2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

gladiator99 · May 2005

Hi Kinzua!!
I have owned a new Avalon for about 2 months now and I can say I have never experienced and transmission indecision yet. This is the second Avalon we've owned and this car is as smooth and solid as our 95xls was. Our new Avalon is an XLS in blizzard pearl with VSC, Trac control, etc. Both my wife and I drive the car so if the car has to learn different driving patterns then it is doing a bang up job. We live in an area where there are lots of hills and I have no problems with the transmission trying to find a gear. My previous car was an 02 acura TL which was supposed to have grade logic control in the tranny, which would slow the car down while decending hills. The Avalon is a smoother and better riding vehicle, not to mention the 280 HP on tap. I am sure you will love your new Avalon, just don't take all this buzz about the tranny too seriously until you have driven your car a few miles!!!!! Good Luck!!!
gladiator99

lnt · May 2005

Does anyone out there have a Cassis Pearl with the gold package yet? I am supposed to have mine done the 18th and I sure would like to see one first to be sure I will like it. I liked it on my 98, but that car had more chrome on it. I would hate to have it done and not like it. I may just cancel and wait awhile.

donb1 · May 2005

I am ready to buy an XLS and have test driven it several times. Last night I took my wife with me and the Passenger AIRBAG ON Icon came on stayed on. Is this normal?? I don't want to turn off the airbag but that light is really annoying.
Has anyone gotten the XM radio? If so, did you leave the antennal on the turnk lid?
I think it looks so tacky as to be enough to make me look at another option.

I think I had seen pictures of it mounted on the center back of the trunklid. That still looks crappy but a lot better than stuck on the side.

Thanks

3puttmax · May 2005

donb1-

Check out messages 4682 & 4718. Attached photo shows small XM antenna mounted inside underneath windshield. Practically invisible, reception is fine. Another poster had the stock Toyota antenna, which is larger, mounted inside under the rear window. So - you have options.

And yes - the AIRBAG ON light is normal and always there when there is a passenger in the front seat.

Max

307web · May 2005

The airbag light shouldn't be on constantly. Usually that means the passenger isn't sitting in the seat properly.

dan41 · May 2005

Post 5618 is correct. Again, every time you have a passenger in the front seat, the airbag light is illuminated. This is normal. Regards: Dan

burl · May 2005

Some 4000 +- E-mails ago In March My wife and I went out to drive and buy one of the first avalons in the mid west. Drove it for 10 minutes, came back and told the salesman it has the
"Hunt and Peck" transmission and the throttle body Gliches that none of us wanted to see.
We said thank you and left dissapointed.
Came back to this forum and reported what we had seen and several members helped us out by telling us those problems did not exist and insenuitated that we weren't quite right in the head to see those problems because they don't exist . Same thing with our comments that we weren't rearly sure that it rode as well nor was it as quite as the old body stile "blastfumy and Ignorance" was insunuiated again.
Drove another one month later : Same problems ,...Changed but still there....Many of the forum
still denying that the potential for problems "could or did exist'.
Car has a wonderful Rocket for an engine...... it also has the or at least the potential for the problems that have been pointed out by MANY. Honestly know what to say when so many keep denying it does not nor can not exist in many of the cars. Kind of like the old story that the
"the uglyest gal in the bar starts looking pretty good about 'the last call'. Guys I realy want to like this car.... It has much going for it and that rocket for an engine is almost enough for me to buy the car and hope for the Best. BUT Toyota had better get their fannys in gear and fix these problems that "Don't exist" or their well deserved repution for ABSOLUTY DEPENDABLE CARS has to take a hit at some point in time, even with the "unseeing"
Yesterdy I was given an ES300 to drive while they were putting on a REAL paint stripe ...... It was almost dangerous to drive because of the worst case of "doesn't exist" that I have yet to
see. Salesman said " It must be one of the older loaners because that problem had been fixed"
Hummmmmmmmmmm.

