2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

sbell4

There are not any 2006 Avalons yet. The 10th digit of your VIN is a "5". It will always be a 2005 Avalon. Congratulations on a great car.

bahraini_zupra

hey bro congrats car looks awsome

arghh now i dunno which color to take white or black

congrats again

fivestar1

justme,

There are many factors that affect fuel economy. Given the same engine operating point fuel economy will be determined by the heating value, energy per unit weight, of the fuel. Premium grades of fuel have tradionally been slightly higher (approx .7%) than regular grades. However there can be even larger differences in heating value between batches of gasoline from the same refinery, between summer and winter volatility classes, or between brands of gasoline from different refineries because of compositional differences. The differences are small and there is no practical way for a driver to identify gasoline with a higher than average heating value, because of the many possible factors affecting fuel consumption. Oxygenated gasolines (MTBE, ETBE, ethanol) generally have slightly lower heating values. Boutique gasolines required in some areas of the country would presumably also be somewhat different in heating value.

In summary, be happy with your good results. There are many possible explanatory factors, but you can be sure you made the trip with fewer dollars expended

retired7

I bought my first oil filter element from Toyota for a cool $9 + tax. I will be attempting the "process" of changing the element in a week or so. The Toyota parts guy said Toyota went from spin on/off type to element type to help the environment?! (who cares about the back-yard mechanic anyway!). Is there a "Fram" filter equivalent to the Toyota ripoff out there yet?

NWBLIZZARD

just__me

fivestar1, thanks. All of what you said makes perfect sense. I know the temperature, humidity outside, the speed, the use of the A/C, tires and road all play their part. Even when buying that gas from BP that might have given me those great MPG, it doesn't mean the same grade from another station of BP, or in another state would give me the same MPG. One change I have made with this car so far, is to be light on the pedal (not to save gas) and to stay further back of cars and trucks on the highway (to try and avoid chips to the front bumper and hood). So far no chips. Also no sudden stops. I'm driving safer then I ever did before. I used to pass the cars on my right, now I get passed. I'm more then happy with the results, as I said it was hard to believe, and I was kind of excited and couldn't wait to post the results here. Oh, another way to improve MPG is the way one drives the car, that is another intangible. Have a great day my friend.

von1

If your a guy...get Black.

gbinplano

P. 375 in the owner's manual - oil change 6.0 quarts w/o oil filter change, 6.4 quarts with oil filter change.

Greg

limiteddriver

If you look in the owner's manual on page 375 you'll find 6.4 US qrts. of oil with filter change, on page 376 is 8.8 US qrts. for the radiator and also on page 376 is 3.7 US qrts. for the transaxle. Hope this helps.

cafpaf

I am sorry, I do not know the part number. I do not get that involved. I figure that I pay the service folks to do that. In any case, I will keep you up to speed as my situation progresses. Also, I will attempt to find out how the cassette connects to the radio if I can and maybe even get a copy of the wiring diagram.

bettersafe

All,
I do not understand why some dealers/regions offfer Park Pilot and some do not, why some offer body colored mud-flaps and some do not, why some offer Cassis Pearl and some do not, why some have the indigo blue and some do not. Some offer the accent stripe, some offer the glass etching, etc.

Toyota should get its act together and act like one company. Why should I have to drive three states away from Iowa (to Oklahoma or Arkansas or Texas) to get an Avalon with Park Pilot dealer installed and warrantied ?

Are other car companies like this ? :confuse:

BetterSafe (than sorry)

limiteddriver

Without a screw- on filter there are at least two big metal pieces that don't go back into the environment. These should be recyclable though. IMHO using a non-OEM (Toyota) oil filter is poor judgement. You have a $35000 car with a $2-$3000 motor that you want to put a cheaper aftermarket filter in to save probably less than $30 a year? Read on the net about the things some people say is wrong with the Fram oil filter when there have been filter comparisons and you might stay away from it. Just my $0.02.

thepope1

My belief: If it IS a duck, then call it a duck. If it's a ' 06 then call it that. It will be interesting what story Toyota presents...even if VIN # perhaps indicates ' 05. To those who will be contacting Toyota - and copying your state Attorney General - this action will certainly get their attention...and perhaps a truthful explanation.

