2007 Toyota Avalon VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE TOYOTA RECALL NOTICES, EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN HER 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. *KB SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, IT MADE A LOUD NOISE. LURCHED FORWARD AND BUMPED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED TO REMOVE THE FLOOR MAT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MAT WAS RE-ATTACHED. *JB

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 11:30 AM, I DROVE ABOUT 4 MILES, GOT ONTO A FREEWAY (NORTHBOUND I-5) IN SAN DIEGO, AT WHICH TIME MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FEET, SAW THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS CORRECTLY IN PLACE. THE CAR BEHAVED AS THOUGH "CRUISE CONTROL" WERE ON, SO I TOGGLED CRUISE CONTROL ON, THEN OFF. I ALSO DEPRESSED THE BUTTON FOR TURNING THE CAR OFF (IT HAS A "SMART KEY" IGNITION), BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. ENGINE SPEED CONTINUED TO INCREASE. MY BRAKES COULD SLOW THE CAR A BIT (FROM 70 MPH DOWN TO 65 MPH, BUT THE CAR QUICKLY ACCELERATED BACK UP TO 70 MPH AND HIGHER. I DOWN-SHIFTED (INTO ONE OF THE "MOUNTAIN-DRIVING" GEARS, THEN DOWN-SHIFTED AGAIN AS I CONTEMPLATED HOW TO NAVIGATE AROUND TRAFFIC AND OFF THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE TACHOMETER INDICATED THAT THE SPEED WAS INCREASING. I TRANSITIONED OFF THE I-5 AND ONTO THE EASTBOUND I-8 FREEWAY, AND SLOWED ENOUGH, WITH ALL MY WEIGHT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, TO THE NEAREST OFFRAMP. I COULD NOT BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP, BUT FINALLY SHIFTED INTO PARK BEFORE HITTING ANYTHING. I NOW SHUT OFF THE CAR. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, IN PARK, AND THE ENGINE SPEED METER INDICATED 4500 RPM IN A FEW SECONDS. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND PHONED AAA TO TOW ME TO THE NEAREST DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE FOR THIS UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CALLED. THEY SAID TO PICK UP THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THAT NORMALLY SERVICES THIS VEHICLE, AND THEY HAD THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEY DID SOME MINOR REPAIR ON THE THROTTLE, BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE NOR FIX THE CASE OF THIS. THEY ALSO REPAIRED THE BRAKES, WHICH WERE BADLY BURNED. I WAS APPREHENSIVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND FINALLY TOLD THE DEALER TO GET ME A REPLACEMENT, WHICH I AM NOW DRIVING. THE CAR WHICH HAD UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION IS AT THE DEALERS LOT AS OF YESTERDAY. *TR UPDATED 11/18/09

WE HAVE A TOYOTA AVALON 2007 & HAVE NOTICED THAT AFTER WE REENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL THERE IS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION UP TO THE PRESET SPEED, THERE HAS ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES PAST THE PRESET SPEED & WE HAVE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL & THEN RESET IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH INTO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A PILLAR ON JULY 4, 2007. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CRASH OCCURRED THREE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. ALL 5 OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND INJURED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND REPAIRED FOR $17,859.81. THE AIR BAGS WERE ALSO REPLACED. A POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE CRASH ARE AVAILABLE. SHE SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND FILED CASE#0910100910 WITH THE MANUFACTURER ON OCTOBER 2, 2009. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT SHE MUST SUBMIT PROOF TO CONFIRM IF THE CRASH WAS RELATED TO THE FLOOR MATS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,723. RK

2007 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED. DEFECTIVE LASER CRUISE CONTROL. NOTE: VEHICLE HAS KEYLESS IGNITION. WHEN ACTIVATED THE UNIT WOULD REGISTER OBSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE NOT THERE OR WOULD NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE A VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT. WHEN THE UNIT RECOGNIZES THE OBJECT IT STARTS TO SLOW DOWN, APPLY THE BRAKES, AND WHEN THE OBSTRUCTION IS FAR ENOUGH AWAY IT RESUMES SPEED. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN IT RESUMES SPEED. THE ACCELERATOR IS ALMOST PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND ACCELERATION IS RAPID. THE BEST WAY TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM IS FROM THE CONTROL STALK ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN JULY OF 2007. AFTER TWO YEARS OF COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER THE UNIT WAS RECOGNIZED AS BEING DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED IN JUNE 2009. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY DIRECTIVE FROM TOYOTA USA CONCERNING A PROBLEM WITH THE UNIT. WITH ALL THE PUBLICITY THAT TOYOTA IS RECEIVING CONCERNING ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS, I THOUGHT THAT IN SOME CASES THE CAUSE MAY BE RELATED TO COMPUTER PROBLEM IN ADDITION TO A 'JAMMED" OR STUCK ACCELERATOR. *TR

DEAR NHTSA, I BOUGHT THE TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED EDITION 2007. MY WIFE IS THE MAIN DRIVER FOR THIS VEHICLE. SHE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THE GAS ACCELERATION ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE PAST 6 WEEKS. I JUST CALLED TOYOTA MANUFACTURE AND COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT MY CONCERN AND THEY GAVE ME THE DOCUMENTATION # . THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR CHECK UP. I TOLD THEM THAT WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES BY ITSELF ON AND OFF SOMETIMES, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE TECHNICIAN TO IDENTIFIES THE ISSUE. I ASKED TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE TO MAIL ME A LETTER IN REGARDING THE ISSUE IF THEY IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE GAS ACCELERATOR FOR TOYOTA CARS AND TRUCKS. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE. *TR

