IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NO SEAT BELT LIGHT WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 240,000.
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 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
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsWHILE PASSENGER WAS IN SEAT AND WHEN BENDING OVER TO PICK SOMETHING OFF THE FLOOR, SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, CAUSING NO PROTECTION. *AK PERSON WAS SEATED IN MIDDLE BACK SEAT, TOYOTA REIMBURSED CONSUMER. *SLC
THE SEAT BELT DO NOT ALWAYS RETRACT WHEN RELEASED THUS DAMAGING THE DOOR AND PREVENTING THE LOCKING APPARATUS FROM WORKING PROPERLY. NLM
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED.
Official recalls
0No 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
3DP02004 · 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.