Toyota Avalon 2008-2010

tkevinc1 · November 2007

At least on my 2008 Touring you do not have to fill the tank to reset the MPG calculator. You just have to open the fuel door. Every now and then I pop it open as I get out of the car and close it as I walk by. When I get back in the car it is reset.

spencer327 · November 2007

Thanks for the info, will try it when I get home.

whodatt_99 · November 2007

Has anyone had to buy a new key for their 2008 Avalon? Mine has a fat headed key which has buttons for alarm, trunk, door lock. Dealer said it would be $275 plus $100 for an hour of in-shop programming. Can anyone else here verify that? They might as well have told me it is $1,000.

iamknott · November 2007

I have not tried these guys, but you might call for a quote:

Email Us: skoutlet@streetkeys.com Call Us Toll-Free: 1.866.BUY.KEYS

buynewavy · December 2007

Not to change the subject, but I will...I am seriously considering purchasing a 2008 Avalon Touring Edition. However, believe it or not, I have not found one on a dealer lot to test drive. My concern, just how rough is the Touring suspension ride ? One review I read referred to the 2008 Touring ride as "brittle".

:confuse:

buynewavy · December 2007

I am seriously considering purchasing a 2008 Avalon Touring Edition. However, believe it or not, I have not found one on a dealer lot to test drive. My concern, just how rough is the Touring suspension ride ? One review I read referred to the 2008 Touring ride as "brittle".
:confuse:

tkevinc1 · December 2007

I have been very happy with it. I admit that when traveling country roads you feel the washboards and cracks more than you would on the Limited. However, on normal surface streets and freeways I really don't notice any issues. I had a 2005 Touring and the 2008 Touring seems even less harsh and rides better even on the back roads. The 6 speed tranny is light yrs ahead of the old 5 speed as well. I couldn't imagine a better car for the money.

floridasteve · December 2007

Would you mind telling the group what the msrp with options was and amount of discount? Also did you purchase the extended warranty and cost.
Thanks in advance for the info

dbgtiger · December 2007

Had my new Avalon 2 weeks. All ready I have noticed the 6 speed trans changes too quickly. First change at 5 mph is too quick, 2nd at 20mph and up to 5th gear before I hit 40mph. Tans shifts back and forth as you drive at varying speeds below 40 in city driving. The vehicle shifts are easily noticed. Runs beautifully once you are up to highway speeds. I am not happy with 1st shift point. Has anyone had similar issue? Can it be adjusted? What speed does your Avalon shift on first change? Overall very pleased with the car, but this issue is growing larger by the day and may change my opinion.

tkevinc1 · December 2007

The MSRP was $34190 for a Touring with Anti-Theft, moonroof with wind deflector, JBL, VSC and Tracton Control, heated seats, tinted windows and floor mats. I traded a 2005 Touring that had considerable equity so the water is a little muddied regarding the actual discount but they gave me approximately $4500 off the MSRP. The price they put on the deal sheet was in the mid $29000s. All in all it was a very good deal. They offered me an extended warranty of 6yr/100k for around $1300. However, I had complained so loudly and frequently with Toyota about the 2005 Tourings transmission that Toyota gave me a 7yr/100k warranty for free. They did this in place of the trade assistance most automakers offer when one has issues but buys their product again anyway.

wwest · December 2007

Apply the rear brakes lightly and the car will remain in each gear a bit longer...

The reason you have a 6 speed transmission is to improve FE by keeping the engine RPM as low as is possible and still have enough torque to move forward at a specific speed.

Either learn to live with it or buy a car with a CVT.

andy82471 · December 2007

Another solution is to keep the lever in 4 instead of D. You really don't need 5th or 6th gear for speed below 40 mph anyway.

pcomeaux · December 2007

From what I can find on the internet, the invoice price for an Avalon '08 is $30,285 and the destination charge to the dealer is $660.

A dealer is telling me that "the Internet just don't provide correct information for cost for a Toyota." He tells me that invoice price is really $31,499, and destination charge to our area (Texas) is $715.

The difference between the invoice price on the internet and what the dealer is telling me is over $1,200. He recommended that I ask around about his numbers to--as he put it--keep him honest.

Thoughts?

fin · December 2007

Respectfully disagree. Yes, it will hold a given gear longer, but using a brake while applying power produces significant excess wear and wastes gas. The problem can't be solved in this manner.

