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Toyota Avalon Electrical Problems
Our 97 Avalon XL rear window defrost is not working. I checked fuse is fine and every time I pushed the defrost button on the center console defrost light will lit up and I can hear a relay on the driver side clicking. Does anyone have any idea what went wrong?
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-My 1997 Avalon with 56k miles is on its 4th battery. One time, we were driving down the road when all power went out. One mechanic told me he thinks the alternator is over charging them.
-There is now a loud moaning noise when I turn the steering wheel. Dealer tells me I have a leak in the rack and pinion and need it replaced for $1200.
-The left rear door's window quit working a few months after the warranty expired. Dealer says motor has a short in it. Will be $408 to replace.
-The speaker in the left rear door has static if it works at all. Dealer says bad speaker that needs replacing.
-The left brake light is out. I tried a new bulb, doesn't help. Interior indicator light stays on saying that light is out. I told dealer all of this. Dealer kept car all day to check and came out and told me that "just needed new bulb". I then walked the rep around the car and showed him myself that the light was still not working and that the indicator light was still on! Dealer couldn't tell me what was wrong with this. Said there must be a short somewhere.
I asked the rep at the dealer repair shop if he didn't think it odd that so many things could have "shorts" in them in the left rear side of the car. Seems beyond coincidence to me. He thought it was all perfectly normal and I should willing hand over large sums of money to fix it. Needless to say I walked out.
I have already had the struts replaced (under warranty thank goodness). The car has always had a lot of road noise too. Very annoying on long trips. I think I am going to find some local mechanic to fix cheaper and sell ASAP. I am going to sell and buy a Honda before the year ends. My last car was a Honda and never had any problems.
I am so disappointed. I bought Toyota because I thought they were reliable. I loved how roomy the Avalon was. Now I realize that leg room doesn't help me when the car won't run.
Would love to know if anyone else has had similar problems. Perhaps my car just "fell off the truck" or maybe it got hit by lightning on the truck! What ever happened, it is a piece of junk.
Rear lights that don't work can be a sign of an accident that has been repaired - have you owned it since new.
Have never had a problem with toyota power windows before, all the way out to cars that were 15 years old or more.
OTOH, their stereo speakers were never anything to write home about - no surprise there.
The old Avalons were always noisy too at high speeds - mainly tire and wind noise.
Six years old is a lot for only 56K - your batteries might be dying prematurely due to low use and consequent discharge. Either way, it does not need to be a guessing game. Just have someone measure the output of the alternator to see if it falls within specs. I'd be surprised if a Toyota alternator gave up the ghost after 56K.
The moaning noise sounds a lot more like the power steering pump than the rack and pinion - I think you need to go to a new dealer, and get a second opinion on the expensive repairs. They may be incompetent, or they may be milking you.
PS If you need a power steering pump, there are cheaper reputable places to get it replaced or repaired than the dealer.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Anyway, I have called around and talked to some local mechanics. They can replace rack and pinion for $500. They will of course inspect it themselves before replacing to be certain that is indeed the real problem.
I took it to the dealer for eval to see if it might be something covered under a recall. Also, I had a coupon for a free inspection with printed list of required work and cost. When I went to pick the car up, they tried to charge me despite the free coupon. I protested and their response was "the visual inspection is free but the actual diagnosis costs". I told them they were full of it and I wasn't paying a penny since I already signed a work order for a "free inspection" that said it included a written list of recommended work and costs.
I have owned the car since it was new. I drive it just about everyday. I work about 20-30 minutes from home. All driving is highway driving. We use my car for family outings also- weekend errands, dinner, church, vacation.
When we lost all power while driving down the road, we were actually on vacation 6 hours away from home (and one hour from civilization). A local mechanic was kind enough to come out and help us back to our hotel until he could look at the car the next morning. After looking it over, he thought that maybe the alternator was stuck in the on position causing the batteries to overcharge.?? I don't know.
I am dumping this car as fast as I can and getting a Honda Pilot or Odyssey.
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Speaking of rip off dealers, the Honda dealer tried a major scam on me when I had my old car. Years ago in college, I bought a used Honda Civic. It had been in a wreck before I bought it and the front end dented and rubbed a hole in the radiator. I replaced the radiator and had the front end repositioned to not rub on it any more. Not long afterwards, the air conditioner quit working.
I lived only 2 blocks from the dealer so thought I would have them check it real quick. Well, the guy comes out shaking his head and sits down and says he has bad news. He proceeds to show me a written list of all the things that need replacing including the radiator. He says the ENTIRE a/c system needs to be replaced for so many thousand dollars. I looked him in the eye and said "oh really, you mean my brand new radiator that I just had installed is already bad?" He knew he was busted and started stuttering, "uh, uh, well I didn't say it was bad. I'm just saying that it isn't a Honda part and so we should replace it." I took the car to a local mechanic who found a wire had popped loose. Cost me $50 bucks to replace the wire.
Despite the bad Honda dealer experience, the car was great. It was totalled by a teenager before I bought it. While I had it, a tree fell on it. All this and it just kept on ticking.
nguyet - sounds like your HVAC fan might have died? Either that, or there is a problem with the electronic controls for the HVAC, but since manual blower speed lights light up, my vote is a dead fan.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
You should also hear a "tick" sound if you leave the rear defroster on long enough for the timeout to take place (20 minutes I believe). That is when the relay timer cuts off power to the rear defroster so you don't "leave it on too long".
