2011 Toyota AVALON: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
106 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
34,950 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 78 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 106 complaints (29.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 31 | 29.2% |
| Braking behavior | 17 | 16.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 8.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 5.7% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 31 |
| Electrical System | 24 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 9 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Visibility | 5 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 4 |
Steering: 31; Electrical System: 24; Unknown Or Other: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Visibility/Wiper: 9; Service Brakes: 5; Visibility: 5; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 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 | 33 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 33; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 28 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2010: 2; 2011: 12; 2012: 11; 2013: 8; 2014: 11; 2015: 17; 2016: 4; 2017: 11; 2018: 9; 2019: 7; 2020: 7; 2021: 4; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 17 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10363372 · 2010-10-30 (October 30, 2010)
FOOT FIRMLY ON BRAKE, SHIFTING TO REVERSE. ENGINE ROARED TO LIFE AND VEHICLE THRUST BACKWARD. FOLLOWED BY FOUR OTHER EPISODES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE FOOT ON BRAKE. THE LAST OF THESE RESULTED IN LIGHT REAR-END COLLISION. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO STRUCK PICKUP. FRONT GRILL OF AVALON VISIBLY CRUSHED. THESE FIVE INCIDENTS OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT NINE DAYS. I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT SINCE.
Owner-reported narrative. 290 miles reported. Look up ODI 10363372 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10371008 · 2010-12-17 (December 17, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS RX350 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR DOOR WAS OPENED, THE CHIME DID NOT INDICATE THAT DOOR WAS OPEN WHILE THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE GARAGE; THE VEHICLE DOOR CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR AND WAS DAMAGED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A WARNING CHIME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT SOMEONE FROM THE DESIGN DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT HIM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,300.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10371008 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10375409 · 2011-01-10 (January 10, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES TO HER ARM AND KNEE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE TO VEHICLE INTO REVERSE WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DID NOT PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST YET REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD BE SENDING OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHI…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10375409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10376686 · 2011-01-14 (January 14, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STEERING COLUMN BECAME ABNORMALLY LOOSE AND EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL POPPING NOISE AS THE CONTACT WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,500. UPDATED 03/07/11
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10376686 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10392225 · 2011-03-19 (March 19, 2011)
I BOUGHT A NEW 2011 AVALON MAY 2010. WITHIN 2 WEEKS, FILM FROM GAS VAPORS FORMED ON INTERIOR WINDOWS. THE FILM IMPEDES CLEAR VISION WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE FILM IS SO THICK, ONE CAN WRITE THEIR NAME. LOOKING OUTWARD IT APPEARS YOU ARE INSIDE AN IRIDESCENCE BUBBLE. REFLECTION FROM SUN AND HEADLIGHTS WORSENS THE PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR CAR AND OTHER VEHICLES. I'VE BEEN TO ARBITRATION THROUGH NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION CASE # 2210170; I REQUESTED MSDS SHEETS FOR THE CAUSE OF …
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392225 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10392792 · 2011-03-24 (March 24, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEWLY DESIGNED HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGED HEADLIGHTS ONLY ALLOWED PARTIALLY ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND FILED A REPORT OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15 AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392792 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10393388 · 2011-03-26 (March 26, 2011)
DRIVER-SIDE FRONT DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED - FROM THE INSIDE. DRIVER-SIDE FRONT DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED - FROM THE OUTSIDE VIA KEY OR REMOTE.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,692 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10396412 · 2011-04-14 (April 14, 2011)
2011 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER STATES TRUNK OPENER SWITCH IS A SAFETY HAZARD *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE HAS A SUNSHADE AND THE SWITCH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE TRUNK OPENER. THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW AGO WHILE DRIVING, HE WANTED TO LOWER THE SUNSHADE, BUT HE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE TRUNK OPENED INSTEAD AND THE LID OPENED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRUNK OPENER SHOULD NOT BE ACTIVE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10396412 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V047000 · Electrical System
Reported: 2015-01-28 (January 28, 2015)
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.
Consequence: A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