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1996 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Toyota Avalon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 19 of 109 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

19 reports
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63,348 miles · Feb 17, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE CUT OUT/STALLED IN MIDDLE OF EXPRESSWAY WITH NO WARNING. PULLED TO EMERGENCY LANE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE, TURNED ENGINE BACK ON, ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATES IT IS OIL SLUDGE DUE TO FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 4000 MILES. GETTING NO SATISFACTION AT THIS POINT…

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ENGINE CUT OUT/STALLED IN MIDDLE OF EXPRESSWAY WITH NO WARNING. PULLED TO EMERGENCY LANE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE, TURNED ENGINE BACK ON, ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATES IT IS OIL SLUDGE DUE TO FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 4000 MILES. GETTING NO SATISFACTION AT THIS POINT FROM DEALER, WHO INDICATES MINIMUM REPAIR COST WILL BE $3300 - $3500 FOR REBUILT ENGINE. MADE COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE, WHO ALSO ARE NOT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE. GETTING RUN AROUND AS COMPLAINT WAS FILED, WHICH THEY ARE SENDING BACK TO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR HANDLING. REGIONAL OFFICE ALREADY INDICATED THAT THEY PROBABLY AREN'T OFFERING ANY ASSISTANCE. ENGINE HAS LESS THAN 65,000 MILES ON IT. BOUGHT IT ONE YEAR OLD WITH 29,000 ON IT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS CAR TO HAVE ENGINE TROUBLE WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY 35,000 MILES HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR IN LAST 6 YEARS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STICK BY THEIR PRODUCT, AND MAKE REPAIRS THAT ARE REQUIRED. CONSUMERS AT BEING PLACED IN VERY POOR POSITION, AND WE ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

NHTSA ODI #10007640

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10007422

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 53K MILES ON IT. IT STARTED CONSUMING OIL AND BLOWING SMOKE ON COLD STARTS OVER THE WINTER. I HAVE DONE NUMEROUS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. BEFORE THEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 15MONTHS AGO SO I ASKED MY TOYOTA DEALER TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THEY DID SOME MINOR CHECKS …

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I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 53K MILES ON IT. IT STARTED CONSUMING OIL AND BLOWING SMOKE ON COLD STARTS OVER THE WINTER. I HAVE DONE NUMEROUS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. BEFORE THEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 15MONTHS AGO SO I ASKED MY TOYOTA DEALER TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THEY DID SOME MINOR CHECKS AND TURNED THE LIGHT OFF. CURRENTLY MY CAR HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS "ENGINE INTERNALL DAMAGED NEEDS ENGINE" BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE AND THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED SLUDGE IN ENGINE THAT CAUSED DIAGNOSED ENGINE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE PERSONELL AS I BECAME AWARE OF THE 1997-2002 TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY TOYOTA UNDER THE "SPA CAMPAIGN" THAT TOYOTA SAID THEY WORKED OUT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION. I HAVE BEEN OFFERED 50% REPAIR FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE DESPITE BEING ACCUSED OF NEGLECTING MY VEHICLE(I PROVIDED TOYOTA WITH ALL OF MY SCHEDULED MAINTENEANCE AND OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS AT WELL WITHIN THEIR RECOMMENDED TIME/MILEAGE INTERVALS. I AM AWARE OF MANY OTHER 1996 TOYOTA AVALON OWNERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HE SAME PROBLEMS/FALSE ACCUSATIONS AN GRIEF FROM TOYOTA. SOME HAVE RECEIVED FULL PAYMENT FOR THEIR ENGINE REPAIRS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OIL GELLING(SLUDGE) PROBLEMS MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE HAVING. I FEEL THAT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND I ARE AT RISK OF SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS 6 CYL ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME AND WHY 1996 AVALONS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE "SPA" PROGRAM WHEN IT IS THE SAME ENGINE AND SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS OCCURRING. PLEASE HELP. MONICA AT TOYOTA SAID IT WAS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, GUIDANCE AND APPROVAL THAT THE CURRENT "SPA" CAMPAIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STAND UP TALL AND SUPPORT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD. IT IS WAY TOO EASY TO BE A "FAIR WEATHER FRIEND" . NOW WE ARE "NEGLECTFUL OWNERS" HMMM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #765169

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HAS SLUDGE.TOYTA DOES NOT WANT TO FIX IT.ENGINE WILL CUT OFF GOING DOWN ROADIT COULD POSSIBLTY CAUSE ACCIDENT.IT IS NOT JUST ONE MODEL OF CAR BUT THE SIX CYLINDER IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT 20 PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SLUDGE.THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. TOYOT…

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ENGINE HAS SLUDGE.TOYTA DOES NOT WANT TO FIX IT.ENGINE WILL CUT OFF GOING DOWN ROADIT COULD POSSIBLTY CAUSE ACCIDENT.IT IS NOT JUST ONE MODEL OF CAR BUT THE SIX CYLINDER IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT 20 PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SLUDGE.THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA SAYS OIL NOT CHANGED PROPERLY BUT PEOPLE HAVE RECORDS.PLEASE LOOK AT THE WEBSITE WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM UNDER TOYOTA AND LOOK AT PROBLEMS. THIS IS JUST SOME PEOPLETHAT HAVE FOUND OUT IT AND KNOW ONE PLACE THEY CAN LOG IT.HOW MANY OUT THERE THAT DONT KNOW. I WAS AT TOYOTA DELERSHIP AND WHILE THEY WERE CHECKING MINE ANOTHER CAME IN IT WAS A 98 TOYOTA SINNEA VAN ONLY 38000 MILES TOYTOA TOLD THESE PEOPLE THE SAME THING THING THEY TOLD ME OIL NOT CHANGED AND IT WAS THE WORST THEY EVER SAW.I BELEIVE TOYOTA IS TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING. I HAVE A TOYTOA WITH 237000 MILES ON IT NO PROBLEM WITHIT. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I WAS TOLD BY A TOYOTA TECH. IT WAS POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENGINE DESIGN .HE SAID THE FRONT HEAD IS FLAT AND THE BACK HEAD IS AT A ANGLE POSSIBLY CAUSING AFLOE PROBLEM. THANKS PAT. *A

NHTSA ODI #733163

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE GIVING OFF SMOKE AFTER OIL CHANGE. ENTIRE ENGINE HAS BEEN DISMANTLED AND IS BEING REASSEMBLED. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AT APPROPRIATE SERVICE INTERVALS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #705062

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

EMISSION CONTROL VALVE FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ODI #605049

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

CANISTER ASSEMBLY AND VACCUMS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #603581

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #516104

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

SMOG PARTS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #602712

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

3

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.

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

PE97018 · Turn Signal Failures

Opened Apr 29, 1997 · Closed Jul 22, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

CONSUMERS ALLEGE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONS FAIL WHILE DRIVING.TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE REPLACED TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, BUT IN ONE INSTANCE THE NEW SWITCH STILL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.DEALER MECHANICS INSTRUCTED THE OWNER TO TURN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH ON/OFF TO RESET THE SWITCH.THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH IS CONNECTED IN-LINE WITH THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, THUS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CAN RESULT A LOSS OF POWER TO THE TURN SIGNAL, WITH A RESULTANT FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TO FUNCTION.