Worst 2003 Toyota Avalon Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Toyota Avalon.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 180 | 14 | — | 107,494 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 45 | 33 | — | 66,722 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 18 | — | — | 83,620 mi | |
| STEERING | 18 | 2 | — | 77,035 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 8 | 4 | — | 80,778 mi | |
| ENGINE | 7 | 2 | 1 | 76,295 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 6 | — | — | 67,250 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 5 | — | — | 133,452 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 5 | 4 | — | 26,245 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 | 1 | — | 57,216 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | — | 1 | 120,267 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 3 | — | — | 87,500 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 1 | — | 87,612 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 | — | — | 35,843 mi | |
| SEATS | 3 | — | — | 174,457 mi | |
| STRUCTURE | 3 | — | — | 5,200 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 | 3 | — | 128,091 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 3 | — | — | 29,350 mi | |
| TIRES | 3 | — | — | 141,362 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 | 1 | — | 28,000 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 | — | — | 86,500 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 | 1 | — | 78,276 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 | — | — | 17,199 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 | 1 | — | 7,900 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | — | — | 34,955 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 | — | — | 60 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 | — | — | 25,000 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 1 | — | — | 63,736 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM | 1 | — | — | 60 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 | — | — | 170,000 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Avalon. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2003 Toyota Avalon
2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,379,442 vehicles.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
Other Toyota Avalon Years
Wider context: See the full Toyota Avalon reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Toyota Avalon
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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