Avensis 2.0 2016 Fuel, Front Seats and Vibration

[bigpace]

Colin and revband - thanks for your comments on the fuel tank.   Your experience mirrors mine and so it would seem that the low fuel warning light comes on when there is 15-18 litres left in the tank, which to me is excessive and certainly different from my previous Avensis.    I have asked Toyota to provide a full explanation as to why there is such a variance between what is stated in the manual and actuality - I'll keep you posted.   

Colin - Warning light for the sensors.   Again, I too have the same issue but there is a software update to cancel the warning light after a set period; my car is going in next week to get this installed.  Mention it to your local dealer

Seats - anybody have any issues with the front seats as mentioned at the beginning?

[bigpace]

Revband - Can I ask if the noise you are experiencing from the air filter box, is it a whirring noise like a noisy fan?  

I ask because I’m getting a whirring noise from behind the glove compartment, particularly when it's cold.   Initially, it was only when the engine was idling but now it's constant.   My local dealership applied grease to the air box.   That didn’t help, it’s even noisier!

[revband]

I now have two things going on noise wise one is the air filter box which is as I said very easy to prove, just get someone to rest a hand on it and the noise will stop, pulling the entire box round in a clockwise direction will cure it until it vibrates back. This is a very loud vibration which resonates in the cabin.

The other thing which is much quieter is the nearside wheel arch liner is vibrating against the body, this I have temporarily packed with sponge round the edge until the dealer/ Toyota come up with a cure, both noises only appear on a fast tick over, around 900 - 1200 rpm.

[revband]

Just a thought, the heater fan on auto has three settings, I have mine on "soft", it's not just the fan on a high setting?, is it?.

[bigpace]

I thought it was the heater fan at first but the noise is still there when the system is off.   The noise is only there now when the temp is 2 degrees or below, when the car is idling or low revs.

Fuel - Toyota have just got back to me about the fuel tank - the design has changed.   So, with the latest model the warning light will come on when there is 15L-18L left in the tank.

Seats - Toyota will not do anything about the front seats unless they receive similar complaints.   Perhaps I should get collagen injections in the buttocks.

I wonder, can I return the car?

[revband]

That sounds a bit like mine when the front nearside wheel arch liner vibrates, only on low revs and mostly when cold you can hear it outside the car and make the noise come and go by touching the liner.

It's going in next week to have the liner and fixings replaced, I don't hold out a lot of hope for a cure as I think the root cause it the rough running of the engine, time will tell, but what could Toyota do to smooth the engine?.

I have to say that I could get to love this car if only they can sort it, different engine mounts possibly?, or a different engine? (That won't happen) looks like Toyota have cocked this one up.

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, bigpace said:

I wonder, can I return the car?

Depends when you bought the car as to which piece of consumer legislation applies.

If bought on or before 30th September 2015, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or the Supply of Goods Implied Terms Act 1973 if bought on hire purchase, apply.

If bought after on or after 1st October 2015, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies.

Your contract is with the dealer, not the manufacturer.

[Ivan Petkov]

I have the exact same issues with the seat and it's slowly killing me. Ever since I bought the car ( 2 months ago) I can't wait to stop and get out of this torture. It's been a nightmare for my back. It's like the support pushes you way up than it' supposed to support you. I'm going to claim this issue soon. If they do nothing about it then I have no choice but going to some customization shop and change the seat!

[Ivan Petkov]

Other than that I also fuel up to 45 litres. But since you have 15 litres reserve It doesn't bother me. Mine is diesel and it works just perfect, quietly and non-vibrating. Excellent fuel economy and torque (320 Nm).

[bigpace]

Hi Ivan

Like you, I can live with the fuel tank but the seat is driving me mad.   I'm still in discussions with Toyota customer services but all they will do is record the issue.   They will not do anything about it unless enough people complain.   I even copied in the MD but that was a waste of time.    It's all about how much money it will cost to rectify the issue with the front seats vs how many customers they will lose.

