Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Toyota Avalon problems

Owners filed 94 complaints about the 1999 Toyota Avalon with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and Dec 2015. The most-cited component is air bags (22).

Complaints
94
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
2
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. Air bags22
  2. Vehicle speed control20
  3. Suspension14
  4. Electrical system7
  5. Engine and engine cooling6
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  7. Tires5
  8. Fuel system, gasoline4
  9. Seat belts4
  10. Power train4
  11. Steering3
  12. Equipment3
  13. Structure3
  14. Visibility2

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 9, 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
199915
200010
20019
200210
200312
20046
20057
20063
20074
20081
20092
20109
20111
20120
20130
20143
20152

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

Air bags

22 reports10 crashes
“WAS DRIVING SOUND ON GREGORY RD AND ANOTHER CAR WAS TRAVELING NORTH SHE CAME INTO MY LANE AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND HIT ME HEAD ON MY AIRBAG NEW DEPLOYED AND MY SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD I HAVE A BRUISE ACROSS MY CHEST FROM STEERING WHEEL AND BUMPS ON MY HEAD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10586083

Vehicle speed control

20 reports4 crashes
“DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL ABOUT THE 17TH OF DECEMBER 2013, I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE CAR TO A STOP. INSTEAD THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD SUDDENLY OUT OF CONTROL AND MOUNTED THE SIDEWALK. IT TRAVELED ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE IT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS NO OBJECT OR PERSON IN THE PATH OF THE CAR AND NOBODY WAS INJURED. THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH INCIDENT. THE FIRST WAS ON JUNE 3, 2006; THE SECOND WAS ON 3 FEBRUARY 2010. ALL INVOLVED THE CAR EITHER BEING STOPPED OR COMING TO A STOP. I DOCUMENTED BOTH, WRITING TO TOYOTA FULL ACCOUNTS OF EACH INCIDENT. I HAVE COPIES OF THESE LETTERS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON JUNE 3, 2006 LONG BEFORE THE WIDELY PUBLICIZED DEATH OF 4 PEOPLE IN AN ACCELERATING TOYOTA VEHICLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 20, 2014Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10573687

Suspension

14 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE REAR BEARING WAS LOOSE. THE BEARING BECAME LOOSE DUE TO THE WORN BUSHINGS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V154000, REGARDING THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2006SuspensionODI 10158226

Electrical system

7 reports2 fires2 related recalls
“WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A REPAIR FACILITY FOR AN UNRELATED ISSUE THE MECHANIC NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL. UPON EXAMINATION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW SWITCH ON THE DRIVERS MASTER WINDOW CONTROL PANEL HAD MELTED AND A HOLE FUSED THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE SWITCH CONTROL UNIT. THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE PART HOWEVER UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE PART THE REPLACEMENT PANEL BEGAN TO MELT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2015Electrical systemODI 10713437

Engine and engine cooling

6 reports
“DT: 1999 TOYOTA AVALON. HAD THE EVAPORATIVE CANISTER SYSTEM TANK REPLACED ON OCTOBER 18,2005. THE TANK WAS LEAKING GAS, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT RECALL. HAD NOT CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP, AND I HAD NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED BEFORE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10140155

Service brakes, hydraulic

5 reports1 crash
“IT HAS HAPPENED ON LEVEL SURFACES AS WELL AS INCLINES. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE, THEY FIRST MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THEY MAKE A SOUND LIKE A METAL SPRING UNCOILING (LIKE A CLICKING, OTHERWISE). AFTER THAT, YOU ARE FREE SAILING AS YOU HAVE NO BRAKES! THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE EITHER TRYING TO BRAKE OR EVEN AFTER BRAKING SUCCESSFULLY AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY LET LOOSE WHILE AT A STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. I HAVE THANKFULLY BEEN ABLE TO AVOID ANY SERIOUS INJURY OR ACCIDENTS, HOWEVER HAVE HAD A MINOR ISSUE WITH HITTING A FENCE DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. WE HAVE HAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED FOR ANY REPAIRS NEEDED ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO NOTE THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LITE OFTEN COMES ON DASH EVEN ON DRY SURFACES. THIS BRAKING PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SIENNA, BUT IN OTHER MODEL TOYOTAS AS WELL. CURRENTLY, IT IS ONLY THE PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS GETTING PUBLIC ATTENTION, HOWEVER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10314962
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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