2003 Toyota Avalon VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
AT 70MPH CAR WILL ACCELERATE APROX. 5MPH, THEN DROP BACK TO 70MPH UPON EXITING THE FREEWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT DECELERATE LOWER THAN 40MPH. I APPLIED BRAKES, PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. UPON RESTARTING, OPERATION RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS SAME DEFECT HAS OCCURRED TWICE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES; HOWEVER , THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND CRASHED INTO SOME BUSHES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING INDICATORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 45,000. NEW YORK POLICE REPORT. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, AND IT CRASHED INTO A PARKED FORD PICK UP TRUCK. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ,AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SHOULDER INJURY DUE TO THE SEAT BELT. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT STATED DUE TO THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SHE WAS HAVING HEARING PROBLEMS AND EXPERIENCED DISCOMFORT TO HER TEETH. THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT EXPERIENCED CHEST PAINS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY RECEIVED VEHICLE BACK BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS INCIDENT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. UPDATE 5/3/07*TR THE CONSUMER STATED THEY HAD AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY RAPID ACCELERATION AND CAUSED OVER $13,500 IN DAMAGES. THE CONSUMER FURTHER STATED THEY ESCAPED THE ACCIDENT WITH MINOR BRUISES AND THEY HAVE RETRIEVED VIA WEBSITE 9 OTHER CASES WITH SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND SINCE REPORTED TO THE AGENCY. THE CONSUMER STATED WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION DONE DUE TO THE FACT THAT AN ARTICLE IN THE WASHINGTON POST STATED AN ALL WEATHER FLOOR MAT CAN TRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL WHEN NOT PROPERLY SECURED AND CONSUMER IS WONDERING WHETHER THIS IS IN FACT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR VEHICLE. *TR
WHILE STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COLLIDED WITH A HOUSE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP IN ORDER TO DRIVE STRAIGHT INTO THE GARAGE. WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE RACED BACKWARDS OUT OF CONTROL, HIT A PARKED VAN, A TREE AND STOPPED SIDE WAYS ON THE GRASS. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED A BADLY BRUISED LEFT HAND AND INDEX FINGER. CONSUMER REQUESTED TOYOTA TO REFUND THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE, COST OF EXTENDED WARRANTY AND COST OF REPAIRS. *PH *JB UPDATED 04/30/10.*JB
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, JUMPED A CURB AND ENDED UP IN STORE FRONT. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TOYOTA TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AND REFUND THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE. *SCC *JB
WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES ENGINE WOULD START TO REV THIS WOULD CAUSE A HESITATION IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER AND THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED.*AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2003 Toyota Avalon has 32 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL complaints on file. 23 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.