Problems · by component

2009 Toyota Avalon exterior lighting problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Toyota Avalon cite exterior lighting, 27% of all 91 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
27% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“When driving my 2009 Toyota Avalon my headlights sporadically go out. Mostly on the drivers side. I have replaced the headlight on 3 separate occasions with in the last 3 Years and each time it cost me $185.00 for labor and the headlight. I also got stopped by the POLICE for it! Now in 2023 the right head light goes on and off sporadically since March 2023. Again, I got stopped by the POLICE! Now it's JUNE of 2023 and both lights went out while driving home at night. We took it to a different repair shop and was FINALLY told that this has been a problem for the 2009 Toyota Avalon for a while as it was a manufacturing DEFECT. A head light ballast I think. Why should I pay to fix this as well as tickets from the POLICE for a manufacturing ERROR!!! Now I have to pay for 2 Ballasts and 2 headlights????.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2023Exterior lightingODI 11525878
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW AND HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND DAY TIME RUNNING LAMPS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. *BF *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2019Exterior lightingODI 11220542
“THE BRIGHT LIGHTS DO NOT WORK DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. TOYOTA WILL NOT HONOR RECALL BECAUSE THEY ADDED EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT NOT ALL OWNERS NOTIFIED. IT IS COST PROGIBITIVE YO REPAIR, SO MANY MANY PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF DRIVE WITHOUT BENEFIT OF HIGH BEAMS, A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE EAPECIALLY DRIVING IN RURAL AMERICA.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2019Exterior lightingODI 11166217
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH IN THE DARK, THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING TURNED OFF. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE ROAD AND INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. THE CONTACT HAD TO FLIP THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHTING TO BE RESTORED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HESSER TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 1811 HUMES RD, JANESVILLE, WI 53545, (608) 754-7754) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1809132009. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11129360
“DRIVING ON AN UNLIGHTED TEXAS HIGHWAY AT NIGHT MY HI-BEAM LIGHTS WENT OUT. WHEN I CHECKED THEM LATER , BOTH SIDES THE BULB HAD SHATTERED. I WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 70 AT THAT TIME COUNTING ON THOSE HI-BEAMS TO SPOT WILDLIFE AROUND THE ROAD AREA. AFTER I LOST THE USE OF THE HIGH BEAMS I HAD TO LOWER MY SPEED AND THE AREA WHICH I COULD SAFELY SEE HAD GREATLY DECREASED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 30, 2017Exterior lightingODI 11020628
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BOTH LIGHT BULBS HAD SHATTERED INSIDE THE HEAD LAMP HOUSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD LAMP HOUSING. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALER ( ANDREW TOYOTA) CONFIRMS THAT TOYOTA HAS CHANGED THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING DESIGN THAT ACCOMODATES A DIFFERENT HIGH BEAM BULB THAT WILL NOT SHATTER. DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE HOUSING. UPDATED 9/27/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2017Exterior lightingODI 10980225

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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