I'm going to see a specialist car upholsterer to see what they suggest.   To be honest there is much to like about this car but as this is probably the last Avensis I think they have cut corners in order to push it through to production.

 

[revband]

I am getting accustomed to the seat now, but the vibrating goes on the dealer checked the wheel arch liner and the air box on instruction from Toyota and said they were fine, so no joy on that, the touch 2 is now updated also the camera mod done both seem OK at the moment, the tank I can live with although it does seem a daft system.

I have now sent a complaint to Toyota we will see if I get any help there?.

[Ivan Petkov]

Yesterday I saw a guy with the same avensis in traffic constantly re-adjusting his seat just like me. I'm sure that a lot of people experience the same issue but they think it's their fault that they can't feel comfortable in the seat and don't file complaints. It's an absolute risk for our own health!!  Even if you somehow manage to adjust and not feel much pain that doesn't mean you've stopped damaging your spine irreversibly. I'm very curious why only two or three of us are writing about this issue in this forum. It would be very helpful if other people share their experience with the same issue or even better tell us some kind of sollution. I'm also wondering if it's just a defect and not all the seats are like that. I will be speaking to my dealer but unfortunately I doubt that there is some sort of an objective diagnostics for that.  If they just check if the support mechanism is moving it would be very dissapointing.  I also noticed that within a few days the support tends to shrink at its lower end and that's just unacceptable for me

[Ivan Petkov]

I also noticed that the auris has the same seats maybe some other 2016 models. I will look around in other sections for the same issues. 

[Ivan Petkov]

Bigpace please do share how your specialist car uhpholsterer visit went!

[bigpace]

Hi Ivan

I'm going to get in touch with Trading Standards and get legal advice first.   I'll keep you informed.

Revband - hope you get on with Toyota better than I am at the moment.   I really thought Toyota were different but they will not budge - the refuse to acknowledge that there is anything wrong with the seats.   They have been, how shall I put it; politely arrogant.   All they have done is noted my comments about the stitch line on the rear of the base.  They haven't road tested it, the picture they took highlighted the wrong area and they will not provide a copy of the report from my dealership.  I've even asked if I can test another car, which they agreed to, while telling me even if I find the same "fault" their position will remain unchanged.   It all smells of corporate cover-up.   I beginning to think that they know that there are issues with the quality of the front seats but will not do anything about it unless enough people complain.   Seats aside, I could see myself living quite happily with this car but my current experience with Toyota and their intransigent position is putting me right off.

Others beware, if you are thinking about buying the new model make sure you have a proper test drive, particularly over rough surfaces because, at least for me, sitting on this rear stitch line is like sitting on a guitar string - not pleasant at all and by far the most uncomfortable car seat I've sat in to date.

 

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

As stated previously, your contract is with the supplying dealer, not the manufacturer. So if any action is taken, under consumer legislation past and current, it would be against the dealer.

[Wheelie1978]

Has anyone got any details about the official 'fix' for the safety sense warning light not being able to be cancelled when the sensor gets fogged up or it believes the windscreen is dirty. How do you get it? Also what about the fact that a full tank says 620 miles range and then 420 miles in it says fill up less than 30 miles left. Surely this is a major fault in software as there is 15-17 l left. What happens if I drive to zero? Do I just have to put up with the fuel light being on for another 150 miles? I like the car and fortunately haven't experienced the seat issues or vibration but filling up with nearly 25% of a tank of fuel left in the vehicle is ridiculous as is the other option of having my retinas burnt by the !Removed! fuel light being on if you ignore it. Surely this is a trading standards issue in itself and mis marketing. I long for the days of having my Mondeo back.

[bigpace]

Frostyballs - you are quite right but I bought the car from a Toyota dealership in Birmingham and I live in Edinburgh.   As such, Toyota agreed that I could use my local dealer and communicate with Toyota customer services.   I don't want to return the car, I would lose thousands.  I just want the car as described in the glossy brochure - comfortable seats that suit all drivers -  I don't think that is too much to ask.

