2008 Toyota Avalon Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems

“OEM high beam bulbs continuously explode. I’m not saying they just burn out, these bulbs shatter, and send shards of glass on the inside of the headlamp housing. I believe it’s a big safety risk, because for me, it happened while I was driving late at night in the dark where there are deer nearby. Brights are essential to see far and when you’re driving through hills, going up a hill you need your brights to extend higher than your normal lights do. This is a commonly complained about problem for the 2008-2010 models of this Toyota Avalon. …”

“The rear window sunshade comes up uncontrollably and will not go down. I was driving at night and the sunscreen came up blocking my view of cars behind me and was extremely distracting. The system malfunctions and there is no way to get the shade down. A dealer suggested that if I can craw in the back seat and manually maneuver it into the down position, I could remove the fuse and it would become inactive; thereby, keeping it in the down position. I have checked various websites and customers are removing the fuses to resolve the problem.”

“Rear window visibility is my problem, at dark and when it rains it's near impossible to see clearly anything through my back window. The rear window sunshade is stuck in the up position making it very difficult to see well through the rear window in the rain and when it's dark. If it was stuck in the down position that would be ok, but it's not. I've read on the internet that Toyota dealers have charged almost $900. A couple of years ago to fix one. First off there should be a way to lower it even if it's not fixed to go up and down. I'm very disappointed in Toyota. …”

“The dashboard gets sticky on sunny days and the surface becomes shiney which then reflects off the windshield. The reflection (on the windshield) significantly obstructs drivers view of oncoming traffic or pedestrians on sunny days. Driver is blinded or it is impossible to see through the reflection. This is a dangerous condition and a significant safety issue for the car owner and the public (accident can affect other vehicles, property, or pedestrians) that needs addressed as a permanent solution by Toyota corporation for all affected vehicles on the road. …”

“Dashboard is sticky and shiny. The sheen on the dash also creates a glare on sunny days, which creates a safety hazard. Toyota is avoiding a recall for the use of inferior parts.”