The 2012 Toyota Avalon has 4 safety recalls and 30 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is structure (6 complaints).
Recalls4safety recalls
Complaints30filed by owners
Crashes · fires8 · 1reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths6 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
NHTSA recall 20V024000 · Jan 17, 2020 · 2,891,976 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
Seat belts
NHTSA recall 18V569000 · Aug 29, 2018 · 19,354 vehicles
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles. During a vehicle repair, the seat belt inner buckles may have been replaced with parts that may incorrectly tell the air bag management system that the seat belt is always buckled.
Risk: If the seat belt is falsely interpreted as being buckled, in the event of a crash, the air bags may not deploy appropriately, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the seat belt assembly to verify that it is properly detecting being unbuckled, replacing the inner seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 19, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0S.
Components: Seat belts; Air bags
Electrical system
NHTSA recall 15V047000 · Jan 28, 2015 · 51,495 vehicles
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk may experience an intermittent electrical short which may cause damage to the integrated circuit (IC) in the audio amplifier. In some cases, the damaged IC may allow a constant electrical current flow to the sub-woofer.
Risk: A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
NHTSA recall 13V442000 · Oct 17, 2013 · 802,769 vehicles
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Risk: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Components: Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner; Air bags; Electrical system
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
2012 Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
11.1%
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
22mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 28 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/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
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Structure Body; Interior panels › Dashboard
6
1
0
1
17,000 mi
Air bags
6
4
0
5
56,100 mi
Vehicle speed control
4
4
0
1
17,000 mi
Electrical system
4
0
1
0
—
Service brakes
3
1
0
0
28,899 mi
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
—
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
—
Suspension
1
0
0
0
—
Electronic stability control (esc)
1
0
0
0
—
Seats
1
0
0
0
—
Visibility Sun/moon roof assembly
1
0
0
0
—
Engine
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
May 4, 2023Power train While entering the highway on ramp, as I accelerated and turned on the left turn signal, the engine stopped. The steering became very hard. I stopped, put the transmission in park and started the engine, with no problems. This is the second time in3 months this has happened when turning to the left, and activating the turn signal. In both cases, the auto headlight dimming warning lite came on. The car is well maintained, and has never been damaged in any way. The weather was clear.
Apr 7, 2022 · 50,000 milesStructure › Interior panels › Dashboard The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while it was hot outside, or whenever there was direct sunlight on the dashboard, the dashboard would become very sticky. The contact stated that the glare on the windshield from the reflection of the dashboard made it very difficult to see out the windshield. The contact stated that he contacted the dealer, and manufacturer about the failure, and was informed that previously there was a recall for the failure however, the recall had expired. The contact contacted the NHTSA after researching the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Dec 20, 2021Visibility/wiper There is a rear windshield shade that comes up automatically during a bright or hot day. It has a button to manually bring it up or down also. Just last month the gear inside the shade is broken and it does not come down. If I manually put it down it will come up automatically when driving, causing a loud noise distracting the driver even though, the driver has not pressed the button to pull it up. Now it is stuck in up position causing loud noise when reversing. And the biggest safety issue that I see is the night driving. Since the shade is up and I cannot make it go down, the visibility in the rear view mirror is very poor or nothing. There is no way for the driver to let it stay in the…
Apr 25, 2020 · 117,000 milesVisibility/wiper REAR SUNSCREEN REMAINS IN UP POSITION, WHEN LOWERED IN REVERSE, IT MAKES A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. HAVING TO DRIVE AT NIGHT PRESENTS A PROBLEM WITH VISIBILITY WHEN THE SUNSCREEN REMAINS IN THE UP POSITION.
Nov 19, 2018 · 71,000 miles · crash · 2 injuriesAir bags TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA AVALON. THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN AN 18 WHEELER COLLIDED INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 65 MPH. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE HOSPITALIZED WITH SPINAL INJURIES AND BRUISES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, AN 18 WHEELER STROKE THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE REAR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH LANES. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V569000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS)…
Oct 2, 2019 · 115,000 miles · crashAir bags ANOTHER DRIVER RAND A RED LIGHT AND I (T-BONED HIS PASSENGER SIDE) WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. I WAS BREAKING AT THE TIME, BUT STILL IMAGINE I HIT HIM AT BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. THE FRONT END CRUMPLED AS EXPECTED BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FIREFIGHTERS CUT POWER TO PREVENT THE AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING UNEXPECTEDLY AFTERWARDS. A CHECK PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON IN RECENT DAYS THAT I DID NOT GET FIXED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, BUT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE AFFECTED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG I EXPECT. LIBERTY MUTUAL IS CURRENTLY IN POSSESSION OF THE CAR (THEY DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS).
Apr 17, 2019 · 37,000 milesEngine TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED ON ITS OWN. THE MOTOR WAS EXTREMELY LOUD AND WAS A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD TURN OFF THE ENGINE, IT WOULD SOMETIMES RESTART ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT CALLED BOWLING GREEN TOYOTA (2398 SCOTTSVILLE RD, BOWLING GREEN, KY 42104, (270) 843-4321) AND WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW REAR SHADE MOTOR WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
Nov 19, 2018 · 70,000 miles · crash · 2 injuriesAir bags MY VEHICLES AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY I WAS HIT BY AN 18 WHEELER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAD AT LEAST 2 REAR END HITS BY THIS 18 WHEELER ESTIMATED AT A SPEED IN EXCESS OF 25 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN MINE (I WAS GOING AT 70MPH NORTHBOUND ON US 75, NINE MILES SOUTH OF TULSA OKLAHOMA ON A SUNNY MONDAY AT 3PM). THE STREET WAS DRY. THE TRUCK INITIALLY HIT ME ON MY REAR AND ON MY LEFT REAR QUARTER. I WAS SPUN IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK AND HE HIT ME AGAIN ON THE REAR QUARTER AND THE BUMPER AND SPUN ME IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THEN PUSHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AT AN ESTIMATED 40+ MPH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY FOR ANY OF THE THREE COLLISIONS (TWO IN THE REAR AND ONE IN THE FRONT).
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
EA19001 · opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024Electrical overstress The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal,…