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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

Power Train complaints

3 reports
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100,475 miles · Sep 7, 2003
Power Train

I BOUGHT A USED 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. IT WAS COVERED UNDER 6 YEAR / 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH OF 2002. I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.*AK WHEN PUTTING THE AUTO TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES VIOLENTLY. ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT "BARK" THE TIRES, IT IS QUITE …

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I BOUGHT A USED 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. IT WAS COVERED UNDER 6 YEAR / 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH OF 2002. I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.*AK WHEN PUTTING THE AUTO TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES VIOLENTLY. ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT "BARK" THE TIRES, IT IS QUITE SEVERE. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY GASKET(S) WERE THE LIKELY CAUSE AND THEY HAD MY CAR FROM 9-3-03 TO 9-5-03 REPLACING THEM. THEY SAID THAT A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED DETAILING THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE GASKETS, BUT NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN ISSUED. TOYOTA ENGINEERS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE LOWER VALVE BODY GASKET IN 1997 (TC00197 APR 1997) BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DIRECT CLUTCH PORTION OF THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE DAMAGED DUE TO THE CROSS LEAK FROM THE GASKET. MY QUESTION IS- WHY DID TOYOTA NOT RECALL THESE CARS BECAUSE OF THIS? TWO VALVE BODY GASKETS ARE LESS THAN $30.00 (TOYOTA PRICES). I AM NOT SURE IF THE NEW GASKETS WILL INTERCHANGE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE VALVE BODY, BORE, ETC. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED THESE GASKETS AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I DID ORIGINALLY. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH (THEY CHARGED ME NO LABOR BECAUSE THEY DID NOT FIX THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM). I AM NOW STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I HAVE PUT ROUGHLY 60,000 MILES ON SINCE PAYING OVER $20,000.00 FOR IT (BEFORE TRADE-IN) IN 1999. I CAN'T TRADE OR SELL THIS CAR UNTILL I GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED ( INSTALL A NEW OR REBUILT UNIT). THE COST OF A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND INSTALLATION WOULD LIKELY BE OVER 30% OF THE CARS CURRENT VALUE.

NHTSA ODI #10037371

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 1998
Power Train

OWNER NOT NOTIFIED OF TSB TC002-96 AND TC001-97.

NHTSA ODI #538284

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 1998
Power Train

AFTER VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND THE IGNITION TURNED OFF, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE AND IMPACTED A BRICK WALL.

NHTSA ODI #537104

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.