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Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

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Comments

  • gray345gray345 Member Posts: 1
    Hello everybody. I have a 2000 XL with 15 inch tires on the aluminum rims that came on the car as a option. The original tires are in need of replacement, and I would like to uprgade to larger tires, but I am not willing to pay for new rims. So, does anybody know if it would be safe or possible to put 16 inch tires on the same rims the 15 inch tires are currently mounted on? Thanks!
    Oh, by the way, I had the windshield glare problem fixed by my dealer under warranty. The fix is excellent and totally eliminated the glare. As a bonus, when the technician took the dash apart to perform the repair she replaced a broken internal clip as well. The result was an end to my annoying dash rattle! So, now I can say that I have no problems with this wonderful car.
  • fwatsonfwatson Member Posts: 639
    Quote:". So, does anybody know if it would be safe or possible to put 16 inch tires on the same rims the 15 inch tires are currently mounted on? Thanks!"

    16 inch tires will not fit 15 inch wheels for the same reason a 40 inch belt will not fit a person with a 30 inch waist. :) The wheels would fall through the tires. You can use wider profile tires though, if the wheel is wide enough for it, and you have enough under fender clearance. Any tire dealer can tell you what alternative tire sizes you can use.
  • wachsmuthwachsmuth Member Posts: 19
    I am just about to purchase an Avalon XLS. I want Lunar Mist, with a leather Ivory interior, bucket seats. The brochures state that this is available with Package #7, however, the dealer tells me that Lunar Mist is only available with Stone interior. Does anyone know if it can be factory-ordered with Ivory???

    Is it possible that the 2003 can be ordered the way I want it? Help!
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    I believe your dealer is correct.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    The Town Hall is about to take on a new look in an effort to make content more easily searchable and accessible.

    Have you seen the Letter from the Town Hall Manager on the Town Hall Welcome page? If not, you might want to follow that link to have a look.

    And hang on to your seats. Change is never easy - for any of us - but resolving the Search problems we've had will be worth the pain.

    Pat
    Sedans Host
  • mtrabmtrab Member Posts: 3
    Hopeing someone may have had a similar experience. Frequently, but not always, the climate control on my Avalon will not work. No fan, no lights on the climate control panel, and the digital readout for the outside temp. is not lit. None of the buttons on the panel work.
    This happened a couple times during the winter (no heat), and is now happening more frequently in the summer (no AC). The next day, the climate control works fine.
    I've checked for loose fuses, loose wiring (passenger side foot panel)and whatever else I can think of to no avail. Took it to the local Avalon dealer, but naturally the system worked fine on that day, and they couldn't find any problems. Talk about aggravation.
    Has any one else experienced similar problems?
    Thanks much in advance.
  • wachsmuthwachsmuth Member Posts: 19
    Ooops - pressed the wrong button. Anyway---I tried to send you an e-mail but it failed. So here I am. I thought maybe you had some info on the interior colors for the 2003 Avalon XLS. Maybe you saw my posting - I want a Lunar Mist with ivory interior. The brochures say I could get that with Package #7. What do you think? Any help would be appreciated! Gary
  • bklynguybklynguy Member Posts: 275
    Will the current information display remain ? Will HID lights be available as an option ?
  • bobrita1bobrita1 Member Posts: 3
    See my original post #1349. Toyota has a fix for this problem. You need to replace the radio with a unit that does not have "volume fluctuation in CD mode" I just had it replaced on 6/4/02 so I am not sure if it works.
  • bobrita1bobrita1 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2000 XLS, 36K miles. Changed the A/C filter. Filter $37.50, labor $28.97 =$66.47 installed
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Lunar mist exterior with ivory interior? I don't that that is an available combination.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    The Lunar mist only comes with the stone interior. We just received the brochures for the 2003 Avalon. Minor changes to the interior and exterior; wood accent on steering wheel for xls, rain sensing windshield wipers, electrochromic driver's outside mirror (standard) New front bumper and fog lights, horizontal slat grille, rear tail lights and garnish. Available 16in wheels on XL (same as on current XLS), Available 5 spoke 16 in wheel for XLS (Looks similar to Lexus LS430 wheel) Navigation system with remote control optional on XLS. Screen is set where information display now sits on 02 models and controls are on center console next to gear shift.

