2000 TOYOTA AVALON Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

GOOD AFTERNOON ,MY NAME IS [XXX] AND SOME TIME AGO .I WAS CONTACTED BY THE OFFICE OF [XXX] CONCERNING THE FACTORY DEFECT THAT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND MAY HAVE EVEN KILLED DRIVERS THROUGH THE EXPOSURE OF CARBON MONOXIDE.TOYOTA EXECUTIVE CONTINUES TO DENY THIS CLAIM HOPING I WILL GO AWAY.I AM AWAITING YOUR RESPONSE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROMISED INSPECTION OF MY CAR.MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN POISONED BY THE CARBON MONOXIDE SEEPING INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE VENTS.TROTTER FORD TOYOTA IN PINE BLUFF,ARKANSAS SAID THE CAR HAD CARBON MONOXIDE GOING ALL OVER THE CAR AND THAT THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS.I CONTACTED TOYOTA EXECUTIVE CEO [XXX] OFFICE .HE SENT A MAN DOWN TO INSPECT MY CAR .THE PERSON ASSIGNED TO THE CAR TRIED TO BASH ME AND IN THE PROCESS ADMITTED SEVERAL DANGEROUS COMPONENTS TO THIS CAR.I AM ASKING TO SPEAK BEFORE CONGRESS ON THIS MATTER .I DON'T CARE HOW OLD THIS CAR IS I DONT DESERVE TO BE POISONED TO DEATH BY CARBON MONOXIDE. *BF *JS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *PM *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES, THE VEHICLE BEGUN TO PERFORM NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

OUR 2000 TOYOTA AVALON 6 CYLINDER ENGINE SHUT DOWN DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER (CHAMPION TOYOTA) WHERE THEY TOLD US THE ENGINE IS DEAD DUE TO THE YEARS OF OIL SLUDGE. NO ONE TOLD US THAT THE 2000-2002 AVLON WAS IN A QUIET RECALL CALLED CSP TO "FIX" THOSE ENGINES. THE FIGURE FOR A NEW ENGINE IS $9000, WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A AUTO SHOP NEAR THE HOUSE WHERE THE OIL SLUDGE WAS CLEANED. WE GOT THE CAR BACK. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY INTERSECTION LATE AT NIGHT. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AS IT WAS VERY LATE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CHARLES MAUND TOYOTA WHO SOLD US THE CAR (CAR PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY THE OWNER CHARLES MAUND. WE BOUGHT IT WITH 7000 MILES ON IT IN 2000T. THE MECHANICS THERE CLEANED THE SLUDGE AND TRY TO TEST DRIVE, ONLY TO HAVE THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AGAIN..THEY TOOK IT APART AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DUE TO THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND HAS THEM TO MAKE GOOD ON THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CSP AND WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT DURING THE TIME LIMIT PLACED ON THE CSP BY TOYOTA CORP. THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL DOCUMENTED. WE HAVE REGULARLY CHANGED THE OIL, THOUGH NOT ALWAYS WITH TOYOTA DEALER AS WE HAVE MOVED. THE ENGINE BREAKDOWN COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENTS HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COAST TO A NARROW SHOULDER BY THE CORNER OF 2222/360 HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE. WE WANT TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT MR. CHARLES MAUND MAY HAVE RECEIVED THE CSP NOTICE AS HE WAS THE "ORIGINAL OWNER" BUT FAIL TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO US. WE HAVE PURCHASED 2 VEHICLES FROM CHARLES MAUND AND WERE REGULAR MAINTENANCE CUSTOMERS SO THEY HAVE OUR RECORDS AND WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE OIL SLUDGE 6 CYLINDER AVALONS. *TR

Mileage: 125,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON. IN THE MORNINGS, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER, THE CONTACT MAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE SHE EXCEEDED HER WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 63,000.

Mileage: 63,000

I OWN A TOYOTA AVALON 2000 WITH <87000; 4 WEEKS AGO THE CAR EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE THAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE AS A RESULT OF LOW OIL VOLUME MOST LIKELY DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD-UP. I HAVE REGULARLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE ALL THE RECEIPTS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO AVOID TAKING BLAME, BUT AFTER TWO INDEPENDENT ADJUSTED VIEWED THE CAR, THE DEALERSHIP HAS PUT ME IN A LOANER VEHICLE. I AM AWAITING A RETURN CALL FROM THE REGIONAL MANAGER, BUT THEY ARE TAKING A LONG TIME TO RESPOND; THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR 4 WEEKS. I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND FOUND TOYOTA REPORTED OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS AND HAS COVERED COSTS OF REPAIRS. I AM, HOWEVER, HAVING GREAT DIFFICULTY GETTING SOMETHING DONE WITH MY CAR. *JB

Mileage: 86,496

THE CONSUMER PAID FOR REPAIRS OF TIMING BELT, ALTERNATOR BELT, POWER STEERING BELT, HUB AND WHEEL BEARING, AND O-RING ON 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. CONSUMER VIN NOT INCLUDED IN REAR HUB ASSEMBLY RECALL. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD THE LEFT REAR AXLE BEARING REPLACED PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE REPAIR FACILITY INDICATED THAT THEY COULD NOT HONOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DATES LISTED ON THE RECALL. *NM

