3.9% of complaints about the 2003 Toyota Avalon came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 11.9 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (184 complaints), typically at 12.3 yr or about 100,000 miles.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the
Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION, IT CAN'T BE SEEN FROM 40MPH AND UP. IN ORDER TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE ATTENTION OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO VIEW THE SPEEDOMETER DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE DASHBOARD DESIGN. TS THE BRAKES NEEDED EXCESSIVE EFFORT IN ORDER TO STOP. UPON THE SECOND APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED. SCC
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
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000.