Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

deanoavalon · April 2008

I am looking to replace my 96 Avalon XLS that has 196,000 miles. I am looking for a 2000 thru 2004 XLS. I am limiting my years because of the pricing of these vehicles. I am very satified with the performance and reliability I have experienced in the last 4 years with this 96, so I am going to be a repeat buyer of a vehicle for the first time in my life. (I have owned lots of vehicles)

I have a question about using a 2003 or 2004 XLS steering wheel on a 2000-2002 XLS. Will the 2003 or 2004 XLS steering wheel match up to the 2000 thru 2002 XLS wheels? The 2002 thru 2002 XLS wheels are fully leather-wrapped and have a tendency to deteriorate where my hand or wrist rests. The 2003 and 2004 wheels are partial simulated wood. Does anyone know if the colors are about the same and if the mounting apparatus is the same?

I am still looking for that 2nd gen Avalon and can't wait to upgrade.

jesch1 · April 2008

My 02 would fit the bill, but my old cars bring repeat buyers so I would have to be coaxed to part with what I considered my best car with 66700 miles and I'm 80! I'm IL.

mcclearyfl · April 2008

There seems to be a loyalty to the 2nd generation Avalon that may not exist in the 3rd. We leased our 2003 XLS for 4 years, and then purchased it. We are paying, for a 5-year old car, probably more than if we leased a brand new model of almost any mid-size vehicle. Of course, in 3 years when the payments are over, we will still have about $9000 of equity, so the comparison is not exactly fair.

Our Avalon has not been trouble free. Repairs have totaled $1400. Nevertheless, my wife - who views any used car with complete suspicion - is enchanted with the comfort, the relatively strong performance and, amazingly, the looks. Every time we get into a 2008 car or SUV we find ourselves comparing them unfavorably with the 2003 Avalon.

We have owned a wide variety of cars including three Saabs, a Buick Regal GSE (probably our favorite after the Avalon), a VW Jetta, an Olds Aurora, a Maserati and, for fun, a restored Nash Metropolitan. Never in a lifetime would I have thought that an Avalon would capture our imagination and loyalty.

Good luck with your search!

louiskbui · May 2008

I am unable to open my back door on the 1995 toyota avalon. How do I fix this issue?

leoanrd · August 2008

my wife used my car, and now the car seat wont back, the switch allows the seat to go foward, up, down, tilt up, tilt down but it doesnt go back.

rpfingsten · August 2008

Never, Never, Never.... let anyone drive your car. That's a recipe for disaster. I broke my leg and had to have surgery last year, and so for a few months, about once a week my wife would drive my avy to take me to the doctor or whatever, and I don't know what hurt worse, breaking my leg in 3 places, or sitting on the passenger side and watching my wife pull away from the stop light like she was John Force. She was soooo mean to my Avy, and the worst part is she didn't even think she was doing anything wrong. The only time that I actually want her to drive my car is right after lunch when we're on vacation... It's a good bet that daddys taki'n a nap and therefore won't see the horrible way she treats my Yota.

Roland

mcclearyfl · October 2008

At 70K miles my wifes 2003 Avalon had intermittent idle problems when starting in the morning. Since my spouse believes that any vehicle should behave as if it just came off the showroom floor, my response that an occasional idle problem was not worth getting upset about did not go over well.

Knowing I would have to remove the throttle body, I decided to replace all the spark plugs since, I thought, replacement of the rear bank of plugs would be much easier with the throttle body removed. Even then, spark plug replacement was not an easy job, and my hat goes off to those brave souls who do it with the throttle body in place!

However, the real story in this post is the Idle Air Control Valve. Removing the throttle body has been described in other posts. My only comment is that the fourth bolt securing the throttle body is on a support by the bulkhead, and you can easily miss this and wonder why the throttle body wont come off. Once you have the throttle body on the work bench, the rest is relatively easy.

There are four Phillips head screws securing the IAC valve to the underside of the throttle body. I know of at least one post where the writer couldnt undo the screws, and simply cleaned the throttle body with an appropriate cleaner, assuming that the IAC would get cleaned as well. This is a big mistake. My screws came out easily, but if you have trouble just use a vise grip on the exposed heads. My IAC had a substantial coating of hard carbon material on the shaft and plate; throttle body cleaner does not remove this. The best solvent is carbon disulfide, but this is toxic, has a foul odor, and is not readily available to the general public. I used Goo Gone together with an old toothbrush and cloths. I removed the black electrical cover (2 screws) which exposed the shaft, and cleaned this again with Goo Gone. Finally I washed everything in throttle body cleaner. The shaft and plate now rotated with no resistance.

Reassembly of the throttle body back into the car is primarily commonsense, but it is useful to secure the 4th bolt through the bulkhead support before trying to install the throttle body on the three remaining bolts. The total job took about 3 hours. I could probably cut this in half the next time.