cafpaf · May 2005

I just want to throw in my two cents regarding the passenger airbag light. As long as an Adult over 65 or 75 pounds is in the seat the light is constantly ON. If someone lighter and presumable smaller is in the seat the light will not illuminate. For safety reasons such a smaller person or child should ride in the rear seat. The light is strictly controlled by the weight of the person and not how they may be sitting in the seat.

beetle1 · May 2005

For pictures of the "center" mounted XM ant. see Msg 2192. This is what I had done. On my Phantom Grey Pearl exterior the black box in that location looks fine

motownusa · May 2005

Go buy an Infiniti M45 or BMW 545 or for that matter any other car that "does not have the problem." This car clearly doesnt suit your driving style. There are plenty of other cars to choose from. Since you don't own the car, complaining about it is a moot point.

agent · May 2005

The forum search can do amazing things. Type in "air bag light" and you'll find all the answers you need. Check out post #2442. Or better yet, read your owner's manual!! :P

maceman · May 2005

I was wondering how the dealership in Tampa treated you when you took delivery. I was notified that my Limited should be there in 2-3 weeks. I am heading there from West Palm. If you like you can email me at maceman@adelphia.net

havalongavalon · May 2005

kinzua,

Smooth performance could not be the only design objective. To achieve 30% more horsepower AND 5% better fuel economy requires compromises that are managed by the "electronically controlled automatic transmission with intelligence (ECT-i)" which is an adaptive system that learns.

For your $38,500 you will get an excellent machine, but if you are impatient and intolerant AND have an irregular driving style AND are unwilling to learn how to best drive the Avalon, you may be very unhappy with it. On the other hand, you took a short spin and the transmission performed flawlessly so is seems that you need not worry, the car seems to know very well how to handle drivers like you.

By the way, you only need to spend $26,350 MSRP to get this sophisticated transmission. Spending $38,500 on a Limited you will get a whole lot more electronics to get used to, such as the Smart Key System which could keep the engine running after you leave the car unless you learn how to use it. Maybe, sign up for at least some tutorials...

Best wishes,

havalongavalon

havalongavalon · May 2005

Hi gladiator99,

It's great to know that you are back at the wheel now, and comforting to hear that two habitual drivers have posed no learning problems at all to your Avalon!

Best regards,

havalongavalon

havalongavalon · May 2005

"The airbag light shouldn't be on constantly. Usually that means the passenger isn't sitting in the seat properly." #5619, 307web

""Post 5618 is correct. Again, every time you have a passenger in the front seat, the airbag light is illuminated. This is normal." #5620, dan41

Yes, it was designed this way. But I agree with 307web that a dashboard warning should light up to indicate an anomaly; not when everything is OK. I would prefer an "AIRBAG NOT ON" warning light when the seat sensor detects a weight in the child range. With an adult passenger, I would expect the airbag to be On without need to display this confirmatory message.

havalongavalon

ronharv · May 2005

"My previous car, a 2000 Avalon XLS had places for loose change, gum, tic tacs, etc. My new 2005 has none (unless I am willing to move or raise the arm rest)"

Here are some solutions that no one need thank me for. I'm a modest fellow. In fact I'm very proud of my modesty. Tic Tacs can be Scotch-taped one at a time on the ceiling liner for easy access. As you roll that tasty little mint in your mouth think of the added Avalon fuzz as a condiment. And the no-longer-needed piece of tape may be handily stuck on a passenger's arm, or, absent that convenience, adhered to your forehead for recycling later. Re loose change: if it's not loose, it's not loose change. So if you toss enough of it on the floor, it'll be both properly loose and readily available. Unused gum: that's why you have pockets. (Unless, of course, you're one of those aging Floridians who wear tank-top undershirts exclusively so that unruly gray chest hairs have room to sprout.) Used gum: why do you think that seats have an underside? And, finally, re the "etc.," the capacious back seats have room to spare. Take advantage. Cubic feet of debris will fit back there with only minimal inconvenience to occasional passengers, who, if they're annoyingly fussy types, can always be given the option of the trunk (which the thoughtful Avalon owner will keep well-stocked with snacks.)

rhack · May 2005

Max, do you have any problems with signal dropout with your antenna inside? Do you live in a large metro area, as I understand that XM has repeater transmitters in these areas to minimize dropouts around tall buildings, parking garages etc.? This could account for your antenna working so well. If you do live in a large metro area, how has your reception been away from that area. I have an antenna like your on the roof of my Tundra. Avalon Limited with XM is on order, large factory antenna will be replaced with a Micro, only the location is in question. Any more suggestions appreciated.