I need to borrow your fist I tried to hit it but nothing happened the light still off.
bjk
The dealer states that there is no way that he can fix this. The thermometer is set at the factory and he can't change its reading.
Anybody else have this problem? Anybody have any luck getting it fixed? (In the meantime, I'm becoming expert in subtracting five from two-digit numbers; my first-grade teacher would be proud.)
Since it has always been this way then perhaps the probe is defective or improperly manufactured.
They would have to have a high manufacturing tolerence for the probes or provide a adjustment for the variance of the probes.
Or, if you are postive that it is in error live with it and subtract the margin of error form every reading. Not worth the hassle!
Timing belts: if you are willing to allow the possibility of having to be towed, for avalon, camry, and some others just leave 'em a while. Everyone I know with a Toyota in the last ten years leaves them until at least 90K, and I have never known of anyone having one break.
Platinum plugs: I don't think this is just a thread thing, because you have to bear in mind that Toyo is using the iridium plugs in most of the new cars now, and those are good for 105K miles, so I don't think they are worried about threads. However, platinum plugs can deform in 60K, depending on your driving habits, so that the gap is degraded to the point of affecting emissions, which is why they change them. It is a cheap little insurance policy to help guarantee that your car will pass the next smog check. And BTW, you don't have to pay retail at the dealer's service department - order them on-line ahead of time to get that $5 price, then just tell your service advisor that the new plugs are "in the little bag on the passenger seat".
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Remember that a man with two watches does not know what time it is.
Thanks in advance.
This a.m. clicks when trying to start and won't hold a charge...battery's not that old and I'm afraid to put it on the road in case it dies again. Battery? Relays? Our toyota dealer has made a fortune on this car -- suspension/struts already.
If you have a volt meter available you can check to see if the alternator is charging the battery. Start the car (charge the battery or jump start) and check the voltage across the battery. It will be over 13 is the alternator is charging the battery.
If you check the battery before starting the car it should read 12 or just above. Less means you have a battery problem. If you can start the car without a jump look at the voltmeter while the car is cranking. If the voltage drops close to 10 or below 10 you have a bad cell in the battery.
If the battery is low on water cells fail sooner than when the water level is correct. The green eye on battery top checks only one cell. There are 6, so any of the others could be bad and the 'eye' would indicate a good battery.
Another question please anyone knew it give me some helpful suggestions.
Just bought a 1996 Avalon XL.
The rear tail light warning often lights on after driving for a few minutes. Sometimes it doesn't light at all. It looks strange. I checked the car all around it. I found the front parking light is burnt out then I replaced it. It still lights on (rear tail warning). So I changed another front parking light (it almost burnt out). I think it should be normal again but never. I checked the rear tail light working normal. The backup lights normal, the turn signals normal, the license plate lights normal.... Anyone has ever met this situation before? Thanks!
So, with that diagnosis, I left the battery leads on all the time. For the better part of a month, no problems. Until yesterday. Didn't use the car for two days. Temps have been in low 20s in garage. Battery totally drained. Re charged the battery, car started right up.
I normally leave the lights and the radio in the on position when I turn the motor off. Under those "on" conditions, when I recharge the battery and replace the leads, the headlights come on. And this is without the key in the ignition and turned on. Then when I start the motor, the radio switches to the CD player. Does that indicate anything other than defaults?
My question. Where do I go from here? What can I expect from the dealership? Should I take the car say to a AAA repair shop first? Has this been a common problem with Avalons of the 1997 period?
About 2 weeks ago, my 96 Avalon had have the rear warning light on when I drive for appr. 45 min or so, but it is randomly, I check all light when the warning light is on, all light bulb is good. So do you already fixed the problem? I appreciate if you can tell me the solution, or Anyone who know the answer? Thanks!
Have been busy these days. A little late to reply you.
For my case, it was all fixed after I changed the parking lights. (next to head lights)
It's number is 168 and you can buy a pair in stores with less than 2 or 3 dollars. Do it as the owner's manual then your problem might be fixed.
The previous parking lights still working but dimming. I changed one but still warning. So I changed the 2nd one but still warning. I give up that day. It is wonderful when I get up the next morning. It doesn't show any warning at all. It never bug me until now.
I don't know if it works for you. It looks like someone else fix the problem by replacing the rear lights. Anyway, good luck to you!
thanks
Any other suggestions? I a bit leery about tapping into the mirror's power connections.
KC
This has preformed flawlessly to date.
abfisch
Also, any thoughts about using the suction cup bracket directly on a LTD windhshield?
cjp
I do have thougths on the the suction cups and I disliked them for many reasons.
1. The detector can be seen. It cannot be seen on my 02 secondary to the roofline. Yes, I cannot roll my sunvisor down now unless I unhook it. But that is why I have very good sunglassess for.
2. Radar detectors work better, the higher they are in the vehicle. There performance goes up, especially if you have a burm or hill in front of you and someone is aiming his radar and you cannot see it.
3. The Valentine ONE has 360 degrees converage, really front and bad, as radar does not work from the lateral sides. There is a window on my unit to detects radar coming fromt the back of me, and has helped me greatly. Putting it lower on the windsheild would beam it at the headrest in the back instead of out the rear window.
4. In colder climates, the cups loose there suction. Painful.
Hope that helps. Whoever does it, do a neat job and you will enjoy it.
abfisch
THANKS.
:confuse:
Thanks.