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2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

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Comments

  • zekeman1zekeman1 Member Posts: 422
    Even on a cold day, the car interior can be quite hot if it has sat in the sun; yet, the auto climate system will continue to blast us with hot air. (The reverse has also happened in the summer with the A/C.) I'm constantly adjusting the temp and fan to try to keep comfortable.

    Think you should have your dealer check to see if it's functioning correctly; I have an LTD and once I set the temp on auto, I don't touch it again, regardless of the temp outside, whether it's summer or winter.

    While Maxima is a nice looking car, think you made the right choice, too. I had considered Nissan but saw their resale values - far below Toyota. Same thing holds true with Infiniti vs Lexus.
    zekeman1
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    My moonroof has started rattling when open. Anyone else have this problem, and if so, did the dealer fix it properly?
    Thanks.
  • gatorjeffgatorjeff Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2005 XLS without Navigation. I bought it right when they came out and very few were shipped with Nav. I would now like to add Navigation. Is it just a matter of Toyota switching out the cassette player with the Nav brain?

    I am only interested in Toyota factory installed... not after market systems.

    Does anyone know if this can be done? Thanks!
  • zekeman1zekeman1 Member Posts: 422
    Nope. Spoke at length w/my dealer about installing the system after the fact - can't be done. From what I have read on this board re the Toyota NAV, I'm heading for an aftermarket, probably Garmin or Magellan, even though in my opinion, windshield brackets & power wires look tacky in a luxury car.
    zekeman1
  • kirkendollkirkendoll Member Posts: 21
    Try this site (http://www.keylessride.com) prices seems a little high. I am able to get extras from my dealer at $150/each.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The NipponDenso, Denso US, climate control design has several flaws. One of those is the fact that in the summertime when the interior has been heated while setting closed up in the hot sun the system will immediately go into recirculate airflow mode instead of first exhausting the cabin's HOT atmosphere via using fresh mode.

    At least the actual manufacturer knows to advise you to lower rear winddows during the early part of your drive to help exhaust the hot atmosphere.

    Since the blower motor being turned on is delayed until the A/C builds enough cooling capacity the best procedure to use in this circumstance is to immediately turn the blower to MAX manually, then over-ride the system airflow intake mode into fresh, and then once the majority of the Hot(ter) cabin atmosphere is exhausted simply touch "auto".
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    It's really critically important to decide before you buy the car whether or not you really need navigation.
    If you don't get it, you can live without it just like you had previously, but if you want it, get it at the time of purchase.
    This is like transmission choice of manual or automatic or paint color. If you change your mind, it's more practical to sell the car and buy a new one than to change out the parts needed to undo your original mistake.

    However, there are a few portable nav units that can be used completely wirelessly for several hours on battery power so there would be no dangling wires, but they would need to be recharged (or batteries replaced) after use if you choose not to keep it plugged into a power port while in use.
    image
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  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    I'm curious, what car have you had whose HVAC reacted differently than the Avalon's. All I've had, under the conditions you mention, recirculated the air when on AUTO.
  • angeange Member Posts: 158
    We learn something every day. Learning the heating system I found something new. As temperature dropped down to about 25 F, I tried to get heat out of the bi-level mode. Everytime I selected the bi-level mode the air conditioner comes on. When I try to operate on heat, I can only get the panel or floor separately and the defrost mode . Getting heat at the chest level and floor level at the same time is not an unreasonable feature. I cannot get bi-level without air running. I don't think it is a good practice to have air conditioning running in the winter time. Am I missing something? Are all Limited cars that way? I know some people set the temp on the automatic system and never touch it again, other to adjust minor changes.Several friends also replaced their compressors along the way doing this. Gas mileage suffers with the air on. One mile per gallon goes a long way these days.

    In the manual, on page 226, it states;" when you set the temp selector setting at about the middle in automatic operation,"I am not sure what the middle means. I never checked the upper and lower limits. What happens if you don't set it at the middle?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    To my knowledge there is no automotive A/C compressor that continues to operate below about 33F OAT. To do so would result in freezing airborne moisture, condensate, to the evaporator vanes blocking all system airflow.

    That being said NipponDenso, Denso US, actually has a US patent pertaining to their method of airflow distribution within the passenger cabin. Their A/C plenum, air distribution management, is setup such that heated airflow is only routed to the lower portions of the car, and cooled airflow to upper portions.