As an ' 06, it would mean lower depreciation that would offset any increase in taxes or insurance.

sbell4

While you are on your quest at Toyota, would you mind seeing if they would correct all of the misprints in the brochures and other info that they send out. Good luck and keep us updated because we all would love to hear how this conspiracy ends.

55396

"If I'd just put the money in the bank, I would have gained a little interest until I needed to withdraw it for the repair."
.
.
I almost never have a problem with my cars either, in which case I still have the $$$ in the bank, whereas if I had purchased the extended warranty, it would be gone, whether needed or not. Last I heard about 20 years ago, in general, extended warranties only had to pay out about 11%. Hopefully, quality is much better today. (I'm talking foreign cars here). I don't like those odds. Anyone know what the payout is today?

1violinist

Since you're in Bahrain, and the temperature in Summer probably gets around 45C (122F), I suggest you get the White. The Black would be useful if you want to use it as an oven to cook your food! :-)

bettersafe

Anyone have pictures of the Park Pilot sensors on a Cassis Red Avalon ? Do the 4 sensors blend in with the bumper or do they stand out like a sore thumb ???

Thanks,

BetterSafe

bahraini_zupra

LOL well bahrain weather sucks its soo HOT and humidity is always up and the dust is everywhere i really dunno i am alost with which color :P

zekeman1

Just moved the Terk Mini-Micro XM antenna from the trunk to a location just adjacent to the defrost vent inside the car right up against the windshield. VERY easy install and almost unnoticeable - makes one wonder why the brain surgeons building the car don't do it the same way....they would probably have happy Avalon owners! Reception is as good as it was on the trunk lid. Reminder to all: complain to Toyota on their 800 # and it might wake them up.
zekeman1

jl618

Pat -

SunRams Products, Inc.

http://sunrams.com/catalog.htm

Titanium Sunglasses: HDL-3C high performance lenses

cafpaf

I just got a card in the mail telling me that the part I needed has been received. It appears to be the same part number that you have indicated. The number listed on the notification I received is 1058813-07010. I am going to go in on Monday to have it installed. I hope it is not a wasted trip. I will let you know.

bahraini_zupra

sorry dude i am just wondering what are u talking about what about the factory attena are there any problem with it ?

just wondring .

ali

zekeman1

My car came with the XM antenna installed on the right side of the trunk lid; it looked like a square black blob uncentered on the back of the car. Sucked, especially when Toyota is supposed to be marketing the top of the line, their primo model. Their design people aren't flushing with a full tank when it looks like they tell the assembly line to "put it somewhere on the back of the car." The factory antenna is about 3 times bigger than the micro XM antenna...I say, if you can hide it, do it - that way it doesn't hose up the lines of a great looking car. But then, some people don't care! To each his own.....

tmeframe

Way back in ancient times, when Americans thought Japanese cars were junk, and couldn't touch the quality and endurance of "Mercun" cars, Toyota had a tough road to hoe to get their product on these shores. It was at this time that the Devil split himself into separate parts, or regions made a deal with Toyota of Japan to distribute these "little Japanese cars". The Devil here took on many names such as Southeast Toyota, Gulf States Toyota and others. Before you knew it, Toyota of Japan grew great and glorious in this land of America, but alas so did these devilettes, profiteering on the back of poor Toyota of Japan..

From what I've heard, Toyota signed like a 99 year distribution agreement with Gulf States way back in the seventies, and the agreement has another 70 or so years to go. Like I stated in an earlier post, if you look at a new Toyota in the Gulf States region, you'll see three rows of pricing on the window sticker. Starting from left to right, the first row is Toyota's, the 2nd is real equipment the distributor (like Gulf States) has added. The 3rd row is mainly profit fluff added by the distributor at the behest of the dealer. NEVER pay for this stuff - it's almost all profit. Every Avalon out there has AT LEAST $3500.00 profit in that 3rd price, along with a 3% holdback of the retail price.

