Problems · NHTSA complaints
2017 Toyota Avalon problems
Owners filed 14 complaints about the 2017 Toyota Avalon with NHTSA between May 2017 and Dec 2022. The most-cited component is engine (6).
Complaints
14
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
10
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine6
- Vehicle speed control3
- Electrical system2
- Air bags2
- Structure1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Service brakes1
- Other / unknown1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
2
6
2
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
6 reports
“Leaving a parking lot, the car jumped out of gear. Thought maybe I had bumped the gear selector but attempts at putting the car in gear resulted in grinding noises and the only option was to put it in PARK. Check engine light came on. Mechanic diagnosed a speed sensor. Had this happened on the freeway or while trying to pass another car on a two lane and a speed sensor disable the entire car to me is dangerous and should be addressed. Had the check engine light come on, I would have had the sensor replaced right away. I now feel this is an unsafe situation that could arise in other 2017 Toyota cars”
Vehicle speed control
3 reports1 crash
“I REPORTED NOISE WHEN I MADE TURNS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I BOUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND ADVISED OF THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CHECK ALL COMPONENTS OF THE CAR AND CHANGE THE OIL AND ROTATE THE TIRES. THIS WAS AT 19,611 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER STEERING SOUND I HEARD WAS ELECTRIC AND THAT IT WAS FINE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 3/10/18 AND THE CAR WAS CHECKED AGAIN AT 24,650 MILES. THE CAR WAS REPORTED FINE. THEN ON 4/26/18 I HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK OR ANY OF THE COMPUTER SAFETY FEATURES. I WAS STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT WAITING FOR ANOTHER CAR TO BACK OUT. THE CAR PASSED AND I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR TO PULL INTO THE SPACE. THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING ACCELERATING NOISES AND THE BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK. I RAN OVER THE YELLOW CONCRETE BLOCK AND OUT OF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE VACANT LOT NEXT DOOR. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN BY PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL. THE CAR IS DAMAGED AND I HAVE INJURIES. TOYOTA REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY”
Electrical system
2 reports
“FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE (08/14/2017) I NOTICED A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE ANALOG SPEEDOMETER AND THE CENTER DIGITAL DISPLAY OF THE SPEED (MPH). CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED. HE ADVISED THERE IS NO FIX. I NOTED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB. THE ERROR IS BETWEEN 2 AND 3 MPH AND VARIES WITH DIFFERENT SPEEDS. STARTING SPEED IS ZERO WITH THE ERRORS OCCURRING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. I HAVE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS CHECKED THE ACTUAL SPEED AGAINST LOCAL "RADAR" WARNING SIGNS. IT APPEARS THAT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY IS THE MOST ACCURATE. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THE DISCREPANCY AND SENT THEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE THEN AGREED TO GO FOR A TEST DRIVE WITH ME. HE CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE A TOYOTA TECH STREAM DEVICE. I ALSO HAD HIM ACTIVATE HIS GPS SPEED PROGRAM ON HIS CELL PHONE. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT HIS TECH STREAM DEVICE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND/OR WAS DISPLAYING SPEEDS THAT WERE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE DIGITAL DISPLAY OR THE ANALOG DISPLAY (THE MAIN ROUND SPEEDOMETER NEXT TO THE TACHOMETER). HOWEVER, HIS GPS PHONE APP INDICATED THAT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY WAS THE MOST ACCURATE. THE RESULTS ALSO CONFIRMED THE DISCREPANCY…”
Air bags
2 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V024000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNNAMED DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Structure
1 report
“The torsion springs for the rear trunk are very weak. They have been that way since car was new. I have had multiple occasions where I opened the trunk and had it come down and hit me on the head. This has also happened to my wife.”
Fuel/propulsion system
1 report1 crash
“I WAS PULLING OUT OF A CHURCH PARKING SPOT VERY SLOWLY. ONCE OUT OF THE SPOT I STOPPED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR ACCELERATED AS IF IT SHIFTED INTO CURSE CONTROL. WE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET BEFORE HITTING A TREE. IT ALL HAPPENED SO SUDDENLY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO.”
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.