2002 Toyota Avalon Owner Complaints

Airbag is pushing out of the passenger side dashboard and also on drivers side wheel. There is now a quarter inch gap where we can see behind it on the passenger side. There were VERY loud popping noises. There is a recall for this exact car model but for the following year, 2003-2005 (4?) but not for 2002. The 2002 model is affected and should be recalled for the same issue before it kills someone. Also the shifter will not not go into drive without first pushing it forward and backwards several times to engage and the green D light on the dashboard will not show up.

NHTSA ID

11641801

Incident

Jan 29, 2025

Bosch ABS anti skid, anti lock brake moduled failed. No brakes. Toyota US has no replacements parts available. Bosch no longer produces. Called Toyota Customer Service three times. Got to the management end and Senior Advisor told me, warranty expired, norhing we can do. I said, there are a bunch of 2000 to 2004 Toyota Avalons/Lexus 300 vehicles out there (same car except nameplates) with the same problem! Same answer: Toyota, LLC has no further interest in those models and warranty has expired. So, I have limited options: 1. Junk the car (funs and drives like new), 2. Start a legal proceeding (costs prohibitive), 3. notify NHTSA. So, I (and X# of others that own this model) have a seroius safety problem. What Can the NHTSA do?

NHTSA ID

11517521

Incident

Feb 7, 2023

Headlights failed to operate correctly, resulting in taking the car to fix problem , service advisor told me that this veh vin number shows this car should not havve automatly controled headlights, the car is being serviced at cedar rapids toyota , steve lemke is the servvice advisior

NHTSA ID

11420513

Incident

Jun 7, 2021

THE 2003-2004 MODEL AVALON'S HAVE A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN FREQUENCIES AND NOISES. MY 2002 AVALON HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO INCLUDE THIS MODEL YEAR AS WELL. I'VE HAD NO PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS CAR EVER, BUT AS SOON AS IT HIT 140,000 MILES THE AIR BAGS LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I SEEN THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE INCLUDE THIS MODEL YEAR IN THE RECALL BECAUSE THIS CAR IS VERY DEPENDABLE AND I'VE HAD NO ISSUES UNTIL NOW.

NHTSA ID

11362548

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

140,082 mi

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO SLIPPERY ROADS. I WAS EXITING I5 ON TO HIGHWAY 7 IN TACOMA WASHINGTON. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP, SLID AND HIT A CEMENT WALL ON HIGHWAY 7. UPON IMPACT I HIT MY HEAD ON WINDSHIELD AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS CAME OUT UPON IMPACT. I RECEIVED INJURIES DUE TO THIS DISORDER.

NHTSA ID

11306600

Incident

Jan 24, 2020

Mileage

192,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THE CAR PUT ITSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO LANES, THEN ACCELERATED TURN HALF ,I THINK, CRASHED (THE FRONT OF THE CAR)WITH A SMALL HILL SOME HOW DID NOT STOP AND ENDED UP SOMEHOW TURNING BACK AND CRASHED AGAIN THIS TIME THE BACK OF THE CAR CRASHED AGAINST THE HILL AND STOPPED. THE CAR SUFFERED SEVERAL BREAKS IN AND A TRANSMISION REPAIR. THIS IS MY THIRD TOYOTA. IT WAS PERFECT BEFORE THE INCIDENT. IT WAS VERY SCARY. JUST A FEW MIN BEFORE THE CRASH I WAS PASSING A TOLL AT ABOUT 28 MPH. AFTER PASSING THE TOOL I WAS FASTER THAN THAT BUT I DO NOT LIKE TO SPEED.

NHTSA ID

11191620

Incident

Jan 24, 2019

Mileage

213,830 mi

WHILE AT THE STORE I FOUND I CAN TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY AND GET OU WHILE THE CAR IS STILL IN GEAR. IF YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION THE VEHICLE CAN ROLL AWAY, CAUSING PERSONAL AND PROPERTY DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.

NHTSA ID

11191328

Incident

Mar 24, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

AIR BAG FLASHES VSC OFF AND ENGINE FAILURE LIT.LOW MILES. TUNED REPLACING SPARK PLUGS. NO IMPROVEMENT.

NHTSA ID

11104642

Incident

Feb 15, 2017

Mileage

18,000 mi

MOVING MY CAR FROM A TO B PUT IT IN REVERSE IT JUST TOOK OFF BY IT SELF. IT WAS GOING SO FAST I COULD NOT STOP IT EVEN PRESSING THE BREAKS IT STILL WENT FAST ON IT ON. I STARTED SCREAMING WHY THIS CAR GOING SO FAST AND WHY I CAN'T STOP IT. IT STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE CARPORT AND TO SIENNA VAN UNDER THE CARPORT.WHICH MY VANS ARE DAMAGE VERY BAD. I CALL TOYOTA CORPORATION AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPEN. THEY ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED FROM TOYOTA I SAID MY CAR CARPORT, AND BOTH VANS FIX. THEY GAVE ME A CLAIM NUMBER.SO THEY ARE HAVING AN INSPECTOR TO INSPECT IT I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT TOWED. THEY WORK FOR TOYOTA AND MAY SAY THE CAR IS FINE BUT I KNOW WHAT HAPPEN TO ME. IT IS SCARY, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IN MY OWN BACKYARD.

NHTSA ID

11088524

Incident

Apr 3, 2018

AIRBAG ON WITH ERROR CODE B0113 ( SHORT INSIDE SQUIB HR CIRCUIT TO +B ) AND CAN NOT ERASE CODE.

