avalon2000

I am a computer junkie and wandering around the internet alot. . I saw quite some people complaining about the 04 (some 05, few 06) ac problems. It is making me nervous as a newly 04 Sienna owner. Typically, the ac would start having intermittent problems, or start making a noise. It would turn out to be the compressor/clutch seized up. And to make things worse, the metal bits and pieces would get into the whole AC system. As result, the whole system would need to be replaced. The cost is anywhere from $1500-$4200. Of course,that is making the onwers mad like hell. The dates of the posts range from 08 to this year (2010). I understand there are a lot of Siennas sold and I don't know what percentage was having that problem. Most of them are longterm Toyota owners. Maybe it is just the spoiled Toyota owners expecting too much? Any comments would be appreciated!

Thanks...

Hi all, I just purchased a used Sienna 04. It is a LE model and has disk brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. To me, the brake peddle feels too soft. I have to push 0.5-1 inch(I think) before the brakes start to catch. Once it passes that 0.5-1 inch, it works fine. It takes a while to get used to. Once I drive it for a while, everything feels fine. It is almost like the disks are rusty, or the system needs bleeding or something. I am also driving a 2000 Avalon with new rotors and pads replaced last year by myself. The Avalon brakes feel so much harder and responsive. I have been driving Toyotas for years. Neither my Avalon, Camry, Corolla feels like the Sienna. So I took it to a local Toyota dealer. The tech said it felt ok. And they further told me the newer the models were, the softer the brakes would feel. I did test drive a 06 Sienna for a little while. And sure, it felt soft to me. I was wondering if anyone else had the same feeling. Thanks

Maybe your brake fluid is just at the low margin...check and add a little and see if that helps...

From US NEWS http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-...ragic-Accident/ Toyota, Lexus Dealers Will Inspect Floor Mats After Tragic Accident Posted: Sep. 17, 2009 10:09 a.m. Toyota dealers nationwide have been ordered to inspect floor mats in all of their cars after a California Highway Patrol Officer and three members of his family were killed in a horrifying high-speed traffic accident apparently caused by a mismatched floor mat. USA Today reports, "Toyota Motor Sales USA planned to issue an order Wednesday to about 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to make sure each of their new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured, said Brian Lyons, a spokesman for the Torrance-based company. Customers who are concerned should also make sure they have the proper mats. "If there's any doubt in their mind about the security and shape of their mat," Lyons told reporters, owners should "go ahead and visit the dealer." Kicking Tires explains, "It's believed a floormat caused an accident that killed four people in San Diego County after becoming snagged on the vehicle's gas pedal." Four people were riding in the Lexus ES350, which a dealer had loaned to the family while their own car was serviced. Crash investigators haven't released a final conclusion, but told reporters that a driver's-side all-weather floor mat found at the scene doesn't match the ES 350. USA Today notes that the mismatched mat "could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal." A passenger in the car "called police about a minute before the crash to say the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck." Investigators estimate that the Lexus was travelling more than 120 miles per hour "when it hit a sport-utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames." Bloomberg notes that this isn't the first time Toyota has heard of a similar issue. "Toyota in 2007 recalled 55,000 Camrys and Lexus ES 350s in the U.S. to replace floor mats that it said could slip forward and snag the gas pedal, causing uncontrolled acceleration." The 2009 ES350 involved in the California accident was not covered by that recall. Drivers trapped in a car with the accelerator stuck have several, very limited options. Toyota's Lyons told USA Today, "The driver could have put the car in neutral to disengage the engine from the automatic transmission." He "also could have turned off the electronically keyed car by holding down the start switch for three seconds, but that could have locked the steering wheel, turned off the headlights and cut power-assist to the brakes, Lyons said."

