2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

mackabee

havalongavalon, I'm glad you finally saw the light! pun intended. But really, how much gas would you save by doing what you were doing? I know gas prices are going up but be thankful you're not in Europe where they pay twice plus what we pay for a gallon of gas. Besides, if I had the money to buy a new Avalon I would not be concerned with the price of gas. Enjoy your car and treat it well, it will give you lots of years of driving pleasure.
:shades:
Mackabee

ryandse

You live in San Jose and plan on taking your Avalon on a trip DOWN to Oregon?


I tend to interchange UP/DOWN whenever I mean: "way over there...". But technically, yeah, I suppose UP is more accurate

chipmunk47

I have the XL with the Bridgestone Potenza tires too. They were inflated to 35PSI. I reduced them to 30. My XL is White with Ivory interior. It's beautiful & rides like a dream. Have been getting 22mph around town.

ski1003

I have XL with the same tires. The car had 36PSI when I got it in Feb. I change the tire to 33PSI and so far, am satisfied with the ride. The XL, from what I was told, has the smoothest ride of all the Avalons. I wanted cloth interior so I chose the XL. It all has remote start (didn't really want that), sun roof, home link, upgraded radio, floor mats and tool kit.

I have about 2000 miles and have not experienced any problems at all. Love this car. Turned in 2000 Chrysler 300M and found this to be a totally differnent car. Very classy!!!

prime time

What the heck are these? Where are they and how do I turn them on?

just__me

photoquests...b> From the rear of the front fender to the beginning of the rear fender and below and slightly above the doors, it seems to be another color, is this all chrome that you were referring to, because on the photographs as seen on my monitor it seems as a contrast grayish color to the white? I would appreciate hearing back. Thank YOU. The pin stripe if I did it is what I consider the best placement for it.

just__me

photoquests... I thought I only made your name bold, sorry.

havalongavalon

rrogers2, you asked me in Post #5110 how I did this. It's surprisingly simple: 

First, using a mouse, I Left-click on the image that I want to copy. Next, I do a Right-click to open the menu, and select "Copy" to create my own copied file of this image.

Next, I go to the "Post a Message" text box for this forum. Below the text box is a row of buttons. I press the button that says "Img" and insert the image file that I just copied. Finally I press "Img" again.

Some cautions: some posted images are protected and cannot be copied. Others are copyrighted and may require permission. In all cases, it is important to reveal the source of a copied image.

Hope it works for you!

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

ryandse, welcome to Avalon Country. You may be a demographic outrider for now, but this is changing fast; you may be mainstream before you know it! You said in post #5130:

"Actually, one thing that concerns me (a little) is that the Toyota Avalon Limited has perhaps the most sophisticated collection of electronics than their other vehicles, thus increasing the chances of electrical failure. ... So, yes, I have faith in Toyota's reliability: but with the level of complexity in the Avalon Limited and the fact that I am a believer in extended service plans, I will probably get Toyota's "Platinum" plan with mine."

Agreed. The 2005 Avalon is my third Toyota. I bought a 7-year, zero-deductible warranty even after 17 largely trouble-free years owning a 1988 Corolla and later a 1997 Camry. Still, things can break down and if they do, repairs can be really expensive. The Camry needed replacement of 4 warped rotors after 4 years (covered), blew a sensor in its 8th year (I wish it had happened earlier; cost me $500) and developed the suspension wear and noise typical of this vintage (I didn't fix it; traded it instead).

Toyota is famous for its reliability, but is not infallible. With all the new technology in the Avalon some things will break down. Avalon may have sophisticated technology, but fortunately for us, this pales compared to Prius. Last week (I was reading about fuel efficiency) I scanned the Toyota Prius forum. The Prius is really loaded with complex new technology and is a hot seller, so I was shocked to read about the occasional but very serious, potentially very dangerous and expensive failures that are reported there. So if you expect to own a Toyota (or a Lexus) beyond its standard warranty period, the extended is a must. If you decide to sell it before it expires, it is usually transferrable, so this added peace of mind should be worth more bucks to the next owner, as well.

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

njny said in post #5134:

There seems to be a squeak on or about where the right passenger side of the dashboard meets the windshield.

Do we have a seconder? I think it should take a 2nd independent observation to add a new defect to the official list.

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

perico1, you told us in message #4694 that"

accumulation of soapsuds under the plastic of the taillights when you wash the car....maybe, it's a design flaw. I have water dripping down the back bumper for hours after I wash my Avalon.

So far, we don't have a seconder. Anyone saw this also?

I washed my car yesterday and looked carefully, but did not see either of these problems. perico1, it could be that your car has defective taillights or installation, you may want to contact a dealer. Please let us know the outcome.

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

barclay3

Just Me...you might not be aware of this but you can make changes to your post up to 30 minutes after you post it by clicking on edit.

wigan4

It seems to me that when the Azera comes out dealers will get a lot more aggressive with pricing the Avalon. This late in the season I think if it were me I'd wait if I could, both to just check out the Azera, and to let it do its work on the Avalon price. Plus, gives Toyota a chance to fix the little bug or two that are inevitable with a new model.

billyg

I too noticed that one of the fog lights is a little loose.

billyg

I noticed that there a rubber seal under the hood and above the firewall. It runs the width of the car and seals the engine compartment when the hood is closed. My concern is that it sets in a very shallow channel and had partially come loose. It is not very well secured at all. Seems to me that it should be glued in place. Has anyone else found the same situation?

solara00

Hi Prime Time,

I pasted this from the Toyota website: Maybe someone has already answered your question.

"New Exterior Features
The Avalon brings several "firsts" to the Toyota lineup. Side mirrors on the Limited grade feature Toyota's first "in-glass" LED turn signal, and a LED puddle lamp that illuminates the area along the side of the car when passengers approach the vehicle. The Limited grade also features side mirror memory."

I assume they come on when your key fob gets near the car, or when you unlock the doors.

bushka

I just returned from my midwest Toyota dealer, where we talked about an extended warranty for a new Avalon. A rep advised me that the extended warranty sold for $985 by a Massachusetts Toyota dealer is NOT the factory backed warranty from Toyota Financial Services. Can anyone who bought a warranty from Greenfield Toyota or elsewhere for under $1,000 confirm that the warranty was or was NOT the true "Toyota Extra Care Platinum Warranty"? My local Toyota rep says the Massachusetts warranty plan selling for $985 is probably not backed by Toyota Financial Services. Those of you who have purchased through Greenfield Toyota - please respond. Thanks. Bob :confuse:

pricecutter

Hi havalongavalon,

I do think hesitation should be put on the list. Unlike my previous
Avalon, I notice considerable pronounced shifting of gears at different speeds:
when stopping after a fast speed and starting to move forward again; when changing cruise control to a faster speed going uphill. I haven't a clue of whether these should be considered problems or simply a function of the new higher horsepower engine.

pricecutter

3puttmax

havalongavalon

I tried this to no avail. When you copy, are you copying an image or the filename of the image? When you insert after the "Img" button, do you paste in a filename, or somehow insert an actual image? Can the image file be on my computer, or does it have to be on a website, to be accessed via a web address? If so, what website is good for this?

None of this seems very obvious. Thanks.

Max

havalongavalon

Mackabee, thank you for your kind comments. Actually I didn't see the light at any time, but I clearly heard some worrisome noises! (coming from Forum peers, that is -- pun also intended).

Here is a question for you: If coasting in Neutral could indeed damage the transmission, shouldn't a warning be printed in the Owner's Manual? I saw no such warning.

Now a comment, and a more general question for anyone: What I am looking for is a feature that will allow you, when driving on largely ondulated terrain, to save gas by "coasting" down the hills. Remembering physics 101, you expend energy to climb a hill and while climbing you accumulate potential energy that then converts into kinetic energy (motion) as you descend again. But while in Drive, the engine is engaged and this tends to slow down the descent and uses up some gas. I'm thinking of a "free-wheel" feature such as in a bicycle -- when you stop pedaling, you coast freely, and when you start pedaling you re-engage and "drive" the rear wheel again. As I recall, early Saabs designed and made by the Swedish fighter jet manufacturing company had a true "free-wheel"capability. Is such feature available in any car with automatic transmission, nowadays?

Thanks again,

havalongavalon

fin

Your observation is both correct and perfectly logical. A 4 speed transmission shifts 3 times going up thru the gears and 3 times back down. The new 5 speed has 4 shifts to get to top gear, and back down. That's a 33% increase in "shifting" in normal driving.
Small wonder you notice it.....enjoy the car....waiting on an '06 here, the '03 is just fine for now.

havalongavalon

OK Max, let me try, but I only have another minute for now. The original file you make a copy of, can be either in your computer or in a website. The copied file that you insert in the message is in your computer. The filename represents the image file. I believe you could type the filename after clicking "Img" and this would work. However, if these instructions are not good enough, for a more accurate explanation I will ask PAT our HOST to HELP!

havalongavalon

deanie

Hi:
All minor faults, and many of them are just opinions about appearance, options that are/aren't available. Read the posts on this forum. You'll see that others have found little or nothing to complain about.
Regards,
Deanie

gbinplano

The following is verbatim from the response I received from Greenfield concerning my purchase of the extended warranty after my Avalon is delivered:

"I am currently offering the Toyota Platinum 7 yr / 100,000 mile Extra Care plan w/ 0 deductible for $985.00 on the Avalon, which is the longest plan available in both mileage and years.

Most of the details on the Extra Care plans can be found directly at their
website at the following link, including all the various terms and options
available, just let me know if you would like a quote on a different plan.

http://www.toyotafinancial.com/pyv/extended_service_coverage/n_index.html

Here are the purchase instructions if / when you decide to purchase..."

Looks authentic to me. If I were Greenfield, I'd be very worried of legal or civil ramifications if such a claim were not true.

Greg

3puttmax

Thanks to havalongavalon for describing how to insert photo file.

This is a picture of the small Terk XM antenna, installed just underneath the windshield. Almost invisible, and reception is fine. See posts 4682 & 4718 if you want more info.

Max

yurik

Jusr received my Phantom Grey Pearl Limited and went straight to local alarm shop to install parking sensors. All they offered me was black sensors, which I didn't think would look good on Grey Pearl. Anyone had experience with finding right color rear parking sensors?
Thanks

ryandse

ryandse, welcome to Avalon Country. You may be a demographic outrider for now, but this is changing fast; you may be mainstream before you know it!

Thanks. I suppose it takes folks like us to look past these stereotypes and know engineering excellence when we see it.

The Prius is really loaded with complex new technology and is a hot seller, so I was shocked to read about the occasional but very serious, potentially very dangerous and expensive failures that are reported there.

Whoa, this is troubling. What are these failures? Could you post some links to articles where you have read about such failures?

johni

Bushka: I'm one who has purchased the 7yr/100k/$0ded warranty from Greenfield Toyota. The Vehicle Service Agreement paperwork sure looks like that backed by Toyota. It has a Toyota logo. It is listed as "Toyota Extra Care, P.O. Box 9550, Cedar Rapids, IA" and has "Platinum" at the top. Under section titled "VEHICLE SERVICE AGREEMENT" is the following:

"This agreement is between the Agreement Holder ("You" or "Your") specified in the Vehicle Service Agreement Information and Toyota Motor Insurance Services, Inc. ("TMIS")."

Prior to receiving the agreement from Toyota I received a copy of the application that Toyota of Greenfield sent to Toyota. At the upper right hand corner is the Toyota Financial Services logo. At the bottom is this statement:

"Toyota Financial Services is a service mark of Toyota Motor Insurance Services, Inc."

johni

mikes.

Bushka, I too have bought the $985 warranty from here and IT IS a Toyota product.

fdcapt2

I've read in other forums about a back up sensor system that doesn't have to be visible, which means you don't have to drill any holes, or have the wrong colors. It's put behind the bumper, and the warning unit was mounted under the rear deck, where the speakers are housed. I think it was on an Acura TL forum, and a few people were raving about them because you didn't have to damage the car to have them installed. It would be nice if it was an option on these cars now, but it isn't, and I know I wouldn't be drilling holes in my brand new car. I also remember them being rather inexpensive which makes them another plus. I hope this helps in some little bit.....

havalongavalon

Hi Max,

I'm afraid the picture you tried to insert did not appear in your post #5166 (at least it's not visible from my computer). You may want to try again. Sorry about that. I guess the procedure is not that simple...

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

ryandse

I've read in other forums about a back up sensor system that doesn't have to be visible, which means you don't have to drill any holes, or have the wrong colors. It's put behind the bumper, and the warning unit was mounted under the rear deck, where the speakers are housed.