3puttmax · May 2005

rhack -

I live in suburb of Los Angeles (Northridge) - pretty flat open ground. When driving in Wilshire area, next to tall buildings, I had dropouts. Also, when driving under large heavy overhanging trees it drops out sometimes. Once in a while, out in the open, it drops out briefly for a couple seconds for no apparent reason. That happens maybe once every week or two. Otherwise reception is perfect.

Don't know how my reception compares to an external antenna mount - this is my first & only XM experience. The overall experience seems fine to me - just discussing the dropouts seems to exaggerate their effect.

Max

mackabee · May 2005

:P

Great post ronharv!!! LMAO, ROTFL!!!!!
Mackabee

62vetteefp · May 2005

It is a new US government requirement to have the airbag light on when there is a passenger. Complain to your congressmen.

chipmunk47 · May 2005

As "Curley" would have said:Nnyuck, Nnyuck, Nnyuck :P

pmcb48 · May 2005

Someone else said they got their dealer to put the (I assume standard big Toyota box) antenna inside the rear window, but I very much like the size and color match and location of your antenna, 3puttmax. Could you supply the name and city of the stereo shop that did such a good installation? I understand that you bought the XM radio kit from the dealer, and the stereo shop supplied the antenna and a splitter. I may go that route myself, and would just like that as a point of contact if a local stereo shop has any questions. Thanks.

kinzua · May 2005

motownusa,
Where do you get your info.? Or do you just like to badmouth? My post was a very positive one expressing what I expected from my to be delivered Limited based on two test drives. If I was a world traveler maybe I would understand your post.

mackabee · May 2005

Easy kinzua, motownusa calls them as he sees them as do I. Them there are fighting words and you may upset our hots Pat who is very kind but can only take so much.
:shades:
Mackabee

barclay3 · May 2005

I've had my limited 2 days now. So far I love it!

The only things that bothers me a little is the poor visibility while backing up. The rear windows are relatively small and high so you have to back up slowly and carefully. This is just a trade off for the modern styling. I may get the sensors.

I still haven't experienced any hunting/shifting problem. Will someone tell me exactly what I should be looking for and exactly what you do to cause it. The gas pedal is a bit more sensitive than my previous 190hp car but all cars all different and it is just something you get used to. I always depress and let up on the gas pedal smoothly without any jerks.

avalonowner · May 2005

I just wonder if anyone has any luck fixing the steering problem on their Avalons. I have a Blizzard Pearl Touring which has the same problem. I have made 3 trips to the dealer. They confirmed that my car does drift to the right, but could not figure out how to fix it. They tried wheel alignment, tire rotation to no avail. The service mgr found a TSB with similar symptoms that apply to the '04 Avalon and the solution is to replace the coil spring. So they replaced the coil spring but it didn't help. My car is still in the shop. The service mgr explained to me that the problem is caused by more torque being applied to the left wheel than the right wheel; however, this is a factory setting that cannot be adjusted, so all they can do is to try to find a way to compensate for the uneven torquing.

Well I am an engineer myself (or used to be before getting buried in management :-). That sounds like a very kludgy way to fix the problem even if they can somehow make it work. IMO they should really try to fix the root cause of the problem, i.e. uneven torque being applied to the front wheels. I am not too hopeful that my dealer will be able to find a solution anytime soon because I fear that this is a fundamental design issue with the Touring model. Does anyone know whether this issue has been escalated to and acknowledged by Toyota?

Depending on severity of the drift (mine is pretty bad as both the head mechanic and service mgr concurred), this problem can be anywhere from annoying to dangerous. I pretty much need to apply constant pressue on the left side of my steering wheel to keep my car in the lane. Relax for a few seconds and I may find myself in the next lane (if I am lucky enough there is no car beside me).