Peace has now returned to the household. I have not heard any more complaints about intermittent stalling. When started in the morning engine idle speed is now around 1400 rpm, returning to about 900 after a short warmup period.

55396 · October 2008

"On Tuesday the dealer replaced the rotors and brake pads on all 4 wheels of my 2000XLS at a draw dropping price of $1,018 (after a 10% discount)."

I just saw your post as I was searchong for what someone recommended for aftermarket rotors that were superior to OEM. I just bought an aftermarket rear bearing/hub assembly for our 03 AV. $85 with a 2 year warranty. $300+ at the dealer? Taiwan, but who cares? Labor, about 1 hour @ $48/hr. OK, I took it to a local junk yard. Mechanic builds and races stock cars and seems top rate. New rotors would be $20-30. Pads are almost gone. $20 for OEM. $40 for ceramic.

I just talked to NAPA and they quoted me $45 per rotor. They didn't have drilled. Then I spoke to my mechanic at the junk yard. He quoted me $22 for grooved rotors. Quess what? He got em from NAPA. He must have not marked them up from his cost. Now that's treating the customer right. So, we are doing a rear hub and bearing assembly, turning the rear rotors, new grooved front rotors, and new ceramic pads all around. Not sure what the total will be.

"Now only if I could stop them from pressuring me into doing a 60K mile service."

I never take my cars to a dealer, so no pressure. I don't do dealer checks. But then. I have a pit in my garage and an ear tuned to abnormalities. Not for everyone, and probably only a few.

55396 · October 2008

Well, I picked up the Avalon from the junk yard. Brakes have a really nice feel with the ceramic pads that Todd recommended. Very quick with a solid performance feel. This may lessen a bit as they break in, but I hope not much. I like it. We will break them in gently until the surfaces wear in to each other.

With the previously installed KYB GR2 HD struts ($209/set new on ebay plus installation and alignment) and Energy Poly sway bar bushings, this has become quite a sporty feeling car to drive. I agree with ABFisch, very BMW like. This is now a very enjoyable car to drive, and I don't even have the rear bushings installed yet. I couldn't believe the difference the front bushings alone made. I highly recommend them. At about 30 bucks, you can't beat the improvement. If your struts are weak, this should firm things up a bit too. I did ours before the struts, ant it was very noticeable. My wife was thrilled with the difference. Now that says alot.

A rear wheel bearing started to go on the trip home from Arizona 2 years ago, but didn't seem to get any louder, so made another trip last year fully loaded. Still no change, but I thought I had better not push my luck. Good thing probably, as it takes considerable effort to rotate the old one. More of a lube problem than anything. I can usually lube a bearing and free it up, but this one isn't responding well, so I assume it's the outer bearing that I can't get to. I'll let it sit a day or 2 to see if oil gets down to it.

Anyway, I bought a new bearing/hub assembly online for $82, and Todd installed it. I probably could have - only 4 bolts, but didn't want to this time. At 68k, the pads were quite thin, so we replaced them with ceramic. and turned the rear rotors as Todd said they rarely warp. In retrospect, I would have gone new, as the cost was only slightly more. Should be fine though, as only needed to clean them up because they weren't warped. Fronts were warped and pulsating, so we replaced them with grooved aftermarket rotors. Bearing/hub labor was only $33.80. I won't dirty my hands for that. Turning the rear rotors and all other labor came to $78. $20 for 'shop supplies' seemed excessive, but no complaints at this price.

So, my out the door total including tax was $283.18, plus the hub/bearing that I supplied. Helluva deal.

My theory is that when coming to a stop and holding the brakes on causes the heat to remain under the pads while the rest of the rotor cools, possibly causing the warpage. So, we try to brake early and more lightly, then stop about 10-12 feet back at an intersection. The rotors don't get so hot with easy braking, but then we also let the car creep ahead so that the rotors cool more evenly. It's my wife's car, and while she says she practices this, I notice that she sometimes, um, forgets.

mcclearyfl · October 2008

Some interesting observations, 55396. You did much of the work I have done on my Avalon, but at considerable savings. Well done!

My front ceramic pads on aftermarket disks (neither drilled nor slotted) were a little abrupt for the first 1000 miles, but have smoothed off since then, sufficiently in fact to demonstrate the limited capabilities of the suspension (which you and Abfisch have addressed). I have not yet done the rear brakes, but a very minor pulsation suggests to me that, unlike your Avalon, my rear disks are slightly warped. The replacement cost for a rear bearing, including labor, was ridiculous. I also wasn't pleased when a new a/c compressor cost $1000.