NHTSA ID

11048440

Incident

May 1, 2015

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN LIKE IT GET STUCK CAN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.I WAS DRIVING A CITY STREET WHEN I NOTICE A FEW DAYS AGO. JUST SEEING THE RECALL NOTICE.HOW LONG DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11016379

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

92,000 mi

I WAS LEAVING PARKING LOT @ 1-2 MPH TURNING RIGHT ONTO W TUOLUMNE RD IN TURLOCK CA. SUDDENLY CAR TOOK OFF LIKE A JET, BRAKES DIDN'T DEPRESS, HIT AN ISLAND THEN SLAMMED INTO TREE. I AM INJURED ANS CAR TOTALED. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ACCELERATION PEDAL PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11001378

Incident

Jun 20, 2017

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE ELECTRICAL WIRE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE CRASH WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

NHTSA ID

10991192

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

300,000 mi

1)STEERING-WHEN TRYING TO GO STRAIGHT CAR WILL TILT TO THE LEFT, HAVE TO KEEP WHEEL AT WEIRD ANGLE TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE. 2)ACCELERATOR STICKS ACCELERATOR SEEMS STIFF AND STICKY AND CAUSES CAR TO LURCH WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP -WAS MAKING LEFT TURN THROUGH INTERSECTION ON A CITY STREET FEBRUARY 4TH AND ACCELERATOR STUCK UNTIL IT WAS PUMPED, INCREASING MY SPEED. WAS TERRIFYING. 3)RUST RIDDEN ROTERS AND BREAK ANTI-RUST COVERS NOT WORKING AT ALL 4)VISIBILITY-WINDSHIELD'S SEAL SEEMS DEFECTIVE-VIN NUMBER NOT VISIBLE DUE TO CONDENSATION BUILDING IN LOWER CORNER, WINDSHIELD FOGS UP PROFUSELY AND STAYS THAT WAY EVEN WITH DEFROSTER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF FRONT WINDSHIELD 5)HEATER-BLOWS COOLED AIR (NOT ROOM TEMP) INSTEAD OF WARM WHEN TURNED ON, SEEMS LIKE COMPUTER ERROR IN THERMOSTATE/TEMPERATURE GAGE 6)SIDE WINDOWS SHAKE/STUDDER WHEN ROLLED UP OR DOWN

NHTSA ID

10949694

Incident

Feb 4, 2017

AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ON ALL THE TIME . DEALER CANNOT FIX IT.

NHTSA ID

10881881

Incident

Oct 5, 2007

SRS WARNING LIGHT APPEARED FLASHING ON CAR. TOOK CAR TO HAVE CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THE SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. LIGHT NO LONGER FLASHED. 5 DAYS LATER THE SRS WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING AGAIN. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT SOME CAR MANUFACTURERS WILL FIX SAFETY ISSUES UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAN TOYOTA FIX THESE PROBLEMS FREE OF CHARGE? I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT BEFORE I SPEND MORE MONEY TRYING TO DIAGNOSE WHY THE SRS AIR BAG LIGHT IS FLASHING. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAVE SAID THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD SEVERAL ITEMS REPAIRED AND THE LIGHT STILL FLASHES. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD FIX.

NHTSA ID

10862200

Incident

Apr 17, 2016

Mileage

203,883 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE THE FUEL CAP AND FUEL LINE HOSE WERE REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO DAYS AFTER EACH REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. MOST RECENT, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ID

10852442

Incident

Feb 29, 2016

Mileage

71,000 mi

DURING A FRONT-END COLLISION IN WHICH MY CAR WAS STOPPED AND RAMMED INTO BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THE AIR BAG INFLATION SENSOR WAS SHEARED OFF IT'S MOUNTING BRACKET. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO INFLATE BECAUSE THE SENSOR FAILED TO DETECT THE IMPACT.

NHTSA ID

10806592

Incident

Nov 20, 2015

Mileage

268,464 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON.

NHTSA ID

10788303

Incident

Oct 5, 2005

Mileage

27,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 12/11/15 *BF UPDATED 12/15/15. *JB

NHTSA ID

10787303

Incident

Jan 20, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO ADJUST THE PRETENSIONERS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS RESET; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,500.

NHTSA ID

10747804

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

71,500 mi

MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDDLE AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE. I TRIED USING THE BRAKE AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR, BUT I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR'S ACCELERATION. MY CAR ENDED UP SLAMMING INTO A HOUSE. IT WAS INVESTIGATED BY SHELBY TOWNSHIP MICHIGAN POLICE AND CONFIRMED THE ACCELERATED WAS STUCK. I RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES IN THIS ACCIDENT INCLUDING A HEAD INJURY, AND NECK & BACK INJURIES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING A SIMILAR CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ID

10726018

Incident

Jun 5, 2015

Mileage

155,000 mi

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON:DEALER - LABOR 59067 CHECKED ALL CONNECTIONS. CHECKED CODES. CLEARED CODES. AIR BAG WARNING "RED" LIGHT CAME BACK ON WITHIN A FEW DAYS DEALER OFFERED A REPAIR APPROXIMATE COST $2,000.00 I DID NOT ACCEPT DID NOT REPAIR AM DRIVING THE CAR SINCE WITH WARNING LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10712856

Incident

Oct 4, 2013

Mileage

59,067 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 04/06/15*LJ UPDATED 11/3/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID

10689651

Incident

Dec 7, 2010

Mileage

48,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 4/7/15*CN

NHTSA ID

10680860

Incident

Jan 29, 2015

Mileage

70,000 mi