In addition to the steering problem which is still not fixed after 3 trips to the dealer, my sunroof was stuck open the day after I picked up my car, and I had to drive 40 miles in the rainstorm from work to the dealership (they cleaned up the mess inside after fixing the roof). Also there was some extra form trim on the B-pillar which the dealer cut out and cleaned up - although a cosmetic issue, this sort of sloppy fit-and-finish is definitely not something I would expect from a Toyota product. I have a Japanese built '01 4Runner who has never been to the shop except for scheduled maintenance and is still running like new with 50k miles on it. However, my American built '05 Avalon has been to the shop 4 times and almost 1/3 of the time in my first month of ownership. I am NOT a happy camper here...

Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Thanks!

dajab · May 2005

"Someone else said they got their dealer to put the (I assume standard big Toyota box) antenna inside the rear window, ..."

That was me (dajab). It's superior to having it anywhere on the trunk lid, but it IS the large antenna, and it IS black (not light grey, as is my interior). So it is rather obvious when looking at the car from the rear. Max's solution is superior, but I found out about it a few days AFTER mine was installed.

3puttmax · May 2005

"Could you supply the name and city of the stereo shop that did such a good installation?"

pmcb48 -

I had the Toyota XM kit installed at

Mobile Fantasy Inc.
9353 Reseda Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91324
818-772-2000
www.mobilefantasy.com

Max

greenbelt · May 2005

In many states, Avalonowner, Lemon Laws provide a definite series of steps that an owner with a defined, acknowledged problem with a vehicle (especially one that affects utility like steering and drift) can be addressed in what is called a Lemon Law proceeding. This proceeding gives the dealer and manufacturer a specific number of opportunities (like 3) and time frame, like 60 days to fix the problem. If they don't you can usually get your money back or get a vehicle swap.

You should check with your lawyer or State Department of Consumer Affairs regarding the process in your state and how it works.

In the end if they can't fix it, they get to replace it or refund your money.

pmcb48 · May 2005

Thanks for the reply, dajab. Don't forget about that company that sells painted covers for the Toyota XM antenna to match your paint. Likely as not they could sell you a cover painted to match your interior! It's www.colormatchantenna.com .

3puttmax · May 2005

Has anyone checked the accuracy of the speedometer or odometer? I haven't been to any odometer check areas yet.

Max

hevster1 · May 2005

Not to sound nasty or condecending but as an ASE master technician and Toyota Master diagnostic technician i dont like "engineers" much. I have very specific reasons such as telling me what they think is wrong and should be done without any actual knowledge of repairs. Also attempting to re-engineer a vehicle that simply has an adjustment needed. I have been insulted once too many times by engineers who are incapable of repairing their own vehicle. That said let me explain how to get rid of the torque steer issue. First bring the vehicle to a competent dealer with someone who knows alignment. Have him set both sides with the maximum negative camber allowed F&R. Set toe to 0.00-0.01 both sides. Make sure the pressures are at 32-35 PSI. This should cure it. 1 final note; if there is road crown present no amount of adjustment will cure a drift. If the road is sloped to the right it will require a correction to the left. This is less predominant on RWD vehicles but it still exhists. There has been many times where I have had to set up a vehicle to drift left to compensate for crown. This gets the customer off of the dealerships back and makes them happy. Then they go somewhere on vacation where the roads are not crowned and they are back complaining. Bottom line is if the road slopes right or left your car will go that way.

bahraini_zupra · May 2005

ahlan bro ,
i saw ur post in the forums and i am new here i just wanna ask u few qustion did u got ur avy yet ? i am about to buy the limitd i am very intersted with sucha car but i really wonder which color to take blue or white seems the best 2 colors there .

salam
ali

ryandse · May 2005

which color to take blue or white seems the best 2 colors there.

I have this theory when it comes to color choice in automobiles. Part of the decision lies in the eyes of the beholder. Yet, there seems to also be an intrinsic factor that is based on the appearance of the vehicle itself.

So, if we are talking about a BMW, Audi, or Mercedes (which, frankily, look absolutely stunning), then there already is plenty of style in the car. Hence, one could easily get away with choosing a basic color for the car. By "basic", I mean: black, white, silver, red, blue, green (and possibly yellow or orange).