One of the difficulties in doing "serious" maintenance on an older car is the cost-benefit analysis. Is it worth spending a large chunk of money (assuming much of the work is done at the dealership) rather than simply trading for a new vehicle? Each of us will have our own analysis, but I suspect the final decision is emotional rather than analytical. My wife expects new car performance regardless of the vehicle's age, and sometimes the easiest answer to that is a new car. Nevertheless, my wife uses the Avalon as a standard, and few vehicles we have looked at come close. Compared to my faultless 70K Saab 9-3, however, the Avalon is becoming a bit of a liability.

bullnobull · January 2009

With new vibration/buzzing at low RPM after this dry start, what is the chance it will keep running? 90,000mi.
I just moved to the Temecula valley. I took my my 2000 avalon in for an oil change. The car was in perfect condition. Every repair on time, every oil change and fluid change on time.I wanted to see if the service was as good as my old dealer in Alhambra,Ca.
After two hours I was told there was a problem. I go to look and my car... ruined. What happened was that the tech? forgot to install the oil filter. When he started the engine, it blew oil everywhere. The drivers door window was up so he had to open the door to turn the key off. He forgot to close the door, but had already moved the lifting arms away from the frame. Then he lifted the car by the drivers door. They repaired the body ($3,000.00) gave me a loaner. Now my car vibrates at low RPM. I was told they would repair it later if I have a problem. The service manager did help to correct the mess. He said that after looking at the cam and valves, since the engine was like new he would make it right if a bearing goes out within 10k. Nothing on paper. and it is an older car. I asked for an alignment and he did it. It was way out on the left side. The car does not run the same! But it does run.
My trans was/starting leaking when I brought the car home from the body shop. I went under to take a look and somehow the trans oil pan had the one bolt over the cat. converter loose. Made a stink,smoke,mess everywhere. there is a strong feeling it came loose with a wrench. A 1/2 turn and the leak stopped. CURIOUS! The customer relations Rep. did a very good job making a bad situation better. I am grateful for that.
My first visit there was my worst experence at any dealer. I don't know where to go now.

whilst · January 2009

Hi.Your car is essentially ruined.
Do not drive it anywhere but back to the dealer!
Consult a lawyer,now,while it is all still recent.
I would demand a replacement car equal to yours, prior to damage inflicted by dealer.
Plus aggravation,etc.
Especially, since "nothing in writing".
Best of luck.

carreraken · February 2009

Can anyone tell me where the headlight adjustment screws are located on a 2002?

Thx,
ken

minido · March 2009

Needing some advice from other Avalon Owners. Looking to buy a 1999 in impecable condition with 77K miles on it. Now my mechanic says to steer clear of the Avalons specifically, and go for another toyota, siting the fact that they are American made and therefore faulty. (My question would be--how much different could they be if still from the same company standards? Maybe this logic doesn't work in this case). I used to own a Solara and fell in love with this car for a lot of the great details it has; leather seats; wood paneling, etc. I may only be 30 but I am an old soul, and old fashioned taste. It's not surprising that I should go for a more "mature look". Any more news on this car?

minido · March 2009

Meant to put the price. The dealer is selling me the `99 Avalon for $7,495 at a very high interest rate due to my sub-prime credit has (77K miles on it). But this is down from the $10,995 it was listed for. I have to put $3,000 down but they dropped the price this much because the bank had to buy it at the best price from the dealer. So it's actually a great deal. Yet it is only a great deal if it is dependable and I don't have to put too much $$ into it. Grateful for your response regarding the dependability of the '99 Avalon. (I'm biased because now I really want the car!)

mcclearyfl · March 2009

Your two posts still omit significant information; for instance, is it an XL or an XLS? If the car is in good shape visually, 77K is not a bad mileage for the year, but the original dealer price was just outrageous. The reason the dealer lowered the price was that no self-respecting finance company or bank would agree to $11,000 - in my opinion $ 6000 for an XL and $7000 for an XLS would seem more reasonable.

You cannot predict what the longterm reliability will be. We purchased our 2003 after we had leased it for 4 years, assuming we had a reliable car. We greatly enjoy it still, but repair costs have been well above average, close to $2500 over two years. If the previous owners have not been using synthetic oil and frequent changes, your engine is a risk for sludge. Other problems associated with that year are front disks that warp and suspension components that go soft.

I can't recommend your proposed purchase. Unless you have a complete history, I think the price is too high and the risks too extreme.

55396 · March 2009

Italic text: text (alt+i)My concern would be your credit rating, and what you are driving now. Is it reliable? Is it paid for? Expecting any major problems? Are you paying sub prime rates on an existing loan? I know you want the car BUT, maybe you would be better off driving what you have until you get the other stuff squared away. Maybe make those payments on debt or to a savings account set up for Car. Then you will have a substantial amount down when you really do need a car or debts are paid off (assuming that be the case). Just think of sales tax, increased license, insurance etc. you will have to pay that you get no return on.
There are always cars like this coming up for sale. You just have to keep your eyes open.
You may want to look private for a retirees car that has not been parked on the street, parking lots at work, and has had regular dealer service. I just picked up a dealer paper and see 2003 Mitsubishi Galants for $3500 asking. Here, you could make sub prime resale work for you. We owned ours for 10 years and sold it for $3500. Our daughter took it to Chicago, a 350 mole trip, for her internship and it sat outside. She came home every few weeks. We never had a concern about it's reliability. As always, there are options in life. Pick the best one for you. If you made those payments to your savings account instead of buying the Avalon, how long would it take you to accumulate $3500 so you could pay cash? That's a great feeling. And, instead of paying a big sub prime interest payment, which most of your early payments would go towards, you actually earn interest on your money while you wait. Calculate it both ways and see if you are shocked at the difference. OK, that's my speil for the day.

