What 67 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Toyota Avalon

I was pulling into a parking space when the car suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb and hit a tree. The car has auto-braking but this system did not function to stop the car.

NHTSA ODI 11552788

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING INTO HER NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY, WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL AND THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE NEIGHBORS METAL FENCE. THE CONTACT STATED AN UNKNOWN RED SIGN WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES OR SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY AND HAD COSMETIC REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,240.

NHTSA ODI 11367055

I WAS IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING ALONG A LOCAL ROAD, PROBABLY ABOUT 30MPH. I WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER CAR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY CAR, AND THEN SPUN INTO A MEDIAN AND STRUCK A TREE. MUCH OF THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN AND DISPLACED FROM THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF. I WAS RESTRAINED BY THE SEAT BELT ONLY. THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAGS IS OF GREAT CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI 11311011

MY HUSBAND, AN 84 YEAR OLD, WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND GOT INTO A DOUBLE ACCIDENT. FIRST, HE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND HE GOT IN THE CAR AND BACKED UP. AS HE BACKED UP HE HIT A VEHICLE PARKED BEHIND HIM CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES. (PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR FULL POLICE REPORT FOR INFORMATION AS TO EXACTLY HOW FAR HE WOULD HAVE BACKED, BUT I BELIEVE NOT MUCH MORE THAN 1 TO 2 CAR LENGTHS.) THIS CAR HAD THE TOYOTA CARE PACKAGE INSTALLED, WHICH INCLUDED THE SAFE BACKING FEATURES TO SLOW A VEHICLE WHEN BACKING AND ANOTHER OBJECT IS BLOCKING THE PATH. MY QUESTION - WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE SAFETY FEATURES. MY HUSBAND LEFT THAT ACCIDENT AND DROVE ABOUT 1 BLOCK DOWN THE STREET, RUNNING THE END OF THE YELLOW LIGHT AND INTO RED LIGHT, AND HIT THE RIGHT REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. HIS VEHICLE THEN DROVE OUT-OF-CONTROL INTO THE CORNER PLANTER AND HIT A SIGN, WHICH THEN FELL ONTO TWO VEHICLES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AFTER HE HIT THE TAIL OF THE VEHICLE, HIS VEHICLE SPED UP INTO THAT PLANTER AREA. AGAIN, THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE - BUT DIDN'T. MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE WRONG - AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DRIVING. HOWEVER, HE WAS THE ONE HURT THE WORST WITH 7 BROKEN RIBS, A BROKEN FEMUR, A BROKEN NOSE, AN INJURY TO THE SPLEEN AND BLEEDING ON THE BRAIN. MY CONCERN IS THE FUNCTIONING OF THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT TOYOTA DEALERS ARE TOUTING ABOUT THE VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11241658