IllustrationEMAIL FWD FM FHWA REQUEST PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING MATTER RE FAILURE OF SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY *MR THE SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BY A DRIVER GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT. SCC
2002 Toyota Avalon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
80–25K
1325–50K
1150–75K
1175–100K
14100–150K
19150K+
76 reports with mileage · 40 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports2 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
116 reportsTHE VEHICLES DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. *NLM
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH YET THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING ON NJ TURNPIKE AT 60 MPH A TIRE BLEWOUT DAMAGING THE RIM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRE AND THE RIM. *AK *NLM
THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. *JB
THE REAR VIEW MIRROR VIBRATED, WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR TO CRACK. *JB
THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE.*JB
WHEN A LEFT TURN WAS MADE, AND CONSUMER STRAIGHTENED THE WHEEL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE LEFT. *JB THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY WANDERED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CHANGED LANES WITHOUT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND WORSENED WHEN TRAVELING FARTHER IN DISTANCE. THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINU…
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WHEN A LEFT TURN WAS MADE, AND CONSUMER STRAIGHTENED THE WHEEL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE LEFT. *JB THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY WANDERED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CHANGED LANES WITHOUT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND WORSENED WHEN TRAVELING FARTHER IN DISTANCE. THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE WANDERING, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, AND AN EXPERIENCED TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO RECIEVE THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THE VEHICLE. SCC
THE VEHICLE EMITS A STRONG SULFUR ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS CHANGED THE TYPE OF GAS USED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH *NLM
I HAD A FRONTAL CRASH THAT THE HOOD WAS PUSHED IN ABOUT 1 FOOT AND RIGHT HEAD LIGHT WAS OUT. IT WAS NOT THAT BIG OF CRASH, THE AIR BAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 5 MILES HOME. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE TO WAIT FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTOR TO COME FOR CLAIM INSPECTION. HOWEVER AFTER A…
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I HAD A FRONTAL CRASH THAT THE HOOD WAS PUSHED IN ABOUT 1 FOOT AND RIGHT HEAD LIGHT WAS OUT. IT WAS NOT THAT BIG OF CRASH, THE AIR BAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 5 MILES HOME. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE TO WAIT FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTOR TO COME FOR CLAIM INSPECTION. HOWEVER AFTER ABOUT 3 FULL DAYS, THE CAR IGNITED ITSELF AND BURNED THE WHOLE CAR. OF COURSE, I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THE FIRE STARTED BUT IT IS QUITE UNRELIABLE FOR THE CAR TO JUST IGNITE BY ITSELF. SHOULDN'T THERE SOME KIND OF SAFTY FEATURE FOR A SLIGHTLY CRASHED CAR TO BE SAFE FROM CATCHING A FIRE OR THIS SAFTY FEATURE SIMPLY MALFUNCTIONED???
Official recalls
110V345000 · Steering
Jul 29, 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.