Steve

retired7

Thanks for the good info. My info is quite dated (~15 yrs ago) when Consumers did a filter comparison test which included OEM's, + other brands. FRAM did the best based on the smaller micron size of dirt particles trapped by their filter vs the competition. I will check for updated test info though. Personally, I have used FRAM filters on all my cars (mostly Toyotas) for years (I change oil & filter every 3K miles) and have run the wheels off all of them. I understand the cost benefit analysis for quality parts. Sometimes more expensive doesn't mean more better..

NWBLIZZARD

linyguy

Might sound silly, but I am concerned about the Smart Key and the fact that it gives off an RF signal. Is it possible that this is a health concern? They say it is like the RF a microwave oven puts out (according to Toyota). The manual states to check people with pace makers. Maybe being paranoid, but just not sure having it in your pocket all the time is okay. Anyone know more about this?

fivestar1

Does holdback vary by region? I've read that holdback is 2% in the Chicago region. Is the holdback here in the Chicago region really 2%?

mikes.

" took my 2005 Avalon in for the first oil change last week. I asked the parts guy if I could see the replacement filter and I was surprised to find out it is a paper cartridge type, not your typical spin on. Inside the filter box was also a page of instructions for changing the oil. It is not your basic do-it-yourself project. Has anyone changed their own oil and replaced the filter yet? Is it as complicated as the instructions would make it seem (two different o-rings must be replaced, special tools for removing the filter housing, etc.)? "

People, you really ought to try the SEARCH function on this forum. I extensively documented this very subject back in February or March, if not both.

MikeS.

mikes.

"I bought my first oil filter element from Toyota for a cool $9 + tax. I will be attempting the "process" of changing the element in a week or so. The Toyota parts guy said Toyota went from spin on/off type to element type to help the environment?! (who cares about the back-yard mechanic anyway!). Is there a "Fram" filter equivalent to the Toyota ripoff out there yet? "

Retired7, WWW.TOYOTAPARTSWORLD.COM sells these filters for about 5 bucks plus shipping. The filter isn't all that hard to do.

I got lucky a couple months ago, my local dealer mailed out several coupons, including 1 for oil filters at 3.99 each. I bought 10 for my LTD. The parts guy said I got them cheaper then they paid for them. Last week new coupons came out. The 05 Avalon is excluded...Oh well

MikeS.

ron6

Fram doesn't have a fit for the 2005 Avalon 3.5L yet but I hope they develop one. I have used nothing but Fram filters on everything I have owned for 40 years and have never had a problem.....not one. I change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles and routinely put 150,000 miles on my vehicles and have yet to have one with a problem attributable to the oil filter. I like to do my own maintenance (BMW Z3, Ford F-150, John Deere 3010 diesel, etc. because when I crawl under the vehicle I can assure myself that everything is the way it is supposed to be. I know that is what one pays the garage to do and I know that there are a LOT of good mechanics out there but I'm not always sure when I pay the bill that the guy that changed the oil looked at anything other than the oil filter. Just my personal preference.

y_althani

Thanks alot bro

Stay up with the white !! my color is a dust magnet
or as 1violinist u can use it as
a grilling machine like that boxer grill machine forgot his name :sick:

55396

First, we waited for the re-designed Maxima. No sale. Then, we thought the Avalon would do it. So far, no sale here either. Oh, I love the way the car drives and feels, but I hate the saggy, bloated, oversized image. The rear doors seem too big and the tail lights aren't quite right. Grille is rather blah too. I do like the profile of the new Lexus GS though, but too pricey and doesn't have as much power. I know this is personal taste and I appreciate that others see it as beautiful. Anyway, I like to tweak things to my liking. So, Autoweek just arrived with yet another glowing review of this car. I scanned one of the pictures and tweaked the tail light, rear side window, and darkened the rocker panel area,to see if I liked the effect. How do the changes strike you? They are suttle. Anyone have other ideas? Sorry, I didn't think to scan the picture before I messed with it. The latest issue wasn't posted yet today, but you should be able to see the picture and review at the Autoweek site.