On dry pavement you might try a firmer foot (than necessary) on the accelerator. This will produce the same result, delaying the shift. This also wastes gas but at least the brake is not wearing out. Wet pavement is another problem.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to adjust or reset the on-board computer that controls shift logic? Can a dealer even do it? :confuse:

tjc78 · December 2007

It was mentioned a while back that simply moving the shift lever into "S" mode resets the adaptive learning of the trans. I have not been able to confirm this as I am the only one who drives my car and it is used to my habits. I do agree with you in using a heavier foot. For the car to shift at 5MPH it must be really being driven softly. I also stand to believe that whenever the car feels "lazy" and holds gears too long just go where you can give a few full throttle "treatments"

and all will be well again. Just my .02!

burl · December 2007

Hi folks
If you rember I'm the Guy that traded his 3rd XLS in on an 08= XL with the full traction package. I have had leather and moon roofs till I'm sick of them for several reasons.
i have 2500 miles on the car and love it .
I liked the original settings for the 6 speed and if was smooth as teflon untill about 1800 miles then it started shifting funny ocassionaly (200-400 RPM) with an occassional mild funny shift............ Having read all the 2007 2008 6 speed it scared me silly . I thougth it had been fixed.

Short Version..............took in in to my dealer-"WOW we haven't heard anything about that and we have no TSB's from toyota so we can't change any settimgs."

Went up 3 levels with Toyota.com basicly same answer.

The 2 things that I pick up forms were: disconect the battery cable and it should reset, Could be but didn't try it. sounds like it might work.

What I did do Was try to retrain Transmission by driving it.
I love a quick car 0-60 plus we have to get on a 4 lane death trap both ways. (142 accidents in the last 4 years on a 6 mile streach}

So I tried the run it more often full throtel .................And it worked 95%
Worth a try for you folks...................Still getting 31 mph on hyway and 0=60 on a stop watch at,,,,,,,,,,,,,5.9-6,0 this thing runs like a sidewinder missel,,,,,,,I LOVE IT
burl

whamrick · December 2007

Could someone tell me what the color of the top of the dash is in the 2008 Avalon Limited Blizzard Pearl with Lt. Grey Interior?

In 2007 it was a dark, almost black color.

I can find no matching cars in my area to check it out myself and my wife is about to order one.

Even better, could someone send me a picture!

Thanks,

arthuro8 · December 2007

Issue #1: Transmission
My transmission is slipping. Not always and not always the same gear, but mostly 1st - 2nd or 2nd- 3rd. It has slipped from 3rd -4th though not often.
Issue #2: Gas mileage
I got the car in Sept. and was running the A/C and getting 25-26 MPG. It has now cooled off and the A/C is hardly used at all and I'm getting 20-24 MPG ( mostly 22).
In the beginning I thought I was nuts, but the tranmission problem continued so about 1000 mi. I called the dealer about the tranmission and was told to drive it for about another1000 mi. and then bring it in.
At 2000 mi they said they were unable to duplicate the problem and to drive it for another 1000 mi. and bring it back.
At 3000 mi. the transmission problem continues and now my gas mileage is down. I was told Toyota might be coming out with a download to fix the transmission problem, that they still can't duplicate.
Also that the gas mileage was with in the stated range 10-28 and that was why it was a range and not a set mpg.
So, I should drive it for another 1000 mi and come back.
At 4000 mi they didn't bother to write it up they just told me that Toyota hadn't come out with a fix yet and I should check back in another 1000 mi.
This is outrageous so, I got the 1-800 # and called Toyota. Bottmline was that no one else was having any problems like this and I should take it to another dealer and get a second opinion.
At 5000 mi I took it to another dealer (oil chg & tires rotated) ck transmission and gas mi. I was told that they drove it and were unable to duplicate the concern withthye tranmission and that the gas mileage was within specs. ( I did notice that it was checked in with 5085 miles and when I checked it out it had 5085 miles on it. Doesn't take long to find nothing, Iguess.)
Drive it for a 1000 mi and bring it back.
It goes back next week.

justbass · December 2007

Can you say stonewall?

Make sure that everything (with odometer reading and dates) is documented at the dealer(s) (and have a copy for yourself) and familiarize yourself with the Lemon Laws in your area.
The troubles that you are describing are the same that the 07 Camry and ES 350 have experienced already; check the respective forums for info.

Hope it all works out for you.

skydive1978 · December 2007

Hi
I have my 08' Limited for almost two month now and only 750 miles on it. Have engine replacement when car has just 570 miles (crack in the engine block). Car was in repair shop for two weeks. They dropped new engine and car runs like new anyway. Still waiting responds from Toyota, if they can provide me with additional warranty for car/engine. Hope they will. I am a half way toward one month, until car can be cold a lemon. Have a few questions if you please:
1. Have anyone experienced such problem with brand new car under 1k in Toyotas?
2. My fuel consumptions are always about 17-19 mpg, even on freeway for 15 miles drive. Dealer told me that this is normal for new car.
3. I always have some strange sound - like a servo motors runs - behind the dash. Is that normal? What it can be?
4. MP3. When playing MP3 discs, it does not shows on display which disc is in use at the moment, only when you change the disc. It shows what file is in but you will have no idea which disc is playing. Is that just in my car or it has been designed this way?
Hope someone have an answers on my questions. Thank you guys.

