Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Toyota Avalon problems

Owners filed 128 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Avalon with NHTSA between Jul 1997 and Aug 2016. The most-cited component is steering (40).

Complaints
128
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering40
  2. Suspension26
  3. Tires10
  4. Engine and engine cooling9
  5. Vehicle speed control8
  6. Power train8
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  8. Air bags5
  9. Seat belts5
  10. Electrical system4
  11. Visibility4
  12. Seats3
  13. Service brakes, air3
  14. Exterior lighting3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19973
19989
199921
200019
200129
200210
20037
20046
20055
20062
20073
20081
20091
20102
20112
20122
20130
20143
20152
20161

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Steering

40 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,970 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2011SteeringODI 10434983

Suspension

26 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE MADE LOUD NOISES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATERAL ARM SNAPPED OFF THE SUBFRAME DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 11/03/16*LJ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2016Suspension, StructureODI 10894082

Tires

10 reports
“WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE TIRE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED MY TIRES COMPLAINING OF A SHAKING STEERING WHEEL (THINKING ONE OF MY TIRES HAD LOST A BALANCE WEIGHT), THAT'S WHEN I DISCOVERED 3 OF THE 4 TIRES I HAD PURCHASED A YEAR AGO SEPTEMBER (AND WHICH HAD ONLY 14,000 MILES OF WEAR) HAD ALL EXPERIENCED THE STEEL BELT SEPARATING INSIDE THE TIRE. UPDATED 09/02/15*LJ UPDATED 10/31/2017*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2015TiresODI 10730642

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports1 crash
“COMPLAINT AGAINST TOYOTA OF GREENVILLE/TOYOTA CORP. *BF THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL HAD BEE INITIATED. A SPECIAL PROGRAM WAS INITIATED FOR THE ENGINE PROBLEM BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CONSUMER WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10114983

Vehicle speed control

8 reports5 crashes
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO COLLEGE AT 7:45 A.M HEADING HIGHWAY 72 WEST. MY CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATED FROM 75MPH TO 100 MPH. I PUSHED, PRESSED, AND PUMPED MY BRAKES THAT WOULDN'T WORK. I PRESSED DOWN MY EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH DID NOT WORK EITHER. I TRAVELED ABOUT TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE CAR JUST SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP SMOKING FROM MY TIRES AND UNDER THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR SCREAMING THANKING GOD FOR MY LIFE HE SPARED. I WAS TRAUMATIZED AT THIS POINT. I DID COME TO MYSELF AND DIALED 911 FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS BECAUSE MY CAR WAS SMOKING SO BAD.NEXT DAY TOYOTA COMPANY SAID IT WAS MY COIL PACK AND CHARGED ME TO FIX IT BUT I AM NOW TERRIFIED OF THIS CAR AND REFUSE TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE. I HAVE SINCE HAD SEVERE NIGHTMARES EVERY NIGHT SINCE THIS ACCIDENT THAT COULD'VE BEEN DEADLY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2014Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 10578759

Power train

8 reports1 crash
“DEALER SERVICED TRANSMISSION WITH A FLUSH AND FLUID REPLACEMENT AT 120,406 MILES. ALSO, TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AND COOLANT FLUSH DONE. EIGHT WEEKS LATER, TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. WAS ON 250 MILE TRIP, FELT BUMPING WHICH THOUGHT MAY BE ROUGH ROAD CONDITION, THEN WHEN CLOSE TO DESTINATION, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER STOPPING AT STOP LIGHT. DIAGNOSIS WAS COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER WOULD NOT CONCEDE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTING TO FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION ALTHOUGH DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY OTHER TOYOTA AVALON TRANSMISSION FAILURES. CONVINCED ACTION BY DEALER SERVICE RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2007Power trainODI 10182427
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.