IllustrationBRAKES HAVE FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. MJS (SB ISSUED 60218,60252).
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
What owners actually said
109 reportsENGINE GIVING OFF SMOKE AFTER OIL CHANGE. ENTIRE ENGINE HAS BEEN DISMANTLED AND IS BEING REASSEMBLED. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AT APPROPRIATE SERVICE INTERVALS. *AK
ON A NORMAL ROUTINE TIRE CHANGE, THE LUGS:NUTS BROKE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS FAILED RESULTING IN BURNING AND SMOKE.
CANNOT FIND DEALER TO INSTALL AIR BAG CUT OFF SWITCH.
TIRES SHOW ABNORMAL WEAR ON OUTSIDE OF THE EDGES CAUSED BY UNDER-INFLATION AND HARD CORNERING.
OWNER NOT NOTIFIED OF TSB TC002-96 AND TC001-97.
BRIDGESTONE FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCE ABNORMAL WEAR.
A/C SHUTS OFF WHEN WATER IS PRESENT ON THE ROAD, DESIGNED THIS WAY TO PREVENT BELT FROM SLIPPING AND BURNING OUT A/C MOTOR, HOWEVER CREATES POOR VISIBILITY WHEN SHUTS OFF, FOGGING WINDSHIELD.
AFTER VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND THE IGNITION TURNED OFF, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE AND IMPACTED A BRICK WALL.
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.