Did your grandmother fail to replace the timing belt? That is a maintenance requirement, and if left undone, yes you will damage the engine. These cars literally have bulletproof reliability.
How many miles were on the Avalon when the engine went? More than likely the timing belt, which is a scheduled maintenance item, was never changed.
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25th Aug 2014, 13:13
Did your grandmother fail to replace the timing belt? That is a maintenance requirement, and if left undone, yes you will damage the engine. These cars literally have bulletproof reliability.