Wheelie1978 - 1 Safety Sense - see your dealer or get in touch with customers services, I've just had the fix done   2 Complain directly to customer services about the fuel tank.  I got them to admit that the design had been changed and that it was not documented   They assured me that they would take it up marketing.   Perhaps if enough people complain about it they will do something about it.   

 

 

 

 

[Heidfirst]

2 hours ago, Wheelie1978 said:

 Also what about the fact that a full tank says 620 miles range and then 420 miles in it says fill up less than 30 miles left. Surely this is a major fault in software as there is 15-17 l left. What happens if I drive to zero? Do I just have to put up with the fuel light being on for another 150 miles? I like the car and fortunately haven't experienced the seat issues or vibration but filling up with nearly 25% of a tank of fuel left in the vehicle is ridiculous as is the other option of having my retinas burnt by the !Removed! fuel light being on if you ignore it. Surely this is a trading standards issue in itself and mis marketing. I long for the days of having my Mondeo back.

You have to get used to the fact that the range does not count down to empty. This is so that people don't try brinksmanship & end up running out of fuel - much better this way than running out of fuel when it said that you still had some (especially in a diesel)... 

My suspicion is that if you continue driving past 0 range at some point the low fuel light will switch from solid to flashing  but I can't test that for your car as they do seem to have changed the way that this system operates on 2015 facelift> cars from those previous (like mine).

I don't see it being either a Trading Standards issue or mis-marketing.

[revband]

Wheelie 1978, if you press the return button on the steering wheel it will cancel the written warning and just leave the light on, the current modified mod seems to entail a complete camera/sensor replacement with the new one having a built in heater to prevent the problem,

The tank is as I said earlier a daft system but livable with, the seat hmm?, Time will tell, my vibration/noise issue goes on, Toyota have not replied, I have now sent a complaint to the head office of the group which own the dealership I got my car from and will hopefully get some sense from them.

[Wheelie1978]

Hi Revband, was your safety sense mod done FOC under warranty? I am aware that the return button cancels the written warning, but thanks anyway.

Cheers

[revband]

Yes done under warranty FOC, Toyota know about the problem and this is a newly revised modification with a heater inside they had to remove the headlining to install the new wiring.

[revband]

No reply yet from Toyota but the dealer head office have been in touch and they are not happy, Toyota have also been on to them wanting to know why I have complained and instructed them to get my car sorted. It has to go in yet again for their "Senior technician" to have a look at.

[Konrad C]

Car seat comfort - I have the first gen T27, 2009 Tourer TR and find the seats okay. Until a year ago, I owned a Mk1 T22 Avensis for 12½ years and the seat was fine too. For the first month ownership of each car, I did minor adjustments of car seat until i was happy. The proof was after long journeys, when I get out with discomfort. Toyota must have changed the seat design/supplier on recent models for any complaints.

The worst car seats I have ever been on, were Fords made during the 80's and 90's. But then it was easy to swap seats before air-bags came along. 

Car seats are a personal, individual thing. The seat has to be suitable for short people as well as tall people. Also the padding has to be in the right place, to support different parts of the body. I recently watches a few YouTube videos on EV's from UK Tubers James and Kate, and they do criticise some of the car seats, with the term "numb bum" (might need editing)! They sometimes do a 24 hour test drives, which gives them time to understand the car. Sometime an hour is all they need. I was in a friends Ford Escort and the seat was uncomfortable within minutes!

It is hard to resolve the problem without changing the seats.    

 

[revband]

Car seats are different things to different people, what suits one won't suit another, when I got this car I felt as if the seat was too high at the front and pressing on the back of my thighs, it is just different to my 2011 model and I have now become used to it and find it comfortable.

The dealer also sells Kia from the same site and gave me a Picanto as a loan car, after that my Avensis was sheer luxury.