FIND WHEN I AM ON CRUISE CONTROL IN MY 2007 TOYOTA AVALON AND I REDUCE SPEED ON RESUMING SPEED USING MY REMOTE ENGINE SURGES AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND BRAKES ARE SLOW IN RESPONDING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ;LATEST BEING ON DATE LISTED BELOW

2007 TOYOTA AVALON PROBLEMS WITH CRUISE CONTROL. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE ROAD CONDITION CHANGES AND HE PUTS THE CRUISE CONTROL BACK ON IT WILL JUMP AND THE RPM'S WILL JUMP FROM 2100 TO 4800. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED WELL UNTIL THE ROAD CONDITIONS CHANGED. IF THE ROAD CONDITIONS CHANGED THE CONSUMER HAD TO TOUCH THE BRAKE AND TAKE THE VEHICLE OFF CRUISE CONTROL TEMPORALLY. WHEN THE ROAD CONDITIONS CHANGED AGAIN, AND THE SPEED WAS NO MORE THAN 6-7 MPH BELOW THE SPEED SET ON THE CRUISE CONTROL THE TACHOMETER READING WAS 2,100 THE CONSUMER RESTORED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO THE SETTING BEING USED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JOLTED AHEAD AS IF THE CONSUMER PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR. THE TACHOMETER SUDDENLY JUMPED FROM 2,100 TO 4,800 RPM TO RAISE THE VEHICLE SPEED 6 OR 7 MPH. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED TO PASS A VEHICLE AD IT TOOK OFF AND WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE BRAKES WOULD HOLD THE VEHICLE AT THAT SPEED. THE CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE NEEDLE HAD REDLINED. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO DELAY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND THEN TAKE OFF RAPIDLY. UPDATED 12/12/07

I AM ON HIGHWAY WITH 65MPH SPEED. I TURNED THE LASER CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME IS SLOWING DOWN, THE LASER CRUISE CONTROL DETECTS THE SPEED AND SLOW DOWN AUTOMATICALLY. HOWEVER, THE DEFECT IS: THE BRAKING LIGHTS NEVER LIGHT UP WHILE THE CAR IS SLOWING DOWN. IT ALMOST CAUSES ME AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME CAN NOT RECOGNIZE MY CAR BEING BRAKED. IT HAPPENS MANY TIMES AT CRUISING WITH HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR

NOV 23, 2006: IN REPOSITIONING MY 2007 AVALON XLS IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY SISTER'S HOUSE, I SLOWLY PULLED FORWARD TO RE-PARK AND APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP AND THE ACCELERATOR IMMEDIATELY WENT TO HIGH RPMS - I HAD TO BRAKE VERY HARD TO KEEP FROM HITTING MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND HIS HOUSE. I WAS BRAKING - AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. ON DEC 23, 2006 THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED TWO BLOCKS IN A ROW IN OUR CONGESTED DOWNTOWN AREA. THE 1ST TIME, I WAS STOPPING VERY SLOWLY; THE SECOND TIME I WAS BRAKING TO WAIT FOR A PARKING SPACE. THE 1ST TIME I TRIED CHANGING GEARS AND THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE SECOND TIME I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. MY WIFE WAS A WITNESS. I DROVE THIS CAR FOR THE MONTH AFTER IT'S PURCHASE NEW (SEP 6, 2006), EVERY 2ND/3RD DAY FOR THE MONTH OF OCT 2006, AND OFF/ON DURING NOV 2006 WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. I TOLD THE LOCAL/DISTRICT TOYOTA PERSONNEL THAT I COULD NOT TRUST THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN PARKED EITHER AT THE DEALERSHIP OR IN MY GARAGE ALMOST EVERY DAY SINCE DEC 23, 2006. THE DISTRICT TOYOTA PERSONNEL SAID THAT THEY DID NOT CONSIDER MY CAR UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY 'COULD NOT FIND ANY ERROR CODES' IN THE CAR'S SYSTEM, AND ON THE 102 MILE TEST DRIVE THEY DID, WITHOUT ME PRESENT, THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE MY PROBLEM. THEY DID SIMULATE IT BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME!!!! I WAS ON THE HIGHEST ALERT THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 23RD! MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR! I WAS BRAKING ALL THREE TIMES - OR ELSE MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED, HIS HOUSE DAMAGED, AND CARS DOWNTOWN HIT. I RESENT THE INSINUATION THAT I WAS PUSHING BOTH PEDALS ALL THREE TIMES. NO EXPLANATION WHY I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THE NEARLY THREE MONTHS (WITH THE SAME SHOES ON) BEFORE THE PROBLEM FIRST AROSE. TOYOTA CLOSED MY PROBLEM REPORT AS 'SOLVED' EVEN THOUGH THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE DID NOT CONSIDER IT 'SOLVED'. WHY? *NM

WE HAD A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR CONDUCTING A CLASS USING THE 2007 AVALON. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS DRIVING AND ACCELERATED TO PASS A VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND THE ACCELERATORS STUCK AND THE CAR REACHED 8000+ RPMS THE INSTRUCTOR HAD TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF, USING THE PUSH BUTTON START. IT FINALLY TURNED OFF AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES ON THE PUSH BUTTON. ONCE THE MOTOR TURNED OFF THE ACCELERATOR THEN CAME UP SLOWLY BY ITS SELF. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND WERE TOLD IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE FLOOR MATS. THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE IN THIS CAR AND THEY ALL SAW THE SAME THING. THE FLOOR MATS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE HAD THE DEALER GO OVER THE CAR AND AGAIN WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WE HOWEVER DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR FINDINGS. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTS TO THE LOWEST GEAR. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE REVS AND THE TIRES SKID. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING UP THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS THE VEHICLE'S NEW DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM AND ALL OF THE NEW TOYOTA'S PERFORM IN THIS MANNER. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.