← New search

1999 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 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

Other model years Selected 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

34 reports with mileage · 58 unknown

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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

6 reports
Clear category filter
131,000 miles · Feb 28, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

IT HAS HAPPENED ON LEVEL SURFACES AS WELL AS INCLINES. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE, THEY FIRST MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THEY MAKE A SOUND LIKE A METAL SPRING UNCOILING (LIKE A CLICKING, OTHERWISE). AFTER THAT, YOU ARE FREE SAILING AS YOU HAVE NO BRAKES! THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE EITHER TRYING TO…

Read full complaint

IT HAS HAPPENED ON LEVEL SURFACES AS WELL AS INCLINES. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE, THEY FIRST MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THEY MAKE A SOUND LIKE A METAL SPRING UNCOILING (LIKE A CLICKING, OTHERWISE). AFTER THAT, YOU ARE FREE SAILING AS YOU HAVE NO BRAKES! THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE EITHER TRYING TO BRAKE OR EVEN AFTER BRAKING SUCCESSFULLY AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY LET LOOSE WHILE AT A STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. I HAVE THANKFULLY BEEN ABLE TO AVOID ANY SERIOUS INJURY OR ACCIDENTS, HOWEVER HAVE HAD A MINOR ISSUE WITH HITTING A FENCE DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. WE HAVE HAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED FOR ANY REPAIRS NEEDED ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO NOTE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LITE OFTEN COMES ON DASH EVEN ON DRY SURFACES. THIS BRAKING PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SIENNA, BUT IN OTHER MODEL TOYOTAS AS WELL. CURRENTLY, IT IS ONLY THE PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS GETTING PUBLIC ATTENTION, HOWEVER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314962

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES WOULD PERIODICALLY GO OUT. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX BRAKES ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PERSIST. DEFECT CAN INVOLVE CONSUMER IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #883178

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

THE FRONT BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE, DEALER STATES THIS IS NORMAL. NLM

NHTSA ODI #559912

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *AK CONSUMER HAS NOT DRIVEN VEHICLE SINCE 3,791 MILES, THE REPAIRS COMPLETED TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM DID NOT REMEDY BRAKE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER WENT TO TOYOTA ARBITRATIO…

Read full complaint

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *AK CONSUMER HAS NOT DRIVEN VEHICLE SINCE 3,791 MILES, THE REPAIRS COMPLETED TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM DID NOT REMEDY BRAKE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER WENT TO TOYOTA ARBITRATION BOARD FOR ASSISTANCE AND IS NOT RECEIVING HELP REGARDING FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM. ( MELODY TOYOTA 222 E.SAN BRUNO AVE. SAN BRUNO, CA. 94066. BOTH DEALERS SERVICE CENTERS RECEIPT ENCLOSED IN DOCUMENTATION). *YH

NHTSA ODI #867429

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES HEARD A LOUD POPPING NIOSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. DOES NOT HAVE A SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #861064

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2000
Air BagsFuel System, GasolineService Brakes, Hydraulic

MY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON 1 OR 2 TIMES A MONTH, WHILE DRIVING. IT STAYS ON FOR 15-30 SECONDS. MY NEXT PROBLEM IS THAT MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IN 11/99. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. THIS WAS REPAIRED BUT I DON'T FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPEN TO A NEW CAR AT SUCH AN EARLY AG…

Read full complaint

MY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON 1 OR 2 TIMES A MONTH, WHILE DRIVING. IT STAYS ON FOR 15-30 SECONDS. MY NEXT PROBLEM IS THAT MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IN 11/99. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. THIS WAS REPAIRED BUT I DON'T FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPEN TO A NEW CAR AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE. ALSO AROUND 16,000 MILES THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY ROTORS. THIS ALSO SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPEN AT THIS EARLY AGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718517

Official recalls

1

98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Oct 19, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.

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.