IllustrationWHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL ON A DOWNGRADE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES UP TO 20 MPH. IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE GOING OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT AT ALL.
2002 Toyota Avalon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota Avalon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
1325–50K
1150–75K
1175–100K
14100–150K
19150K+
76 reports with mileage · 40 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports2 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
116 reportsFROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. ON ONE OCCASION, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN IN ONE LANE. DEALER WORKED ON VEHICLE FIVE TIMES AND EACH TIME PROBLEM WOULD REOCCUR. CONSUMER IS IN PROCESS OF ARBITRATION. MODEL/XLS *TT *SCC
MICHELIN ENERGY DOT B97REWTX31, P205/60R16, XXE MVX4. ORIGINAL TIRES ON TOYOTA, AVALON, 2002 TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE TIRE THAT BLEWOUT HAD TREAD SEPARATION ABOUT 1-2 INCHES UP THE SIDEWALL AND IT APPEARS THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED IN THE SIDEWALL. *SLC
DASHBOARD LIGHTS REFLECTED IN WINDSHIELD AT EYE LEVEL, CAUSING A DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM.*AK
AT ABOUT 35 MPH, I BROAD SIDED A CAR THAT RAN A STOP SIGN. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED TO THE POINT OF PUSHING THE RADIATOR INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE CRASH ALSO COLAPSED THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF THE UNIBODY FRAME ON THE FRONT END ($11,500 IN DAMAGE). THE FRONT AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE SENSORS WERE E…
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AT ABOUT 35 MPH, I BROAD SIDED A CAR THAT RAN A STOP SIGN. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED TO THE POINT OF PUSHING THE RADIATOR INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE CRASH ALSO COLAPSED THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF THE UNIBODY FRAME ON THE FRONT END ($11,500 IN DAMAGE). THE FRONT AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE SENSORS WERE EVEN PUSHED BACK AND DISLOCATED. PASSENGER SUSTAINED THREE BROKEN BONES AND BRUISES. DRIVER HAS WHIPLASH. IF THERE IS EVER A CASE THAT AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY, THIS IS ONE. *AK
PICKED UP THE CAR ON 12/31/01 WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. BEGINNING 1/2/02, THE FRONT PASSENGER SRS WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON AN OFF INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK TO DEALER 1/3/02. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY ROUTED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT AND HAD BECOME CRIMPED WHEN THE POWER SEAT WAS MOVED. THE DEALE…
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PICKED UP THE CAR ON 12/31/01 WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. BEGINNING 1/2/02, THE FRONT PASSENGER SRS WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON AN OFF INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK TO DEALER 1/3/02. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY ROUTED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT AND HAD BECOME CRIMPED WHEN THE POWER SEAT WAS MOVED. THE DEALER IS MAKING THE REPAIRS WHICH INCLUDES REMOVAL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT. I AM PLEASED WITH THEIR RESPONSE, BUT CONCERNED THAT SUCH A PROBLEM COULD OCCUR AND THAT THERE MAY VERY WELL BE MORE CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Official recalls
110V345000 · Steering
Jul 29, 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.