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Comments
Bob
Since the fully depressed sensor voltage is typically in the range of 3.6 volts that 0.8 volts of free, slack, travel can be quite noticeable.
It is also possible that your pedal position sensor were, have been, miscalibrated, or maybe even drifted significantly.
You can recalibrate yourself by first being sure the pedal is in the fully released position and then disconnecting the battery for 10 to 15 minutes being sure the pedal remains in the fully released position for at least 30 seconds after the battery is reconnected.
Also always be sure your foot, nor a carpet mat, is NOT resting on the accelerator pedal as you apply the brakes in order to release the shifter from the park position.
There are two sensors involved in the accelerator position sensing, both of the non-contact hall-effect type. The first one is used to determine the actual position and the second to validate the first.
I guess there isn't any adjustment so that the minimum voltage in the fully released position can be slightly increased to minimize the zero to .08 volt "slack"? I had figured that I could possibly adjust it to increase the voltage to the point where the idle RPM's increase, and then back it off until the idle falls back to normal???
How do the non-contact sensors work? I guess one is hall-effect (magnetic) and the other optical? Time to visit Radio-Shack to hack together a workable replacement.
Heck, I wish they used a CABLE!!!
Thanks.
Is the BMW a better driving car - of course - even comparing it to cars that are 20 or 25 thousand cheaper is ludricrous - but, I just did that didn't I?
zekeman1
zekeman1
How can that be? I'm 6'2" with an 05 LTD and I clear the roof nicely...are you sitting on phone books?
Believe my car is an anomaly...nothing at all wrong with it except some loose foglight housings; otherwise, quiet, powerful, comfortable, economical (26 mpg consistently in city), no hesitation, no shuddering and I didn't even test drive it...just told them to get me one, had it delivered and paid for it then drove it away.
I believe more often than not, people who are genuinely pleased with their Avalon just sit back, grin to themselves and keep quiet about their gem.
zekeman1
The fact that you're comparing the Avalon to a BMW 3 series suggests that you definitely bought the wrong car. My Avalon really sucks by comparison to my Suburban in terms of towing and cargo space. But that's not a fair comparison because they are designed for completely different purposes. I really wouldn't expect BMW 3 series buyers to even darken the lot of a Toyota dealer. But then, I have absolutely no interest in a BMW either.
Sounds to me like you're a real BMW fan. That's fine. But if a BMW is what you want then you'll always be unhappy with the Avalon -- or anything else. Trade the Avalon. Get a BMW.
Thanks
While the addtional 50HP is nice, I agree that the slightly soft suspension really holds back the car, handlingwise.
The shocks on my '03 went "jello" after about 25K ( under designed) and I replaced with KYB gas for about $700 installed. Made a huge improvement, ride slightly firmer but tracking and handling much better. Still working well at 73K miles.
Hopefully, the engineers didn't make the same mistake on the redesign but if the XL shocks go bad, I'll check with the Tokico or KYB sites for a gas replacement.
Description: Front passenger seat rattle which can be reproduced by gently drumming on the backrest of the seat.
Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken for damage to your vehicle, and there is no guarantee that this will fix your specific seat rattle.
These instructions are provided for informational purposes only. Use them at your own risk.
1. From the rear passenger area, loosen the lower fabric-covering which covers the bottom of the back of the front passenger seat area by unhooking the plastic retaining clips which are hooked underneath the seat.
2. Pulling the fabric covering toward you, locate and remove the two Phillips screws securing the plastic panel, located on the left and right hand side of the underside of the seat.
3. Swing the plastic panel gently toward you and then GENTLY pull down and toward you.
(You may be able to avoid unhooking the panel if you can locate the harness and insulate it from the side.)
4. The panel should unhook from the securing mechanism on the inside of the panel. Do not pull the panel away from the seat - you will damage the harness.
5. Locate the black wiring harness that runs vertically along the inside of the plastic panel. A flashlight may help.
6. Place self adhesive weather-stripping (available from Home Depot) along the inside of the panel where the harness contacts the panel, and/or wrap weather-stripping around the harness to prevent contact.
* Do not excessively stress the harness.
7. Replace the plastic panel by aligning the hooks on the inside of the panel with the securing mechanism at the top of the inside of the seat, while GENTLY pushing forward and upward - tricky.
8. Replace Phillips screws making sure that the screws pass through both the plastic panel and the fabric covering holes. Very awkward!
9. Pull fabric covering evenly underneath the seat and secure the retaining clips under the seat.
Note: Plastic retaining clips and plastic hooks can be easily broken. Do not force anything. Be gentle and methodical.
Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken for damage to your vehicle, and there is no guarantee that this will fix your specific rattle.
These instructions are provided for informational purposes only. Use them at your own risk.
1. Incline the split rear seat backrests to it's furthest forward position.
2. Remove the 3 rear headrests.
3. Starting from the right of the vehicle, insert fingers in the gap between parcel shelf and top of rear seat backrest.
4. Gently pull parcel shelf upward a couple of inches and slide hand backward toward center of shelf until the plastic clips under the parcel shelf release.
5. Progressively moving toward the left of the vehicle, repeat above until the parcel shelf is tilted upwards at the front.
6. Using square strips of foam cut to size, work the foam under the parcel shelf to the left and to the right of the rear speaker.
7. Do not place the foam over the speaker.
8. Place a piece of foam just forward of the speaker.
9. Starting from the right and working to the left, gently but firmly push the parcel shelf down so the clips lock back into place.
10.Where it meets the lower rear windshield, gently pull away the bottom right-hand corner of the panel
covering the right C pillar just enough that you can work in and underneath a small piece of foam - approx 2"x 2". DO NOT USE LARGE PIECES OF FOAM THAT COULD ENCROACH ON THE SIDE-AIR BAG.
11. Press the panel back into place.
12. Repeat for left hand-side panel.
13. Replace headrests.
14. Adjust rear-seat backrest recline.
Note: Plastic retaining clips can be easily broken. Do not force anything. Be gentle and methodical.
Glad to here you are getting a new one. Hopefully, it will be better than the 03 without your KYB's. Stick with that brand or Tokico, and stay away from high pressure gas shocks unless you are taking the car to the track.
abfisch
While we're on the topic, could you provide the instructions for fixing driver dash rattle? The rear shelf and the driver dash are the only rattles I have, and I'd love to get rid of them
Thanks!
Can you reproduce it by pressing on any dash parts? Remember that sound travels so the source of the rattle may be different from where the rattle sounds like it is coming from. The windshield is particularly good at deflecting sounds, so for example, a noise by the rear-view mirror may sound like it is coming from the top of the dash.
I need more info...
Thanks
Suave Tequila
Jicka, what color ext/int was yours btw? Any cons about the car?
THANKS
Suave Tequila
Problems - did have a minor oil leak that took a while for Toyota to get fixed and have been generally disappointed with the general level of knowledge the dealers have had about my car. The particular dealer, however, very accommodating, sometimes apologetic, and overall satisfactory. Since this engine is rapidly becoming 'the' engine in many Toyota/Lexus products expect this situation will soon no longer exist.
The oft discussed 'transmission hesitation' does, in fact, exist and really is not the transmission at all but rather the computer that controls it. It holds the highest gear possible (probably for fuel economy) regardless of speed, so it is possible that after coasting down to say 30mph that the trans. is still in 4th, when it really needs to be in 2nd. So, when you really punch it, a multiple gear downshift is required and it does, sometimes, take a extra second or so to get to the right gear. All this said - if I had my choice between a couple of extra mpg and 'fixing' the trans, I'd probably take the mpg - do not find it objectionable at all.
Get 27 mpg overall (70% highway), it is the most powerful, comfortable, and economical car I've ever owned - and would buy another one in something less than a NY minute!
Here are some of the other cars I ruled out and why...
Dodge Charger RT. loved the feeling of getting thrown back into my seat during the test drive. but, outside of that initial rush and the attitude that the car presents, its lacking. gas mileage stinks (from what I've read, you will only come close to the EPA numbers if you don't punch it...and that's really the only reason to buy the car...so, if you punch it often, say hello to 12-14 MPG). plus, becuase it has the same engine as the 300C and the Magnum, I read up on those cars and was not happy with the reliability. also, visibility was an issue for me in the Charger. and, as a friend suggested, he wouldn't worry so much about the visibility...but that I would get bored to death because the interior was fairly bland.
Nissan Altima SE-R. the side bolsters would have caused my shoulders and then my back to scream on a trip of any distance. Nissan screwed up in designing these seats. The interior is sweet and it handles real well. the lack of rear A/C vents was also an issue because if you buy a car of any size in FLA...and if it only comes with black interior...it really needs rear A/C vents.
Hyundai Azera. I'm someone who doesn't cringe at the name because I know people who own and have owned Hyundais and I know they have come a far way in improving quality. The problem I had with the Azera is that it seemed like it had to work so dang hard to get to 80...and that caused me to feel like I was working hard. Also, the handling wasn't nearly as good as the Avalon Touring IMO. and, I really hate fake wood on the interior...especially on the steering wheel (if I wanted a plastic steering wheel, I'd get a base line Civic or something).
Infiniti G35. sweet car, but not enough rear seat room for 2 car seats (unless I wanted my kids' feet planted through the front seats).
Nissan Maxima. hate the turning radius. Also, I'm not a big fan of the interior.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the input. I called Tokico several months ago and they said there were no plans in the works to make any 05+ Avalon shock replacements - sport-tuned or otherwise. I haven't checked with KYB yet. If you learn anything, please let me know. Thanks again.
Regards,
Deanie.
P.S. Better than its appearance/luxury feel and smell, leather is resistant to kiddie spit-up and wipes clean. In cloth seats, the spit-up soaks through into the foam if left long enough and the smell may never go away. Aside from cost, leather's downside is that it offers less grip of your body in corners and gets hot/cold with the weather.
Thanks
Suave Tequila
You can buy an aftermarket remote system with a 2000 foot range for about $330.00, which is what I plan on doing.
To understand why this may happen, try the following experiment.
Park in a well ventilated place. Turn the engine on, leave the shifter in Park and the parking brake engaged. Step out of the car, sit on the door sill, reach in with your right hand and feel the gas pedal. It is curved, convex, just about 4" long. The bottom edge of the pedal is about 4" up from the floor. The middle of the pedal is its most prominent point and it is about 6" up from the floor.
Now try to activate the gas pedal manually.
Using just one finger, press a few times on the middle of the pedal, where it bulges most. Note the resistance the pedal offers, and note how much the engine revs up with increased pressure.
Now, use the same finger to press a few times at the bottom of the gas pedal. You should notice much less resistance, and the engine may roar on you as it revs up much more for the same pressure.
People who habitually step on the gas pedal using the tip of the foot are likely to hold the foot more horizontal, and make contact at the bottom of the pedal. In this situation there is much less resistance, so it is possible to cause a lot more movement of the gas pedal and bigger changes in engine response, a situation that is more difficult to control.
If this is your case, you may want to try to move your seat up closer to the pedals, so that your right heel is nearly directly under the gas pedal and your foot is nearly vertical. This will allow for the middle of the foot to contact the middle of the pedal, whree your foot will encounter a greater resistance to depression of the pedal. This will make it much easier to control the amount of steady pressure and any changes up or down from steady pressure. Which is what the electronic control unit prefers.
Hope this helps!
havalongavalon
The car performance and acceleration is similar to what all found, it is smooth, fast, active. It is more than excellent for such car category and it is fun to drive. Once I feel bored or stressed, I take it for a ride, enjoy its sound system and handling.
Problems: None (So far)
Rattle: None (So far)
Engine Sound: When it is cold it is like a diesel Engine, but when become warm, it likes any 6 cylinder German Cars. So I found it like European style Engines.
Transmition: I had Honda Accord 03 V6 EX. it is much smoother and engine / Transmission synchronization is away better than the Avalon. You can feel this once you are driving @ low speed and lots of stop. In normal roads / high way, the car is wonderful.
Noise: may be it is the 17" wheels, road noise is little high but it is acceptable, wind noise, I think Toyota has to do something. The car is quit but the Air flow is hearable and annoying your quietness.
Sound system: It is Car Theater, I loved it too much, it has very nice output, comfortable to hear, enough bass. Should any body need more, then he shouldn’t look into such category.
As a conclusion, I think I made the right decision to buy it, and I cannot find real competitor to it as for all over. You cannot find ANY car with 100% satisfaction I rate the Avalon 90 %.
It is the best money can buy.
I've had my 05 Avalon Limited now since May 2005.
It's been to the dealer 9 times for various issues, including the following unresolved issues:
Squeaking dashboard (only when you park in warm garage and take it out into the cold)
Rear-Shelf Rattles
Horrible Seats
My dealership has told me there is nothing more they can do, and would have to get the Toyota Rep invloved. The Service manager does not contest my issues, however I'm not sure they've even made a best attempt effort to fix my problems. I know they put a ton of foam in the rear shelf after bringing it in 3 times for the same as yet to be resolved issue. I finally got smart and said I wasn't picking up the car unless the Service Manager drove it with me to see if it was fixed. Since I started doing that, now he claims there is nothing more they can do. It's hard to say it's fixed when the Service Manager can hear it as well.
Now I'm told I must pick my car up & wait for Toyota to contact me directly.
Anyone ever deal with this situation before and any advice on how to best handle this.
Remember my biggest problems are when it's cold out after being in the garage all day or all night and with Spring upon us I know my dealership is just blowing me off. :mad:
Many Thanks to all
LJS
I may stand corrected and options do vary by region, i.e. Gulf States or S. East region. I have been looking at a Touring model and when you select (V4 - remote start) then (PN - alarm system) is required. If you're in the S.E. Region the remote start is (QR9 - remote start) but (PN - alarm system) is still required.
XLS & Limited both come standard with (PN - alarm system), it's optional on XL & Touring.
Are you sure you don't have it??? It should be controlled by your Smart Key unit. I'd check with your dealer.
THANKS
Suave Tequila
Oh.... Also what color is your Avalon, everyone here in this forum! Just want to know which is the most poupular, thinking of either getting white or silver!
Bob
One thing I wish the Nav had though is touch-screen. I sat next to a Lexus sales while he demonstrated the Nav in a GS 300. Touch-screen is significantly faster and easier to use than a joystick (which works for me about 95% of the time). I also suspect that the GS 300 has a different system since even though the appearance is similar, the response time is much faster on the GS and there are minor stylistic differences between the GS Nav and the Avalon Nav. But I digress.
In short, I'm very happy that I spent the extra money to get the Nav system. I would not have been as happy with an add-on solution since 1) most do not come with voice recognition, and 2) the screen would be MUCH smaller. Don't forget that you get some other nifty features like maintenance reminder (don't think it's available on models w/o Nav, but correct me if I'm wrong).
Got the Headlight assembly and noticed that out of the four connectors, two different (probably high/low beams). How do I solve this? Do I need to replace the Headlight Wiring Harness or can I get connectors that can interface between the current wiring harness and the headlight assembly? If so, how much? or a part number to get the job done would help dearly. I talked with the Toyota Dealers here in Puerto Rico and they do not have any knowledge on how to do this, they are clueless! At this point I know more than they do, and believe me, I do not know much!!! So, I ask your assistance my fellow Avaloneers! Like I Say, parts numbers or any assistance would help! Thanks.