Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, KENTUCKY, INC.
Manufacturer Id: 1088
Model: Avalon
Model Year: 2013
Plant Company Name: Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Kentucky
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GSX40L / AVX40L
TPMS: Direct
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2007
EQUIPMENT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE, THE FACTORY JACK DID NOT RAISE THE CAR HIGH ENOUGH TO INSTALL OR REMOVE THE TIRE AND FAILED. THE FACTORY JACK WAS LABELED AS HAVING A LIFTING CAPACITY OF 2,200 LBS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 4,000 POUNDS. THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT SITUATION TO BE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FACTORY JACK WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
2013
VISIBILITY
IN THE 2013 TOYOTA AVALON, DRIVER VISIBILITY IS DANGEROUSLY DISTORTED WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AT APPROACHING CARS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT), DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE NEW 2013 ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE REAR GLASS MATERIAL, REAR GLASS CONTOUR AND ANGLE, TINTING, AND DEFROST STRIPS. ALL LIGHTS (ESPECIALLY VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC.) OBSERVED THROUGH THE REAR GLASS HAVE LONG, BRIGHT, VERTICAL LINES RADIATING AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FROM THE MAIN LIGHT SOURCE VIEWED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THESE VERTICAL LINES SHINING FROM ALL OF THE NUMEROUS LIGHT SOURCES OBSCURE THE REAR VIEW VISION, CAUSING CONFUSION FOR THE DRIVER IN MANY WAYS: 1) NOT BEING ABLE TO CORRECTLY JUDGE REAR CAR DISTANCE, 2) NOT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF VEHICLES IN THE REAR, 3) NOT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE LANES SAFELY BECAUSE OF DISTORTIONS THROUGH THE REAR GLASS PANEL, 4) NOT BEING ABLE TO JUDGE HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE APPROACHING AND/OR PASSING, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, 5) CAUSING THE DRIVER TO STARE LONGER THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISCERN WHAT IS TAKING PLACE BEHIND WHICH TAKES THE DRIVER'S EYE OFF OF THE FRONT VISION FOR TOO LONG. ALTHOUGH THE BRIGHT VERTICAL LINES CAN BE SEEN MORE DISTINCTLY AT DUSK AND NIGHT, THEY ARE ALSO OBSERVABLE DURING THE DAYTIME IF THE VEHICLES COMING FROM BEHIND HAVE FRONT LIGHTS ON, AND/OR THE SUN SHINES ON THE CHROME. THESE RADIATING VERTICAL LINES TAKE ON THE COLOR OF THE MAIN LIGHT SOURCE SEEN FROM BEHIND SO THE DRIVER MAY OBSERVE WHITE, YELLOW, RED, GREEN, ETC. COLORS. THIS CAUSES CONFUSION WHEN TRYING TO JUDGE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH APPROACHING VEHICLES FROM BEHIND. ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THESE MANY-COLORED VERTICAL LINES RADIATING UP AND DOWN FROM THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HEADLIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, ETC. CAUSE A CONFUSING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE DRIVER.
