
The engine light came back on and stayed on.

Well over the course of a couple visits to my mechanic, he agreed the dipstick was impossible to read, and that i should rely on the oil light to warn if oil is low. He offered to delve deeper into the problem, but by then, I was just biding my time to get rid of the thing.

So, what do you know, 5k more, and the oil light started going on.

it started eating a quart of oil every couple days, and by then the car was really running like crap. I took it back to the mechanic, and he said i had major gumminess in the engine, and a oil was leaking into the cylinders and that I needed to either fix the car, or get rid of it.

So he put heavy oil in it, and the oil consumption stopped! It still ran like rough, but not horrible, this is with 20W50 oil (Specs on that car are 5W30 right?)

I drove it another 5-10k miles, and traded it in for a Honda, with the understanding that it had some engine issue ( oil light was on, and it ran rough). Still got $8200 for it, gotta love that resale value!

--------------------------

I rented a Ford Taurus on a business trip, and it seemed very similar to the Avalon. I think at that point, I realized the Avalon was a Japanese copy of the American sedan. This is before i started having engine problems, and I remember remarking to my dad, "This Taurus is fine, its about the same car as my Avalon is"

fndlyfmrflyr

Fin:

Honda's transmission problems are huge, usually involving cars with V6 engines from the 1999 model year through the first half of the 2004 model year. My Acura is one of the 600,000 recalled for transmission inspection and modification, or if needed, replacement. There are twice as many others that have now received greatly extended transmission warranties. My next door neighbor is on transmission number four for his Honda, all covered by the extended warranty.

Rattlecage:

Why did you use synthetic blend instead of fully synthetic oil or regular oil? What advantages does a blend have over regular oil? Full synthetic can take a much higher temperature before breaking down compared to blend or regular oil.

I felt like we were buying a foreign Buick when we
bought our Avalon years ago. I still feel the same way. The Buick cost about the same and was much bigger on the outside (like the Taurus) but no bigger on the inside. At the time, resale was much better for the Toyota. When new it was about as exciting to drive as a yawn and still is. It is a relaxed cruiser. It is reasonably reliable, though no better than the rear drive Impalas I used to drive.

rattlecage

Well I wanted to use synthetic, but I wasnt going to wait 10k miles between changes. So I compromised and got the blend. Purely an economic choice really...

abfisch

Rattelcage/Forum:

Thanks for elaborating more. From your history, it sounds like the combination, like others above have stated, of being used, being a 2000 model, and perhaps overfiling the oil, all can contribute to this in an engine design that is prone to gelling. The synthetic oil should not make a difference. I use a variety of regualr, blend, or full synthetic (0W-30, yes that's right) during the winter months up here near the Canadian border. Again I have had no problems with an 02 model, 53K miles to date.

Really sorry you have had this type of issue. I am not one for buying used cars, for this reason, nor big on trade in values as I pay cash and keep mine a minimum of 10 years or 200K, whichever comes last. Last Honda Civic had for 11.5 years, 236K, sold to another soldier and everything in the car, every button worked. What a great build quality that car was, back in the day, but I got old and arthritic and it hurt my back on long trips.

On the Autoweek site, there is a picture of the NEW 05 Avalon. Not sure how they got it, or if it is more of an artists redenition but you can take a look. To my (IMO) it is very nice looking, perpaps described as a cross between a Nissan Maxima (NEW) and a MAYBACH. Pretty interesting. NOW, I have NO IDEA, what type of suspension, componetry, or what the back of the car looks like, so I am certanly not jumping to conclusions on the lastest and the greatest. Will see if Toyota showcases a new 3.5L engine in this model or if in fact, when push comes to push, it is the 3.3L they are already using. People love to talk about this cause they know. In any event, DON't buy it until 2007 or as above, a NEW 2004 on deep discount would be a great bet. You change the oil, exact amount, quantity, etc as the service manual says. Don't you would hav ethe same problem. If you want something with more performance, than the new Subaru Legacy GT comes to mind although I have not sat in one yet. Suspension have been revised with antisquat and dive type geometry, all independent.