    : )

    Mackabee

    p.s. base prices remain unchanged.
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    Thanks for the info on the 2003 Avalong. Is the 2003 brochure available for the masses?
  • tl586tl586 Member Posts: 6
    Mackabee,

    Great info!! Do you know when Toyota will start selling the 2003 models?

    Also, could you scan the 2003 brochures so we can all see the new options offered?

    Thanks :)
  • hallagehallage Member Posts: 24
    Can anyone comment on the comfort of the '02 Avalon driver's seat? There were some compaints about the '02 Camry driver's seat.
  • deluxcardeluxcar Member Posts: 47
    The Japanese version of the Avalon (right-hand drive) is equipped with a navigation system. Check it out. The text is in Japanese but if you click on the second heading you should see a caption that says Pronard 3.0 or 3.0L

    http://www.toyota.co.jp/Showroom/All_toyota_lineup/Pronard/
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Production starts monday June 10th, they will be appearing in dealerships by late June. The brochures are available for the masses at your Toyota dealer now. Pricing will be released to the public on monday also, I'm pretty sure the Toyota.com website will be upgraded to show the new Avalon. The Japanese Pronard shown on the website is our 2002 Avalon sans the nav system. The 2003's dash is Identical to the Pronard, but the Nav controls are on the center console. As I mentioned before, the grille and front bumper are different for 03 as well as the tail lights. I can't scan the brochure as it is copyrighted material. Be patient if you can't get to a dealer to get a brochure, the website will be updated shortly.

    : )

    Mackabee
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    The instrument panel is now black with white numerals from what I can see on the brochure. The XL with leather package will have perforated leather. Option packages are basically the same as before.

    : )

    Mackabee
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Correction: The "new" 5 spoke wheel that will be available with the XLS was available on the previous generation Lexus ES300.

    : )
    Mackabee
  • twobrownstwobrowns Member Posts: 52
    I have been putting prem. gas in my avalon since purchase(5500 miles). I recently tried regular and noticed no difference in mileage or performance or maybe a slight increase in mileage with regular although that makes no sense.I see no reason to continue to use prem. The manual says for better performance whatever that means. Anyone else have any experiences with reg. vs. prem.
  • fwatsonfwatson Member Posts: 639
    Quote:"Anyone else have any experiences with reg. vs. prem."

    Not on an Avalon. But my Mazda Millenia "recommends" but does not "require" premium (93 octane). I now have just under 6000 miles on it, and have used 87 octane since running out the dealers initial fill of 93. I have had absolutely no problem, and there is no sign of preignition (knock or ping). You say you see no difference in performance, and 93 is not "required". There is no reason then to waste your money on premium for no gain. I imagine you already know that the only thing higher octane does is keep an engine from pinging. The ECM (engine control module) automatically adjusts for the lower octane of 87 or 89.
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    Are the side curtain side airbags and rear sunshade available in the '03 Avalon?
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    No side curtain airbags or sunshade available.


    : )

    Mackabee
  • carguy000carguy000 Member Posts: 55
    I find it very disappointing that Toyota will not offer side curtain airbags on the '03 Avalon. When the Avalon received a facelift for '98, it received side airbags as standard equipment where it was optional on the Camrys. When the '02 Camry was redesigned it had optional side curtain airbags, while the Avalon still only had side airbags as standard equipment. I had hoped that Toyota would at least offer the side curtain airbags as an option on the '03 Avalons. I really don't care for the rear sunshade, and I doubt my parents would either if they chose to buy another Avalon, but they WOULD want the side curtain airbags.
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Well, I am not surprised at the side airbag issue.