sandydee1 · December 2007

Are the cloth seats on your 2008 comfortable? I have had my 2008 XL for only one week and find that the driver's seat is not comfortable. My back aches. I previously owned 1996 and 2003 Avalons with cloth seats and the seats were comfortable. That is why I went with cloth again.

avalon08 · December 2007

I've got a 2008 XL with cloth and love the texture. The lumbar support with my drivers side seat has made driving more comfortable.

avalon08 · December 2007

Has anyone got a good price and installation on the body side moldings? I purchased mine from Sport Wing/Dawn Enterprises (Ohio) for less than a $100 and had it installed by the dealer for a negotiated price.

coach06 · December 2007

I'm getting a set installed on my '08 XLS for $200 out the door in about two weeks. We had to order them. A local automotive specialty store is doing the work. (Southern Automotive)

nimimi · December 2007

My '08 LTD came with a wind deflector already installed by the dealer. It rattles quite a bit. I tried tightening the two screws but it continues to loosen and then rattle. I have two questions: (1) is there a way to tighten it so that it will no longer come loose and rattle; (2) will there be a problem if I take it off in the winter and then reinstall it in the spring each year?

Thanks for anyone's help.

jmbklj · December 2007

I've had my 2008 XLS for 1 week now. Questions on 2 issues.

1. The MPG shown on the screen is low, ranging between 20 to 22. What should I expect? So far I have only 200 miles on it.
2. I got an iPod for Christmas, so I am newbie on learning how to use it. I have loaded songs on it and want to be able to use it in the car. Is there a way I can use it by plugging the iPod into the audio auxiliary plug? Do I need a special cord and if so, where can I get one?
Thanks!

tjc78 · December 2007

On my '06 XLS I average between 21 - 22 MPG consistently. My driving is about 25% open hwy and the rest is either city or gridlocked hwy (gotta love Jersey). On any trip with extended hwy I have acheived a high of 31 and a low of 28 at speeds of at least 70 or higher.

As for your Ipod you need a male to male 3.5mm cable. Same plug as on your Ipod headphones on both sides. Then you can connect it right to your car. Check the manual you will have to push a button on the radio to activate the AUX jack. I know Radio Shack sells the cable, and would think Best Buy/Circuit city would have it too. I wish my '06 had the Ipod jack, I had to have an interface installed to make mine work.

aus1 · December 2007

Does anyone know where the oil filter is located on the 2008 Avalon? I've looked high and low and everywhere else except the right spot.

Thanks!

motownusa · December 2007

As for your Ipod you need a male to male 3.5mm cable. :P

But seriously thnx for the advice

tjc78 · December 2007

Its not a typical filter. It is a cartridge design. Look back at the 2005-2006 Avalon forum and search for "filter" someone posted a nice "how to" on how to take it apart and change the cartridge and O ring.

tjc78 · December 2007

Didn't even realize how funny that sounded....

aus1 · January 2008

Found it! Thanks for the help. If anyone is interested, here's the link for the pdf file:

http://members.cox.net/n0v8or/avalon_oil_change.pdf

carlupi · January 2008

I recently test drove 08 Avalons with both cloth and leather seats and found both types of seats to be hard and uncomfortable. What is experience of others?

aus1 · January 2008

Mine are leather and comfortable.

spencer327 · January 2008

Just completed trip fro NY to Ga. 950miles. at an average 30.5 MPG. Car is smooth
powerful and no tranny issues.Tracks excellently and seats are good, more comforable than my 2003. Very impressed so far. One complaint is lack of reset of MPG. Opening gas door does not reset it. Only putting gas in resets it. Trunk is large but actually slightly smaller than 2003. Using Garmin GPS which sits on the dashboard inset. Doesn't block windshield.
All in all very satisfied (so far )

sandydee1 · January 2008

Interesting! You find the leather seats in the 2008 to be more comfortable than the leather seats you have in your 2003. I have found just the opposite with the cloth seats in the XL. My 2003 cloth seats are comfortable and my 2008 cloth seats are not. I test drove the 2008 with the leather seats but ordered one with cloth seats expecting them to be just as comfortable.

fin · January 2008

The front seats in the 2003 are both longer and wider than the seats used in the 2005 and up models. Your observations are correct. I measured mine before trading cars. The '03 seats are much more comfortable on long trips. This is one of the tradeoffs for 60 more HP and an overall better car. Love those '03 seats... leather or cloth.

nimimi · January 2008

I received the definitive answer from Toyota on why I received no CD with my '08 Limited (see the posts about this in the 2007 Avalon group): they stopped providing the CD with new Avalons. They said the same information is included online in the Toyota iGuide.