    So anytime the cabin atmosphere is at or very near the temperature setpoint, the airflow from the upper airflow outlets, dash, etc, will be as much as 20F cooler than will footwell airflow in the very same circumstance, setpoint, etc.

    Since they take no accounting of radiant heating effect to the human body, only using the cabin's atmospheric temperature for feedback to the HVAC control loop, the system will quite often remain in cooling mode, all airflow or the majority thereof, from the dash or dash/footwell combined.

    If you find the cool dry airflow to your face and upper body discomforting it will be up to your to switch the system to strickly heating, footwell only, airflow mode.
  • donb1donb1 Member Posts: 49
    Since the weather has gotten colder I have been blasted out of the car by a loud rattle from the passenger side. After 28 yrs in artillery I can barely hear anything but this thing is horrendous. After about 10 minutes of driving it eventually goes away. My wife drove it this morning and she felt it might have been from the sunroof and since I never argue with her she is probably right. I have checked several posts and have not seen anything that goes indicates the rattle goes away when the car has warmed up.

    Has anyone else seen/heard this?
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    to answer your question in a word, no. It may be easier now to get some discounts on any Av simply because supply is starting to catch up with demand. Actually starting to see a selection of Avs on some dealer lots. Last April, it was very difficult to find a dealer that even had one, never mind one willing to negotiate a bunch. Got about a grand off. The curse of being a car nut, always seem to want to buy cars in high demand. Still don't see a lot of Avs on the road down here in Houston, maybe because, like Dallas, the PU and SUV capitals of the world! Invoice a very nebulous figure, in any case, especially with these $1700.00 option packs that GST is putting on the car. Good luck, but can't imagine that any dealer will get his price down to the the nitty gritty you are anticipating - the Avalon's market price still dictated by the demand for the vehicle?
  • inquizativeguyinquizativeguy Member Posts: 4
    My moonroof started rattling 1 month after I bought the car. Bring the car back to the dealer and have them check it out.
    I have brought mine back 2 times already for servicing. The first time they shortened the springs, 2nd time they bent the bar that goes across the moonroof.

    Still rattles sometimes. I was told to bring it back when I can duplicate the rattle so they can figure out whats going on.
    My rattles are and I dont necessarily have the time to bring it in when I get a rattle. When I do have time, they dont...

    We need more people to speak up about problems and perhaps make it into a service bulletin and let toyota know that we deserve to have a rattle free car for all the money that we paid for it!!!

    Lets hear from more rattlers!
  • inquizativeguyinquizativeguy Member Posts: 4
    Ive noticed 2 types of rattling, one is the front passenger seat belt rattles on the side when nobody is in it. This may not be the case when your wife is in the car.

    The second rattle is most likely from the moonroof/sunroof. Mine is so tight that it's like a guitar string and hums when its plucked (ie hit a bump in the road).

    Bring the car back to the dealer and see if they can duplicate the sound. More than likely its the moonroof.

    Good luck, let us know how it all worked out.
  • jayvisjayvis Member Posts: 76
    Safety systems in passenger vehicles that operate on our nation's road system should be top priority for every auto maker even if it limits the vehicle's performance. Some of us have gotten so brainwashed by the industry rags into thinking we all have the right to push a vehicle to it's limits and a great car is one that can make us believe we are all Mario Andretti, that we've forgotten why the automobile was originally invented. To get from point A to point B efficiently and in relative safety and comfort as compared to the standard modes of transportation at the time. Driving should be considered a privilege and should be done with the utmost responsibility. If people want to drive wrecklessly and push their vehicles to the limits, it should be done on a closed course facility and in a specially licensed vehicle that has it's safety systems deactivated. :mad:
  • jayvisjayvis Member Posts: 76
    Remote starters should be outlawed. They waste gas and are detrimental to our environment. :mad:
  • jayvisjayvis Member Posts: 76
    This is another unfair tax law that only benefits those in states that have low or no state income tax. The normal person in the majority of the states in this country will never pay more sales tax than state income tax in a year's time.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    safety being top priority - agreed. 'Even if it limits vehicle performance' (which they generally do) - this is where I have an issue, because it is also possible that these artifically low limits may effectively make the vehicle less safe. Granted, things like VSC will generally help the average driver much more than it will hurt, but it is the VSC systems that also need the 'drive by wire' and corresponding computer systems to do what they do. So we also pay a price in those inexplicable little electronic gremlins that now help control our engines, brakes, transmissions etc and then, we wonder why the car is making its own decisions. Don't know that we can expect to be able to have it both ways. And yes, soon I do expect those governmental do-gooders to mandate VSC and other safety related systems as soon as it becomes cheap and PC enough to do it - something I'd hate to see.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    ".....cheap and PC enough....."

