Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-78
My father in law has a 1998 sienna which has the same 3.0 v6 as the avalon and the camry. He regulary had the oil changed at 3000 miles by jiffy lube, I agree that jiffy lube may not change the filter, but still the engine should not sludge like it does. My parents just bought a 1996 avalon with the same engine and I am going to flush it just to be sure. My father in laws engine blew at 66,000 miles, toyota admited that it was due to them lessinging the coolant passages in the engine which super heats the oil and causes it ot lose viscosity and cake/ sludge to the engine walls, I would recomend running a syntheitic or blended oil. Toyota did pay for his replacement to the tune of 5,000.00 Hope this helps.
I purchased a 1998 Toyota Avalon in 2002 and not 2 weeks after I took the car home heavy white clouds of smoke started coming from the tail pipe. I called the Toyota dealer I got the car from and was advised to bring the car in. After the car was checked I was then advised that the car had no oil in it and that the engine was slugged and was told that Toyota would replace the engine, but to take it home and it will be fine as long as I keep oil in it. In a week prior the car would not go pass 25mph and I took the car back to the Toyota dealer I got it from so they can take the car and give me a car to drive while my car is being worked on. 4 months passed and I was informed that I had a brand new engine in my car and it's like new only to find out later from another mechanic that the engine was not new. Well 9 months after that with regular oil changes every 3000 miles the car started to do the same thing it dis when I first purchased the car and of course with all the receipt in the world to prove regular oil changes it's no one fault, but my own. Because of the burning oil the spark plugs blow every month or month and a half, because of the oil burning I had to buy a new cadillic converter and now I just have no idea what's the problem now and I still owe a lot of money on a car that's nothing, but a headache!
Sludge policy is for 8 years unlimited miles AND unlimited number of repairs. You should be eligible to get your engine repaired again. Insist on a NEW engine this time, one that has had the repair to eliminate the sludge problem (sludge is due to small engine cooling passages and there was a fix that made these passages larger. They also improved design of the PCV.
I have a suggestion to clean the sludge out of the Toyota
3.0 V6 engines. Most auto parts stores sell "mystery oil"
that comes in a red can. If you add one quart of this oil
to your engine (after you drain out just one quart of oil),
it will clean up the inside of your engine. DO NOT OVERFILL
YOUR OIL. Drain out enough so that when you add the mystery oil, your oil level is up to the full line of the dipstick.
Then, run the mystery oil in the car for a few weeks and change the oil and filter. You should see very black oil
come out when you change the oil. Actually, it says on the
can that you can keep a certain amount of mystery oil in the
engine to keep it clean. (This means that you can put some of
this oil into your engine every time you change the oil).
I used to be a mechanic and I saw the results of running
mystery oil in a severely sludged Pontiac engine and I could not believe how clean that engine was six months later! Hope this helps!
I have never read so much junk in my life! I know that half of those post talking about "white smoke" and "Sludge" are form the same person. I own a 1995 Avalon XL which currently has ~110,000 miles and I have never had any trouble with the car, but a broken visor mirror and an air condition recharge. I just asked my best friend about this very subject (He is a Toyota machanic) he said that this problem is very very rare. I think that someone has something against Toyota... and the way their taking it out is by posting the same thing in different ways over and over. I know if you change your oil every 3000 miles you will be fine for a very long time in a Toyota.
*Use a Toyota oil filter!!!...not this other junk you can buy from Autozone and Napa. Using A Toyota oil Filter makes the oil stay a lot cleaner, and has an anti-drainback technology that other oil filters don't have.
Wow, I don't know what to believe. I am thinking about buying a 1998 Toyota Avalon with 123000 miles on it for my son. The car looks and runs great. However all the talk about sludge/white smoke makes me somewhat afraid to buy this car. Would anyone buy a 1998 with 123k miles on it??
I have a 2001 Avalon that I purchased new. It currently has 138,000 miles on it and the engine runs and sounds like new. I change the oil and filter every 3,500-4,000 miles with a Toyota filter and Castrol 5-30w. I plan to buy a new Avalon, but this one runs so good I might keep it until it has 200,000 miles. My Avalon does not burn or leak a drop of oil. The oil on the dipstick always looks clean with no hint of sludge. Some people just have bad luck with cars. All mechanical items will eventually break, but my experience with Toyota has been great. A few years ago Toyota recalled my V6 pickup and rebuilt the engine for free; they said the head gaskets leaked, but I didn't even know it had a problem. At the time it had 80,000 miles on it, and I didn't even buy it new. I can't imagine any other car company doing that.
I hate this car.
I bought this Avalon XLS from a family member three years ago as a transition car with 88,000 miles on it. I told them and myself I'd keep it until it breaks, and then I would get rid of it and buy something newer.
It has not sneezed. It runs like an effing sewing machine. It now has 124,000 miles on it, and starts every time regardless of the weather, taunting me every time. I would LOVE to buy a new car, but I see no reason to part with the thing, regardless of how stodgy or outdated it is becoming. So I keep driving it. Many new cars do not drive as well. It gets 30+ mpg on the highway. Locally, not so good. 17-18 mpg, depending. But I have a heavy foot.
