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1997 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Avalon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →
125Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
80
1995109
1996125
1997178
199892
1999173
2000
Compare all Avalon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Steering
40Suspension
26Power Train
9Tires
9Engine And Engine Cooling
8
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
8Service Brakes, Hydraulic
7Air Bags
5Seat Belts
5Electrical System
4Visibility
4Exterior Lighting
3Seats
3Service Brakes, Air
3Unknown Or Other
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Structure
2Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes
1Wheels
1

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: 25 of 125 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.

  • Steering. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
142,206 miles · Nov 5, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Equipment Adaptive/mobilityLatches/locks/linkages

AUTO LOCKING SYSTEM LOCKS DOORS WHILE DOORS ARE OPEN OR CLOSED AND YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF CAR OR PUTTING GROCERS IN IF UR KEYS ARE IN CAR IT STILL LOCKS I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT MANY TIMES IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN UR DAUGHTER BORROWS YOUR CAR AND GETS HER9 MONTH OLD BABY LOCKED IN AT 95 DEGREES AT 11AM…

Read full complaint

AUTO LOCKING SYSTEM LOCKS DOORS WHILE DOORS ARE OPEN OR CLOSED AND YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF CAR OR PUTTING GROCERS IN IF UR KEYS ARE IN CAR IT STILL LOCKS I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT MANY TIMES IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN UR DAUGHTER BORROWS YOUR CAR AND GETS HER9 MONTH OLD BABY LOCKED IN AT 95 DEGREES AT 11AM IN FLORIDA IN THE SUN IN A PARKING LOT.THE LOCKSMITH COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR CAUSE EVERY TIME HE POP THE LOCK THE SYSTEM WOULD RELOCK IT SELF IMMEDIATELY .THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM .SOME TIMES IT LOCKS ITSELF IN SECONDS OR MINS.IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10652661

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2010
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

MY FATHER LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON AND CRASHED INTO TWO UTILITY POLES ON MISSION VILLAGE DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CA. HE SUBSEQUENTLY DIED OF COMPLICATIONS FROM HIS INJURIES TO HIS HEAD AND LOWER EXTREMITIES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR UPDATED IVOQ 09/02/10*JB UPDATE 9/19/2011*CW

NHTSA ODI #10304640

Official recalls

1

97V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist

Sep 17, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.

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

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

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

No summary supplied.