Common Faults / Known Issues ?

[Guest]

Possibly getting a 2004 Avensis soon.

Anyone able to give me a rundown of the common problems / known issues and what to look out for?

[Bosnjo]

Generally, excelent car.

For 2004 model, known issues:

- Wind noise entering through driver's door seeling (to be replaced under warranty)

- High speed wind noise from outside mirrors (nothing to do)

- Steering noise when turning strongly trying to park the car (doesn't matter to me, but dealer says it's air bag spiral)

- Check if rear lights cable plugs are plugged well (one of mine wasn't - new car)

- To replace the headlight bulb on passenger side is hell. It took parts of my skin from hands (windshield water deposit is just behind the cap - see other posts)

- Armrest between front seats gets dirty easily, put something on it, I made complete cover over original one, I can help if you want to do the same, it's easy and no one would say it's not original

- Have a good driving, just do regular services in Toyota garage

[Dane]

I've had no problems with mine.

[last_dawn]

i have no problem too at least for now

[Guest]

Well had Test drive today. Went well, didn't really encounter any of the problems mentioned above. Drove nicely, quite smooth & refined.... enough pull for a bulky car. Unfortunately there were too many minor probs with the 04 avensis i test drove.... scrapes & scratches, interior ccovered in dogs hairs, :o , all 4 wheel hubs looked corroded... obviously an uncaring previous owner.

So.... with a bit of negotiation managed to secure a trade in against a pre-registered 05 Avensis instead :D Just 9 miles on the clock and in Eclipse black.

Pick it up next week sometime....

Will no doubt be back here asking questions & giving feedback at some point :)

[Mkuk0]

Which model did you get Pete? and was it petrol or diesel?

[PeaJay]

Which model did you get Pete? and was it petrol or diesel?

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Welcome to Avensis driving Pete :group-cuddles:

[T.N.]

Anyone able to give me a rundown of the common problems / known issues and what to look out for?

- steering column failure (koncks) - free guarantee service

- fogging headlamps (halogen) - same, know cars where service changed it three times with no permanent result!

- brake discs failures

- minor but unsolved problems with electronics - board computer, alarm etc.

- whistling door seals and mirrors as above

- sloppy montage of cables and plugs - those Britons! ;)

- one case of serious water leak at windscreen, another - around trunk bonnet seal.

Maybe foregoing sounds discouraging but even european Toyota is reliable comparing to other cars :).

T.

[Guest]

Which model did you get Pete? and was it petrol or diesel?

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I went for the 1.8vvti petrol T3-S. It's also got parking sensors, which I assume the dealer has added as it appears to be an option normally.

Welcome to Avensis driving Pete  :group-cuddles:

Cheers

[ndsblack]

Which model did you get Pete? and was it petrol or diesel?

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I went for the 1.8vvti petrol T3-S. It's also got parking sensors, which I assume the dealer has added as it appears to be an option normally.

Welcome to Avensis driving Pete  :group-cuddles:

Cheers

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Good choice mate!

Word of advice, T3-S has sat/nav. Check you have the latest disc for the year you brought. Some dealers/mechanics swap the disc for older ones so they have a later disc, and check the windows actually work up and down with one touch. Also

it is worth disabling the seatbelt audible alarm as if you put something heavier than a portion of chips on the passenger front seat the alarm will sound(!Removed! annoying)

As a fellow 1.8vvti T3-S driver I thought you would like to know

Cheers,

Nick.............

[Mkuk0]

Good stuff, welcome aboard Pete, hope you have as many trouble free miles as I intend to have :D

[Guest]

Good choice mate!

Word of advice, T3-S has sat/nav. Check you have the latest disc for the year you brought. Some dealers/mechanics swap the disc for older ones so they have a later disc, and check the windows actually work up and down with one touch. Also

it is worth disabling the seatbelt audible alarm as if you put something heavier than a  portion of chips on the passenger front seat the alarm will sound(!Removed! annoying)

  As a fellow 1.8vvti T3-S driver I thought you would like to know  

  Cheers,

        Nick.............

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Very useful info, much appreciated, cheers :)

Obvious next question is how would i set about disabling that annoying seatbelt alarm? I assume it's a pretty easy job....

[Mkuk0]

see this link Pete

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38007

[Guest]

see this link Pete

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38007

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:)

Superb stuff, Thanks.

[Norbreck21a]

Hi Bosnjo,

I'de be very interested in what you did for the cover over the centre console. Like you said it gets dirty very quickly and I enquired as to the price of the one for the T-Spirit (in leather) and it was ridculous.

Regards

Andrew

[Bosnjo]

Here is what I've done.

When car arrived from the dealer (new one) I went to Supermarket and 1st got some seats covers. They are those cheap ones that last a year or two. I was carrefull because of side airbags. So, covers are just for the area you seat on and put your back on. I would say 40cm x 90cm, more or less. They have those elastic straps with hooks on the end. The cost arround 10-12€ per par. Why?? It's easier to change them after a year or two then wash the seats that never again look like new ones. Covers are fully black with tiny red surrounding. After I've done that I looked at the armrest and remembered that I put my arm there a lot while driving. I live in Portugal where we go with short sleeves almost 6 months a year. So, fat going out of human skin would make it dirty with no way back. I went back to the supermarket and got one more cover for the seat (It wasn't necessary to buy a par), but I've chosen black with red stripes all arround, to match my seat covers.

If you want to do the same:

Lift up (open normaly) top cover of your armrest. Inside, bellow, you will see two big black screws on the bottom of the cover as it it standing on vertical. Unscrew them and top cover of armrest is off. Take it home, seat back on your sofa and unscrew all litle black screws (6 of them, if I remember well). Now, the cover is off. Then, from the seat cover you got cut the big peace on the area where there are no stiches (buy one with as less stiches as possible), biggest you can. You'll see that there is tiny spunch glued on the material (I'm talking about seat cover you bought, not the armrest cover). Ripp the spunch off, it's easy. Then start covering the armrest cover by fitting edges (and cutting as necessary) of the new material bellow those little plastic straps, following the way original material is fitted. No glueing, no stiches, just fit it and cut the rest. Then assemble everything and that's it.

If any problems I could send you some photos, just post me your e-mail

Bosnjo

[Tawse57]

No diesel automatic

No door side 'supermarket trolley' protectors

No quick defrost windscreen

Flat cap and cardigan styling

[Tawse57]

Well had Test drive today. Went well, didn't really encounter any of the problems mentioned above. Drove nicely, quite smooth & refined.... enough pull for a bulky car. Unfortunately there were too many minor probs with the 04 avensis i test drove.... scrapes & scratches, interior ccovered in dogs hairs,  , all 4 wheel hubs looked corroded... obviously an uncaring previous owner.

One Toyota dealership I went to had, at the time, a firm in to cover up scratches that someone(s0 had keyed along all their Avensis and Corollas. They looked well knackered inside and out.

A dealership 50 miles down the road had Avensis in which were spotless inside and out so it pays to do some travelling. Also, if you look on the Toyota website the price of 12 and 24 month old Avensis can differ sometimes dramatically from dealer to dealer.