[img]http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/Jjy57084.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/peA56953.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/WdM53982.jpg[/img]

pat

Links:

http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/Jjy57084.jpg

http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/peA56953.jpg

http://www.myimagestore.info/upload/images/WdM53982.jpg

Just fyi, you don't need to type in [img] and [/img], just paste the URL directly into your message.

bahraini_zupra

hehehe lier i think u love ur color and dont want me to get the same :P J/K

hey man hit me a call if u ever got free i wanna take alook on the car before i decide which color to take if u dont mind

by the the way i am always online on MSN but ur only on at morning i assume .

ali

havalongavalon

The special light arrived this week, my car was finally correctly inspected, and it passed. The place to look for a possibly missing weld is in the most upper portion of the steering column assembly, a few inches below the steering wheel.

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

I had the first lube & oil change done this week. It was free, as will be the next 3 ones. The first 4 lube & oil changes are included with the 7-year extended warranty package that I purchased. So this way I'll recover about 10% of its cost, besides having bought peace of mind for 7 years.

havalongavalon

havalongavalon

I imagine that you DIY guys have considered the risk of voiding your warranty (be it basic or extended) by not having regular oil & filter changes done by authorized service garages. I suppose you keep receipts for parts purchased, but how can you prove that you actually did the oil & filter changes when needed, especially if you bought parts in bulk?

Seems to me that the cost of having the regular service done at a Toyota dealer is very reasonable, and taking the car to them also makes them do the inspections that are indicated. This puts the responsibility squarely with them, if anything fails later that could be attributed to improper servicing or using different type of oil or filter.

By the way, I do and have always done all the maintenance and have replaced many parts in my lawn tractor and other yard equipment; but this is partly due to the inconvenience of transporting the beast to a dealer for service... With the Avalon, taking it for regular service is another enjoyable trip, and they wash the car afterwards, too!

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

rhack

As I posted earlier, the XM radio on my Limited was deleted because Toyota ran out of receivers. So I ordered one from my local Toyota parts dept. (part #PT546-07050) list $393.75 paid 299.00, complete kit, receiver, brackets and BIG antenna. When I went to pick it up ( took 4 days to come in), the parts guy printed me a 16 page illustrated instruction guide. I had intended to have it installed, but after looking at guide, decided to give it a try. Took about 3 hours didn't even need the panel removal tool they mention.

I did not use the included antenna, I used a Micro antenna I had and a dual input adapter from goodguys.com. I did some test on antenna placement before final installation. I mounted on the dash as has been posted before and on the roof. I found that I have fewer dropouts, going under bridges and trees with the antenna on the roof, so that is where it is.

Next do-it-myself project, Invisible paint protection, hope it goes as well.

cafpaf

HOST - Pat

I am not very savvy with these things so I am asking for a little help. How do I print just one post? When I tried, I got the post I wanted, but I also got six pages of other posts as well. I am hoping you can help me out for future reference. Thank you!

55396

You can always Copy & Paste into a Word document and print what you want from there.

pat

55396 tells you the way I would do it ...

zekeman1

Nice job! So far, I've had no lost signal with my antenna on my dash, inside the car; plus, I've been around alot of tall buildings/overpasses. One main reason to put it inside and not on the roof or trunk is so that if I ever wanted to remove it, I would not have the faded paint which will result. Everyone who saw the original antenna on the trunk couldn't believe Toyota's lack of thought (besides having an antenna which didn't match the paint).
zekeman1

allavalons

I've tried to change the locking from shifting out of park to locking at 12 MPH. I lioke that option becuase I often get the car in the garage then drive up the driveway and pick up my family in the front of the house. All that locking then unlocking is a pain. So far nothing I've tried has worked and I've followed the instructions until I have them memorized. I'll ask the dealer to do it when I take mine in for it's 1st oil change.

I just filled up my second tank full and used BP Ultimate. Over the 1st 50 miles on this tankful I'm averaging 29.8 MPG in mixed driving. When I was on the highway I was a little over 31 and mentioned to my wife that I never got that on my 2003 XLS. Just picked up my new Phantom Gray Pearl LTD on 6/3 and have about 375 miles so far, still just breaking it in.