I figure if I buy a 2007 Avalon (which I would--I just wish it had AWD), I will be able to drive it until I turn 50...in 2019.
Damn car. I guess that's why some folks need to keep buying American cars--they need the change of scenery every 2-3 years after the car depreciates and becomes junk.
You get your oil changed at jiffy lube or alike. Heck yea it's your fault that your Avalon is giving you trouble. Anyways, a white puff of smoke at startup means worn valve seals. Well, anyways, here my review of the Avalon.
Yep, this is a great car! It has 140,000miles and the engine and transmission are factory and still running smooth. We did our first tranny flush at 139,000miles. We changed out the factory spark plugs at 135,000miles! The factory plugs were still good too! The coolant is still original, and there is no loss of coolant! It does not eat/leak engine oil either. Everything else in the car works wonderfully!
The only expensive repair was the rack&pinion at 85,000miles, which would have cost us $1,000. But luckily we purchased 100,000miles warranty costing us only $100.
Other than that, starter, alternator, l/r cvboots, timing belt, and both valve cover gaskets were changed between 80,000-138,000miles. The 3 rear spark plugs and rear valve cover gasket was a b*tch to change.
Awesome car... and well built!!!
BTW, we swear by Toyotas, we have 5 of'em parked in our driveway.
I have 3 Toyota Camrys for my kids and 2 Avalons. I have never had a problem (up to 200,000 miles on most pre-96 models) until now. Both my 1996 Camry with a V6 and my 2001 Avalon with a V6 have oil sludge. The 2001 Avalon was a company car with scheduled regular maintenance (oil change by Goodyear every 5000 miles required). I have the records to prove it. At 90,000 miles and 4 years the Avalon started showing white smoke at start up and now burns oil. Toyota has said they will not repair and that the warranty has expired. The 96 Camry I bought used so I do not know if it was maintained. Toyota is losing a very loyal customer.
TOYOTA SUCKS!! I too have recently found my Oil Light coming on. My oil is also burning quickly with a white smoke coming out of the tailpipe at start-up. I have a 2000 Avalon, 67,000 miles - with frequent oil changes, tune-ups & check-ups! Toyota needs to recall all their crap and take the blame for it!! We are loyal customers with proof of oil changes yet we have to PAY for their MISTAKE! Please, someone notify me if there's a class action suit against TOYOTA! I want to be one of the first in line. I am so upset with them. I thought TOYOTA was good, unfortunately I was wrong. My next car will be either a HONDA or NISSAN. Sorry TOYOTA, you've lost another customer - and GOD willing, your crappy engines will soon be exposed to the public - enough hiding!
Toyota has admitted to the sludge problem with the v6's. I had the same engine in my 97 Camry. I maintained the car very well and had NO PROBLEM what so ever for 160,000 miles. Toyota sent me an unlimited replacment for the engine for the life of the car. What more can you ask. P.S. I NEVER went to JIFFY LUBE or the like for oil changes.
I recently purchased a 1998 Avalon with 91000 miles. So far I am very pleased with the features. I have done some routine fluid changes, but the previous owner really maintained this vehicle. It drives very nicely and has a great interior design. My A/C is not blowing cold right now, but I hope that it just needs a shot of freon. Overall I like this car very much.. My first Toyota and I am impressed. This used car is packed with a ton of features and luxury for the money.
I recently bought a used 1999 Toyota Avalon XLS with 70,000 miles on it. The entire car is beautiful and reeks of quality. I love the stereo, the way it drives, all of the functions, everything about it. There is such a difference between Toyota quality and most domestic makes. I can feel the difference between this car and GM/Ford/Mopar in everything from the interior to the body. But, I am also experiencing the blue puff of smoke at start up in the morning, and it smokes intermittently once it's warmed up, driving around town. It runs beautifully and doesn't knock or miss. If I couldn't see the smoke, I'd be happy. But, after just 2 weeks, I'm a quart low! Its at the dealership right now for a diagnostic, I'm a college student and I'm really hoping this doesn't turn out to be too expensive. Wishful thinking. Of course, it didn't smoke when I test drove it, and it somehow passed emissions. Does anyone know if there really is some type of offer from Toyota to help with these engines? My parents have a '98 Camry with this same V6 and 140,000 miles on it. It's been through me (dukes of hazzard), several kids, many drag races, lots of trips, 135mph several times, and it still runs like a top. No smoke, excellent mileage, smooth as can be. So what's up with my car?
I currently drive a 98 Toyota Avalon and it has about 130k miles on there.
Problems:
1) brake rattling sound or it's the shock?
2) Steering wheel misaligned when driving.
3) The key-less power lock does not lock the driver's door.
Since I took over this car from someone last year, I have been maintaining its regular oil change every 3000 miles.
Hope this car does not have the sludge problem everyone else mentioned. It surely feel good to not have to pay monthly payments for just a transportation vehicle.