BTW, have you read:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.ef2201f?displayRecent

OR, search on 55396 if you want to want to see more abnormal thoughts. ;-)

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef2201f!keywords=allin%3Amsgtext%2- 0limit%3A.ef2201f%2055396&count=20

fin · March 2009

You are buying a very reliable car compared to all others made in 1999. Mine went thousands of miles before we traded up for a 2003. Brakes and suspension were weak points and there were some engine sludge problems. Overall however, it was a good year for Toyota.

But, you are buying a 10 year old car. You know nothing about it. Others have suggested you attempt to find out about maintenance. Get the dealer to give you a Carfax or similar report to find any insurance claim damage, salvage, etc. Get a new emissions certificate. Also be prepared for electrical problems due to age.

Properly maintained these cars can go 200k miles without major component work. They are well built and if the mileage is correct it should last 10 more years if you take care of it. The price sounds a little high, as pointed out in a prior post. Good luck !

mcclearyfl · April 2009

I want to replace the two bushings on the front sway bar of my 2003 XLS, using a polypropylene replacement. The sway bar has a diameter of 17.3 mm. I only see 18mm diameter bushings when I do an internet search. Is this slightly larger diameter the correct bushing size?

55396 · April 2009

Hah. Another one with my delema. I thought spec said the rear sway bar was like 19mm. Thought I had better measure it before ordering. 17mm. No 17mm available. Energy recommended ordering 16mm and honing or enlarging the hole. I installed the front's with a very noticeable improvement, but have still to find a precise way to enlarge to 17.

ABFisch says the bushings may need to be relubed every 1-2 years if they make a noise. Mine have been installed for a couple of years. I thought I noticed noise when arriving in AZ this year, but it went away. I had used silicone plumbing grease which was still nice and moist where the excess had oozed out, but just for insurance, I sprayed the bushing/bar area with a 'super lube' before we left. All is well, except for the uninstalled rears. I did notice that some bushing applications listed a grease zerk, and I wondered why these couldn't be drilled for zerks also. We also installed KYB GR2 HD struts. What an improvement. Actually find myself smiling driving it hard now.

mcclearyfl · April 2009

Well, 55396, glad I'm not alone. How did you bore out the 16mm bushings? Are they split so you can just fit them without removing the sway bar?

I'm also headed towards the KYB struts - our Avalon has 83K on it, but much of this is on Florida's smooth highways so we are not yet experiencing problems typical of the flimsy originals.

55396 · April 2009

I have not found a good way to enlarge the bushing yet, and haven't seriously looked. A friends shop has adjustable hones, but alas, too large. I thought about making a tool, but low on the priority list.

The bushings are split, so you don't have to pull the sway bar, and the Energy bushings come with new brackets. I bought a set of 4 struts on ebay for $209. A great price at the time. Dunno bout now. My originals were OK at 50k, and I still have them in a box. Someone with a hi miler may be able to use a cheap set - like 50 bucks, but I haven't advertised them. We just wanted a more sporty package, and we got it.

There has been quite a bit of conversation about this. If you haven't found it, you way want to search on 55396 or ABFisch. Not sure if in this forum or on suspension. Maybe search higher up, like under Avalon forums.

mcclearyfl · April 2009

Thank you for your suggestion. I scrolled through past posts from you and Abfisch, and I came across the Energy Bushing website (again). This time I looked for a universal bushing rather than Avalon specific, and came across Part # 9.5155 -- a red polypropylene set of bushings that measure (wait for it) 17.5mm (versus my 17.3mm sway bar). They are also fitted with zerk grease nipples. Cost is $16 per set. I have ordered a set, and will report after they are installed.

I appreciate your advice

55396 · April 2009

I thought that my bar miked out at 17. Seems strange yours would be an odd number. I'll have to pull mine over the pit, pull the bushing and check again. Did you measure in the bushing area? The bar could vary in other areas. I thought the Energy tech mentioned sanding or filing out the 16mm. The problem is accuracy and there may be sand embedded in the bushing and wear on the bar over time. Not good. Let us know what you come up with. I will do the same - if I ever get to it. ;-)

secure1adt · April 2009

My 2000 Avalon won't start. The engine turns over just fine, but it wont fire.It acts like it has either no fire to the plugs or no fuel.

I had the car towed to a local garage and when it arrived they tried to crank it, it would not crank. They told me they would push it into the bay and start working on it the next day as it was already 4 pm when they got the car.