    After all, this is brought to you by the same company that doesn't normally ship ABS equipped Matrix's to Boston or New England where the winter roads are slippery and treacherous, but does ship them to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic dealers.
  • lon7lon7 Member Posts: 7
    I have An Avalon 2000 XLS and seem to have a lot of road noise when driving on the highway. I notice that I have to turn up the volume on the radio as I increase my speed going down the highway. I don't recall having this much road noise with other cars. Any comments?
  • lon7lon7 Member Posts: 7
    I have an Avalon XLS and have also experienced numerous rattles in the dash and in the drivers door. The dealer has been real good and has fixed most of them. Still have a small rattle that comes back from time to time in the dash. The driver door rattle was fixed.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Actually it a common misconception that ABS helps on snow. In many cases, it actually doesnt. This is the one downside to ABS, in my opinion. ABS is usually much more effective on rain slicked roads and even on dry pavement than it is on snow and ice. It is my opinion that the best safegaurds for snow are some good snow tires, all wheel drive, and a well maintained vehicle.
    ~alpha
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    Not yet having seen pics of the '03 Avalon, I'm guessing this is what the new grill will look like:


    http://www.toyota.co.jp/Showroom/All_toyota_lineup/Pronard/menu/frame/op.html

  • otis123otis123 Member Posts: 439
    Well, it's on to another car for me. I waited patiently for the 2003 Avalon thinking it would have curtain bags. Sorry, but a $30K "flagship" car in 2003 should have curtain bags. Seems like another in a string of arrogant mistakes by Toyota... Any dimwit knows the age/income/education demographics for the Avalon would want curtain bags in 2003.

    Oh well. And my 92CamryLE gave me 161K miles of service up to when I sold it last year. A boring, but reliable car. Thanks for narrowing my search, Toyota! Bye, bye...

    Ralph
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    I can understand why the '03 doesn't have side curtain airbags. Adding it would require some major modifications to the area above the door frame. I wish the '03 had it but it's not a deal killer for me.

    A plus for the nav in the '03 is that it will operate separately from the radio (and/or climate control as found in other Toyota models).

    Can anyone tell me what the electrochromic driver's outside mirror does and how it operates? Does this mean the outside mirrors now fold?
  • carguy000carguy000 Member Posts: 55
    You know, I bet it does require mods to the area above the door frame. However, it must have not been too hard for Volkswagen since they added it to the 2001 Jetta as standard equipment, and it didn't appear on the '99 Jetta when it came out (although side air bags were standard). If my parents are buying a new car, they'll probably go with the new Camry, or the 2004 Acura TL, which should have the curtain airbags.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    The electrochromic driver's side mirror dims at night to minimize glare from cars behind you, same as the rearview mirror inside the car.

    footie: ABS is standard equipment on the Matrix XRS.

    Side curtain airbags: not a big issued with most of the geriatric crowd, which in my area seems to be the typical Avalon buyer. As my kids said when the car was re-designed in 2000 "Looks like an old geezer's car.

    grille: does not look like the Pronard's

    : )

    Mackabee
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Thanks, Mackabee. I am aware that Matrix XRS have ABS standard, except XRS's are very scarce here. You are more likely to see a Mini on the road here than an XRS.

    ABS is a published option for the Base and XR, but it's essentially unavailable here. It's not shipped in and dealerships say you can order it but it doesn't get built that way.

    So for all intents and purposes, we can't get the car that it's standard on, nor get it as an option on the cars that are standard.

    Here in New England where most years are characterized by a combination of ice, rain and snow actually on the highways, ABS is very valuable.

    It does make a significant difference on all surfaces, including snow, since the real issue with ABS is its ability to insure that the wheel is rolling, and therefore when you are stopping and turning, the car responds to the turn.