This is true for 2005-2007, however, the 2008 is not yet included in the iGuide.

vegaslee · January 2008

Just got my new XLS two weeks ago, couldn't turn down the price - $1200 below invoice. Absolutely no complaints except I haven't been able to get the navigation DVD from the dealer - they say they are running behind because of changes to the system. Has anyone else gotten this run around?

vegaslee · January 2008

Just got a 2008 XLS with the navigation/JBL stereo. Can anyone tell me where they are hidding 12 speakers?

spencer327 · January 2008

Dimensions are not the only determining factor. My wife has hip problems and I have back and neck problems. The 2003 we drove with seat cushions and various pads.. We did a 5000 mile vacation trip found the seats with all the pads to be acceptable.The 2008 with 2000 mile vacation trip now under its belt. No pads, great lumbar support for both seats and great adjustability, better heat control.Good contour. Slightly softer tham my 2003 From my bodies point of comfort the 2008 wins hands down
Gas mileage a high of 31.8 MPG @70 MPH. Regular gas. Who needs compact cars

tjc78 · January 2008

1 in front dash
1 in each windshield pillar (2)
1 in each front door (2)
2 in each rear door (4)
3 in rear deck

fin · January 2008

My wife has back issues also and our experience was just the opposite, the 2003 seat was better for her. I liked it because it was softer. We are all built different so it figures our seat preferences will be different. Didn't have the seat heater on our '03 - really a nice feature on the 2007. Don't use it often in GA but handy when you want it.

Now past 17k miles, I have hit 30+ mpg only twice. Usually get highest 20's at about 75 mph on GA/FL interstates. More is possible at a slightly reduced speed, no doubt. In normal suburban driving my experience is that mid-grade gas (89 octane here) will produce better fuel mileage. Maybe 6% better mileage for 3% more money over regular. And the car seems to run better. No advantage moving up premium, nothing changes after mid-grade. Just a thought........

Enjoy the Avalon... great cars. Had a '99, then an '03, now an '07.....

vegaslee · January 2008

Thanks for making me feel like an idiot, I didn't spot the two outside ones on the rear deck.

tjc78 · January 2008

You're not an idiot you bought an Avalon

The only way I ever noticed they were there was while I was cleaning the inside rear window. Not a fun task by the way, even with my long arms.

spencer327 · January 2008

We are on Jekyll Island right now. took a 3 day trip to Disney got 31+ MPG on 95 and A1A and the beeline, and 301 at speed limits +. It may be the 6 speed tranny. I think its new on the Avalon for 2008.
At any rate this car , for a large car , is a sleeper for economy
Haven't noticed any difference in 87 or 89 octane.Since you can't reset the MPG except at refill, its hard to judge. Toyota are you listening

arthuro8 · January 2008

MY transmission slips and and finally at 6500 miles, after 5 trips in the service mgr admitted that " Yes, it slips but its not really slipping because that is the way Toyota designed it and until they (Toyota) comeup with a download there's nothing that I can do. As soon as there is a fix you will be notified." That's where I am with that issue.
My gas mileage was wonderful for the first 2k-2500; I was getting 24-26 MPG running the A/C and my normal driving( approx 10% city 90% hwy at 70-75mph). Then we had a cold snap and I turned off theA/C and started getting 19-22 mpg. At 5000mi the told me to start a gas mileage log and come back in about 2000 miles. Which I did. When I came back at 6500 they fessed up to the transmission problem but said that 16-22 was correct for city driving. I again explained my driving habits as above and all they said was keep up the log and bring it back in 2-3k and see where it is. I am so frustrated with Toyota's response to these issues Idon't know what to do.

fin · January 2008

In checking Avalon gas mileage you might want to search the Avalon forums for a discussion we had some time back. It seems most current generation Avalon odomoters are off by about 3%. Mine is. The speed is correct but the mileage shown as covered is low by about 3%.

You can check this by comparing your mileage covered shown on the odometer to the mileage marker signs on the interstate. It will only take 2 miles or more for the error to become obvious. You pass the mile marker well before the mile reads on the odometer. The 2008 models may have this corrected. If you have a 2008, check it out, see if yours is low or accurate, you might be in for a surprise. Post the answer and all will benefit........

omgif · January 2008

bought my 08 avalon in oct and it has an air leak that comes from the seam above the glove box. Have been to the dealer twice and will be back in the a.m. Has any one experianced this problem and if so what is the fix.

gene22 · January 2008

To the poster that said they paid $1,200 under invoice. Is this under MSRP or Dealer invoice. Was there a trade that could fudge that number? Thinking of buying an Avalon and that would be nice.

Toyota Avalon 2008-2010

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