The next day the shop calls and says the car started right up, no issue. They did not do a thing to it, just got in and cranked right up. I asked them to keep it over the weekend to see if maybe it would "act up" for them Monday morning. Monday arrives, they get in and fire it up, no problem. They told me to come get it and just let them know if it happens again, no charge of course, these are good guys. Three weeks no issue, then today, i go to crank it, no go. Same issue, the car turns over but seems to either be getting no fire or no fuel.

I disconnected the battery and see if resetting the computer would help, no go.

Anyone else have this issue?

mcclearyfl · April 2009

The sway bar bushings arrived (they are 11/16, which is 17.46mm). It turns out these bushings are not split, and the sway bar has to be removed to install them. I was considering replacing the end-link bushings anyway, so I will order these and do the whole installation at the same time. However, I have commitments for the next several weeks, so the project is temporarily delayed.

hawiianavowner · April 2009

Hi-long time no read, but I broke the bezel of my right/driver side front door handle.
Broken door handles seem to be very common in Camry's, Corollas and Tundras.
Replacements abound on Amazon. I searched there and here, but haven't found any mention of this for Avalons, much less 2000 model yr.

Anyone have suggestions for replacement part source (prefer new than used bec it may happen again)?.

Also, has anyone fixed or repaired their own? I have read a Camry description, which sounded simple, but maybe Avy's are different.

mcclearyfl · April 2009

Sorry, I have no idea how to fix the handle. This is nitpicking, but the left/right side of any vehicle is determined by sitting in the driver's seat; on American cars the driver's side is thus on the left. This can be frustrating when working under the hood of a front-engined vehicle. The workshop manual may refer to an item on the left side, but from the point of view of the person peering into the engine compartment it is on the right!

hawiianavowner · April 2009

ooops, too late on a Saturday night...of course i meant the LEFT/driver side door handle. It seems the bezel serves as one hinge point for the inner handle. When the second hinge point (a screw) is lost or loosened, all the force is place on the bezel, causing it to crack.
Maybe I should ask this:

Has anyone ever removed the door trim panels? It seems complicated from the manual diaagram.

hawiianavowner · April 2009

FIXEDAloha all! I just fixed my driver side front interior door handle and it was a piece of cake! It broke too easily so I expect someone else's aging Avy will suffer the same fate. Here are some tips:

1. Tools needed: Just a flat bladed screwdriver, wrap tape at the end to avoid scratching plastic. And a philips to remove screws.
2. Time 20 min or less. You know the dealer will charge a whole hour.
3. research: Google for "broken Camry handle:, you will find many hits, also for corollas, sequoias and other Toy models. Not so much Avalons, but all handles are made of similar ABS plastic, so the older they get-failure likely from use.
4. Camry replacement handles are sold on Ebay and Amazon.com, what does that say about the failure rate? But the 2000 Camry handle does not match the 2000 avalon, mayb it is a Lexus handle.
5. Online sources were no help, so I paid $44 for the handle and $18 for the bezel from the local Toy dealer. note: the camry handle was $19 incl shipping on Ebay. But at least mine was OEM, made in Dec 2008. The bezel is part number#
69278-ACO1O-BO. The handle is #69206-AC010-B1. You need to specify color.
It was backordered but came to Hawaii 2 days after ordering.
6. On another forum (ToyotaNation), there is a step by step pictorial on replacing the Camry inner handle. Avalon's differs mostly by the armrest insert, which is carefully pried up at both ends, disconnect the wires by squeeezing the middle tab, then unscrew the visible screw. Everything else is similar enough. Really
7. The replacement handle only has two cables to disconnect/reconnect, slide it back in, then reverse the process starting with the armrest wires.
8. Last thing, my chromed ABS handle did not break. It was a plastic part behind it, and the bezel which cracked. However replacing (with new) will fix ANY part of the handle assembly- there are pics of a camry handle snapping off at the base.
Also in a pinch the rear handle can be installed in the front.

Hope this helps someone....

hawiianavowner · May 2009

just like to add:

Removing the trim panel to get access to the handle is NOT hard. It is removing 6 screws and two panel clips. Two screws are covered by plastic caps. The largest screw of the 6 is the one revealed by removing the armrest insert. The 7th screw is the one for the door handle mechanism. This screw can be tightened if needed by prying the little panel in the bezel next to the handle. You do NOT need to remove the entire trim panel just to tighten it.