Good luck in getting squared away.

abfisch

pmcb48

Tried to locate that picture on the Autoweek site, but couldn't. Whereabouts is it?

retired

Absolutely the most useful accessory in any car I've owned and driven these last 50 years- no more humiliation having to ask others for directions!

I'm curious about its operation, the hardware, software.What is the operating system- a propriety system unique to Toyota?

Now I know that Toyota offers an annual data upgrade. What's its cost?

As is the case with many computer users, I'm wondering whether anyone has written a better program/operating system- or even a replacement system using the same in dash video screen?

fndlyfmrflyr

Have a navi Acura and agree on how useful nav is. I find that the database used for the nav systems are about a year or so out of date when they first come out. Acura (uses an Alpine system) has not been updating every year. It took about three years to get a comprehensive update for the system used on the MDX and even then the database of roads and points of interest was about a year old when I received the upgrade DVD. I don't know how much Toyota will charge, but it was about $200 for my Acura.

I prefer the Acura/Alpine nav system over the Toyota system I tried in a Prius, but both work.

rattlecage

Im all squared away. I went with what the Japanese seem to do so good, appliance autos. In my case, I got the refrigerator lol, the Honda Element.

I drove the 4 cylinder Nissan Altima, and while it was fast, its dashboard seemed to stress style over function. Performance was nice though, very sweet sounding motor. Yes I know the 3.5 in that car is quite exhilirating.

I would still consider one, but it was also a bit expensive, and didnt feel like begging down te price.

I also looked at the Accord,but its performance wasnt good enough to outweigh the sheer utilitarian beauty of the Honda Element. After all, I have 2 kids, two dirt bikes, and a large dog.

If I get another luxo-cruiser, it will be 4-5 years from now.

I owned a BMW 7 series for years, and it was reliable almost like a Toyota, yet had exhilirating performance...

I owned the big Mercedes sedan ( 1995-S320) prior to the Avalon, and it was a maintenance nightmare, average 300-400 a month in repairs! Too bad too, because it drove like a wet dream when it was running. The Avalon was a huge step down, but I was hoping for reliability return.

Oh well, point well taken about used cars, I have had some good luck with them, but recently have been bitten a couple times, so this time I went new.

abfisch

Rattlecage/Forum:

For what it is worth, I think your new Element is a fine machine. Although, albeit a little too boxy for some, I found the controls excellent with huge knobs while wearing gloves on cold mornings, and extrmely useful interior. I did not take it for a test drive, as there was NOT enough seat travel for my frame, and I felt a little jammed up against the dash. Otherwise, it has been out awhile, and has the typical independent suspension that Honda is know for.

Good luck with the new purchase. I hope this one is better than the Avalon.

abfisch

gerhard

Does anyone have an idea when the new model will come out.Also I noticed that there has been no new messages since Sept. 7th.Has the procedure of getting on the townhall changed in any way.By the way I have had my Avalon XLS loaded for 18 months now with 26 000 miles on it. never had a serious problem.I am using Mobile 1 syn. oil and change it every 5ooo miles.Any info on the above is appreciated. Gerhard Wachsmuth

deepan

I have this on a 00 sienna (and works as mentione d above by nomad56) but was told in another forum that PIE hasnt made one yet for the 04. this was about 6 months ago. This may apply to the avalon as well.

jluther2

Looking to replace the struts @ 22,000 miles. Car bottoms out, floats up & down & excessive nose diving when braking suddenly.

I do not expect any help from the dealer as they do not appear to be leaking.

Any comments on Tokico, KYB or Monroe Struts?

I have already replaced the front rotors and brake pads.

Thanks,

J.Luther.

pmcb48

It's due to arrive in mid-February 2005. See the "Avalon Owners: Future Models" forum in general, and post #431 in particular.

abfisch

jluther2:

Either one Tokico or KYB will solve your problems stated in your message. I have Tokico's but gerry100 posted good results from KYB's. Have a Wheel and alignement or Frame and axle place do it unless you can yourself. 4 wheel alignment is mandatory after. This will significantly change the handling and braking, still giving you a comfortable ride, although not as soft as previous. If this still is not enough, which it is for most, email me, and there are relatively easy bushing changes, from rubber to PU (poly urethane) that will make it handle more so, but at the expense of increased tranmission of small vibration in the cabin. Alot depends on your road conditions and type of driving in your OWN application.

abfisch

abfisch

I believe the new model will come out in Jan 2005. Autoweek, has a picture of it on thier website, I believe, looking IMO (to me) like a baby Maybach and Nissan Maxima cross, very nice. Advice, to anyone, don't judge a book by its cover, and don't buy the first model year.

