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2004 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalon years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Toyota Avalon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 101.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

114 reports with mileage · 91 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 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 28 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 →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

27 crash reports0 fire reports13 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

3 reports
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176,000 miles · May 29, 2013
Latches/locks/linkages

ON 5-27-2013, I EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING INCIDENT WITH MY TOYOTA AVALON. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO KEEP THE A/C GOING FOR OUR DOG, WHILE I ASSISTED MY WIFE FROM THE BACK SEAT. I PRESSED THE DOOR UNLOCK FEATURE TO OPEN ALL THE DOOR LOCKS. WHEN I EXITED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE I CLOSED THAT DOOR. WHEN MY W…

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ON 5-27-2013, I EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING INCIDENT WITH MY TOYOTA AVALON. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO KEEP THE A/C GOING FOR OUR DOG, WHILE I ASSISTED MY WIFE FROM THE BACK SEAT. I PRESSED THE DOOR UNLOCK FEATURE TO OPEN ALL THE DOOR LOCKS. WHEN I EXITED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE I CLOSED THAT DOOR. WHEN MY WIFE EXISTED FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE I CLOSED THAT DOOR AND THEN WENT TO THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO GET MY DOG. IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, ALL OF THE DOORS HAD AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED, TRAPPING MY DOG IN THE CAR. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN A CHILD IS IN THE VEHICLE. IN MY CASE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MY SON DRIVE ME TO MY HOME TO GET MY SPARE KEY AND RETURN TO OPEN THE VEHICLE. THE RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA TO THIS COMPLAINT WAS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT THEY OFFERED NO EXPLANATION OR REASON FOR THIS EVENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10514158

79,982 miles · Mar 4, 2011
Latches/locks/linkages

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN DOOR. THE DEALER ADVISED REPLACING THE DOOR HANDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,982.

NHTSA ODI #10386471

69,000 miles · Apr 17, 2010
Latches/locks/linkagesStructureInjury

MY 2004 AVALON XLS HAS ISSUES WITH BOTH FRONT INNER DOOR HANDLES CHROME PEELING AND LEAVING RAZOR SHARP EDGES AND LEAVING LACERATIONS TO HANDS WHEN PULLING TO OPEN DOORS AT TIMES. THE REAR INNER DOOR PULL HANDLES ARE BEGINNING TO BUBBLE AND WILL BEGIN TO PEEL AS WELL. I PAID A VISIT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY STATED THE…

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MY 2004 AVALON XLS HAS ISSUES WITH BOTH FRONT INNER DOOR HANDLES CHROME PEELING AND LEAVING RAZOR SHARP EDGES AND LEAVING LACERATIONS TO HANDS WHEN PULLING TO OPEN DOORS AT TIMES. THE REAR INNER DOOR PULL HANDLES ARE BEGINNING TO BUBBLE AND WILL BEGIN TO PEEL AS WELL. I PAID A VISIT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOT A RECALL OR ASSISTANCE FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM IN MY EYES AND DO NOT THINK I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. PLEASE HELP ME IN MY NEXT STEP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10326127

Official recalls

3

15V043000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jan 28, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.

11V539000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Nov 9, 2011

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

10V345000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.