Besides not fitting, another difference btw a Camry handle and the Avalon's is the chrome. But it is still plastic underneath. Would Toyota make a special handle just for the Avalon? For the model year 2000, one post suggested it could be the same as a Camry Special or Limited Edition handle, if not a Lexus one.

petras2 · June 2009

My 98 avalon runs/starts fine..dealer recommended throttle body cleaning at $150...said mileage would improve noticeably...i'm getting about 23-24 combined now..any opinions?

par_pa · July 2009

My 2000 Avy was among the firsts produced of the new generation and had short front springs. I noticed recently that front end seems lower that before. I want to check ride height, but couldn't find any specification nor proper way to measure standard curb ride height for the 2000 Avalon. As anyone information regarding those measurements. I have read somewhere that ride height may be measure from center of the wheel to lower lip of fender. Mine reads 14 3/8 inches.
PA

par_pa · July 2009

Throttle body cleaning is good preventive maintenance if you are experiencing rough idle or stumbling acceleration. It may improve mileage slightly. I have got 2 Avy, a 96 and a 2000, both average between 20 and 25 with clean throttle body. Also, it's a 45 minutes job to clean throttle. So, its your pick, 150$ for a small improvement in fuel consumption may be worthy for you, not for me.

njavalonguy · July 2009

Hi,

I have a 2000 XLS and the odo shows almost 99L miles now. Have been due for an Oil change for almost 5 months now.

Recently I am experiencing starting troubles with my car. The car starts when I crank but the RPM drops down quickly till the point the engine goes dead and I have to crank again.

This doesn't happen all the time but the frequency of this has greatly increased recently when the car fails to hold RPM after cranking for 7 to 8 times, I have to press the gas pedal to maintain the rpm and shift into "D" after which the car drives perfectly OK.

Has anybody ever faced this before ? Any suggestions on what could be wrong and how to fix it ?

~A

mcclearyfl · July 2009

This sounds very much like the Idle Air Control Valve. Your problem only occurs when you first start the car. Take a look at my post #3487.

njavalonguy · July 2009

Would like to slightly rephrase the issue which I stated above :

5-10% of the time I restart the engine when it's warm, the car will idle at 100-200rpm. If I hit the gas pedal, it revs fine but drops back down to the low idle as soon as I let off. It will stall when I put it in drive unless I rev the engine, throw it in gear, and immediately start moving. If I have to reverse out of a parking spot, it becomes quite an ordeal. If I can manage to get onto an actual road and accelerate hard, the idle returns to normal at the next red light and no more problems. It's never happened on a cold start.

Could it still need an IAC and throttle body cleaning ?

~A

mcclearyfl · July 2009

A faulty IAC will usually cause idle problems at a cold start, and not normally thereafter.

The throttle cable and the idle cable are easily adjustable. Before looking at more esoteric issues such as a vacuum leak, make sure that all the slack is taken up. Those cables will have stretched considerably over 100K miles. They can be easily accessed under the hood, and the adjustment is similar to a brake cable adjustment on a bicycle - you loosen a nut with a wrench and twist the adjuster screw with a pair of pliers, finally retightening the nut.

bwia · November 2009

My 2000 Avalon XLS has only 72,000 miles but I think it might be time to replace it with a 2010 Buick Lacrosse CXL.

I am a bit hesitant because in the last few months I have spent so much money on maintenance including:
---Brakes and rotors on all four wheels
---Set of brand new tires
---Replaced stabilizer bar bushings
---Re-sealed leaking oil pan and did a
---4-wheel alignment

I would consider a new Avalon but the current version is beginning to look dated and their is no word on a 2011 version. The new Buick Lacrosse looks great inside and out but it looks a little snug and I'm not sure if the handling is as crisp as my Avy.

Any advice on whether I should wait for the new generation Avalon or bite the bullet and go for the buick or stay put with current Avalon that is in great mechanical condition?

55396 · November 2009

Well, every car goes through periods where things like this must be done. You have already done some expensive items. 72k on this car is nothing. We have an 03 that just turned 81k and have done the same things including KYB GR2 struts. I had intended to upgrade before 70k for maximum value, but time and miles slip by. I was waiting for the 07 ES 350's to come off lease. I don't like to take the hit on a new vehicle. But, it seems that the used car market is slim. No trade ins maybe?

So, 2 ways to look at it. It may be a good time to sell or trade your used car for top dollar. On the other hand, I just commented to my wife that I really like the AV with the suspension upgrades we have done. It still runs and drives like new and is certainly more fun to drive than a CTS or STS whose steering feels wooden to me. Not sure about the new Lacrosse, but it is a handsome looking car. Do we trade while ours still has good value or shoot for 150-200k where there is little value left? I would guess that's about 8 grand less than current value on ours. But how quickly a new one loses that much. Then to, there are the license, insurance, depreciation issues etc. as opposed to possible repairs on the older vehicle. But, the savings from these 3 items alone would more than pay for possible upcoming repairs.

One method would be to make payments into an auto savings account that would go towards these costs if a new car were purchased. You wouldn't have a car payment either. When you are ready to trade, whatever wasn't spent could be applied to the down payment on a new vehicle, easing the pain considerably. Depends where we are in life also. If young with lots of other debt, I would use the latter method. You may be surprised at how quickly you can pay cash for the next one.

On the other hand, if you are retired and can afford it, maybe you deserve that new toy.

55396 · November 2009

BTW, have you driven the 2010 Lacrosse? If or when you do, how about a comparison to the AV?

