2004 Toyota AVALON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
205 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
67,886 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 114 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 122 of 205 complaints (59.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 28 | 13.7% |
| Braking behavior | 19 | 9.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 2.4% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 122 |
| Steering | 24 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 23 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Seat Belts | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
Air Bags: 122; Steering: 24; Vehicle Speed Control: 23; Electrical System: 10; Seat Belts: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 25 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 15 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 26 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 25; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 8
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 91 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 |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 25 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 51 |
| 2016 | 36 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2004: 4; 2005: 6; 2006: 5; 2007: 3; 2008: 7; 2009: 2; 2010: 25; 2011: 6; 2012: 6; 2013: 8; 2014: 32; 2015: 51; 2016: 36; 2017: 5; 2018: 4; 2019: 2; 2021: 2; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 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 10083551 · 2004-09-13 (September 13, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A BRUSHING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON TWO OCCASIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE A/C WAS RUNNING THE VEHICLE WOULD DIE AS WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED, THE TRUNK GASKET LEAKED, NOISES WERE HEARD WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT (STEERING FELT TIGHT), THE TRUNK BOTTOM WOULD NOT OPEN, THE WIPERS WOULD HIT THE HOOD, THERE WAS A SCRAPING WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS LEAKING WATER, AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT …
Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083551 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10105388 · 2004-12-28 (December 28, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 35 MILES PER HOUR THE CONSUMER HIT A CURB WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TO GO FLAT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE STRUT ARM, KNUCKLE STEERING, BUSHINGS AND BEARINGS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10099310 · 2005-09-06 (September 6, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *TT *NM *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125733 · 2005-06-19 (June 19, 2005)
HAVING TRAVELED UP A STEEP ROAD, I PROCEEDED TO TURN INTO AN ACQUAINTANCE'S DRIVEWAY. I BEGAN TO APPLY THE BRAKE AS I CAME TO PARK BEHIND HER VEHICLE. SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, MY 2004 TOYOTA AVALON SURGED AHEAD AND CRASHED INTO HER PARKED VEHICLE CAUSING MY FRONT BUMPER TO GO UNDER THE BACK OF HER 2004 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE LIFTING IT UP OFF THE GROUND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I CALLED MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED I NOT DRIVE IT (I WAS TO GO OUT OF TOWN FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND). SO I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AS I WANTED T…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,317 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125733 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10383405 · 2011-02-20 (February 20, 2011)
MY 2008 TOYOTA AVALON HAD THE HIGH BEAM LIGHT FAIL AFTER APPROX. 30000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM THE HIGH BEAM DID NOT WORK. I WAS INSULTED WHEN THEY ASKED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY DON'T WORK"? I TOLD THEM, "THEY DON'T TURN ON". I WAS TOLD THEY BOTH BURNED OUT AND I SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WOULD BOTH BURN OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THEIR INSULTS CONTINUED WITH, "THEIR THE SAME AGE SO THEY CERTAINLY COULD BURN OUT AT THE SAME TIME." I EXPLAINED WHEN I WENT TO TURN THEM ON ONE NIGHT, ALL LIGHTS IN THE CAR WENT OUT AND I HEAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447691 · 2012-02-12 (February 12, 2012)
OUR AVALON HAS ABOUT 46,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN DOING THE FOLLOWING FOR THE LAST 10,000; PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT/FAULT INDICATOR INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THIS MAY GO FOR DAYS OR WEEKS WITHOUT HAPPENING, AND THEN HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. INDICATOR MAY COME FULLY ON OR ONLY DIMLY ON, FOR SECONDS OR FOR MINUTES. IT APPEARS THAT GOING OVER A BUMPY ROAD WILL TRIGGER THE LIGHT GOING ON OR OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE WATERTOWN MA TOYOTA DEALER FOR ANALYSIS IN OCTOBER 2010 AND TO THE WOBURN MA TOYOTA D…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447691 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318413 · 2010-03-10 (March 10, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE; HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP THE ENGINE WAS STILL SURGING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77000.
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318413 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10365774 · 2010-11-15 (November 15, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SHE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL LIGHTLY, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED TO 50 MPH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ABNORMAL ACCELERATION BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES BUT TO NO AVAIL. SHE CRASHED INTO THREE CARS AS A RESULT OF THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND WAS REPORTED AS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SEND SOMEONE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE ALSO …
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10365774 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10369809 · 2010-12-09 (December 9, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS SHIFTING FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 50 MPH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THREE VEHICLES BEFORE IT FINALLY STOPPED AND THEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369809 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10219758 · 2008-02-29 (February 29, 2008)
2004 TOYOTA AVLON/XL SEDAN WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER,TOYOTA-SCION OF STAFFORD,VA FOR 30,000 MILE CHECK AND ENGINE LIGHT 06/20/07 , ON 07/06/07 ENGINE LIGHT BACK $95.00, AND ON 07/2507 ENGINE LIGHT ONCE AGAIN AND THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM A SPLIT LINE ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK $325.00. APPARENTLY BAD MATERIAL WHICH FROM FACTORY NOT EXPECTED FROM AN AVLON BARELY 3 YEARS OLD. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10219758 at NHTSA ↗