    You forgot to mention "perfected" enough.

    I have absolutely no objections, problems, with the VSC (PSM), trac, ba, etc, as implemented in my 2001 Porsche C4. It gives me just enough time to react myself and "crank" in the corrective action before it steps in to prevent loss of control.

    Actually I can say the same thing about these new electronic aspects of my RX300, we can't all be mentally "on our toes" constantly so its really nice to have someone or something, watching your "back".

    Toyota and Lexus have already discovered that the yaw sensor signal can be used to dynamically remove engine torque from the front to prevent loss of directional control. I have little doubt that the next move will be to disable ABS unless the yaw sensor indicates loss of directional control is threatened.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    Porsche would naturally 'assume' a higher level of driver competence than what we would certainly find in the Avalon driver so therefore, if it did have a high level of system intervention, they would be ruining an otherwise great car.
    Lexus has just developed something called VDIM (don't know exactly what the acronym is) that supposedly senses an impending collision and will disable and modify all kinds of things prior to 'impact'. Except, of course, the computer may have a little trouble determining whether this impact is really imminent or, for that matter, exists at all. Recent test of the GS, had a high speed lane change type of manuever (600' slalom) - the car's ability thru the change was limited because the 'computer' thought the traffic pylons used for the closed course were an impending collision. And, I think, that there is some widely held misconceptions that somehow VSC and/or other systems are true replacements for some driving common sense and driving ability.
    But, also of concern to me is "Who" from the land of supreme beings is going to make these decisions for us - hopefully, not the same lawyers who wrote our owner's manuals or! They might just outlaw fine machines like that Porsche of yours.
  • mooseemoosee Member Posts: 22
    With Toyota's quality before during and after the sale, lets not forget, these are automobiles, which we drive and there are lots of moving parts, curves and bumps in the roads, things vibrate and we are moving not standing still, there will be "NOISE"! There quality is still second to none for many years.
  • fragmirefragmire Member Posts: 97
    I've had my Limited for almost 4 months now, and a few weeks ago, the inside of the driver-side air vent started having vibration noise when going over bumpy freeway, and the area near the driver-side seat-belt buckle (i.e. the thing with the red button near the center console) started having the kind of noise you hear when you bent or compress plastic (or could be spring?). Another rattle is coming from either the moonroof or somewhere in the back. These are all in addition to the rear-right strut tower clicking noise I had the dealer fixed back in August. Anyone had any luck having any of those fixed?

    This is very, very annoying, and to be honest, I'm starting to see why some people prefer Japan-built Lexus. I haven't heard of anyone complaining about this type of quality problem in GS or LS. :(
  • mooseemoosee Member Posts: 22
    BRAVO! BRAVO!
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    Wrong!
    I am a long time Toyota owner and can say with qualification that Toyotas have always been very well screwed together and have not rattled. In comparison, my 2005 Avalon has developed more rattles and has more problems than any of the previous 10 Toyota products I had, including both those made in Japan and in Kentucky. This does not bode well for longevity. Toyota has let quality slip BIG TIME with the new Avalon, there is no question about that. To make matters worse - try contact Toyota Corporate or a dealer and see the kind of response you get.
    Based on all of the above, I would consider myself a former loyal customer. I am slinking away towards other manufacturers showrooms as the end of my wife's Sienna lease approaches... Have decided it will definitely NOT be replaced by another Toyota product.
    What a pity. The new Avalon could have been a segment buster like the LS400 was, but I think it is an also-ran as far as quality is concerned. They may be flying out the door now, but as they start falling apart in a couple of years, people will start to realize that Toyotas aint Toyotas anymore... :(
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Let's come face to face with some very serious facts here!

    "....true replacements for some driving common sense and driving ability."

    How many "common" drivers have even experienced the many and varied circumstances required to have "true" driving ability and/or "driving common sense"?

    Were you to ask ten "John Q. Public" licensed drivers how they would react in an overstearing skid how many of them would tell you that the proper reaction would be to get off the gas and stear into the skid??

    My bet would be on NONE.

    And that will only be corrected once we start training drivers how to react instinctively in anomalous situations. Situations that are life threatening but may only happen to "common" drivers once in a lifetime. No pun intended.

    What we need is driving simulators designed along the lines of the ones we use today for flight simulation.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    Alan S - sorry to hear that you have had some problems with your Av- but, in all honesty, I can tell you that my 05 Touring has been really good from a quality perspective for 16000 miles - no rattles or creaks, moonroof is fine (and it is open often). Fit and finish well above any other car I can think of in its price category - why the LS comparison is not exactly fair. If the Av is a similarily sized vehicle with about the same power, then what would you think would make the LS worth the $25k extra? Sure, the Lexus is on a different quality level - as it should be! The only thing I would do to improve my Av would be to turn the engine 90d. and add a driveshaft.
  • tstrick320tstrick320 Member Posts: 64
    Ahh, the sound of a fresh can of worms being opened!

    I might agree with you that remote starters are not the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly feature of a vehicle. However, we're starting down a slippery slope here that ends in a ditch where no one can justify the "wastefulness" of a 5 passenger automobile that has 268 HP and does 0-60 in 6.9 seconds. None of us "needs" a Toyota AVALON simply to get from point A to point B -- a PRIUS will do just fine.

    Now, I'm off the hook here because I'm going to buy an Avalon to replace my 12 year old SUBURBAN whose features and cargo capacity I no longer need. I figure I should get FREE remote starter just for my environmental "good deed"!

    (Let the games begin....) ;)
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    Captain, I hope you are right. So far I have been able to fix all the rattles but I am getting pretty tired of the ritual. The transmission issue does concern me though - it occasionally goes completely haywire. Yesterday it was erratically hopping back and forth from 3rd and 4th and back while I was doing a constant 45. I floored it to get it out of it's psychotic "mode" and it behaved after that. I just don't have the warm and fuzzy that you have.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    right you are - and you can't legislate good drivers or driving habits however hard we may try. Even if we all were driving non-descript econoboxes there will always be those that derive some pleasure getting from A to B in a more spirited fashion. Jayvis might have us taking away sets of keys (or remote starter fobs) based on some arbitrary judgement of what is or is not necessary! Not my kind of ditch.
    tstrick - drive safely and enjoy your Avalon, you are entitled to at least that much!
  • jayvisjayvis Member Posts: 76
    So what if the GS's slalom time was affected by the VDIM system. A real life maneuver similar to that in a slalom course doesn't depend on speed to make it successful. It's only important to Car & Driver and Motor Trend. In fact, it would most likely be good if the vehicle slowed in a real life situation like this. Nobody can dispute the fact that speed kills and nobody will ever be racing the clock while making a real life evasive maneuver.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    that's ridiculous - how about this: you are on the freeway maybe 200' behind a pickup truck that loses the refrig out the back. Kind of thing that does happen.
    Now you have a split second at 60 or 70 mph to react - most of us would jerk the steering to avoid it, the same thing they are doing testing on a slalom course. Now that Lexus I'm talkling about, would, on its own accord, apply brakes, cut throttle, and actually slow the steering.
    Is that really what you what your car to do for you?
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    This happened to me in our Sienna which doesn't have anything except ABS. A ladder came off a pickup truck directly in front of us while we were doing about 65mph on the interstate. I managed to instantaneously brake and swerve around the airborne ladder that was heading for our windshield. We were fine but unfortunately the ladder hit the car behind us.
    I wouldn't want any computer logic interfering with the controls in this situation, especially considering that Toyota can't even get the auto transmission logic right.
    I am not comfortable with the degree of over-automation the car manufacturers seem intent on imposing on us.
  • jeffm5jeffm5 Member Posts: 123
    Well said Jayvis!
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    fine, with this said, VSC systems are still a good idea for 99.9% of the drivers out there because they will 'stop' you from pushing a car too hard. My problems with them are: 1)is that they need to be set to activate at something close to the car's actual capabilties (so you can still avoid that ladder), AND 2) they need to figure out a way to eliminate those electronic gremlins that can cause recalcitrant trannies, engines, and/or brakes under normal operation.
  • gwsgws Member Posts: 67
    'VSC systems are still a good idea for 99.9% of the drivers out there because they will 'stop' you from pushing a car too hard.'

    Perhaps I misinterpret this as indicating that at least one Avalon driver considers himself to be in the top 0.1% of all drivers?

    I do understand that virtually all road users surveyed claim that they are 'better than average'...which may explain why traffic carnage keeps pace with the safety oriented vehicle developments now provided by Avalon and other models. Fast and aggressive tailgaters and lane-swappers, sharing space with frequent road-rage practitioners, now make many trips akin to the bumper-car experience at the carnival.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    My 05 Touring does not have VSC, obviously - and I would not order it if I were to buy the 06. Not because of any perceived driving ability (it certainly ain't what it once was), but because I prefer to keep my cars as simple as possible and I don't think that these electronic nannies are even close to being perfected. I might avoid some of these chronicled 'gremlins' reported by many of the posters on this site.
    And yes, driving ability would be one of those ego kind of things - you would have a lot of trouble getting anybody to admit being even 'average' never mind 'bad'. I would guess that if we did do something smart like as wwest suggests, use an driving simulator to qualify a driver's ability to handle specific situations - we would also lose a majority of the drivers on the road!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    NOT!

    I did not intend that driving simulators be used to qualify (test?) a driver's ability.

    My proposal was to use the driving simulator non-destructively to TEACH, and/or train drivers the proper reactions and procedures to use in anomalous circumstances.
  • havalongavalonhavalongavalon Member Posts: 460
    The transmission issue does concern me though - it occasionally goes completely haywire. Yesterday it was erratically hopping back and forth from 3rd and 4th and back while I was doing a constant 45.

    alan,

    Were you driving in D or S? I suggested a while ago that shifting into S seems to cure this kind of behavior. Have you tried it yet?

    havalongavalon
  • angeange Member Posts: 158
    I have had the impression that I was alone about being a bit finiky about the Avalon car quality.I did had high marks for the new Avalons, but the overall notion that this a "real great car", has taken a few knocks downward as I evaluate the car.

    If you look at pre 2005 Avalons you will see much better quality everywhere. The workmanship is not there with the outside body parts fit. The rear bumper plastic panel, where it meets the rear quarter panel at the wheelwell has an 1/8 in. gap. The otherside is perfect. ange1
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    point taken - guess that would be more than just a little outrageous!
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    start maybe a new thread here to discuss what exactly we should all be able to expect qualitywise from our new Avs.
    I did not expect my '05 to quite be able to live up to the quality standards set by the 04s and earlier. The Av really was, after all, a heavily optioned and slightly stretched Camry. If that was all the 05 was, never would have bought it. The Av is a completely new car, engine, tranny and all and as such can not meet the same sort of quality standards set by a previous model built largely the same way for more than 10 years. Not even Toyota is going to be immune from new model teething problems. Acura has been experiencing the same problems with the TL ever since they moved that car away from being an upsized/upscale Accord. Detroit's problems in this regard are near legendary - read some user group comments for things like TLs, 300's, LaCrosses etc. - you will find the same sort of complaints that you find here.
    I would also consider that anybody who is going to take the time to participate in one of these forums is a certifible car nut and/or extremely finicky about their cars (probably both). Not to excuse Toyota for whatever mistakes they have made with the new Avalon, but it occurs to me that maybe, just maybe, we are expecting too much.
  • zekeman1zekeman1 Member Posts: 422
    maybe, just maybe, we are expecting too much.

    Based on some of the rather picayune complaints that I've seen, I have to agree with you!
    zekeman1
  • dajabdajab Member Posts: 35
    > Based on some of the rather picayune complaints that
    > I've seen, I have to agree with you!

    Maybe. But some have been really important, like the Great (1/16") Hood Gap Controversy of June 2005... :)
  • alan_salan_s Member Posts: 362
    It seems much the same when driving in "S".

    This was Toyota's response to my query regarding the transmission:

    "We apologize for your dissatisfaction with the driving response.

    The poor response you described typically surfaces either when the accelerator is depressed fully to the floor or when depressed an aggressive manner. The newer version has transitioned from a manual throttle linkage to an electronic throttle control system. The electronic throttle control monitors the everyday driving habits of the operator and then tailors itself to make the most efficient gearshifts. On rare occasions when the operator fully depresses the pedal or depresses the pedal in an aggressive manner, the system may experience a delay in determining how to make the optimal gearshift.

    At this time Toyota has no plans to make changes to the shift characteristics of the transmission. To minimize this condition, we recommend trying a firm yet gradual application of the accelerator.

    Your feedback is appreciated; it is through communications such as yours that we become aware of our customers' expectations and reactions. It also provides us with valuable insight when planning and developing future products and services to increase our customers' satisfaction."

    Draw your own conclusions.

    On the quality issue again. I can accept that a new car can have problems. What I don't accept is the dealers bad attitude and reluctance to remedy the problems and Toyota Corporate's indifference.

    Toyota should back their products, stand behind their customers and try to correct the issues, not leave us hanging and orphaned after we leave the showroom.

    Remember, we have paid for the warranty in the price of the car and we are at least entitled to a certain level of service and remedy, and should not be treated with contempt and considered a nuisance. Like HMO's, Toyota and the dealers try to avoid the cost of warranty repairs to maximize profits. Who loses?
  • herrdon1herrdon1 Member Posts: 9
    I RECENTLY STARTED MY 2005 XLS AFTER IT SAT FOR APPROX 2 DAYS IN 7 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO THROW A ROD THRU THE BLOCK. THIS WAS NOT THE USUAL COLD START ENGINE NOISE, THIS SOUNDED BAD. I CALLED MY DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE STANDARD THIS IS NORMAL, BUT DID OFFER TO LISTEN TO THE ENGINE AT A COLD START. SINCE THAT TIME OUR WEATHER IN WISCONSIN HAS WARMED AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN THAT BAD. HOWEVER WHEN WE GET BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURE I AM AFRAID THIS WILL REPEAT ITSELF. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH REAL COLD WEATHER STARTING AFTER NOT USING THE VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS? I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE MAKE THIS MUCH ENGINE NOISE IN 54 YEARS OF DRIVING.
  • dclee12dclee12 Member Posts: 14
    I have a similar experience, althought it's not dependent on the weather. When I start the engine and accelerate I hear 3-5 soft knocks on the passenger side of the engine. I thought it was a loose part, but upon inspection, I could not find any. Does anyone else experience this "knocking"? I would really appreciate it if you could let me know. Thank you.
  • dclee12dclee12 Member Posts: 14
    I'm glad that you guys percieve this also. I thought I was being too picky or hearing things, etc. Does the tapping noise (knocking) appear to come from the right side of the engine, or the passenger side of the engine?
  • dclee12dclee12 Member Posts: 14
    That's terrible. Hopefully insurance will take care of everything. Make sure you go to a body shop you and 10 other people trust. I believe I have the worst story to date:

    A large man threw his door into my door in a parking lot, causing some major dents and ripple dents. It was under my insurance deductible, so I had to foot the bill. Problem was, after I got it fixed from the shop, the paint job was terrible. Had them rework the job, same deal -- this time the paint was shrinking and wrinkling and body line on the door was gone. At this point, I was totally fed up -- I had other body shops look at it and they're disgusted with the previous workmanship. To fix it would cost almost 2X the original price I paid. Some wouldn't even dare touch it for fear of what possible bad workmanship lies underneath. What a mess right? I'm letting a judge decide that... To be continued...
  • dclee12dclee12 Member Posts: 14
    As for me, I've given up on the loose fog lights issue. I had the dealer order replacements -- they were even more loose and weren't even painted! I had a look at them myself, and it seems to be just a layer of foam that keeps it from rattling. I assume if you could just add another layer of foam or replace it with a thicker layer, it would fit nicely. I haven't done it yet.. I've got worse problems to think about.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    driving in sequential 'S' won't help unless you also manually change gears below '4' which is some sort of default. So, when you punch the accelerator at a relatively low road speed it will still spend some time searching for first or second gear whatever it deems appropriate , the only difference being that the trans. made the gear change from fourth. 'Rare occasions' is BS, have found the pheonomena to be consistent and repeatable, BUT not anything too objectionable or unsafe - probably because I've adjusted to the gradual application of the throttle. Driving in 'S' AND manually changing all gears 1 thru 5 does eliminate the hesitation, but certainly defeats the purpose of an auto. trans and wastes some gas.
    These electronic systems, perhaps unfortunately, are here to stay because without them many of those other 'safety' systems that everybody seems to want won't work. If Toyota does come up with some sort of new computer chip, or whatever, I will be in line to have it put in.
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