2001 Toyota AVALON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
134 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 69 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 134 complaints (15.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 29 | 21.6% |
| Steering behavior | 20 | 14.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 3.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 2.2% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
| Electrical System | 9 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 7 |
| Tires | 7 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 6 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 21; Air Bags: 15; Electrical System: 9; Steering: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Tires: 7; Visibility:Windshield: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 8
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 65 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
2000: 5; 2001: 17; 2002: 24; 2003: 14; 2004: 14; 2005: 6; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2010: 18; 2011: 5; 2012: 1; 2013: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2020: 2; 2023: 4
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10011429 · 2003-03-26 (March 26, 2003)
THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, HIS FOOT SLIPPED AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011429 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015300 · 2003-04-11 (April 11, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL HIT A PICKUP TRUCK, AND THEN HIT A TREE. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER IN THE PICKUP TRUCK SUSTAINED INJURIES AS WELL AS THE CONSUMER.*AK *JB *TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10122602 · 2005-05-16 (May 16, 2005)
2001 TOYOTA AVALON EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, AND WINDOWS. *MR THERE WAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH NOISE THAT SEEMED TO ORIGINATE FROM THE FRONT END. THE NOISE WAS INTERMITTENT AND NOTICEABLE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED, WHEN MAKING TURNS OR WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CALIPER SLIDE WAS STICKING ONTO THE LEFT FRONT SIDE. THE BRAKE ROTORS SHOWED SIGNS OF GLAZE, THERE WAS A WOBBLY FEELING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,276 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122602 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126416 · 2005-07-22 (July 22, 2005)
DT:STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AT SPEEDS FROM 60 TO 75 MPH. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEARS TWICE TO BALANCE AND ROTATE THE TIRES. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA AND HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE LUBRICATED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. VEHICLE HAS 22000 MILES. CONSUMER SAYS THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE UNDER THE CARRIAGE. *JB WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS A VIBRATION.
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067210 · 2004-06-24 (June 24, 2004)
AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE 13 TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK THE DEALER REPLACED ALL THE WIRING, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177789 · 2007-01-04 (January 4, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT TOOK THE 2001 TOYOTA AVALON TO THE DEALER ON 01/03/07 BECAUSE THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. AT THE DEALERSHIP THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T DEPLOY,. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE AIR BAGS, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING WAS BECAUSE THE SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS CREATING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CONTACT FELT THAT THIS INCIDENTWAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND COULD PROVIDE A COPY OF…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,184 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177789 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029662 · 2003-08-15 (August 15, 2003)
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE SKID CONTROL LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK CAP WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES, AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ALSO THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AT TIMES, HOWEVER THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. *JB *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029662 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10107940 · 2005-01-26 (January 26, 2005)
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY "DIAGNOSED" THE CAR FOR 8 DAYS. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THEY FINALLY INDICATED IT WAS BECAUSE OF BUILD-UP ON THE #1 FUEL INJECTOR AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600. THEY ALSO INDICATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR HAD 42,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THAT THE POWERTRAIN IS COVERED UNTIL 60,000 MILES BUT THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE POWERTRAIN. APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS AFTER GETTING MY CAR BAC…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10312499 · 2010-02-21 (February 21, 2010)
AVALON XLS V6 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 46,000 MILES I HAD JUST BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE AND I STOPPED TO LOWER THE GARAGE DOOR. THE CAR WAS IN STILL REVERSE AND I WENT TO ACCELERATE AND THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WENT BACKWARD IN REVERSE ALL THE WHILE I WAS TRYING TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WENT IN A FULL 20 FOOT CIRCLE AND WAS ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH A SECOND CIRCLE WHEN MY HUSBAND REACHED OVER AND TURNED THE KEY 1 CLICK TO KILL THE ENGINE. WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT IF I HAD PUT MY FOOT ON BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR B…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312499 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10352399 · 2010-08-27 (August 27, 2010)
2001 TOYOTA AVALON WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTAL AREA AND TURING RIGHT FROM ONE STREET TO ANOTHER, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WAS UNABLE TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL. I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO AVOID RUNNING INTO A RESIDENTAIL WALL. AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, I MOVED THE TRANSMISSION FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND THEN REVERSE. THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. I DROVE THE TWO BLOCKS TO MY HOME AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY SAY THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 132,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352399 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10230937 · 2008-06-13 (June 13, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL. THE CONTACT MUST ALSO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE GR VALVE AT THE DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $250. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 63,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230937 at NHTSA ↗