Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 80 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
80 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2014
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control
MY DAD'S OLD TOYOTA AVALON USED TO UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BETWEEN THE END OF 2005 AND 2007. I WOULD SAY THAT BY THE END OF 2007 IT WOULD HAPPEN EVERY TIME I DROVE ON THE INTERSTATE!! WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED I WOULD HIT THE BRAKES AND USUALLY AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE CAR WOULD DECE…
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MY DAD'S OLD TOYOTA AVALON USED TO UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BETWEEN THE END OF 2005 AND 2007. I WOULD SAY THAT BY THE END OF 2007 IT WOULD HAPPEN EVERY TIME I DROVE ON THE INTERSTATE!! WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED I WOULD HIT THE BRAKES AND USUALLY AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE CAR WOULD DECELERATE (OBVIOUSLY CROSSING MY FINGERS AND PRAYING AT THIS MOMENT) HOWEVER THIS GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS TIME WENT ON. I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY I NEVER HIT ANYONE OR CRASHED. I BECAME SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND IT EVENTUALLY FELL APART ANYWAY... *TR
NHTSA ODI #10563918
127,100 miles · Sep 30, 2010
Electrical System
1)WAS RECENTLY ABLE TO SHUT OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY WHILE STILL IN DRIVE. DID THIS INADVERTENTLY WHEN I FORGOT TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. FORTUNATELY VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY AS I WAS IN THE GARAGE AT HOME. 2) FAILURE ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN I TRY SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF WHILE IN DRIVE. THE KEY SIMPLY COMES OUT. KEY SHOULD NO…
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1)WAS RECENTLY ABLE TO SHUT OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY WHILE STILL IN DRIVE. DID THIS INADVERTENTLY WHEN I FORGOT TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. FORTUNATELY VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY AS I WAS IN THE GARAGE AT HOME. 2) FAILURE ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN I TRY SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF WHILE IN DRIVE. THE KEY SIMPLY COMES OUT. KEY SHOULD NOT COME OUT IN DRIVE. 3) AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HAD IT DIAGNOSED. AFTER AN HOUR AND A HALF, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT NEEDS A NEW SHIFT SOLENOID ECU, WHICH THEY MUST ORDER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10358371
133,000 miles · Dec 29, 2009
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA AVALON. WHEN DRIVING HE NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE BOLTS TIGHTENED ON THE STEERING SHAFT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107000.
NHTSA ODI #10297423
13,000 miles · Feb 14, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
1995 TOYOTA AVALON ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. *KB A PASSERBY INFORMED THE CONSUMER A ROD MAY HAVE WENT THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN OIL LEAK, WHICH THEN DRIPPED ON THE MUFFLER. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0043-91. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10218366
Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
WHILE TRAVELING IN STOP AND GO FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES (BOTH I AND MY WIFE THOUGHT THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP) BUT RATHER THAN STOPPING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED AND WE SLID INTO A STOPPED CAR. THE AIR BAGS ALSO FAILED TO OPEN.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10105670
99,500 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
OIL SLUDGE IN ENGINE VALVE COVERS RESULTED IN OIL BEING PULLED INTO THE AIR INTAKE THROUGH THE PCV VALVE. THE BAFFLE SYSTEM ON BOTH COVERS WERE REMOVED TO REVEAL NEAR TOTAL BLOCKAGE OF BAKED SLUDGE. THE CAMSHAFT VALLEYS IN THE CYLINDER HEADS WERE COATED WITH UP TO 1/2 OF SLUDGE. THE THROTTLE BODY, AIR CHAMBER, AIR CHAMBER CONTRO…
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OIL SLUDGE IN ENGINE VALVE COVERS RESULTED IN OIL BEING PULLED INTO THE AIR INTAKE THROUGH THE PCV VALVE. THE BAFFLE SYSTEM ON BOTH COVERS WERE REMOVED TO REVEAL NEAR TOTAL BLOCKAGE OF BAKED SLUDGE. THE CAMSHAFT VALLEYS IN THE CYLINDER HEADS WERE COATED WITH UP TO 1/2 OF SLUDGE. THE THROTTLE BODY, AIR CHAMBER, AIR CHAMBER CONTROL VALVE, AND INTAKE PLENUM WERE COATED WITH OILY SLUDGE AS WELL. AIR INTAKE AND CAMSHAFT CHAMBERS REQUIRED MANY HOUR OF CLEANING.
NHTSA ODI #10069186
Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2003
Electrical SystemFire
PARKED MY AVALON IN MY APARTMENT PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR. WHEN I RETURNED THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD HAD MELTED COMPLETELY AROUND THE FUSE BOX AND STEERING WHEEL. ALL OF THE DASH AND SURROUNDING AREA WAS BURNED OR MELTED. ALSO I MIGHT MENTION THAT I AM AWARE OF NO CHANGES OF THE FUSES BY MYSELF OR ANYONE ELS…
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PARKED MY AVALON IN MY APARTMENT PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR. WHEN I RETURNED THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD HAD MELTED COMPLETELY AROUND THE FUSE BOX AND STEERING WHEEL. ALL OF THE DASH AND SURROUNDING AREA WAS BURNED OR MELTED. ALSO I MIGHT MENTION THAT I AM AWARE OF NO CHANGES OF THE FUSES BY MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE, AND THE CAR HASN'T HAD ANY MAJOR REPAIRS (OUTSIDE OF FLUID CHANGES, TIRE ALIGNMENTS) SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10023699
103,000 miles · Apr 28, 2003
Suspension
FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE IN TWO RESULTING IN PUNCTURED TIRE AND THE COST OF REPLACING BOTH SIDES WITH NEW STRUTS & SPRINGS. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10016657
97,244 miles · Mar 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
MY CAR JUST RECENTLY STARTED TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE WHEN WE WOULD START IT, AND THEN IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD OIL SLUDGE/GEL AND THAT I HAD BLOWN A ROD. THEY THEN TOLD ME ABOUT TOYOTA PAYING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO THIS P…
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MY CAR JUST RECENTLY STARTED TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE WHEN WE WOULD START IT, AND THEN IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD OIL SLUDGE/GEL AND THAT I HAD BLOWN A ROD. THEY THEN TOLD ME ABOUT TOYOTA PAYING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I THEN FOUND OUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED THAT IT STARTED WITH THE 1997 MODEL. I THEN REQUESTED THAT THEY(TOYOTA) REVIEW THIS FURTHER AND THEY ASKED THAT I SUBMIT MY OIL CHANGE LOG AND DEALER DIAGNOSIS. AFTER THEY REVIEWED IT FURTHER THEY SAID IT WAS A LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON MY PART AND THERE WAS NOTHING FURTHER THAT THEY WOULD DO. I HAVE REALLY TAKEN CARE OF MY CAR AND AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CAR HAS BEEN GREAT UP TIL NOW. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING FURTHER THAT I SHOULD DO.
NHTSA ODI #10011037
Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE VEHICLE SAT IN DRIVE WAY, OIL SLUGGED IN THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. PH
NHTSA ODI #10006602
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA97015 · Turn Signal Failures
Opened Jul 22, 1997 · Closed Sep 21, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available
1995 Toyota Avalon Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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