In relation to your other comments, I don't think the townhall access has changed, contributors are just takin a breather and have nothing new to add.

I only use synthetic oil, during the harsh winter months up here in upstate NY. Other than that, I use blend or regular, whichever I can get a best price for and change too, every 5K. Transmission change every 50K, with Mecron/Dexron III synthetic. My last car, '90 Civic was at 236K, and sold privately, without any problems other than rust. Expect the same if you keep it running well.

54K on my 02 Avalon. Falken tires broken in now. Excellent traction contiues in the rain. Distinct whine almost from them, as they are not a quiet tire. Winter tires go on about 01 NOV 04.

Pulling utility trailer on weekends. Does it good, not well, but for short periods. Using it for fire wood, lumber, garden machinery, etc.

abfisch

fndlyfmrflyr

In your post number 2923 you said about the Falken tires: Distinct whine almost from them, as they are not a quiet tire.

Please clarify 'whine almost' and not a quiet tire.

CR rated these as quiet (compared to what they tested at the same time). Do the Falkens 'sing' on black top and concrete roads?

abfisch

Fndlyfmrflyr:

From the OEM tires that came on the car, which were quiet but not very good in the handling, braking department, there is a whirring sound that comes from them at low speed with the windows open. I usually close the windows above 50 MPH so I cannot tell but it doens not seep into the cabin after that speed secondary to other road noise, radio, etc. All I have to go by is the difference on my car, compared to the OEM tires, and unless it is a CV joint going bad prematurely, it is the tires. Not a big deal to me, as it is not driving me crazy, but nevertheless notable, at least in the Avalon. Wear has not been premature, although I did go over a nail and had to get it repaired. Other than that, a good tire for the money. I run winter tires starting in November.

Again, this is not the gospel, just my sensitivity to this machine that I use quite a bit.

abfisch

fndlyfmrflyr

You drive with the windows open? Wow. It has been a long time since I did that. It is good to know that the tires aren't too bad with the windows closed.

novrain

Hi all, I ordered two rear sway bar bushings for my 96 avalon from a local Autozone. The are made by Energy Suspension with parts number #8.5120, which matches what I found on their website. The problem is that I found these bushings are shorter (about 1/4") than the factory ones. Too bad my new PU bushings don't fit tightly in the brackets! Has anyone else had this problem before? Thanks!

deepan

96 avalon hazard light inside the switch (interior) is burnt. Anyone know the procedure. does the front panel come off or can the switch itself gently taken out. thanks

abfisch

FNDLYFMRFLYR:

It helps to have little hair. What can I tell you. The falkens in general are very good. If I paid alot for them, I might be more disaapointed but they are made in japan, and don't hurt you for $200 for the set. I perhaps get more out of them from the suspension changes I have done, but I think anyone would appreciate their pros in comparison to OEM.

abfisch

abfisch

novrain:

You don't mention if they are the front or the rear. I put them on a 02 Avalon, and the fronts were 18" in diameter I think, but I had to replace the OEM brackets with theirs as I could not fit them correctly with the OEM brackets. I know their are two sizes of front sway bars, I think 18 and 19" in front. The rear PU bushing fit well with the OEM brackets, but were a little tight to close up, but they finally did.

Call Energy Susp. and speak to tech support, but get under the vehicle and measure the sway bar diameter near the frame mount. Energy Susp. has a FREE device to do it if you don't have a tape measaure.

abfisch

umpire

I have had my '02 Avalon XLS for three months. Here are my thoughts:

1. This is the best car I have owned.

2. Great ride! Soft and smooth without being overly "cushy" I don't expect it to handle like a sports car.

3. Love the interior! Big, spacious and comfortable. The leather is comfortable and stylish. And oh so quiet!

However, the faux wood is a little cheaper than it should be and the stereo preset buttons are cheaply made.