    It's just plain stupid not to offer ABS here, where it can make a difference a lot of the time, and ship it willy nilly to a part of the country where it almost never matters!
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    But perhaps Toyota is trying to force down the age of its buyers (of the Matrix) in your area by not offering an option under the assumption that many late teenagers and younger adults don't really care about ABS as much as they do... a moonroof, for example.
    In anycase... here's an idea.... How bout Toyota puts a small V8 in the next Avalon!
    ~alpha
  • otis123otis123 Member Posts: 439
    I was really considering the 2003 Avalon. I guess at 44 I'm at the young end of the Avalon age range. Actually, my 77 yr. old father just considered it, but bought a Park Avenue.

    I think I'm going to take the German plunge and get a Passat. I come from a VW family (63Bug, 73Bug, 75Rabbit, 90Jetta). I miss the great handling - just hope the reliability has really improved... Decisions, decisions...
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    says that the 2003 Avalon hits the dealerships on June 11th. Isn't that today? Toyota has yet to update the website to include it.

    I understand that 2002s are still on lots for sale, but isn't that kind of misleading NOT showing the '03 on their site if it's supposedly arriving at dealerships today?
  • bmpbmpbmpbmp Member Posts: 8
    I found a few photos of the 2003 Avalon at the Toyota Canada site - here's the link: http://www.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WWW.woa/14/wo/098000hH600De100Ob/19.9


    you may have to copy and paste each line of the link to your browser address line, and reassemble them there, or just click on the link, I guess that works too.


    Just found that that same site has an e-brochure for the 03 Avalon as well.

    Anyone else have any online photo links? The dealers in my area apparently don't believe in the brochure theory. :(


    Hope this helps!

  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    Those pictures do not show the back end of the Avalon, though. The front looks virtually the same aside from the grille and a couple of other minor things. Canada also only gets the XLS it seems, huh?

    But it does show one thing, that Toyota Canada is more on their toes about updating their site than Toyota US is.
  • bmpbmpbmpbmp Member Posts: 8
    You would think Toyota USA's webguys would be alittle more on their toes. You're right about the front only shots - it's like they didn't know what the tail would look like at the time the brochure was designed.

    I like the play for baby boomers too - the record sleeve, the 60's style art - kind of a jazz-trio in a lounge feel to it.
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    I most definately agree. I also thought the "jazz" feel was a nice touch.

    Toyota's US site is glacier slow to update. Aside from Toyota's ridiculous option package combinations, the "webguys" ineptitude to update Toyota.com is my biggest beef with them.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The Toyota Canadian site is abou 100 times cooler than the US site. In one section of the US site, Toyota vaunts that it has received numerous honors in the most recent JD Power Initial Quality Surveys... in 2001 and 2000! Wake up! The newest ones are from 2002 and have been out for a month.
    The Toyota US site is frustrating, uninteresting, and bland.
    I still order the brochures rather than look at the online, just so I dont have to wade through all that bleh.
    ~alpha
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    I agree 100% with you alpha01!

    I am also a paper brochure man myself. "e-Brochures" just aren't the same.
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
  • footiefootie Member Posts: 636
    Maybe there's a reason why Toyota is slow to update it's site.

    Both the 2002 Avalon and 2002 Camry have fallen out of the top 3 spots in their respective classifications in the 2002 JDPower survey released a few days ago. They were tied for 1st in 2000!

    The Georgetown, KY plant where they are produced has gone from a silver JDPower Award in 2000 to bronze in 2001 to no award for 2002.
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    How much is the navigation system?

    Also, in the pic of the nav system on Toyota.com, the map shows up in the same blue color as the mult-information display. Is this how it will appear or will there be more visible colors like it is in the Pronard? I'm hoping for more colors.
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    Is it me or does the new treatment to the front and rear improve the looks of the Avalon? I especially like the way the lunar mist looks from the angles it was shot from.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    I think the revisions are a bit too much. I especially don't like the new grille... reminds me of the M45, which is just about the ugliest thing to ever hit the luxo class.
    ~alpha
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    Those new tail-lights are going to take some getting used to! I think I liked the 00-02s lights better.
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