2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

3puttmax

Littlejohn600 -

Yeah, I've seen that. In fact, I took a printout to the Firestone dealer to explain what is involved. Is this progress? What's wrong with the old replaceable filters?

Max

teddyleg

This might be a dumb question, and for that I apologize up front. But what is the best approach involving the smartkey when getting your car washed (one where you leave the car and then meet it on the other side when done)?

Do people just leave the car running and leave with the smart key? Do you leave the smart key inside the car?

Just wondering as I'm about to get my first car wash with the new Avalon.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer their advice.

fragmire

Understood. I've always taken my Avalons to Toyota for service since I assume that they have Toyota-specific training and parts. I guess the trade-off is the significantly higher cost.

jicka

OK. So how do we access this site?

fragmire

On a somewhat related note, once the car has started, what happens if the smart key is moved outside of the sensor range? Does the car not require the smart key signal any longer after the engine has started?

ron6

I'm not able to open your pdf file. It appears that there isn't a link to it.

05avforum

I have a LTD with NAV and therefore have the NAV controls rather than the cassette. I've noticed that the door to the controls is not quite flush when closed. I also noticed that the door to the controls is not flush with the control panel (i.e. there is a space around 1/8 - 1/4 inch between the door and the top of the control panel). The space is more obvious on the left side than the right. I can push in on the outside of the door, but it does not lock into place. Is this a problem? Anyone else notice this?

Second question, I noticed that a few folks on this forum mentioned loose fog lights. I checked mine, and lo and behold, both appear to be loose to the touch. I don't know if this is the lamp assmbly itself, or a clear lens in front of the lamp. The laser control panel also seems loose. In fact, the section of the lower front bumper, where these items are inserted have some play. Is this a problem? and if so, what does it take to fix?

Thanks

limiteddriver

Why can't you get a filter at the dealer and take it to Firestone?

mackabee

Not only that but your car may get drunk and get stopped for driving too fast!!

Mackabee

fin

What's wrong with the old replaceable filters?

Nothing really. They work fine. Spin it off, spin it on...

The problem has to do with recycling the filter oil. Hard to get used oil out of a steel and paper container compared to just a paper one. That's progress, I guess. Expect to see more paper in the future.

limiteddriver

The dealer simply replced my loose fog light assembly.

mackabee

Max, I don't understand. Most Toyota dealers have an "Express Lube" service where they get you in and out in 29 minutes or less or the next oil change is free. The price varies from $19.99 to $24.99 in my area. I can understand you wanting to take the car to your trusted Firestone dealer but is the price difference and convenience worth that much more to you? Just curious.
Mackabee

3puttmax

Mackabee -

I'll have to look into the "Express Lube" deal, may be worth a try. But, I also get lifetime wheel alignments at Firestone, so I get the wheels rotated and aligned free every time I go in for an oil change. Don't know if Toyota dealer can match that. Anyway, thanks for the info.

Max

3puttmax

Why can't you get a filter at the dealer and take it to Firestone?

Now why the heck didn't I think of that? But I guess once I've driven to the dealer, it might be easier to just get the oil changed there. Anyway, enough about oil changes. Let's just get out & drive our Avy's.

Max

maryj

I agree, however, I have a couple more. Why does the gas mileage readout zeroize each time you fill up. How do you keep a long record of gas mileage.
And, why does the Trip Timer reset to zero each time the ignition is turned off. This is a pain when you are on a long trip and want to keep track of your hours on the road.
I had an 05 Solara V6 before the 05 Avalon and never noticed this.
And, whenever I close the doors with the windows up, it sounds tight as a drum, but have the window rolled down a bit and it rattles badly.

docmendon

Depressing the accelerater at various speeds results in increased rpms but a hesitation in
transmission response in my new 2006 XLS. This event does not occur in a similar vehicle purchased 2 months latter by a friend. There is no improvement after 2100 miles despite factory tech advising that the computer would correct itself. Anyone else with this experience?

carzak

I have the same problem. Extremely dangerous while trying to merge. I have lodged a complaint with NHTSA.

larryt22

I am surprised there isn't already 100 post on this one.

You have a what? 2006 XLS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

larryt22

If you do a search on ebay you will find a listing with a picture of an Avalon with side moldings

johndjr

Teddy,
I had wondered the same. Just yesterday I took mine for its' first 'up-town' wash. I left the key on the center console. Worked OK except I had to go tell the attendant how to start it to get it to the start of the run. Then at the finish end, different person, I had to go tell him how to start it.
My next concern is soon I will go to a hotel that has valet parking. Will they leave the key in the car? If so, how will that work leaving it for a few days in the parking garage?
Time will tell.

hank3

I had similar concerns however the smart key is not as new anymore. A lot of the luxury cars have it now and most places will address this with their valet attendants. Of course I live in a metropolitan area and it could be that smaller towns may not be up to speed on the latest technology. :surprise:

I doubt they will leave the key in the car because the car wont lock with the key in close proximity to the receiving chip. Im sure they would treat it as a regular set of keys.

paul_p

Thanks, Max. Great info!

littlejohn600

Try the Adobe Reader to open:
Avalon_Oil_Change.pdf.

It would appear to me that if the filter case was not installed tight enough there might be leak sometime down the road and if it is over tightened then the o-ring could be damaged. This thing requires an experienced tech.

pat

Littlejohn, where is the file located? You are giving us the name of the file but it's not a link so the folks can't find it.

motownusa

The side moldings probably will be an after market add on, wouldn't it ? I don't think most of the cars made today comes with moldings. The moldings do a great job protecting the car from dings and dents but I personally find them an eye sore.

lrj

The XM receiver is compatible with the JBL audio, at least on the Limited, not sure about the other trim lines. The JBL radio controls on the Limited have an XM selection. I bought the satellite receiver kit from my dealer. Cost $299 and it included a $140 XM gift card that you can use for the subscription fee. The kit comes complete with all cables. It’s a plug and play operation. The dealer can provide installation instructions off their TIS (Toyota Information System). My dealer farmed out the installation to a local audio shop which I used. As for the antenna, the instructions say to put it on the trunk lid. I had one dealer to tell me it had to be there to prevent interference with the GPS Nav System. The installer told me this was not true since they use different frequencies. Consequently, the antenna was place on the vehicle centerline about half an inch above the rear window. The satellite receiver was placed behind the side trunk liner. Except for the antenna, everything is hidden and the existing radio controls are used for operation. Looks and sounds like a factory installation.

cjponline

Where is the NAV / GPS antenna located? Is it etched in the rear window?

bettersafe

There is a continuing discussion of this problem in the "Engine Hesitation" forum. A question has been raised on the correlation of "hesitation" to the use of lower octane gas. Some folks have been told by more than one dealer that the hesitation is reduced by high octane gas. Some of the forum posters suggest that the anti-knock sensor and low octane gas may be giving confusing information to the engine computer when you depress the accelerator.

3puttmax

The NAV GPS antenna is behind the inside rear view mirror.

Max

ange

My navigation door has a1/4 inch gap too. My glove compartment\, at the right side, sticks out 1/4 inch. Over I am not impressed with the 2005 Toyota quality, both in quality of materials and poor workmanship.My right side rear mirror dosen't line up with the top side of the window molding. I would suggest all 2005 Avalon owners check the way the doors fit next to each other and next to the fenders. My driver side door fits perfect at the top were we see it all of the time, but , at the bottom, the plastic molding is 3/8 inch out more than the back door. The back door is in about 1/8 inch from the rear fender {rear quarter panel}. The hood is even witht the fenders in the front, but is low , below the fender on one side, and high on the driver side fender. My wifes" 95 Altama fits 100% better. I have a 3/4 inch touch up paint at the rear fender where it meets the rear quarter panel. While
these items

seem trival, they add up to one conclusion,NO CONCERN FOR QUALITY AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. The quality assurance inspectors must have been over worked, goofing off, and or, doing nothing. My opinion is similiar to my old bodyman friend who told me when he poorly finshed painting a fender, said;" It looks good from about 15 feet". The 2005 Avalon does have a real good paint job. Appearance wise, at a first glance, it looks excellant.But when you look a little closer, the things you expect from the Avalon, just are not there.

Ange1

avaloncruiser

7. The LACC is canceled when it rains above a certain level. A red warning light comes on, but there is no audible warning. This can be irritating - you must revert to normal cruise control without the LACC feature

Max, I get an audible warning (one short ding) when the LACC cancels due to rain. I know my husband wouldn't hear it though as he can't hear certain frequencies.

Denise

paulex

Hello everyone. I have been reading these forums for a few weeks now and I am much more informed due to everyone's generous sharing of information.

I have a quick question that I wasn't able to answer by searching...I have a deposit on a Blizzard Pearl XLS which appears to be arriving with the Graphite leather (LA016). Does anyone know if this color could possibly come with the lighter wood? I dopn't care for the dark wood (personal taste). All of the Avys I have seen at this point have the dark trim with Graphite, but my dealer claims that they have never seen the dark wood.

Any ideas? :confuse:

mackabee

Ange, you probably got one of the five that went into the repair bay at the yards. It's very unusual to have these problems with Toyota.
:shades:
Mackabee

mackabee

Doc, sounds like you are confusing the car's computer that "learns" your driving habits. 2006 Avalons won't be out for another 3 weeks.
Mackabee

justgreat47

that's definitely possible. what alot of people seem to forget is the engine management computer is "smart"...it has the ability to change the engine output according to the octane of the fuel used; also, the transmission is "intelligent" meaning it adapts to the driver's "style" of driving. these two factors could lead to more hesitation with a lower grade of fuel.

one of the easiest ways to overcome the hesitation is to put the transmission into 4th; this apparently cancels out the adaptive program in the transmission and has been reported on this board as to eliminate the hesitaion completely. leave the transmission in 4th until you're on the interstate and then utilize 5th. jackg 90seville 98k

greenbelt

If you go back and look at the Georgetown quality record, it was great for 1990's Camry's and Avalon's. They both typically took 1st or 2nd in their respective JDPower Initial Quality and Reliability classes.

Then in early 2000 Toyota moved a new executive into Georgetown who had been working at Nummi (the joint Toyota / GM plant in California ). He brought experience in dealing with unions to that plant which was then having a 'card signing' led by the UAW, as I remember.

I think that Georgetown has struggled to meet its former quality levels ever since. Nummi has since improved.

Maybe there isn't a cause and effect relationship here, but there sure is a correlation.

Even more interestingly, I understand that this executive is now the only non-Japanese member of the Toyota management board. I assume its because the plant is meeting its production and financial targets. I don't think that quality at Georgetown is the main objective there any more.

I feel that if you want a really high quality Toyota these days, you have to buy a Lexus, Prius or Scion.

1violinist

As far as I know, and Mackabee can verify this info for us, that the ivory leather comes with the light wood only, the graphite with the dark wood only, while the light gray can come with either.

toyotaken

From what I've seen, Ivory only comes with light wood, Graphite only comes with dark wood, and light grey (gray) comes only with light wood. I have not ever seen a light grey leather interior with dark wood trim.

Ken

paulex

Thanks toyotaken and 1violist.

I am in the Las Vegas area and I have seen a handful of Avys with the light grey interior and dark wood. Very odd. I suppose I will have to wait for the dealer to receive the vehicle.

Does either of you know what "Category A" means on the dealer inquiry printout?

gbinplano

The Graphite is actually a medium grey. In bright light it looks like a light grey. You've probably seen the graphite with the dark(er) wood. It is what I have in my Indigo Limited.

Greg

paulex

gbinplano - I have seen the dark wood on all graphite interiors. I am actually hoping to get the light wood (personal pref). It appears that the LV market does not offer the lighter wood with the graphite interior.

Paulex

toyotaken

There are 3 categories. A stands for "allocated" or in other words, the vehicle is destined for that particular dealership. They usually give an EPD (Estimated production date) or ETA (Estimated time of Arival to the dealer) when in A category. Second is "F" which stands for "Freight" or inferring that the vehicle has been loaded on the truck for delivery or is immenently going to be put on a truck. The last category is "G" which means "Ground". This may show a day or two before it actually gets unloaded off of the truck though.

Hope this helps.

Ken

paulex

Thank you, Ken. That is a big help.

Generally speaking, is there an approximate amount of time it takes once a car is in the "A" status until the shipping date? Is it already being built in the "A" status? Mine has a blank space for the VIN and ignition key.

Thanks!
Paulex

toyotaken

Paulex,

It depends on where it's coming from and where in the "pipeline" it is. It can range from 1-4 weeks in "A" category. If you ask your dealer, however, they should be able to tell you the EPD or ETA dates to give you a better handle on time frame.

Ken

paulex

Thanks, Ken. They told me it would arrive "first week of August". It seems they have been trying to convince me not to buy at another dealer, so I question if it will really be here in this time frame. The other dealer has one arriving sooner.

I guess I will wait (impatiently) for my baby. Thanks again for all your help in these forums.

Paulex

toyotaken

You're welcome.

Ken

jose7

Hey Igigante
I too am getting a hitch. I like the compact, clean look from the back. When you said they had to lower the exhaust pipes did it drastically change the look of the rearend ? How much did they have to lower them? Are you still happy with the way it looks? After I read your comment I was almost comtemplating not getting the hitch...

oran

Oh, you're talking about the OEM Toyota kit for $299. I think we're discussing the basic sat radio setup, not designed for the Toyota Avalon '05 JBL system.

maryj

Get the hitch. It's barely noticeable, only the receiver end shows. The muffler system has to be lowered. It's easy. Remove two brackets and slip off the rubber isolators and remove the isolator brackets. New hitch will have new isolator brackets. It will definitely take two people. It comes in 3 pieces. Install the center first. Seems only one company makes the hitches now, even though they have different names. Mine is Draw-tite. It was cheaper than the HiddenHitch, but they looked the same. I ordered mine from etrailer.com They deliver fast and were very helpful. Total cost with drawbar and shipping was $141.00 to Tenn. The instructions take some studying before you start.

jose7

Thanks for the info...Jose