Model year record
1996 Toyota Avalon recalls & problems
The 1996 Toyota Avalon has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 109 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (19 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1996 Toyota Avalon.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1996 Toyota Avalon 4-DR.
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Avalon
| City / highway | 18 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine | 19 | 105,500 mi |
| VisibilityDefroster/defogger/hvac system; Windshield | 12 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | 11 | — |
| SteeringHydraulic power assist › Pump; Rack and pinion | 11 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 188,000 mi |
| Exterior lightingTurn signal; Hazard flashing warning lights › Unit | 8 | — |
| Electrical systemIgnition; Ignition › Switch | 7 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal; On-off switch assembly | 6 | — |
| SuspensionFront; Front › Control arm | 5 | — |
| Tires | 5 | — |
| EquipmentElectrical › Radio/tape deck/cd etc.; Appliance › Air conditioner | 4 | — |
| Seat beltsFront › Retractor; Front › Anchorage | 4 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Engine
WHILE DRIVING TO AN APPOINTMENT, I HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AFTER USING TWO FEET TO SLOW VEHICLE, AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF. AFTER TRYING TO RESTART VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, IT WAS STILL REVVING. AFTER A HALF HOUR, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND BRING IT HOME. VERY SCARY! IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF TO SAFETY. WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC, AND SINCE IT WAS NOT DOING IT WHILE THEY HAD IT, THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, AND FIX IT. WHILE TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE YEAR, AND…
- Electrical system
AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONER, A/C AMPLIFIER, AIR INLET SERVO MOTOR & SERVO LINK & HEATER CONTROLS STOP WORKING AND ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY BY ITSELF. TOYOTA WILL NOT OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA ONLY WANTS MORE MONEY TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT TELLING YOU EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE INFERIOR PARTS OF THEIR A/C SYSTEM SINCE 1995. THEY MUST HAVE HIGH PROFILE LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON FOR THE NHTSA TO LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS FOR SO LONG. SOMEBODY MUST BE GETTING PAID SOME KIND OF WAY FOR THE NHTSA TO IGNORE THIS PROBLEM AND LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT. THE NHTSA SHOULD MAKE TOYOTA COME CLEAN ABOUT THEIR A/C PROBLEMS AND RECALL ALL AUTOMOBILES WITH A/C PROBLEMS.…
- Vehicle speed control
AFTER RECEIVING A JUMP, I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THE GAS PEDAL SEEMED TO STICK. THEN WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THE LONGER WE DROVE THE HIGHER THE ENGINE REVVED. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO MY HOME ABOUT 5 MINUTES AWAY THEN THE CAR BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR AT A STOP LIGHT AND I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN THE CORNER TO A SIDE STREET UNTIL THE LIGHT CHANGED AND I WAS ABLE TO ENTER MY STREET. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE TO PARK IT AND IT WOULD NOT STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR SO I QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. IT REVVED A FEW SECONDS BEFORE…
- Seat belts
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NO SEAT BELT LIGHT WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 240,000.
- Vehicle speed controlCrash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO THE FRONT OF A PARKED VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,909.
- Vehicle speed controlCrash1 injury
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED HIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL REMAINED STUCK TO THE FLOOR WHEN THE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED WHICH CAUSED HIM TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 226,444. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
- Fuel system, gasoline
FILLER PIPE HAS CORRODED, SPILLS FUEL ON THE GROUND WHEN FILLING VEHICLE. *TR
- Vehicle speed controlCrash1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE PULLING UP TO A CURB, THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY USING REPEATED BRAKE APPLICATION, THEN PUTTING THE GEAR IN PARK WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE GO INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED BACKWARDS 50 FEET AND PINNED A PEDESTRIAN UNDER THE VEHICLE DRAGGING HIM APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. THE PEDESTRIAN DIED FROM HIS INJURES. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED BACKWARDS UNTIL IT HIT A UTILITY POLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,047. UPDATED 02/19/10 *BF UPDATED 09/02/10*JB UPDATED 9/27/11*CW
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- ENGINE SEIZUREClosed
- TURN SIGNAL FAILURESClosed
There is no summary currently available
- TURN SIGNAL FAILURESClosed
CONSUMERS ALLEGE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONS FAIL WHILE DRIVING.TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE REPLACED TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, BUT IN ONE INSTANCE THE NEW SWITCH STILL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.DEALER MECHANICS INSTRUCTED THE OWNER TO TURN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH ON/OFF TO RESET THE SWITCH.THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH IS CONNECTED IN-LINE WITH THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, THUS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CAN RESULT A LOSS OF POWER TO THE TURN SIGNAL, WITH A RESULTANT FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TO FUNCTION.