IllustrationBRAKES FEEL SOFT AND MUSHY, FRONT BRAKES APROX 9.5MM REMAIN AND REARS APROX 9MM REMAIN.TEST DROVE AND ADJUST PARK BRAKE. ADJUST BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT PEDAL TO LOW, CHECKED AND RESET PEDAL TO SPECS, PER CUST REP AIR MANUAL. 6 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR
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 →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: 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
Service Brakes, Air complaints
3 reportsTHE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED. THIS PART CONTROLLS THE ABS BRAKING ACTION. ACCORDING TO OTHER REPAIR SOURCES IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THIS PART TO FAIL. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT SINCE IT CONTROLS THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTUER OF THE COMPONENT IS BOSCHE AND THERE HAVE BEEN SAFETY BULLETINS THROUGH NHTSA ABOUT THE…
Read full complaint
THE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED. THIS PART CONTROLLS THE ABS BRAKING ACTION. ACCORDING TO OTHER REPAIR SOURCES IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THIS PART TO FAIL. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT SINCE IT CONTROLS THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTUER OF THE COMPONENT IS BOSCHE AND THERE HAVE BEEN SAFETY BULLETINS THROUGH NHTSA ABOUT THESE PARTS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WHO WERE BOTH CONTACTED WON'T EVEN DISCUSS ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS UNIT. THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED IT . THE BRAKES APPEARED TO FAIL CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION.
SPEED SENSOR FAILED.
Official recalls
197V156000 · 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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.