Faults:

Struts & strut mounts @ 100,000 miles.

Paint started to fade in the third year.

General Comments:

The problem with the strut mount rattle can be fixed, but you must use a little known trick to accomplish this task.

1) Fully compress the spring so you can get the top nut started.

2) Mark the lower mount, upper mount and the strut piston shaft with soap-stone so you can line them up with the outside of the strut. This is very importent as the strut shaft will need to press up and into the top mounting plate. You can see how they fit together once there apart.

3) Line all the parts up and screw the top nut onto the shaft until you get a full nut. That is all you will get on the nut because it is impossible to hold the shaft from turing at this time.

4) Release the spring pressure and reinstall the strut assembly. Reconnect all lines and mount the wheel.

5) Now for the trick! Drive the car around the block once. It will rattle like crazy, but don't worry, it will not come loose going that far. Once you get back from the short trip; open the hood to gain access to the top mounting bolt. You can tighten the front strut bolts without having to remove the strut as there is an access hole in the mount. You will now be able to get two and a half to three more threads on the top mounting bolt. All rattle will be gone if you used new mounts. You may have a small amount left if you re-use the old ones.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car just normal oil changes every 3000 miles.

General Comments:

I purchased my Toyota Avalon from a man who purchased it at an auction. This is what he did for a living. I bought the car with 22,000 miles on it and have never had a problem and now have 67,000 miles on it. I hear about people who do not like the bass in the Avalon. I like it very much it has a built in sub-woofer which I thought was just a little strange. It has great room in the front and back seat and rides like a Lexus. This car has excellent power and shifts so nice that you don't even know its shifted. I strongly recommend this car if you like smoothness and power and a well built car.

Faults:

Climate control went out and dealer wanted $600 for parts and $300 for labor to replace it. I assume they never heard of repairing a defective unit. If you had a $600 TV go out and manufacturer told you to junk it and get a new one, you would think the manufacturer was crazy. Purchased replacement climate control system from salvage yard for $65 and had it installed by small garage for $75. Unfortunately it has gone out again so will need to replace it. Toyota admitted they had a problem with this unit and in 1999 a service bulletin was issued, but not to replace them, but to dealers warning of the problem. I would never buy another Toyota product again, not only for the reliability factor, but shoddy service from dealer.