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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 →
92Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
109
1996125
1997178
199892
1999173
2000134
2001116
2002
Compare all Avalon years →

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

What owners reported most

Air Bags
22Vehicle Speed Control
20Suspension
14Electrical System
6Engine And Engine Cooling
6
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Tires
5Fuel System, Gasoline
4Power Train
4Seat Belts
4Steering
3Structure
3Equipment
2Seats
2Unknown Or Other
2Visibility
2Engine
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Exterior Lighting
1

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

Structure complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
184,300 miles · Oct 18, 2009
Structure

DRIVER'S EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALER, AND COMMENTS WERE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME ON TOYOTAS (FROM MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON DIFFERENT DATES. BEING ABLE TO OPEN DOOR QUICKLY CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS IS OCCURRING AS FREQUENTLY AS TOYOTA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES LED TO BEL…

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DRIVER'S EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALER, AND COMMENTS WERE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME ON TOYOTAS (FROM MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON DIFFERENT DATES. BEING ABLE TO OPEN DOOR QUICKLY CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS IS OCCURRING AS FREQUENTLY AS TOYOTA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES LED TO BELIEVE, WHY HASN'T TOYOTA DOES SOMETHING TO CORRECT? THE GRASPING PORTION OF HANDLE IS ALL PLASTIC. PROBLEM COULD MOST LIKELY BE SOLVED EASILY WITH A LITTLE REINFORCEMENT WITH A DURABLE MATERIAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10288828

Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2000
Structure

WATER WOULD ENTER TRUNK AREA WHENEVER IT RAIND OR VEHICLE WAS BEING WASHED AFTER TRUNK LID WAS CLOSED. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. MECHANIC COUILD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM OR RESOLVE IT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #868358

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 1999
StructureVehicle Speed Control

THIS CAR SUDDEN ACCELERATES AND WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE GOES 10MPH. THE BODY TRIM BY THE DOORS IS SEVERLY WORN AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPLACE IT AND SAYS IT CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #711752

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.