Mileage: 88,677

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND VSC AND VSC OFF LIGHT WENT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER INDICATED THAT A VALVE IN THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AND THE CANISTER ITSELF NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE COMPONENTS ARE PART OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM AND THE VSC IS PART OF THE SAME CIRCUIT HENCE BOTH SETS OF WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON. DEALER INDICATED THAT IF YOU TOP OFF THE TANK THE EXTRA GAS SPILLS OVER INTO THE CANISTER AND CAN OVERWHELM THE VALVE CAUSING EXCESSIVE USAGE AND POSSIBLE SHORTING. I INDICATED THAT I HAVE NEVER TOPPED OFF THE TANK IN THIS CAR, DEALER HAD NO OTHER EXPLANATION. PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE TOYOTA $1800 EXTRA CARE GOLD EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND COST TO REPLACE CANISTER WAS $285.00, AND $31.00 FOR VALVE, PLUS $285.00 LABOR. NOTE:78K MILES ON VEHICLE, SAME EXACT PROBLEM ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS: 6/11/03 NEW VALVE, VACUUM SWI INSTALLED, TOTAL CHARGE $152.11 52,587 MILEAGE 10/16/03 DIAGNOSIS & CLEAN SENSOR REINSTALL CODE, TOTAL CHARGE $130.50 56,694 MILEAGE 6/24/04 DIAGNOSIS & REINSTALL CODE, TOTAL CHARGE $43.50 60,252 MILEAGE. *NM

I TOOK MY AVALON IN BECAUSE THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE UPON ENGINE START. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILDUP CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER MAINTAINANCE AND THAT THEY WOULD CLEAN OUT THE ENGINE AND THAT SHOULD HELP. BUT THE FACT IS THE CAR NOW PINGS SO LOUD YOU CAN NOT HEAR THE RADIO. NO IT IS NOT THE GAS. THEY BLAMED THE SLUDGE PROBLEM ON MY MAINTENANCE. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT THE CAR UP TO DATE ON THE OIL CHANGES. THE MILES AT THAT TIME WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000. I HAVE HEARD MANY TOYOTA'S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MILES I HAVE NOW ARE 50,000. *NM

Mileage: 30,000

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS RELEASED VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. ONCE VEHICLE STOPS ONLY THEN CAN IT BE RESTARTED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

Mileage: 70,000

THE ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF TWICE WHILE DRIVING 40 TO 65 MPH. DEALER TEST DROVE VEHICLE FOR 125 MILES HOWEVER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG THE VEHICLE. *TT *NLM

CHANGED ENGINE OIL AS DIRECTED BY TOYOTA DEALER ON MY NEW 2000 TOYOTA AVALON (EVERY 3,000 MILES). WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM EXHAUST IN LATE 2001. TOOK IT IN TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPT. WAS ACCUSED OF NOT KEEPING UP ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES) ON THE VEHICLE, AS SLUDGE HAD BUILT UP UNDER VALVE COVER AND IN ENGINE. WAS TOTALLY LIVID AT THIS UNTRUE ACCUSATION. WAS TOLD I NEEDED $4,000 TO REPAIR. I HAD TO TRADE THE VEHICLE IN ON A NEW TOYOTA VEHICLE -- STARTING AT $4,000 IN THE RED. FOR EXAMPLE, NEW VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY $26,000. TO THAT TOYOTA ADDED THE $4,000 TO IT. I NOW OWE $30,000 ON A VEHICLE WORTH MUCH MUCH LESS. I'M ENRAGED AND WANT A $4,000 CREDIT BACK TO MY BALANCE ON MY NEW VEHICLE AFTER LEARNING OF THE OBVIOUS RELEVATION THAT TOYOTA IS TO BLAME FOR A FAULTY ENGINE PROBLEM ON MANY OF ITS VEHICLES. I WORK FOR A LAW FIRM AND WILL STOP AT NOTHING SHORT OF THIS OUTCOME. THANK YOU.

Mileage: 40,000

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 1MPH (ONE MILES) BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC, VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CAR, SHIFTED AGAIN FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND SMASHING THE VEHICLE BEHIND. DEALER HAS BEEN REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

THE VEHICLE HAS A STALLS FROM TIME TO TIME WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. ALREADY I'VE HAD FIVE DIFFENT OCCASIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE WON'T START. I 'VE TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER TWICE THEY TELL ME THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT ITHEY KEPT IT OVERNIGHT, AND WAS TOLD BY THE ASSISTANT MANAGER THEY CHECKED THE COMPUTER, STARTER, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VERY NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT START. I'M VERY UPSET BY THIS MATTER, AND NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY ISSUE I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO STALL. I CAN'T TRAVEL FAR FOR THIS REASON. I ALSO LEFT TWO MESSAGES WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO HAVE NOT RETURNED ANY OF MY CALLS. I FEEL THAT THE CAR HAS SOME TYPE OF DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE JUSTICE IN THIS MATTER.&*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT INTO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER IN THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE PEOPLE ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A LOT OF CANNISTERS ON VARIOUS TOYOTA MODELS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD. SLUDGE LIKE SUBSTANCE IN OIL MAKES VEHICLE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WATER PUMP WENT OUT, CAUSE KNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD. SLUDGE LIKE SUBSTANCE IN OIL MAKES VEHICLE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WATER PUMP WENT OUT, CAUSE KNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK

ANYTIME VEHICLE IS STARTED UP MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT FROM REAR FOR AS LONG AS 3 MINUTES, AND VEHICLE RUNS HARD. DEALER STATED IT WAS NEGLECT, NOT GETTING ENOUGH OIL CHANGES. VEHICLE NEEDED A TOTAL OF 6 OIL CHANGES, AND CONSUMER HAD ONLY GOTTEN 5 OIL CHANGES. VALVE CAP WAS REMOVED, AND BLACK SLUDGE HAD BUILD UP. DEALER'S REMEDY WAS TO FLUSH THE ENGINE, WHICH MADE IT WORSE. *AK

IMPACT ON RIGHT FRONT, SEVERE ENOUGH TO KNOCK ENGINE OUT OF MOUNT. *AK