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-...ragic-Accident/ from US news : Toyota, Lexus Dealers Will Inspect Floor Mats After Tragic Accident Posted: Sep. 17, 2009 10:09 a.m. Toyota dealers nationwide have been ordered to inspect floor mats in all of their cars after a California Highway Patrol Officer and three members of his family were killed in a horrifying high-speed traffic accident apparently caused by a mismatched floor mat. USA Today reports, "Toyota Motor Sales USA planned to issue an order Wednesday to about 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to make sure each of their new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured, said Brian Lyons, a spokesman for the Torrance-based company. Customers who are concerned should also make sure they have the proper mats. "If there's any doubt in their mind about the security and shape of their mat," Lyons told reporters, owners should "go ahead and visit the dealer." Kicking Tires explains, "It's believed a floormat caused an accident that killed four people in San Diego County after becoming snagged on the vehicle's gas pedal." Four people were riding in the Lexus ES350, which a dealer had loaned to the family while their own car was serviced. Crash investigators haven't released a final conclusion, but told reporters that a driver's-side all-weather floor mat found at the scene doesn't match the ES 350. USA Today notes that the mismatched mat "could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal." A passenger in the car "called police about a minute before the crash to say the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck." Investigators estimate that the Lexus was travelling more than 120 miles per hour "when it hit a sport-utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames." Bloomberg notes that this isn't the first time Toyota has heard of a similar issue. "Toyota in 2007 recalled 55,000 Camrys and Lexus ES 350s in the U.S. to replace floor mats that it said could slip forward and snag the gas pedal, causing uncontrolled acceleration." The 2009 ES350 involved in the California accident was not covered by that recall. Drivers trapped in a car with the accelerator stuck have several, very limited options. Toyota's Lyons told USA Today, "The driver could have put the car in neutral to disengage the engine from the automatic transmission." He "also could have turned off the electronically keyed car by holding down the start switch for three seconds, but that could have locked the steering wheel, turned off the headlights and cut power-assist to the brakes, Lyons said."

I have a 2000 Avalon. I checked up the website to see if it had an interferece engine..And the answer was all over the place! For starters, Gates says it is interference. However, it also says that the same 1mz-fe engine is non interferece on Camrys 1998-2004 but it is interferece on same year Soloras. http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_co...folder=brochure This made no sense to me so I kept looking. Then I found another website with Gates name, where it says all 1mz-fe engines are interference except those on Lexus! http://www.ronananian.com/pages/timing%20b...ent%20guide.pdf (This has Gates name on it, but is not on Gates website.) This does not make any sense to me either. Some say it becomes interference if it is VVTI. Then some Toyoya/Lexus techs say that is not true. And he further says he works on Lexus/Toyotas but has never seen any engine damaged from a breaking timing belt. If you google "1mz-fe interference " you will see what I mean. It seems like dealers tend to think they are non interference, am I right? Please comment... Thanks alot!

I could not get this off my mind because what happend to you was so scary. It sounds like something took over the control off you...The only thing could remotely do that would be the cruise control. Is it possilbe that the cruise control got activated accidently when the car was running below 30mile/hour? Still, braking should turning it off. But if you have a bad cruise control assembly that got stuck to certain stage, that would explain pretty much everything, right?

Hi, Did you put on the remote starter yourself? Installed one myself but I have to unlock the door first before I could remotely start it. I could not find the door unlock wire to disable the alarm... just wondering.. Thanks.

I was going to do a tire rotation this weekend but could not get the rear tire off. It felt like it was stuck/corroded on to the disc. The tires have 5 bolts, one needs a adaptor to unscrew. I was wondering if there was anything that I needed to do to get them off. Does anyone know why they don't come off? Thanks alot!

Thanks guys..

I may soon have to replace the battery on my Avalon2000. The owner's manual says consult a local dealar first. I asked a dealar and was told no problem. However, I have read online that some owners run into Alarm/Imobolizer problems after disconnecting the battery. If anyone can share some experience I'd really appriciate it..

I had a 99 Camry for 4-5 years. I went througth the "check engin" headach for years. A local garage said it was O2 sensors, and offered me to replace both for $600. I didn't want to spend the money. I was glad that I didnn't. It turned out it was a hole in the exhaust pipe. Eventually, I had the rusted exhaust system replaced and the light went away, for 1 year. Later on the light came back on again. I replaced the upper o2 sensor (about $100 cost) myself and fixed the problem. The upper o2 sensor is really easy to replace. After replacing it, you may go to Autozone and ask them to clear off the error code ( Or purchase a code reader for $40 online, like I did, and clear it yourself.)... Hope this helps... Good luck.

It could be spark plugs. I have a 97 Corola. It used to have a hard time starting on rainy days. Idle speed was low and rough. I changed the plugs and spent about $5. And the problem was gone. Now it has been running well for 2 years. Well, one time the check engin light came on again. I then purchased a code reader for about $35 on Amazon then cleared the code. It passed inspection and the light has not come out for almost a year now. Maybe you can try a new set of spark plugs...it won't cost much and is easy to replace....at least it won't hurt..

Thanks alot for your reply.. I am itching to put one on myself. I am planning to buy a Bulldod RS82 + Secrurity bypass t791+ Toy1 T-harness. I am just not sure about the keyless remote, and anti-theft secrurity.. I guess there is potential that things can get messed up..