2013 Toyota Avalon Structure

I recently took my car in for maintenance and I was offered a complimentary car wash. 1 week after the wash, I noticed there were cloth fibers stuck between the rear side body panels. When i pulled them out, there was evidence of rust and corrosion right underneath. I suspected the cloth fibers were from the dealership's car wash so i contacted them. They confirmed the fibers are from their machine but claimed the rust is caused by a pre-existing problem (there is a small gap between the side body that was noted in the pre-inspections), when asked if the rust was noted during pre-inspections as well, they refused to answer my question. There was no evidence of rust or corrosion on the car before this incident and there are other fibers stuck in the side body panels as well which i haven't taken out yet. I have previously taken my car through car washes but this incident has never happened before. Toyota's service center refuses to look into the matter further.

The moonroof area has rattling noise at speeds exceeding 60 mph. A similar rattling noise is also noted from the driver side A pillar of the car at all driving speeds.

WHEN IT RAINS HEAVILY (WITHIN THE TWO MONTHS I HAVE OWNED IT), THE ROOF AND/OR SUNROOF LEAKS CAUSING WATER DAMAGE IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE ROOF. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND A CAUSE AFTER THE INITIAL SUNROOF DRAIN WAS CLEARED.

THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED ON MARCH 10 2017AND SCHEDULED AN APOINTMENT ON MARCH 15 2017. IS THE HEADLINER HAS SEPARATED AND FALLING DOWN BEHIND MY MOONROOF OR SUNROOF OPENING LEAVING A GAP. PUSH IT BACK UP AND IT POPS BACK LOOSE. IT LOOKS LIKE THE TWO DUAL LOCK FASTENERS HAVE FAILED ON BOTH SIDES. THEY LOOK MORE LIKE STICK ON PADS TRYING TO HOLD UP SOMETHING THAT IS TOO HEAVY. PER THE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN THE BULLENTIN PERTAINING TO THIS REPAIR CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT OF DUAL LOCK FASTENERS AND THE ADDITIONAL OF A MAGNET AFFIXED TO THE HEADLINER. REPAIR PROCEDURE REQUIRES 3 HOURS FOR PREP, OPERATION STEPS AND CURING OF EPOXY FOR $300.00 FIX. WITH 18,235 MILES ON MY CAR IT SHOULDN'T BE COMING APART NOW. IF YOU KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM WHY DIDN'T YOU INFORMED THE CUSTOMERS BEFORE INVESTING BECAUSE I WOULD OF LEFT IT ON THE LOT. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SPEND MONEY FOR A WORKAROUND THAT DOESN'T WORK. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BESIDE YOU CAN'T FIX IT OR HAVEN'T FOUND THE RIGHT WORKAROUND.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, THE FLOORMAT BECAME STUCK UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PREVENTED IT FROM BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN 2014 AND THE REMEDY WAS TO ADD TWO CLIPS TO THE FLOORMAT. ONE OF THE CLIPS WAS FRACTURED DURING THE RECENT FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND THE CARPET SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE CARPET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,454.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE MIRRORS CAUSED A GLARE ONTO THE DASHBOARD IMPAIRING THE CONTACT'S VISION. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE IS THE HEADLINER COMING DOWN, IT HAS BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERS FOR REPAIR, AND TO DATE IT IS STILL NOT CORRECTED. I WAS TOLD BY THE LAST DEALERSHIP, THAT THEY CAN NOT FIX IT ANYMORE, IT IS TAKING AWAY FROM THERE MAN HOURS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN FILED IN A COURT SETTING, AWAITING A COURT DATE. THIS ISSUE IS GOING TO CAUSE HARM TO SOMEONE SOON, AND TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE HEADLINER ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOTED TO BE FALLING DOWN IN AUGUST 2013, JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR WHERE THEY GLUED IT BACK IN PLACE. JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, THE HEADLINER AGAIN BEGAN TO DROOP AND TODAY, IT CONTINUES TO IMPAIR VISIBILITY OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. *TR

I HAD WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP PLAZA TOYOTA IN BROOKLYN NY TO HAVE THEM TAKE A LOOK AT THE REAR HEADLINER THAT HAD BEEN COMING DOWN. I WAS TOLD THAT MY APPOINTMENT WAS TOO LATE IN THE EVENING SO I HAD TO SET AN EARLIER APPOINT WHICH WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AFTER THE HOLIDAY. I DROPPED MY CAR OFF AT ABOUT 9AM ON JULY 8TH AND PICKED IT UP ABOUT 6:30PM THAT DAY ONLY TO HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY ROTATED THE TIRES...WHICH WAS LAUGHABLE BECAUSE I WAS NEVER CALLED AND TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WITH MY REAR HEADLINER COULD NOT BE FIXED THAT DAY. I WAS TOLD BY MY SERVICE ADVISER THAT THEY NEEDED APPROVAL FROM THE DISTRICT MANAGER BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE QUITE COSTLY AND IT TAKES UP TO 30 DAYS IN MOST INSTANCES TO GET APPROVAL. I IMMEDIATELY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND NYC BBB. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME BACK IN A FEW DAYS AND ASSURED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE FIXED WHEN I CAME BACK IN THE COUNTRY FROM VACATION. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP IN MID AUGUST ONLY TO HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS WERE DENIED BECAUSE THE PICTURES SHOW THAT THE HEADLINER WAS TAMPERED WITH AND VOIDED THE WARRANTY. I AGAIN FILED ANOTHER COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND NYC BBB ONLY THIS TIME I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ARBITRATION WITH NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISPUTE SETTLEMENT. I ALSO HAVE CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP VIA VOICEMAIL AND THE RESPONSE THEY GAVE BBB THAT I VOIDED THE WARRANTY. THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS IS WHEN THE DEALERSHIP RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT I HAD REQUESTED AN ARBITRATION THEY IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO CALL MY PHONE EVERY DAY FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY WERE WRONG TO DENY MY CLAIM AND FIX THE CAR FOR FREE. NOW THEY ARE FACING THE FACT THEY MAY HAVE TO GIVE ME A FULL REFUND FOR THE VEHICLE OR A COMPARABLE CAR.....IDIOTS. *TR

HEADLINER IS FALLING DOWN IN BACK BY REAR WINDOW. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO TOYOTA. I AM TOLD TOYOTA IS WORKING ON A FIX FOR IT BUT IT WILL BE A WHILE BEFORE A RESOLUTION IS FOUND. AS A GOOD WILL GESTURE TOYOTA TACKED UP THE HEADLINER IN THE MIDDLE WHERE IT WAS FALLING DOWN. A FEW DAYS LATER THE HEADLINER BEGAN TO FALL DOWN ON BOTH SIDES WHERE IT WAS TACKED UP BY THE REAR WINDOW. I WAS THEN TOLD, THEY WERE AFRAID THAT WOULD HAPPEN. TOYOTA HAS NO RESOLUTION AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE HEADLINER OR VEHICLE. I AM TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AS THEY CANNOT REPAIR THE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE STILL SELLING VEHICLES WITH THIS DEFECT TO UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS. ALTHOUGH YOU CAN STILL SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW, WHO KNOWS FOR HOW MUCH LONGER BEFORE IT JUST GIVES WAY. AS TOYOTA WILL NOT/OR CAN NOT REPAIR THIS ISSUE, AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE HEADLINER OR THE VEHICLE THEY REALLY AREN'T HONORING THE WARRANTY EITHER. IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, I COULD NOT GET PAST THE CLAIM REPRESENTATIVE AT HEADQUARTERS NOR THE FACTORY REP. EVIDENTLY, MANAGEMENT WILL NOT SPEAK WITH CUSTOMERS AND NO ONE WILL RESPOND BY E-MAIL. *TR

I WENT THROUGH A CAR WASH THE OTHER DAY AND WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING DRIED BY THE BLOWER, SOME WATER CAME IN THROUGH THE SUNROOF. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY DID A HIGH PRESSURE WATER TEST. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS THE MATTER. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THEY COULD HAP[PEN WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE CAR WASH. I IMMEDIATELY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED THAT I HAVE ANOTHER DEALER LOOK AT IT. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT MONDAY 11/11. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. *TR

SERIOUS PROBLEM: 2013 TOYOTA AVALON DASHBOARD TRIM CAUSES A DANGEROUS REFLECTION OF SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY INTO DRIVER'S EYES. DURING MID-DAY SUN, BLINDING BEAMS OF SUNLIGHT BOUNCE OFF SEVERAL AREAS OF THE MIRRORED-CHROME-COLORED PLASTIC TRIM THAT SURROUNDS THE DASHBOARD AND WRAPS AROUND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SUNLIGHT IS REFLECTED OFF CHROME TRIM BENEATH THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER. BLINDING SUNLIGHT ALSO REFLECTS OFF TRIM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AND OTHER POINTS ACROSS THE TRIM. DEPENDING ON TIME OF DAY AND DIRECTION OF CAR, SUNLIGHT BOUNCES OFF DIFFERENT PLACES ON THE TRIM. BECAUSE THE TRIM IS BEVELED, INSTEAD OF A VERTICAL SURFACE, IT FOCUSES THE SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE DRIVER''S EYES. DRIVERS NEED TO REGULARLY GLANCE DOWN AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND REFLECTED SUNLIGHT FROM THAT AREA AND OTHER SECTIONS ON THE DASH IS DANGEROUSLY DISTRACTING. ACCIDENTS COULD OCCUR AS A RESULT OF DRIVERS BEING MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY THEIR DASHBOARD TRIM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THE MIRRORED SURFACE OF THE TRIM, AS WELL AS OTHER CHROME TRIM ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND AROUND THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, WITH A DARK-COLORED TRIM OR MATTE, NON-REFLECTIVE SURFACE. DESPITE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS POSTED AT THE NHTSA AND MY DIRECT CONTACT WITH TOYOTA MOTORS USA, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO OFFER A SOLUTION AND/OR TEMPORARY WORK-AROUND FOR RETRO-FITTING THE TRIM WITH A NON-REFLECTIVE SURFACE. THE COMPANY TOLD ME IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SUNLIGHT REFLECTING INTO DRIVER'S' EYES FROM THE TRIM. THUS, NO PROBLEM MEANS NO NEED FOR A SOLUTION. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM OCCURS IN 2013 MODELS OF TOYOTA AVALON CURRENTLY BEING SOLD IN DEALERSHIPS, THE BUYING PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. FURTHER, TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE PROMPTED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY INJURIES OR FATALITIES IN THE FUTURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN REFLECTION FROM THE CHROME ON THE DASHBOARD AND ARM REST DISTORTED HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. UPDATED 07/16/13*LJ

HEADLINER OF THE CAR IS PEELING FROM THE REAR. WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP I.E. HOLMAN TOYOTA, MT. LAUREL, NJ, THEY ADVISED THEY WOULD ORDER THE NEW HEADLINER AND REPLACE THE SAME. WENT TODAY JULY 2ND, 2013, HOLMAN TOYOTA ADVISED THE PEELING HEADLINER IS COMMON ISSUE IN THE 2013 AVALON AND TOYOTA HAS INSTRUCTED DEALERS NOT TO REPLACE THE HEADLINER AS REPLACING THE HEADLINER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. TOYOTA HAS ADVISED IT IS TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX VIA A "REPAIR" JOB, NOT ETA ON THE SAME YET. TILL TOYOTA COMES UP WITH A REPAIR I HAVE A PEELING HEADLINE WHICH CAN FALL ON HEAD WHILE I AM DRIVING CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND TOYOTA IS JUST SITTING ON IT. *TR

TOYOTA CORP CONTINUES TO SELL 2013 TOYOTA AVALONS WITH A KNOWN DEFECT TO THE HEADLINER. THE HEADLINER TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SAGS AND MAY POTENTIALLY OBSTRUCT THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. IT IS APPARENT AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF THE DEFECT BUT FAILED TO CONTACT DEALERSHIPS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. PER TOYOTA THERE IS NO KNOWN FIX AT THIS TIME AND MY VEHICLE HAS REMAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE PAST 4 DAYS. *TR