I'm new to this forum, are those guys serious they are writting their States Attorney's about a booklet that says 2006? :confuse:
And then we wonder why government is so expensive with people doing something like that. A letter doesn't change a vehicle's year of origin, it's in the VIN number and changes when they change the model year.

All Avalons

55396

"I've tried to change the locking from shifting out of park to locking at 12 MPH. "

Boy do I agree with you on this. Why would you want to lock the doors if you move tha car an inch? I need to move the car about a foot so my wife can get in. It's her car, so I constantly forget and get the tap tap tap on the window. The cruise control is just as bad. Every time you slow down, you have to reset it instead of hitting resume. Wake up Toyota/Lexus. At least give us an option to change this. This has irritated me since the day I bought my first Toyota product and it's almost enough to make me buy another brand. Maybe someone elses new model will get me to switch. Do you hear us Toyota....................................... DO YOU HEAR US TOYOTA?????????????

rainh2o

'Took delivery of a Blizzard Pearl, Avalon Limited, yesterday (6/11; having ordered it on 4/22.). The Limited in Blizzard Pearl is, apparently, the most popular combination. I was lucky to get it this quickly. The dealer was able to make an "A-status" order trade with another dealer in the region (both in Arizona).

It is a beautiful car! In the Arizona sun, the metallic pearl finish is brilliant! And, the graphite interior with wood accents is very classy. I'll have the windows tinted, next week, and, if possible get the clear film paint protection, as well.

I've been following this forum since March, when I first became aware of the redesign. I want to take a moment to thank all of you that have participated in the meantime, for your insights, opinions and advice. They have been invaluable in making the decision to purchase, which options to consider, and what to look for in the way of problems.

With only 100 miles on my car, thus far, I've not found a single issue, even after having familiarized myself with havalongavalon's list, as well as evey post since March 24.

The only question I have, and it may be obvious to everyone except me, is in regard to the odd device in the center console behind the cupholders. Is this a cell phone holder? If not, what is it?

Thank you, all, and have a great day!

rainh2o

ron6

It's a holder for your cell phone. You can keep the phone charged by plugging it into the 12 volt outlet in the compartment and most phones will fit in the little holder. If you don't want to use it, it lifts right out.

jl618

Same problem here with not being able to set "12 mph."

Let me know when you solve it.

bahraini_zupra

hey guys i really need fine pics of blizzard white in the SUN LIGHT not cloudy day can someone please take few nice shots and post them here

thanks alot

ali

cafpaf

55396 and HOST Pat. Thanks for the advice. That is easy and something I would not have thought of. I told you, I am not very savvy in these matters. Thanks again!

roski

Can someone try this and let me know if you replicate my problem?

I have noticed sometimes that the volume of voice nav drops so softly that it is hard to hear it and I can replicate the problem every time.

1- Either driving or stationary, make sure the voice command is working at the proper volume by saying "Go Home". If not, adjust it by using the command "Louder".

2- After it has calculated the route, issue the voice command "Voice Guidance Off". You should hear a confirmation that it has been turned off, but at the same volume as before.

3- Issue any other command (like "Delete all Destinations") and it will reply in a very soft voice - the volume has automagically dropped dramatically.

4- Now issue the command "Louder". It should return to the previous volume setting.

Can anyone replicate this problem?

mikes.

"The cruise control is just as bad. Every time you slow down, you have to reset it instead of hitting resume. Wake up Toyota/Lexus. At least give us an option to change this. This has irritated me since the day I bought my first Toyota product and it's almost enough to make me buy another brand. "

I think you are either mistaken or just confused. The 2005 Avalons have the standard Toyota cruise control features, including speed resume when you bump the switch UP after speed was set and then paused. Paused by either using the brakes or by pulling the switch towards you to disengage the speed control. It won't resume if you drop below about 28mph.

This is true of either the dynamic laser cruise control or the regular cruise control settings. All 6 different toyotas in my family have had this feature. Starting with my 96 Avalon thru to my 05 limited.

MikeS.