Is this the one you are referring to? Would anyone happen to have any links for more information on this or any competing products?.

y_althani

thanks alot [deanie]
Ill check out the posts 2 get a closer look

havalongavalon

ryandse,

The Forum called Toyota Prius Owners: Problems & Solutions has over 200 entries that describe a great variety of bizzare problems, ranging in consequences from trivial to potentially disastrous. These problems often seem to be hard to diagnose, sometimes one-of-a-kind, not really systematic. When problems can be shown to be unique to a single car, the Lemon Law may apply and this has in fact been reported, for example, in post #128 who reported in Feb 2005 that:

"I had a 2004 Prius for 6 months. I had a problem with the accelerator assembly. Toyota tried to fix it 5 times. I had to invoke the lemon law. Symptoms: As a accident evasive action I had to change lanes abruptly and accelerate full to go with the flow of traffic in the left lane. There would be a "Thump" and the acceleration would go the power of "IDLE" speed. This nearly caused two accidents as the car behind me did not see any brake lights but I was effectively braking hard. Once this happened the car would only go a maximum of 37 MPH! Toyota says the "codes" indicate the accelerator was in an "invalid position"! I checked all the forums and no one else had ever reported this problem. As a result of the lemon law I will be receiving a new 2005 Prius next week and of course will try "the maneuver" before accepting delivery.It seems to me that this would have come up with many other Prius drivers but since there was no reference in any forum I feel confident that it was truly just a lemon car. Other than this the Prius is my favorite car ever!!!!!!! 44-48 MPG average."

If you read a number of these posts you will get the picture that although owners love their Prii, many have been putting up with very quirky behaviors and I would imagine that other owners who have been problem-free but are well-informed must feel a bit aprehensive about sudden problems that could come up at any time, such as a total loss of power in the middle of the freeway, which has been reported by some.

Sorry to bring up this kind of news, but it does point out that even the most solid companies such as Toyota do run into troubles when they take the lead on innovation and bring out truly revolutionary new technologies, as with Prius.

Best,

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

I've read in other forums about a back up sensor system that doesn't have to be visible, which means you don't have to drill any holes, or have the wrong colors. It's put behind the bumper, and the warning unit was mounted under the rear deck, where the speakers are housed.

Is this the one you are referring to? Would anyone happen to have any links for more information on this or any competing products?.

Some weeks ago johni posted leads to an aftermarket system that he installed himself, and last week I installed a similar system, with great results. If you search this discussion for our nicknames and "sensors" you should quickly find these posts.

havalongavalon

paul_p

njny, thanks for posting that review link.

havalongavalon

pricecutter, thanks for reminding me in post #5159:

I do think hesitation should be put on the list. Unlike my previous
Avalon, I notice considerable pronounced shifting of gears at different speeds:
when stopping after a fast speed and starting to move forward again; when changing cruise control to a faster speed going uphill. I haven't a clue of whether these should be considered problems or simply a function of the new higher horsepower engine.

ROGER. Will do. By the way, I have noticed something similar: occasionally, when stopping after a fast speed and starting to move forward again, uphill, it seems to skip a gear because the engine revs up too much for the intended effort.

Maybe we can have others who have noticed hesitation to contribute a more concise description? (I prefer to enter one-line descriptions in a Table...)

Thanks,

havalongavalon

ryandse

Some weeks ago johni posted leads to an aftermarket system that he installed himself, and last week I installed a similar system, with great results. If you search this discussion for our nicknames and "sensors" you should quickly find these posts.

Ok, I just did a search and came up with message #4143. I see the mention of Awell Logistics Marketing (which is apparently the company that makes the sensor). Strangely enough, google just isn't finding anything on it. Perhaps I need to look for it in RealSpace: so where did you purchase it? Thanks! :shades:

justgreat47

i don't own an avalon but will offer some obervations that might apply to the comments made regarding the transmission shifting patterns, especially during deceleration: a standard "dumb" transmision (one without a prcoessor hooked up to it's shift controls) will stay in the higher gear when decelerating; once the throttle is applied there might be a hesitation (especially if the throttle input is severe enough to warrant a downshift. it sounds to me, as if the avalon's 5 speed is an adaptive transmission or "smart" tranny. that's why some of you have complained about a drag on the engine under deceleration: the transmission is downshifting as you slow, getting ready for the moment when you want to accelerate; there will be no delay when you do step on the gas.

also, i don't remember seeing anything about the throttle linkage on the 05 avalon, but i suspect that it's drive by wire: no cable between the gas pedal and the fuel injection: it's done the the engine management processor and there are very stringent parameters about how much throttle input the processor will alllow, especially when the engine is cold. this is all done in the name of clean air and lower pollutants. lots of new car owners have complained of slow response or hesitation from a stop when accelerating: acuras, bmw's...anybody with the drive by wire...it's the nature of the beast, i'm afraid. jackg 90seville 96k

mikes.