4. The paint is pretty soft on this car, and it has several chips.

5. Mileage--Averaging 26 MPG. I like!

6. Dash lights reflect on the windshield. This makes for poor vision.

7. Seats are comfortable and the memory feature is ideal. However, the seats are a bit flimsy for long trips. A little more cushion would make them perfect.

8. Doors don't unlock when the car is placed in "Park." It's frustrating to have to remember to unlock them for my passengers.

9. Bland exterior though it is functional.

10. Spacious trunk!

Overall, I love this car. So does my wife who may make the Avalon her next car.

txgeezer

>8. Doors don't unlock when the car is placed in "Park." It's >frustrating to have to remember to unlock them for my >passengers.

My '99 XL does that too. Can anyone post how to change that? I'd like *all* the doors, not just the driver's, to unlock when I shift to P.

TIA.

abfisch

Umpire:

Excellent comments. Since I have an 02 XL, I have some similar comments and things that I disagree with. This is just for discussion purposes and not to fight with anyone.

1. The paint is soft. Many chips before I put the bug/rock deflector on. Now less.

2. NOT the best car I ever owned. My 90 Honda Civic build quality was far superior to this Toyota. Sold with every button working with 236K on it, only because I got too old and big and arthritic.

3. The roominess in the interior is simply comfortable. We have no wood, so we don't have to worry about it being imitation. The quality of the leather is good, not the best I have seen.

4. The trunk space is very welcome and I agree with you, it is very useable, although an improvement would be to be able to let the entire seat, split 60/40 fold down.

5. Your door unlock, I think can be reprogrammed. Look in the owners manual.

6. I found the ride quality very good, but the handling, braking, and emergency handling were unacceptable for me. We do a tremendous amount of highway driving, and the body lean, and excessive front end dive, were unacceptable. We changed the struts and which completely alleviated the dive and body lean. The ride quality diminished only slightly, but my best friend who owns multiple BMW says it is still too soft for him. Not for me but everyone is different.

7. The horn, I forgot all about this, just drove me nuts, when I first got the car. I bet Toyota uses them for all there vehicles. It sounds like a smaller car horn. This was changed.

8. The bench seat is ideal, and reminds me of a first class airplane seat. I feel the opposite of you, in that it should be a little firmer, especially on long trips as my backside begins to ache. Wait till you get as old as I.

9. The tires they put on the XL OEM are mediocre. Upgraded tires transform more of the car without going to a bigger tire. A wider tire makes the car less of a 4 season car and the fender wheels are flat on the car, so it doesn't fit well with this model.

10. Sound proofing is ideal. Effeciency of the engine is good. XM stereo hopefully is offerend as an option now or in 05.

Thought this would be discussion provoking. I have other thoughts, but this should do for now.

"feed the forum"

abfisch

10.

suorangefan

I am thinking of purchasing a 1999 Avalon XL with 25k miles for 11k dollars. First, is this a good buy? Second, what problems may this car have that I should be looking for? Third, what upgrades would I want to make to the vehicle for better performance? I do a lot of highway driving. Thanks and happy trails to all.

abfisch

New Avalon Owner:

Since this is the last yearr in that model year, I think it is a good deal, especially with that mileage, if it is accurate. Comsumers would have the best data for reliability and which systems to look at for. The suspension and brakes would be something I bet would be the least reliable out of all.

Are far as perfromance, it depends, but from what you stated above, and depending on how much more money you want to spend, new struts by either Tokico or KYB, new PU bushings for the front and rear sway bara as well as the lower control arms, and of course new and better performance tires (not necessary bigger or wider). This should make the car much more stable, safer, and handle more accurately.

abfisch

suorangefan

Well, I just bought a 1999 Avalon XL with 25k miles. It seems to be in good shape except for a couple things.

1) The engine idles high when I first start the car.
2) Just before the car shifts into 2nd gear, the engine revs like I slipped it into neutral. It does this for a moment, then slips into second gear.

Any ideas?

abfisch

Suorangefan:

1. The engine should idle high, when cold and just started, until it reaches near operating temp. Probably never more than 2 grand but you need to specify.

