Toyota Avalon Reliability
4,226 NHTSA complaints (1995–2022). Complaint rate: 176.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2003–2008 Toyota Avalon (321 crash-related complaints). The 2020–2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Toyota Avalon Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 515 | 43.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 508 | 22.4% |
| STEERING | 269 | 8.2% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 249 | 0.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 232 | 4.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 190 | 4.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 101 | 28.7% |
| ENGINE | 94 | 10.6% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 93 | 8.6% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 82 | 19.5% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | — | 92 | 8 | 4 | View → |
| 1996 | — | 121 | 11 | — | View → |
| 1997 | — | 155 | 17 | — | View → |
| 1998AVOID | — | 205 | 29 | 1 | View → |
| 1999 | — | 113 | 22 | 1 | View → |
| 2000AVOID | — | 220 | 52 | 2 | View → |
| 2001 | — | 168 | 43 | 1 | View → |
| 2002 | — | 148 | 44 | 2 | View → |
| 2003AVOID | — | 351 | 68 | 2 | View → |
| 2004AVOID | — | 252 | 36 | — | View → |
| 2005AVOID | — | 303 | 50 | 3 | View → |
| 2006AVOID | — | 449 | 73 | 3 | View → |
| 2007AVOID | — | 311 | 63 | 1 | View → |
| 2008AVOID | — | 417 | 31 | 6 | View → |
| 2009 | — | 110 | 12 | 1 | View → |
| 2010GOOD | — | 51 | 6 | — | View → |
| 2011 | — | 130 | 20 | — | View → |
| 2012GOOD | — | 35 | 11 | 1 | View → |
| 2013AVOID | — | 186 | 21 | 3 | View → |
| 2014 | — | 123 | 8 | 1 | View → |
| 2015GOOD | — | 63 | 13 | — | View → |
| 2016GOOD | — | 33 | 6 | 2 | View → |
| 2017GOOD | — | 17 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2018GOOD | — | 31 | 12 | — | View → |
| 2019 | — | 90 | 6 | — | View → |
| 2020GOOD | — | 13 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2021GOOD | — | 29 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2022GOOD | — | 10 | 2 | — | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Toyota Avalonaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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