Personally, as much as I like the appearance of the Avalon, I do not feel it is in the same class of beauty as the European cars. So, there is a need for "compensation" by choosing an "off-color". Thus, an Avalon with that greenish-blue color Avalon is nearly as stylish as a blue BMW. It is for this reason that I have explained here that I am planning on purchasing an Avalon in "Phantom-Grey Perl" (as opposed to solid black).

Now all of you folks with White Avalon's: no need to get on my case. As apart of my school-of-thought: intrinsic beauty is only a *relative* concept, hence if you genuinely think the Avalon is stylish enough -- there is no need for such compensation in the color.

At any rate, I suppose this would be enough analysis in regards to color choice :shades:

y_althani · May 2005

hi there

1st I'ld to say thank you every 1 for your gr8 info & insight on the 05 Avvy

2nd I hope the owner of the Phantom grey avy with chrome rims dosent mind me tampring with the color of his car pic coz I wanted 2 c how the chrome rims will look on black paint job

some guys here in Bahrain street raced in the avvy with a S-class 500 wich ate the avvys dust , an Audi A8 wich cought up with avvy after hiting 100 mph & some say an auto trans z350 didnt catch up with the avvy (ruomrs) :P

y_althani · May 2005

ahlan bro

sorry I just saw ur post , well still wating for my black avy to arrive

the color depends on mostly what u think is cool to you! I mean if u gor practicalty u should go for the white coz u know how the weather functions here (4 seasons in a day !!) the white wont apsorbe much heat & dust wont be noticed + it well show the whole beauty lines of the car while the dark blue would look more royle as they say here in bahrain & in night it will look more dark almost balck dark.. for a good price on the ltd avvy you should check out KSA dealer coz its B.D. 750 cheaper but you have to wait for some time till there stock arrive..

to feel the avvys gadgets checkout this site

www.mynewavalon.com

avalonowner · May 2005

Thanks for the expert advice! First of all, I am a networking engineer, not an automotive engineer so I am not trying to claim to have any knowledge how to fix torque steer issues. Please illuminate me if I am missing something here - I assume all cars are designed to apply torque evenly to left and right wheel, correct? Even if there are slight variations from car to car which need to be compensated by alignment, I would expect the variations to be somewhat random. However, according to the Avalon Touring owners who reported steering problem so far on this forum, all the cars drift to the right. This cannot be "by design", correct?

Anyway I checked my repair report - the tire pressure is set to 34 PSI, toe is set to 0.00 both sides, camber settings are: LF: -0.5, RF: -0.8, LR: -1.0, RR: -1.3 (maximum: -1.5). What is the effect of setting both sides to maximum negative camber allowed FR?

I am aware that a drift could be caused by road crown. I took the car to an empty parking lot with flat surface and the car drifts to the right even at low speed no matter which way I go. I agree that road crown definitely aggravates the problem since my car drifts to the right and most roads here slope to the right. Even on the roads which slope to the left, I still cannot make my car go straight without constant adjustment. I owned a couple of FWD cars but never really notice this problem before.

Thanks!

===============
Not to sound nasty or condecending but as an ASE master technician and Toyota Master diagnostic technician i dont like "engineers" much. I have very specific reasons such as telling me what they think is wrong and should be done without any actual knowledge of repairs. Also attempting to re-engineer a vehicle that simply has an adjustment needed. I have been insulted once too many times by engineers who are incapable of repairing their own vehicle. That said let me explain how to get rid of the torque steer issue. First bring the vehicle to a competent dealer with someone who knows alignment. Have him set both sides with the maximum negative camber allowed F&R. Set toe to 0.00-0.01 both sides. Make sure the pressures are at 32-35 PSI. This should cure it. 1 final note; if there is road crown present no amount of adjustment will cure a drift. If the road is sloped to the right it will require a correction to the left. This is less predominant on RWD vehicles but it still exhists. There has been many times where I have had to set up a vehicle to drift left to compensate for crown. This gets the customer off of the dealerships back and makes them happy. Then they go somewhere on vacation where the roads are not crowned and they are back complaining. Bottom line is if the road slopes right or left your car will go that way.