"make payments into an auto savings account that would go towards these costs if a new car were purchased."

This is a good method or alternative to expensive extended warranties too. Where that premium money is just plain gone, whether you use it or not, this money is there if you need it, but if you don't, it's yours. Apply it to your next purchase.

bwia · December 2009

55396, thanks for your very thoughtful response.

In my above post I failed to mention that I had also replaced the timing belt and water pump on my 2000 Avalon.

So here I am, with a car that looks impeccable inside and outside, with no scuff marks, dents or scratches but with a trade-in value of $7,500. To me my car is easily worth $12,000 so it is because of that hit I am hesitant to trade it in on the Lacrosse.

Moreover, I read on another thread that the 2011 Avalon might be unveiled in the spring so maybe I should wait a little longer. Besides, the Lacrosse is in short supply so dealers are getting full MSRP and one local dealer even has the gall to ask for $2,000 over MSRP. I don't really blame them since the car is hot and in short supply.

roy41 · December 2009

My Toyota Avalon 2004 XLS has been remarkably trouble free. It now has 112,000 miles. Recently I had the transmission flushed and now the tranny is slipping somewhat in reverse....forward is no problem....
By the way, I was not having any issies with the transmission prior to the flush...just preventative maintenance.
Is this a coincidence or are these issues related?
Any ideas on what the problem could be and what it'll take to be repaired?
Thanks, in advance, for your help.

sharkmama49 · February 2010

on my 03 av the key is becoming almost impossible to turn in the ignition. Is anyone else having this problem or know how to fix. was told if get new ignition will have seperate keys for door and ignition. also suggested to call a locksmith to see if he can fix the tumblers. any suggestions?

davidb4775 · February 2010

My daughter had this problem in her 95 Avalon. Specifically, her problem was inserting the key, turning it and removing it from the ignition. It got worse and worse with time to the point that it was almost impossible to remove the key. Took it to a mechanic, who thought the ignition lockout cable might be stretched. Its a cable that runs from the gear shift to the ignition, preventing the key from being removed when the gearshift is not in park. Had a hard time embracing that diagnosis, so I took the car to a locksmith.

He lubed the key/ignition with a silicone spray and saw what I was talking about. I had one of my original car keys that was only used to make copies. He made another copy in case my daughters key was the problem. The new copy also had problems. He sent me to a nearby Firestone. They removed the ignition and sent it back to the locksmith. He, in turn, reworked the ignition and replaced the pins/tumblers. Got it back two days later and it works perfectly. As its been a couple years, I don't recall the exact price. Its seems that Firestone charged around $80. The locksmith was a friend and didn't charge me but I would think that it would run around $50. The locksmith said that, with time, the lubrication in the ignition (or any of the locks) will dry out. At some point when you insert the key, it will start bending pins and it will become more and more difficult to use the ignition. Hope that helps. Good luck.

jesch1 · February 2010

Many thanks for these entries. My 02 AVY has been having a relay hang up under the hood. The Service people were little help. Quite by chance, I found that the key entry stopped the hang up and with upward pressure when removing the key it stopped the hang up and noise. That process later failed. Service and other electrical consultations only established it wasn't electrical as they at first thought.
Spray by Service seemed to help in shortfall, but problem returned shortly thereafter. It is there now! Service has said no harm in short run as system disengages and battery will not run down. Reinserting key and removal process may stop the hang up but not solve the problem.

Your tumbler acknowledgement problem confirms my analysis. I'll keep you informed of solution. Thanks again.

tfelton · February 2010

My wife had a similar problem with our 1998 Sienna. With 222K miles it got to the point where she couldn't get the key out of the ignition all the time and had a hard time starting the car. The problem was a worn out key. Had a new key made by using the VIN (not copying the actual key) and everything works normal again.

sharkmama49 · February 2010

thanks for all your suggestions. I really appreciate this board. We called a locksmith and he came to the house and found one of the tumblers was bent so he took a couple of them out, he said that wouldn't hurt anything. Only thing was that when he had it out he said the ignition had to be in accessory position while he did it and the car wouldn't start when he was done, but we got a good battery so he just had to jump it for a second. It's working great now. And the best thing was he was with AAA and it was charged as an emergency road service and it didn't cost us anything!

chev3 · February 2010

TOYOTA DEAL: HERE COMES THE SLUDGE JUDGE
Mark Rechtin, Automotive News / January 8, 2007

LOS ANGELES -- Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. has quietly settled a
class-action lawsuit that covers about 3.5 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles
that may have been damaged by engine oil sludge. Details of the settlement,
which allows for third-party mediation of sludge claims rejected by Toyota,
have been mailed to 7.5 million current and previous owners.

Critics contend Toyota has told customers and dealers too little about
sludge issues. They say some customers took vehicles with dead engines to
dealers who had little or no knowledge of the problem and often assumed it
was the owners' fault. Unhappy customers had no remedy other than hiring a
lawyer to go after Toyota.
Under the agreement, owners whose claims have been denied by Toyota may
submit them to a third-party mediator at no cost for binding arbitration.
"This settlement breathes life into claims that have been dead for years,"
said Gary Gambel, a lawyer for plaintiffs who sued Toyota. "This is not a
settlement that gives a few dollars to everyone. The relief is exactly tied
to the problems and damages that someone might have." The lawsuit, filed in
a Louisiana district court, is expected to be approved by the court in early
February. Toyotas at risk

About 3.3 million Toyota vehicles are susceptible to oil sludge, which can
cause thousands of dollars in damage and require replacement of the engine.
Here are the vehicles included in the settlement.

VEHICLE MODEL YEARS
Camry 4 cyl. 1997-2001
Camry 6 cyl. 1997-2002
Camry Solara 4 cyl. 1999-2001
Camry Solara 6 cyl. 1999-2002
Sienna 6 cyl. 1998-2002
Avalon 6 cyl. 1997-2002
Celica 4 cyl. 1997-1999
Highlander 6 cyl. 2001-2002
Lexus ES 300 1997-2002
Lexus RX 300 1999-2002

Chink in the armor?
Sludge is gelled oil that fails to lubricate engine parts. It can lead to
damage, often requiring a new engine at a cost that can exceed $10,000.
Complaints about sludged engines have plagued several carmakers, but
Toyota's troubles have been especially controversial in light of its
reputation for vehicle quality.

The issue highlights a possible chink in the company's armor. Executives
fear Toyota is growing too fast for its engineering resources. That could
lead to quality snags and a tarnished reputation.

When a customer takes a sludge-caked engine to a dealership, there is
usually a "clean-out" procedure. The head is pulled and a service technician
tries try to steam out the sludge. If that doesn't work, the engine must be
replaced.

Sludge can result from poor engine design; overly tight tolerances between
moving parts; improper cooling; and poor maintenance by consumers. Toyota
insists the problem arises mainly when owners fail to change their oil
frequently enough.

The agreement does not find Toyota at fault.
"The settlement doesn't mean that Toyota or Lexus vehicles are predisposed
to develop oil gel," according to the notice. "The court did not decide
which side was right."

After Toyota had received 3,400 sludge complaints by 2002 it extended its
vehicle warranty to eight years and unlimited miles. The program was offered
to owners of 1997-2002 Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with 3.0-liter V-6
or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engines. The company declined to give an updated
number of complaints.

The terms
Under terms of the settlement:
* Owners of damaged vehicles have eight years plus 120 days from the
original purchase date to file a complaint.
* If Toyota denies the claim, owners can appeal to a judge-appointed
third-party administrator: J. Robert Ates, a New Orleans lawyer.
* Customers who have already made repairs may be able to recover the costs.
* Only those who elect not to participate in the settlement can sue Toyota
individually. The deadline for that choice was Dec. 31, 2006.
* The settlement is transferable to future vehicle owners.
* The car only needs to show evidence of oil sludge. It is not necessary for
the owner to have made repairs during the claim period.
* Damages that can be recovered include loss in value of the vehicle and
incidental costs, such as rental cars. Past lawyers' fees, mental anguish
and bodily injuries are not covered.
A Toyota spokesman said the agreement is not a defeat for the automaker.

"The settlement validates the customer support program we implemented four
years ago," Xavier Dominicis said. "The terms of the program remain
unchanged. There always was a way for customers to appeal our decision."

Plaintiff lawyers disagree. They say Toyota failed to communicate the extent
of the problem to its dealers and customers. Toyota's appeal process also
meant hiring a lawyer, which many consumers could not afford. It costs
nothing to file an appeal with Ates. "The consumer only needs to show
reasonable maintenance in terms of oil changes," Gambel said. "You don't
need to prove where the sludge came from, or explain your driving habits. If
you have oil sludge, Toyota pays" the consumer.

Consumers can get more information by calling 888-279-4405 or at
www.oilgelsettlement.com.
It all sounds great but here in Australia it means nothing whatever happens
in the rest of the world seems not to apply in Australia, even if an owner of a Toyota Avalon Grande 2000
comes so close to death, by a Engine blowing up due to Sludge, some people may not understand
the sheer terror and panic I felt.
So all I can say to the people that have accelerator problems is, GOD help you.
:lemon:

glfinman · February 2010

i have a 97 avalon with 230,000 and runs today like the day it was new.
it is the responsibility of the owner to know ALL about motoring. Use
synthetic oil! Cost $50 more for oil change but i will run the car to 350,000 miles.
A person cannot expect to get in listento their favorite rock station day in and day out with not regard to mechanics without repercussions! I had an 02 which I put
225,000 and traded in when my wife wrecked the second car. I got the old 97 and
she got the 05 Highlander. if you buy the cheapest tires, oil, and parts you will get the least performance. Sorry for the tone.

Toyota Avalon 2004 and earlier

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles