2015 Toyota AVALON: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
41 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
42,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 41 complaints (22.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 24.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 4.9% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 4.9% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine | 2 |
Service Brakes: 9; Air Bags: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: 7; Unknown Or Other: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 21 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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2015: 4; 2016: 8; 2017: 5; 2019: 4; 2020: 5; 2021: 5; 2022: 1; 2023: 4; 2025: 3; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 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 10734292 · 2015-07-15 (July 15, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2015 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,800. UPDATED 11/12/15*LJ UPDATED 11/12/2017*CN
Owner-reported narrative. 6,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10734292 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10777900 · 2015-09-27 (September 27, 2015)
REAR WINDOW VISIBILITY IS SERIOUSLY HAMPERED BY INTERIOR REFLECTION ON INSIDE OF REAR WINDOW. THIS VEHICLE HAS A LIGHT GREY INTERIOR COLOR AND THE BACK PACKAGE TRAY AND SPEAKER COVERS ARE ALSO LIGHT GREY. THIS LIGHT GREY COLOR IS REFLECTED ON THE INSIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW GLASS. WHEN LOOKING OUT THE REAR WINDOW USING THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR, THE REAR WINDOW LOOKS AS IF IT IS EXTREMELY DIRTY OR FOGGED. THE CONDITION IS WORSE WHEN SUBJECTED TO SUNLIGHT. AT PRESENT, WHILE AWAITING IF/WHEN A REPAIR/MODIFICATION WILL TO BE MADE BY THE SELLIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10777900 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10780434 · 2015-10-07 (October 7, 2015)
I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT; THIS IS WHAT I EXPERIENCED WITH THE PCS SYSTEM. IT WENT OFF WITH WARNING BUZZER, RETRACTING THE SEAT BELTS. TO MY SURPRISE, THE FRONTAL CAR WAS MORE THAN 120 TO 150 FEET AWAY!; I BELIEVE I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH. SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE PCS SYSTEM, I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WAS NORMAL OR WHETHER I SHOULD BRING THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER; THEY GAVE ME A TOYOTA CASE NO. 152660366 ; MECHANIC SAID HE PERFORMED HEA…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10780434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10785402 · 2015-10-22 (October 22, 2015)
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL (DRCC). IT APPLIES THE BRAKES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BELOW ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF 5 OF ABOUT 20 SUCH INCIDENTS: -ON I-40. I WAS BEHIND A TRUCK MOVING 62 IN A 70 ZONE. THERE WAS A TRUCK IN THE LEFT LANE ABOUT 200 YARDS AHEAD. I MOVED TO THE LEFT LANE. THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME IN EITHER LANE. DRCC QUICKLY SLOWED ME TO 40 MPH. -AGAIN ON I-40, IN RIGHT LANE BEHIND A TRUCK GOING ABOUT 62 IN A 70 ZONE. THE TRUCK 20 YARDS BEHIND ME MOVED LEFT AND ACCELERATED. BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY APPLIE…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10785402 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10837804 · 2016-02-23 (February 23, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V728000 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE). THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10837804 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10840340 · 2016-03-07 (March 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V728000 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10840340 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10845659 · 2016-03-09 (March 9, 2016)
THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE OF 39MPH AND 40MPH IS INACCURATE. WITH CAREFUL DRIVING THE MOST I CAN GET ON MY DAILY COMMUTE IS 32.9.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,078 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845659 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10845856 · 2016-03-09 (March 9, 2016)
TOYOTA RECALLED THE PCS WITHIN 5 MONTHS OF MY PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DISABLED THE PRE COLLISION SYSTEM AND THERE IS NO FIX AT CURRENT TIME. TOYOTA WILL NOT GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS MODEL BECAUSE OF THE PCS SAFETY AND IT IS USELESS NOW,
Owner-reported narrative. 6,870 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845856 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V728000 · Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking
Reported: 2015-11-03 (November 3, 2015)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.
Consequence: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V024000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module
Reported: 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