future1 · May 2005

"most roads here slope to the right"

Do you mean the roads are shaped like this: /\? Slope to the right in both directions?

justgreat47 · May 2005

based on what i have read on this forum, i'm still not sure if the 5 speed is adaptive or just electronic. IF it is indeeed adaptive, then an individual's driving style will definitely affect it's shifting characteristics. resetting the computer by lifting a battery terminal (or removing the correct fuse) is sop for relearning the shift patterns for an adaptive transmission.

IF the transmission is adaptive (and i suspect it is NOT) then jack rabbit starts or indecisive application of the gas pedal will definitely cause confusion with the processor. once again, an automatic transmission is a compromise relative to a manual. it does the shifting for you, whether you want it to or not. some compromises must be made...in most cases the driver isn't even aware they're making ANY compromises: you just do it and go on with driving the car. jackg 90seville 96k

tasso · May 2005

Hi,

I have owned the 2005 for 3 months now, the first one in SD, and one of the first o this board. I LOVE it.

I have realized the air bag light works like this.
AIRBAG ON - weight of like greater than 30 pounds in the passenger seat.
AIRBAG OFF - weight of like less than 30 pounds, but still weight of around 2o pounds in the seat. For example a 9 pound baby in a small car seat.
NO airbag light on - when no real weight on the seat.

NO I did not put my child in the seat. I bring home lots of paper work in my backpack, YES up to 30 pounds at a time, and that is finally how I figuted it out.

By the way, after 5000 miles on the Black Limited, I have been amazed by the gas mileage - 28 mpg while traveling 80mph - amazing. Repeatedly.

However, I have noticed some hesitation later, never before. But, it is not a big deal.

tasso

fin · May 2005

Most 2 lane roads have a slight crown in the center. The main reason is to prevent "ponding" of water, a dangerous condition. Some roads, by design or by error, have no crown. They slope entirely one way or the other. Roads that appear flat may actually have a crown but you do not see it or notice it driving.
Generally, road crowns are not a problem or all cars would drift one way or another.

Torque steer applies mainly to vehicles under acceleration (see Maxima boards). Torque is a force, non-existent as a car rolls across a flat parking lot and drifts to the right. Don't worry about it. Turn the engine off...same result.

Constant drifting is not the road and not torque steer.

burl · May 2005

I never know whether you and your buddy are kidding Or Not.
I am sure that you really understand that not 1/10 of 1 horsepower increase nor very much of the new transmissions design added much as both the older 4 speed and the new 5 speed are "%100 LOCK UP TRANSMISSIONS AND DO NOT LOSE NOR GAIN ANY much less lose %10 power to slippage as the older designs did So MOST BUT NOT ALL of the increase comes from the newer technology of the engine design allowing both the HP and Mileage to increase.
It seems to me that I remember the newer trans had a higher final gear ratio WHICH would contribute to both higher top speed and some to mileage if you keep your foot off the floor with the gas peddle. The fly by wire technology was DESIGNED SPECIFFICLY to give INSTANT RESPONSE to a pilot or automible driver requesting the increase/decrease in of the engines power.
No pilot or car buyer should have to learn to "well if you start it very lightly then keep it slow and even" or any other 1/2 ------ way of driving either. Gets people killed in both.
I won't even respond to "if you are impatient or intolerant AND have an irregular driving style AND are unwilling to learn how to best drive the Avalon, you may become very unhappy with it".

PLEASE """""""""""""""""""""" leave me alone or learn -------------------.

y_althani · May 2005

I hope u dont mind 3puttmax me tampring with ur car pic which is in post link # 5287

barclay3 · May 2005

Mr Ives...I've made a post yesterday for someone to explain to me in detail how I can find out if my car hesitates because so far mine hasn't. Please tell me what you do in detail to cause this so I can try to duplicate it!! Thanks.

future1 · May 2005

barclay3: I've made a post yesterday for someone to explain to me in detail how I can find out if my car hesitates because so far mine hasn't. Please tell me what you do in detail to cause this so I can try to duplicate it!!

