IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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
Steering complaints
40 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE IS LEAKING STEERING FLUID DUE TO A BROKEN RACK AND PINION. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN AND ADDITONAL INFORMATION. *AK
RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED/ LEAKING OIL, AND FRONT STRUT SUPPORT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS RATTLING CONSTANTLY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE. ALSO, HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS SOUND. ONLY AFTER BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED A SECOND TIME KNOCKING SOUND STOPPED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S S…
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RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED/ LEAKING OIL, AND FRONT STRUT SUPPORT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS RATTLING CONSTANTLY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE. ALSO, HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS SOUND. ONLY AFTER BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED A SECOND TIME KNOCKING SOUND STOPPED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED WHEN MAKING TURNS. CONSUMER FELT UNSAFE IN VEHICLE. *AK
DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. OWNER NOTICED NOISE WHILE STEERING, AND CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID TO FIND THAT IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO EMPTY. THE DEALER DIDN'T CHARGE FOR LABOR, SO I ONLY PAID FOR THE RACK ($600.00). CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT A RECALL, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NONE, AND THAT I …
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DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. OWNER NOTICED NOISE WHILE STEERING, AND CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID TO FIND THAT IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO EMPTY. THE DEALER DIDN'T CHARGE FOR LABOR, SO I ONLY PAID FOR THE RACK ($600.00). CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT A RECALL, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NONE, AND THAT I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE DEALER PAID FOR THE LABOR. I AGREE THAT I WAS FORTUNATE FOR THAT, BUT FEEL THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN OUT .
I HAD TO ADD CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF POWER STEERING FLUID MONTHLY FOR PAST 3 MONTHS; DEALER SAYS RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR UNIT LEAKING; CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, COST TO REPLACE PART $1,500. I PAY PREMIUM PRICE FOR TOYOTA QUALITY, AND RACK & PINION SHOULD NOT GO BAD ON ANY CAR AT ONLY 63,000 MILES!!!! IF NECESSARY, I WILL GO ALL …
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I HAD TO ADD CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF POWER STEERING FLUID MONTHLY FOR PAST 3 MONTHS; DEALER SAYS RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR UNIT LEAKING; CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, COST TO REPLACE PART $1,500. I PAY PREMIUM PRICE FOR TOYOTA QUALITY, AND RACK & PINION SHOULD NOT GO BAD ON ANY CAR AT ONLY 63,000 MILES!!!! IF NECESSARY, I WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT TO GET REIMBURSED. *AK
STEERING: GEAR: RACK WAS LEAKING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED/REPAIRED AT CONSUMER'S COST. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING STEERING FLUID ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE COST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IS A WHOPPING 1,500 ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. *AK
ALARM SYSTEM DESIGN DOES NOT ALLOW FOR CONSUMER TO OPERATE VEHICLE WHEN LOCKING DOORS PRIOR TO STARTING ENGINE.
UPPER STEERING KNUCKLE BROKE; CAUSED VEHICLE TO PULL SEVERELY TO RIGHT, HIT CURB, STRUCK LIGHT POLE, NOISY, SEEMED TO HAVE MIND OF ITS OWN; REPAIRED. DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY. *AK
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.