RoadVitals

1998 Toyota Avalon Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Dec 3, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 178 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Toyota Avalon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalSuspension
Filed Dec 3, 2018

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AT THE LIGHT, ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED. BATTERY LIGHT STAY ON, LIGHTS DIMMED OUT, LOST SPEED. HAD TO GET PUSHED OUT THE ROAD AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN ATLANTA GEORGIA ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.. BOUGHT A SECOND ALTERNATOR, SAME EXACT INCIDENT . ONCE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AT NIGHT, CAR LOOSES TOTAL POWER. I HAD TO DRIVE FIVE BLOCKS AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS ON RALPH DAVID ABERNATHY BLVD, ATLANTA GEORGIA, EVEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS DRAINED A BRAND NEW BATTERY PURCHASED 12/02/2018.

NHTSA ID
11155533
Incident
Nov 9, 2018
Mileage
131,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF VARIOUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V278000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.....UPDATED 02/06/17 *BF CONSUMER STATED HAS NO DEFROSTER FOR THE FRONT WINDOW. UPDATED 7/2/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ID
10920585
Incident
Nov 1, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 10, 2016

WHEEL LOCKED THEN THE CAR WILL NOT START, ALARM SYSTEM LIGHT WON'T BLINK AND I'M HEARING A WINEING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD.

NHTSA ID
10894942
Incident
Aug 6, 2016
Electrical
Filed May 9, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON START UP, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION NOR WOULD THE VEHICLE START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO ALSO REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND PROVIDED A NEW KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID
10587509
Incident
Aug 9, 2013
Mileage
64,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 3, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THE LIGHTING WENT BLANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

NHTSA ID
10554671
Incident
Nov 26, 2013
Mileage
230,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 5, 2010
Crash reported

ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 19, 2005. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT ASIDE OF A SHOE SHOP AND APPLIED MY BRAKE TO STOP. THE 1998 TOYOTA AVALON WHICH I WAS DRIVING REFUSED TO STOP AND CONTINUED ON INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING AT MAYBE 30 MPH. I WAS SURE THAT I HAD APPLIED EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE BUT COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I WAS SO DISTRAUGHT THAT I ASSUMED THAT MY FOOT SLID OFF THE BRAKE ONTO THE ACCELERATOR. AS I THINK BACK I AM SURE THAT I WAS ON THE BRAKE AND NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. IF I WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR I WOULD HAVE HAD A JOLT FORWARD WITH EXTREME ACCELERATION. IT WAS LIKE I WAS IN A SLOW MOTION DREAM WORLD AND THE AVALON WAS UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL. I REPORTED IT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY AS BEING MY FAULT SINCE I HAD NO OTHER REASONABLE EXPLANATION. I AM NOW SURE THAT THE AVALON WAS UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL AND NOT MINE. UPDATED 03/24/10

NHTSA ID
10316950
Incident
Sep 19, 2005
Mileage
34,961 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 5, 2008

UPON TRYING TO START MY CAR, MY KEY WOULDN'T TURN. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE A WARN OUT KEY, SO I TRIED MY SECOND MASTER KEY AND WHEN IT WOULDN'T TURN EITHER I TRIED MY SUB KEY WHICH FAILED JUST AS WELL. I KEPT TRYING WITH MY TWO MASTER KEYS, TAKING THEM OUT AND PUTTING THEM BACK IN REPEATEDLY. UNTIL FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES MY IGNITION TURNED OVER. MY CAR STARTED AT TIMES EASY AND KIND OF EASY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS FOLLOWING THAT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED TO ACT UP AGAIN SOMETIMES NOT TURNING OVER AT ALL AND LEAVING ME STRANDED OR MISSING WORK. THIS NOW OCCURS EVERY SINGLE TIME I TRY TO START MY CAR. GOD FORBID SOME ONE FOLLOWS ME TO MY CAR I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET AWAY. I'VE CONTACTED NUMEROUS REPAIR COMPANIES, MECHANICS, SAVAGE YARDS, AND PARTS STORES WHO HAVE ALL POINTED ME IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DEALER OF THE MAKE/MODEL BECAUSE OF THE DEFERMENT/IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALER I'VE LEARNED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, IT WILL COST ME A PRETTY PENNY. NEW PARTS WILL HAVE TO BE ORDERED AND OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10230027
Incident
Nov 15, 2007
Mileage
219,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 22, 2008

I OWN A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON, WHICH IS EXPERIENCING CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA 98E035000. SPECIFICALLY, HVAC FAN WORKS SPORADICALLY. LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO CHECK WIRING HARNESS FOR RECALL ELIGIBILITY, AS CALLED FOR IN NHTSA: 98E035000. DEALERSHIPS WILL ONLY RUN VIN THOUGH DATABASE, INSTEAD OF CHECKING MANUFACTURE DATE OF WIRING HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10218879
Incident
Feb 21, 2008
Mileage
78,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 15, 2004

THE HORN WAS DEFECTIVE. IT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. OWNER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY REPAIRED IT ONCE IN JUNE 2003, NOW THE HORN IS DEFECTIVE AGAIN. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE HORN WASNEVER REPAIRED, IT DOESNOT RESPOND AT NORMAL SPEED.

NHTSA ID
10092435
Incident
Jul 15, 2004
Mileage
30,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 4, 2004

INSIDE FAN SPEED TURNS OFF RANDOMLY WITH SECURITY LIGHT AND AC CONTROLS , OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE READING. *LA

NHTSA ID
10052337
Incident
Jul 4, 2003
Mileage
48,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 9, 2003

VEHICLE'S KEY GETS INTERMITTENTLY STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN. RELATED RECALL 98E035000, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10022637
Electrical
Filed Sep 23, 2002

HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY EVEN AFTER THE DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.AK

NHTSA ID
8019160
Electrical
Filed Oct 18, 1999

THERE IS EXCESSIVE WIRING BY THE KICK PANEL WHICH CAUSES THE KICK PANEL NOT TO STAY ON BEACUSE THE WIRES ARE RUBBING. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHORT OUT AND STALL. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
850983
Electrical
Filed Oct 16, 1999

CONSUMER WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF RECALL 98E035000 AND HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING OF THE TDS SYSTEM. *SLC

NHTSA ID
783567
Electrical
Filed Jun 18, 1999

RADIO RECEPTION IS POOR, RESULTING IN RADION FADING IN AND OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID
707682
Incident
Aug 12, 1998
ElectricalEngineTransmission
Filed Feb 1, 1999

COMPUTER FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COMES ON AND GOES OFF REPEATEDLY. YH

NHTSA ID
609041
BrakesElectricalTransmission
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BRAKES SQUEAKING. YH

NHTSA ID
608763
Electrical
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BATTERY FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
606879
Incident
Jul 11, 1998

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .