Toyota Avalon 2008-2010

tjc78

"Or there is the "D" answer, all of the above"

That would be my answer.

wwest

Yes, I first noticed this in my '01 AWD RX300 (or maybe it was the '00). I was somewhat puzzled so I reseached it via the shop/repair manuals.

On a coastdown coming to a stop it doesn't downshift into 1st until very nearly stopped or actually stopped. And it is true that after a period of time living with it you tend not to notice it. That is unless you happen to have DBW and stumble onto the 1-2 second downshift delay/hesitation when you try to accelerate shortly, quickly, after the coastdown upshift begins.

The latest "fix" to all this (NCF, '08 Avalon) seems to be to have the engine/transaxle ECU firmware "watch" the rate at which you release pressure on the accelerator pedal following a period of acceleration, even light acceleration.

Slow, easy, release... = upshift on the assumption the driver wishes to simply begin cruising along.

Quick, fast, release... = remain in the lower "acceleration" gear ratio for engine compression braking.

Do you suppose "we" can "learn" the car's driving style/habits...?

Turnabout is fair play...??

wwest

Ford, as a for instance, has now recogized that engine compression braking, even lightly so, on the driven wheels of a FWD vehicle can potentially be dangerous if the roadbed happens to be slippery enough. To that end they have just recieved a US patent that involves a technique used on the Escape and and Mariner hybrids.

With their hybrids if the OAT is near or below freezing level then the use of regenerative braking to recharge the hybrid battery is significantly reduced. Additionally if the brakes are applied and ABS activates then regenerative braking is INSTANTLY disabled so as to allow for full functionality of the anti-lock system.

I have no real idea how this all plays out with other FWD vehicles with automatic transaxles but I can tell you that none of us would be stupid enough to downshift a manual transaxle for engine compression braking knowing the roadbed adhesion to be questionable.

Methinks if I owned a FWD or F/AWD I would be asking for my clutch "back"....

jpm1908

I'm waiting for factory delivery of a 2008 Avalon Limited. I was advised that the Toyota remote starter does not have a long range and that the car shuts off upon entry with the Toyota starter. Two questions; 1) Is there a consensus that an after-market starter is the way to go? and if so 2) does anyone have an after-market starter they would care to recommend?

Many Thanks

papasavalon

Doug, missing streets on any navigation device is a fact of life. Even updating my Garmin mapping software it will not be perfect. Any GPS manufacturer "buys" the software from an outside source who have teams that constantly go around the country finding new streets and POI's. As a result, by the time the new information gets to the end user it may not be totally accuate. In other words any device we buy will have outdated info. They are still a great travel tool.

scott101

The Avalon was my first choice for a new car and the only reservation I had was the transmission issues. Thanks to people who replied to my earlier posts about this. Well, I took the plunge and bought a 2008 Limited. I only have about 400 miles on the car, but the transmission has been fine and I am enjoying the new "ride". I have been a lifelong manual trans. person, so this is my first automatic. I have noticed some of the peculilarites of the transmission, such as the surge, but hey, the thing can't be perfect, even if it does try to "read your mind" by monitoring pedal "lift off". Overall, the new six speed seems to be easy to get along with.

I am having a "relationship problem" with the keyless entry system, however. I am still in the adjustment phase and keep reaching for the key to turn the car off every time I park the car. I read the manual and need to go through a programming session to get it to unlock all the doors for me. I wonder if the dealer offers "counseling". My wife borrowed the car one day and when dropping off our son at school, couldn't figure out how to unlock the back door and let my son out. Took so long that people started honking their horns in line. My wife keep pressing the unlock button on the remote, which doesn't work inside the car. She wasn't used to the buttons, and couldn't find the unlock button on the door. She finally shifted into park, from drive, and the doors unlocked themselves. My son had a funny story to tell me when I got home that night.

Technology, can't live with it, and can't live without it. (or is that supposed to be my wife?)

burl

I have been getting excellent mileage on my 08 avalon 31-32+ at 69 mph 29-30 at 72mph
28 at 75 mph .....about 24-25 mixed driving which I think is supriseingly good as I an very heavy footed

Noticed that at 60mph ..........rpm are 1800 in 6th gear which gives some answer to high mileage.....Thats only 1000 rpm above Idle............no wonder it does well

Car still runs like a Sidewinder missile
5.9/6.0 0-60

spencer327

Ditto for my 2008 XLS and on regular !!

chinton

My 2008 XLS Avalon has a rear bumper with a memory.

I dented my 1st car in 15 years and it was on the bumper of the new Avalon with about 200 miles on it. It was an ugly dent on a corner - an oval shape about 6" x 5" and maybe an inch and a half deep - really ugly on a new car. The bumper panel extends from one rear wheel around to the other rear wheel. it must cost 1000s to replace. I grieved about this overnight and when I examined it the next morning the dent was gone - with just some paint scratches and maybe some visible distortion that only I would see.

Why haven't I heard of this before.

avalond

I just purchased a 2008 Avalon Limited and notiticed that my front grille chrome does not match the outer chrome surround on the grille.
It looks like a different type of similated plastic chrome that is not as shiny.
Does anyone out there notice this on their car, or is this a manufacturing issue on my particular car.
(this is the area at the front of the car where the Toyota logo is near)

cuuhl

I've just settled into a decision to buy an '08 XLS. I am looking at one that has the TSS package, with upgraded wheels, tires and ground effects. I really like the looks, but have never purchased ground effects before, which is mostly a skirt running around the bottom of the body. The package is added in Gulfport. Is this a good purchase decision? I don't want to get it if the long-term quality won't keep up with the rest of the car, so to speak. Also, is the JBL upgrade worth it? Any other options I should definitely consider? Thanks!

mackabee

Forget the ground effects and upgraded wheels unless you like a lot of "bling" on your car. The JBL option is worth it since you get the Bluetooth hands free telephone capability with it.
Mack

rpfingsten

Cuuhl,, that's a subjective question. To me, if you like it, and the price isn't out of hand, then go for it. But, if it were me, I would not go with the ground effects pkg... just not my thing... I would however go with the upgraded sound system. I have an 07 avy with the standard sound system.. and it's fine, but since I really appreciate music, I think I would have enjoyed the upgraded audio system myself... But like I said, there's nothing wrong with the standard system. Enjoy your new avy..the only issue that I've had with mine is a sunroof that has a rattle in cold temps...the rattle goes away as soon as the heater warms the cars interior... none the less, I will be putting my car back in the shop next winter and having the problem fixed... It's just something that irks me. Other than that, love the car...

Roland

fin

It's your money.. spend it on what you enjoy. But the Ground Effects package will most likely limit the appeal of the car on resale, if that means anything. The JBL stereo package is worth the money but, as posted above, the standard setup is fine. It really depends on how demanding your ear is for music. Great cars, enjoy one today, I'm on my third....

cuuhl

Thanks all for advice! I'll take it and skip the ground effects, but definitely get the JBL upgrade. What's the best way to find info on how to negotiate the deal with several dealers in my area? Especially with how much I should target to pay?

mackabee

You're on it right now! Go to the main page and look under TMV (TRUE MARKET VALUE) and look for the sedan in the price range of 25k-45k then pick Toyota then Avalon. You must configure it the way the one you're looking at is configured. Once you do that it will give you the MSRP, invoice and what others are paying for the same car.
Mack

sperlsco

I used both the Edmunds website and my credit union website to get multiple internet quotes from local dealers. You basically build the vehicle/options that you want on the site and then provide your email address. In turn you'll begin to get quotes from dealers, and you can get them to compete over price -- all while you sit at your computer. This all assumes that you live in an area with multiple dealers (in Houston, I probably have 10 from which to choose). As a guide on my Limited, I wanted to pay the Invoice Cost (per Edmunds), plus $1,600. The $1,600 covered $200 or so of profit, plus all of the Overhead items that do not appear on Edmunds as "Cost", but that the Toyota dealers will show you on their Dealer invoice. This amount also worked out to be roughly equal to what Edmunds showed as TMV. This should be a good time to buy a car, given the economic slowdown and its affect on auto sales.

As for the audio system, if you have a REALLY discerning ear, you may be better off getting the base audio package and having an after-market system installed. The JBL system is nice enough, but does not compare positively to an after-market system. However, the JBL is a roughly $900 add-on, while a decent after-market system probably runs $1,000-$2,000 (depending on what you want done). I will also point out that it is more costly and complicated to add an after-market system to a JBL system (which I have recently experienced).

Scott

wwest

"..if you have a REALLY discerning ear,..."

Then you probably know that the only way to enjoy the "sounds" from an upscale automotive audio system is parked deep inside a sub-basement garage with the windows rolled up and the engine and HVAC blower OFF.

The "underway" ambient "noise" level of even the best of the best of automobiles will overshadow at least half of the dynamic range of the system's "sounds".

Long ago, when almost all OEM automotive systems used the base 12 volts to drive the speakers it was definitely better to buy an improved system. Nowadays almost all OEM systems use a DC-to-DC inverter to bring the speaker driver supply voltage up to a reasonable level.

gilseidman

It is not the same chrome material but a simulated chrome type of plastic. It is lighter and probably cheaper. It looks better than the previous model years.

markwp2001

My wife just purchased a 2008 Avalon Limited, and let me say Wow!, I'm impressed. Beautiful car, the pictures available online don't do it justice. Her car is Blizzard Pearl with the Gray/Charcoal interior. She added the XM receiver kit, body side moldings, door edge guards, sunroof wind deflector, mud guards, and mats. We drove it home about 150 miles yesterday, and the ride on the highway in rainy conditions was impressive.

A question: We did sync her Motorola Razor phone to the Bluetooth without problem; however, we could not transfer numbers from the phones phonebook directly to the car memory. Is it possible to do so?

Thanks,
Mark

floridasteve

Curious,
how did you get body side moldings-I've been waiting for 3 months. Msg was that Toyota is waiting for new vendor. Would appreciate any info you can pass my way.

Thanks,
Steve

markwp2001

We purchased our car from Herrin-Gear Toyota in Jackson, Mississippi. It was a car that they were getting from Gulf States, and we were able to specify what we wanted on the car. I think when we ordered it, it was already scheduled to have the body side moldings added. So I know that at least Gulf States had the moldings for the Blizzard Pearl color. Hope that makes sense.

Mark

doug3030

Have a 2008 Avalon Limited....Have tried to check the crankcase oil but can't get a good reading.  Tried in the morning prior to starting the car when the oil was cold but still can't get a proper reading.  Oil is all over the dip stick when I remove it.Wipe it clean, replace it, pull it out only to find the same thing. Have no idea how much oil is in the crankcase..Normal ? Asked the service guy who basically gave an evasive Hmmmmmm!

Thanks, Doug

mackabee

Some phones have that capability. I can't do it with my Razor. Mine is a V3a, which is not one of the most recent ones. There is a link to Toyota/bluetooth phones which gives you a list of compatible phones and also list the features each phone has. I've seen other manufacturers phones like LG and Nokia that can download the whole phone book to the cars' bluetooth system.

Mack :shades:

markwp2001

Thanks, mackabee, hers is a V3a also, I believe.

cuuhl

Doug,
I read somewhere that the dipstick is too slick to hold oil properly. The writer said he used emory paper and lightly sanded the end of the stick, and then it worked. Hope this helps.

larrymcj

I have a fully loaded 08 Avalon Limited and there is on "Sequential Shift" that I can see. I also have the same symptoms...it sometimes feels like the transmission is slipping as it's changing gears. Any advice? Thanks.

Larry

mackabee

Larry, all Avalons have the sequential shift function. When you put the shift selector on D or drive, flick it over to the left and you will be in the sequential mode. You will see an indicator on the dash that will show which gear the transmission is in, i.e.. 1,2, 3, 4 , etc. On the center console where the shifter is now resting you will see a + and a - sign. The minus sign is for down shifts and the + for upshifts. Try it. Just accelerate then move the shifter up to the + position and you will be shifting gears manually. Lots of fun!
Mack :shades:

tzuppe

I've got the dip stick fix. See my post #304

larrymcj

Yup...I saw it as soon as I posted that message and then went to the car and looked. I was looking at the console and not the dash indicator. I tried everything stated, but "Start the car in D" is not possible, but I did run it in sequential shift for awhile and now I'm waiting to see if I get that "slipping feeling" when shifting...so far, I have not, but I've not driven it much, either.

Larry

papasavalon

This "condition" has been addressed by Toyota in a TSB regarding the 2006-2007 Avalons. I have contacted Toyota regarding this situation and apparently they haven't had any other reports pertaining to the 2008 Avalon. My report to Toyota states that rather than engine "surging", as the car is sloing down it appears that the trans is going into nuetral thus loosing engine compression (thus the feeling that engine revs are increasing-surging). Please get on the bandwagon and report this problem otherwise they will not be inclined to issue a TSB pertaining to the 2008 Avalon.

larrymcj

I've already made so much noise about this Toyota probably doesn't want to hear from me again :-) $35K for an automobile should buy you more than crap like this.

Larry

tjc78

s the car is sloing down it appears that the trans is going into nuetral thus loosing engine compression

This is a characteristic of Toyota's tranny programming, it is not a problem and they will not acknowledge it as such. The trans actually upshifts as you approach speeds under 10 - 15 MPH. They have been this way for a # of years. It is for two reasons 1: Fuel economy and 2: to avoid compression braking. Compression braking on a FWD vehicle is not a good thing when road conditions are poor. There are posters here that have explained it better than I have, but hopefully this helps.

wwest

Papasavalon is mostly correct. Except for "it is not a problem".

Yes, the upshifting, of itself, is not a problem. The problem arises if for some reason, whatever reason, a subsequent downshift is required very shortly after the "inadvertent" upshift. While doing the inadvertent upshift all of the ATF fluid pressure was exhausted in the process and now if you re-apply foot pressure to the gas pedal the DBW system will delay the engine's reaction to this until the required downshift can be completed, and with the engine at idle that might take as much as 1-2 seconds.

The inadvertent upshift will also occur as you coast down, throttle closed, from ~40-30 MPH.

targetmojo10

Just purchased a new 2008 Avalon Limited. Have had it for 2 weeks with about 600 miles on it. I notice a vibration on the floorboard on the driver's side that actually tickles my feet. I admit, I'm hyper-sensitive and a bit neurotic...but it's there. Is this normal? A function of new tires? Has anyone else experienced the same? I like the car, but this is keeping me from loving it.

mackabee

Check your tire pressure. You might have over inflated tires.
Mack

de_fit

Toyota has changed keyless remote to single 4 buttons unit - can anybody post here FCC ID and IC please?

gilseidman

I do not have that problem on my 2008 Avalon. Suggest you check your front driver's side tire for tire pressure or have the tire checked to see if it is balanced properly. Otherwise have the dealer check it under your warranty.

targetmojo10

Thanks for the reply. I took the tire pressure from 38 (from the dealer) to 32. I also took the car in to be looked at yesterday. They checked for balance and wheel/tire assemblies. Their written assessment is as follows, "Found vehicle to still have very positive road feel likely caused by low profile 55 tires." Very frustrating. Did not pay this much money for a car that vibrates from the floor board, through the seat, and to the steering wheel.

mackabee

Didn't you notice this vibration during the test drive?
:shades:

gunsruner

I have a 2008 Limited Avalon with the same problem. I have paint chips on my hood ,bumper and rear view mirrors. I only have 3000 miles and drive on roads that are in great condition. I have spots in my paint on my trunk that look like trash under the paint. On top of all this I have motor problems. My dealer acted like it was not a problem till I really pushed the issue and now they have got the motor out of my car with only 3000 miles on it. After standing around the service department for several hours and talking to other Toyota car owners I found others were having the same problems. Looks like it is the V6 engines they are putting in the cars and vans. I have been driving Toyota cars and trucks for 30 years and can not believe how the quality appears to be going down.

gunsruner

I have 2008 Avalon Limited 3000 miles with engine having to be taken out to be repaired and trash under the paint. I also have a problem with my paint and have paint chips on my hood, bumper and rear view mirrors.I have only 3000 miles on car and drive on nice roads. BUYERS BEWARE !!!

mackabee

Without generalizing and thrashing the product, what kind of engine problems are you having? Also see my post to the gentleman with the vibrating floor. Didn't you see the "thrash" marks under the paint before picking up the car?
Mack

tjc78

have paint chips on my hood ,bumper and rear view mirrors. I only have 3000 miles

I got two on my first week with the car. Show me a car without rock chips on the areas you mentioned. The Avalon has a pretty squared off front bumper and the way the hood dips down where it meets the grill is a natural to get chipped. There is really nothing you can do about it. The paint on the Avalon isn't all that soft. I got hit fairly hard on the rear bumper and even the though there is a small indent from the guy's (my Uncle :mad: ) license plate only a tiny little flake of paint came off.

As for your engine problem... what exactly is wrong? I really haven't read about problems with the 2GR. I personally know of a few in addition to my own and no one's car has been back to the dealer for anything.

nimimi

I had an '06 Limited and now have an '08 Limited. I have experienced NO enginre problems of any kind. I have been participating in the Avalon community groups for almost three years and yours is the first post I recall that mentions severe engine problems.

Isn't this a gross generalization and an attempt at sharing your misery so that you'll feel better?

mackabee

Nimimi, I understand your post but I'm not the one that complained about engine problems. I have a Camry, would love an Avalon but can't afford one right now.
Mack

nimimi

Sorry Mack. I attached my "reply" to the wrong post.

mackabee

No harm done.
Mack

nimimi

REPOST: I had an '06 Limited and now have an '08 Limited. I have experienced NO enginre problems of any kind. I have been participating in the Avalon community groups for almost three years and yours is the first post I recall that mentions severe engine problems.

Isn't this a gross generalization and an attempt at sharing your misery so that you'll feel better?

dfurnier

We're shopping for a 2008 Ltd and wanted some input from current owners regarding primarily DLC. Never used it. What do others think of it? We take a lot of long trips, otherwise live in a rural area. We originally wanted nav, but my research is causing me to lean to no now. I asked one of the experts, and in his opinion, we'd be happier with a Garmin, which we've been using. The only dealer nearby does not have an Avy with nav or DLC.
All advice and opinions are appreciated.