The 05 Avalon IS a drive by wire car.

I've noticed several time now that when going downhill with the cruise control on that the car will slow itself.

MikeS.

pat

No, you can't copy an image and paste it directly into the post box. That might seem to you to work if the image is on your computer, but you are the only one who will be able to see it.

The image has to be stored somewhere on the web. You start by clicking on the "Img" button, then you type or paste the address of the picture (http://www.mywebpage.com/mypics/avalon.jpg for example) and then you click the same "Img" button one more time.

That will cause the "avalon.jpg" picture stored on the "mypics" page of "www.mywebpage.com" to display in your message for all to see.

Hope this helps.

dan41

I've done some research and now know there there are a ton of manufactures or distributors for backup sensors. I am considering the Awell Logistics AW-10B$
(4 back-up sensors - no display) and I would like to get some feedback on the accuracy and reliability of this product before I purchase. Awell also offer sensors in colors and I am thinking "white" to blend with my Blizzard Pear bumper. I am recovering from back surgery, so I will have the unit professionally installed. Any feedback on this product or another one would be appreciated.

Regards: Dan

jordan7

I have purchased the mud flaps for my Limited, Titanium Avalon. Since you can only obtain them in black (except port installed in the SE region) I have been told the following:

Purchase the black mud flaps

Clean them with rubbing alcohol

Spray the side facing the body (of course prior to installation) with primer used for bumpers (It has flexibility)

Spray with bumper paint the color that matches body of your car. While it will not be exact, it will be better than black.

I am told that this will be satisfactory and should not peel or chip. The paint can be purchased at any auto parts store.

jms132

I went on a small trip over the weekend and really had a chance to work out the Dynamic Laser Cruise Control. The system is great, almost perfect. The only improvements I would suggest are to:
1) Allow for an even shorter distance between vehicles (the current shortest setting can annoy you in bumper to bumper traffic)
2) Don't slam on the brakes when coming up to another vehicle that is going slower, maybe coast from a farther distance to slow vehicle down
3) Don't slam on the gas to get the car back up to speed or when I bump it up 5 mph.

This leads to my question:
Does anyone know where I can find the codes that the system produces for errors? I was driving along and the system beeped, turned it self off and displayed "C2" in the cruise control window. Does any one know what that means. I could not find it in the manual. The cruise did reactivate when I set it again, so it is not broke.

rewop

jms132 writes: Does anyone know where I can find the codes that the system produces for errors? I was driving along and the system beeped, turned it self off and displayed "C2" in the cruise control window. Does any one know what that means. I could not find it in the manual.

See page 184 of the manual for the explanation of codes C1, C2 and the dreaded E3. And you're right, the Laser cruise is a great system.

rewop

bakeroid

All posts in recent weeks talk about "Blizzard Pearl" or "Phantom Gray". Am I going to have the only "Cassis Pearl" Limited in the US. If anyone has one would they please post a picture. Am getting mine in two weeks and still don't know exactly what color it is. Local dealers have never seen one.

Thank You

Bakeroid

rlejr66

Anyone have the insight on where you can get original Toyota parts (accessories) for less than what your local dealership charges? I have purchased parts for my Infiniti from a dealer via the web at prices well below what my local dealer was charging. Looking at getting the rear spoiler and mud guards for a 2005 Avalon. Thanks.

davidxu8778

How much cost you to have this extended warranty

njny

havalongavalon,
The following posts also mention squeaks from the same location.
4685 4383
And Oddly enough post# 2308 has had the same issue, temperature related with an early model camry. Now I'm wondering if this is more common in areas where the climate is not as consistent.
Example: 44*F at 7am and 70*F at 5PM, this is typical in NY NJ this time of year.

havalongavalon

ryandse and dan41

Yes, the system that Johni and I installed is from Awell Logistics Marketing (www.awellmarket.com). We have the Pro-series with 4 sensors and buzzer. The silver (code AW-20E0) matches titanium perfectly. The installation instructions are straightforward, only issues are 1) the two supplied wire connectors may not make a reliable contact and 2) where exactly to place the buzzer for best sound inside the cabin -- this we discussed in previous posts.

The system works reliably. It even detects a single 2" wide post about 2-3' from the rear bumper.

havalongavalon