1996 Toyota Avalon Complaints

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE STALLED. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE CAM HEAD BROKE OFF. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE WAS REQUIRED.*AK THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED. WHEN PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE DIED. THE OIL WAS CHECKED AND IT WAS FINE. HE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE CAM HEAD BLEW OFF. CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T HELP SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER NOTED WHEN THE ENGINE GET REPAIRED, SHE WILL SELL THE VEHICLE AND NEVER RECOMMEND IT TO NO ONE ELSE. HER MECHANIC STATED THE CAM HAD NO OIL IN IT, YET THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF OIL. THE OIL PUMP FAILED COSTING THE CONSUMER $6000. DOLLARS. SHE WAS INFORMED SINCE SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE VEHICLE ROUTINELY MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP. *PH

DURING THE WINTER SEASON THE DEFROSTER FAILED. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD.*AK

I BOUGHT A USED 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. IT WAS COVERED UNDER 6 YEAR / 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH OF 2002. I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.*AK WHEN PUTTING THE AUTO TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES VIOLENTLY. ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT "BARK" THE TIRES, IT IS QUITE SEVERE. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY GASKET(S) WERE THE LIKELY CAUSE AND THEY HAD MY CAR FROM 9-3-03 TO 9-5-03 REPLACING THEM. THEY SAID THAT A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED DETAILING THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE GASKETS, BUT NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN ISSUED. TOYOTA ENGINEERS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE LOWER VALVE BODY GASKET IN 1997 (TC00197 APR 1997) BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DIRECT CLUTCH PORTION OF THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE DAMAGED DUE TO THE CROSS LEAK FROM THE GASKET. MY QUESTION IS- WHY DID TOYOTA NOT RECALL THESE CARS BECAUSE OF THIS? TWO VALVE BODY GASKETS ARE LESS THAN $30.00 (TOYOTA PRICES). I AM NOT SURE IF THE NE...

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. MY CAR HAS BEEN PUTTING OUT A WHITE SMOKE DURING COLD START-UPS. I AM ADDING TWO QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK. I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. I EVEN REPLACE SOME SEALS, BELIEVING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS COME TO A-HEAD. MY CAR STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE GOING TO WORK ON JULY 13, 2003. THE CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER IT STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO PARK THE CAR AND IT WILL BE MY MECHANIC. I HAVE READ ON THIS SITE THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHERS COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US IN NOT ONLY FINDING THE PROBLEM BUT FIXING IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY, MICHAEL T. MARCHAND.*AK

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON AND NEED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS. MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER TOYOTA'S CSP PROGRAM ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE ENGINES COVERED UNDER THIS PROGRAM. THIS HAS CAUSED MY FAMILY EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL STRESS. *JB