Test 1: From the stop or from the low speed (5-10 mph), stab the gas sharply 1/2 way down, as if in the emergency situation where you would try to avoid being rear ended or to pass. There will be about 1/2 second delay before the car takes off.

Test 2: From the stop or from the low speed (5-10 mph), stab the gas sharply 1/2 way down and release immediately. Nothing at all will happen.

justgreat47 : based on what i have read on this forum, i'm still not sure if the 5 speed is adaptive or just electronic.

From the Avalon Unpublished Specification:

U151E 5-Speed Automatic Transmission

A. Super Electronically Controlled Transmission

1. low-friction, lightweight,

2. compact gear train
Gear Ratios
I 4.235
II 2.360
III 1.517
IV 1.047
V 0.756
R 3.378
F 3.080

B. Advanced shift logic

1. automatically adjusts shifting to account for
a. engine conditions
b. driving habits
c. component wear
2. improved uphill & downhill control

3. gated shifter
a. with sport-shift mode

4. flexible logic for torque converter lock-up
a. variable control of torque converter
1) Ranges from torque multiplication (some slip)
2) To fully locked (no slip)
b. increased low- and mid-range torque
c. improved low speed control & engine braking
d. higher fuel economy

haggis · May 2005

Try this one out, they seem to have all of the accessories for the Avalon:

http://toyota.autowebaccessories.com/store/

gladiator99 · May 2005

Hi havalong!!!!
Thanks for the nice reply... I am definitely feeling better now and it is great to be back behind the wheel. Maybe just the Avalons destined for Canada have the learning module???? I may have to change my handle to " haveasmartavalon".
Our car has been great to drive, no hesitation or steering problems. Hope you are enjoying your new Avalon also.
Thanks again and take care!!!
gladiator99 aka " haveasmartavalon"

rayearth · May 2005

I had my 2005 Avalon XL for about two weeks now. I just finished my first detailing job on my car, but there is still a bunch of work left. So far I have:

1) Armor All on vinyl (after I read the forums, I wonder if I should wipe it off with something and put something else on to protect the vinyl) (done yesterday)
2) hand wash with water + Dawn + microfiber cloth
3) Mothers California Clay + instant detailer on most surfaces. At first I thought that this stuff was just a gimmick. However, even a new car comes with a lot of microscopic grit. The clay made the paint feel really smooth. It worked well in getting tiny black specks off. On close inspection, there are some imperfections from the factory. Ah well...
4) liquid glass one coat, wipe off, then sit in the sun to cure.

Steps left:
a) see step #1 - still looking for a clearly better alternative to Armor All.
b) in a few days rinse, dry, and apply liquid glass coat #2
c) rainx the windows
d) clean the inside of the windshield with alcohol+windex mixture to remove haze
e) buy touch-up paint to fix a @#% scratch. While i was washing the windshield, I had the wiper blades up. Absentmindedly, I wanted to open the hood to admire the engine. I popped the latch and opened the hood without putting the wipers down - scrunch! The scratch is on mid hood edge and only visible either above the car or in the car. What's the best way to repair this? It appears to be about 3 cm x 0.2 cm or so in size
f) calibrate the compass
g) maybe liquid glass #3 on the front of the car
h) maybe some backup sensors - the high back makes it difficult to see
i) relax!
j) doh! Forgot to clean and seal the wheels ... any recommendations?

Gosh, this seems a bit over the hill ... my pervious car was a Camry that was lucky to see two each of armor all, car wash, and rainx in a year's time.

gschultz3 · May 2005

Wish you had turned it black so I could see how my avvy would look with chrome wheels. Don't beleive my Avvy could beat my 350Z AT but I guess I will never know unless I let somebody race me in my Avvy.

barclay3 · May 2005

Burl (not Ives?)...."Hunt and Peck" transmission ...Could you also give me specific details on what you did to cause the hunting and pecking of the transmission so I can try to duplicate it on my car so I'll know if is a problem for me. Thanks!

2005-2007 Toyota Avalon

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