2. I have a hard time the car has a tranny problem with 25K on it, unless it really doesn't have 25K on it. If it is cold, let it warm up. Also, let it get up to speed easy, and take pressure off the gas pedal just before the shift point. This will make a auto tranny last infinitely longer. If it still slips when warm and with easy acceleration, and you have check the fluid level!!!, then bring it to a tranny specialist with whom is reputable.

abfisch

sanandton

Let me qualify my answer first by saying I'm no mechanic. Now that that is settled, I would think that a car that was only driven an average of 4,000, to 5k a year had to do a lot of sitting around. It might be a good idea to get a tranny service and fluid change. I have heard that it can be worse for a car to sit long periods of time than it is to drive it daily.

suorangefan

that's what I was thinking....I'm not really too concerned that it's a mechanical problem, since it doesn't happen all of the time. Now the question is - can I get the dealer to do it for free?!?! Ha-Ha. Thanks man.

novrain

Thanks abfisch! they are rear bushings. I have returned them to autozone and plan to buy it online.

btw, do you need to disconnect the sway bar link in order to replace the bushings? I found it hard to push the sway bar back to its original position with the links on. Thanks!

sparky53

Would someone please instruct me on how to replace the cabin air filter in the 2003xls. Thank you,sparky53.

jluther2

I have a 2003 XLS and changed the transmission fluid at 22,000 miles. Just a drain & refill - Approximately 3 quarts of fluid.

The difference in performance is UNBELIEVABLE.

Wait until you take it out on the highway - like it is not the came car.

JLuther

fin

You can only change a small portion of the transmission fluid by a drain-and-fill. Yes, you might notice a difference. Longer term, you will be better off by going about 30k under average conditions, no more, and doing a complete flush and fill. That way you get it all.

Much has been posted about this subject in this forum and everyone has a different idea, maybe. Synthetic fluid is different too. But if you consider all the costs in the expected 200k mile lifetime of the transmission, most agree the flush is a better idea.

My '99XL was butter smooth at 92k miles. My '03 XL had been flushed once already. Shifts as new. Something to think about.... Enjoy the Av. Great cars.

deepan

either its been sitting around or been driven exclusively in the city. the former is okay but the latter may mean more wear and tear irrespective of the mileage.

abfisch

Forum:

1. No, I did not have to loosen the sway bar linkage to change the bushings to the chassis but the older ones may be a little different. No harm done by doing so, then tightening it up to specifications. Note: It is better done when the car is on the ground than lifted like I did.

2. To change the cabin filter, you have to take out the glove box and the underneath fascia. Multiple screws, relatively easy, make sure the plastic is warm and take your time.

3. Although I will agree with the tranny flush in principal, in everyday DITY maitenance, unless you have a hugh garage with a flush machine, you have to pay for that. So, you are paying an hourly wage for flushing a tranny, that you can easily change the fluid every 30-50K or so and get the majority out. Huh. The service manual, instead of flush, would have you take off the pan, clean the magnets, reapply the magnets and use a new gasket. My advice, not the gospel, is the if you are a DIYer, then just change the tranny fluid youself, without the flush, but do it often, at the least every 50K. When or if the tranny starts to leak from the gasket, that is a good and practical time to take the whole pan off and clean it. Additionally, the new Avalon use the same fluid for the power steering fluid (look in the service manual). This fluid would be easy to change also at the same time since it is the same fluid, and would probably save you a steering rack, something the old Avalons are known for. It is too easy to do yourself. Use Dexron/MecronIII Synthetic, maybe a little difference but not great. Just nice to know it was done correctly by me.

Hope this helps all of you.

abfisch

suorangefan

Thanks everyone for your advice on the 99 Avalon tranny problem. How much should a full flush and refill cost? My Toyota dealer charges $125.

fndlyfmrflyr

Around here (SoCal) the tranny flush price varies from $100 to $125.

While you are at it consider having the brake fluid and cooling system flushed also.

sparky53

Thank you abfisch for your help in how to replace the cabin air filter in my xls.It was fairly easy except for the two clips at top of glove box,Ifound them accidentally!Thanks again,sparky.