There are 14 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 Toyota Avalonin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
turn off the lights inside panel. The level of heat all the way up, the same with the gasoline level. The internal lights blink. Loss of power.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATE 01/13/16 MA UPDATED 01/22/16*JB
I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY 2003 TOYOTA LAST YEAR. THIS IS MY FLORIDA CAR AND WHEN I RETURNED TO FLORIDA LAST NOV./DEC. I TOOK IT IN FOR RECALL SERVICE TO TOYOTA OF STUART. (5101 SE FEDERAL HWY, STUART, FL TELE. 772466 8300). AT THIS VISIT ,I WAS TOLD PARTS ARE NOT IN AND THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN PARTS ARRIVE. AFTER WAITING A FEW MONTHS AND NO CALL, I WENT BACK. I THAN WAS TOLD I HAVE TO BRING CAR BACK AGAIN SO THEY CAN MEASURE FOR REPLACEMENT PART. THEN THEY WILL CALL ME BACK FOR RECALL REPAIRS AFTER MEASUREMENT VISIT WHICH THEY NEED TO SCHEDULE. NEVER CALLED AGAIN FOR SCHEDULE--AM I GETTING A RUNAROUND??? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURER RELATED TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. THE PARTS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ
TOYOTA HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAS WORKED ON THE CAR LAST YEAR TO GIVE A TEMPORARY FIX, NOW A FEW MONTHS AGO TOYOTA SENDS YET ANOTHER RECALL FOR SAME PARTS, BUT YET THE DEALERS NOR TOYOTA HAS ANY IDEA OF WHEN THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE, MEANWHILE WE DRIVE AROUND IN FEAR OF UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA AND ALL THE LOCAL DEALERS AND NO ONE CAN TELL US ANYTHING, BUT ON THE NEWS THE REPORTS SAY THE AIRBAGS ARE BEING REPLACED
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) ISSUE: PROBLEM W/ INTERMITTENT WARNING LIGHTS FOR AIR BAG SOME TIME AGO (RESEARCHING DATE)- TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. NO MORE LIGHT, BUT VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING/LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING- RARELY, BUT BECAME MORE FREQUENT OVER TIME. INSTRUMENT PANEL/CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE- NOW EVERY MINUTE OR SO WHILE DRIVING. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAME PROBLEM- NHTSA ID 10605681. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER LATE MAY. DEALER ON PHONE W/ TOYOTA MULTIPLE TIMES + HAD TECH FROM ANOTHER DEALER COME AND LOOK AT VEHICLE - COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. DEALER NOW SAYS THE ECM FAULTY. NOT REPAIRED, BUT DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE 8HRS OF DIAGNOSTIC TIME AND NOT REPAIRED - CAN DEALER CHARGE IF RECALL ITEM? MY CONCERN IS THAT PROBLEM IS MORE THAN AIR BAGS- FAULTY ECM RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER/CONTROL WHEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, STALLS OR EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER- VEHICLE NO LONGER SAFE TO OPERATE. I CANNOT DRIVE IT; I CANNOT SELL IT. CALLED TOYOTA, ASKED FOR PART # OF RECALLED SRS/ECM- WAS TOLD ONLY LOCAL DEALER HAS PART NUMBERS. THEY TOOK INFORMATION AND TRANSFERRED ME TO "TOYOTA CORPORATE"- OPERATOR ID'D AS TOYOTA CORPORATE ASKED QUESTIONS, INDICATED THEY HAD DOCUMENTED MY FILE. WHEN I ASKED OPERATOR TO CONFIRM ITEMS OPERATOR HAD CHOSEN TO DOCUMENT, OPERATOR REFUSED TO RESPOND TO MY REQUESTS FOR CONFIRMATION- I ASKED FOR SUPERVISOR- WAS TOLD "NO SUPERVISOR" THERE. OPERATOR THREW ME ON HOLD (ON HOLD FOR OVER 30 MINUTES W/ CORPORATE THEN TRANSFERRED ME TO NHTSA W/OUT OPERATOR EVER COMING BACK ON THE LINE PRIOR TO TRANSFER (NHTSA CONF # AVAILABLE). "CORPORATE" INDICATED THAT TOYOTA HAS NO CONTROL OVER DEALERS- THEY CAN CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DIAGNOSE EVEN IF RELATED TO RECALL NOTICE. LOSS OF USE OVER 1 MONTH. DEALER SAID NO NEW ECM REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE. PRETTY SURE RECALL REMEDY INADEQUATE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V147000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED AN AIR BAG RECALL. HOWEVER, SHE WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE . UPDATED 01/21/15. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PART NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/06/16*LJ THE CONUSMER STATED THE PART HAD TO BE ORDEDE AND IS NOW AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/14/16.*JB
WE OWN A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WE RECEIVED THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2014. THE RED AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE DASH HAS BEEN ON, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE. SINCE THIS INVOLVES THE VERY SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF MY FAMILY, WE CALLED THE LOCAL WEST COVINA DEALER, AT LEAST FOUR (4) TIMES AND MADE AT LEAST ONE (1) DRIVE-IN VISIT, TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED. EACH TIME WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO ' SRS ECU ' REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE. ON OUR LAST ATTEMPT TO REACH OUT TO THEM, WE LEFT A MESSAGE FOR THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE WEST COVINA TOYOTA LOCATION AND WAS NOT EVEN GIVEN THE COURTESY OF A RETURN PHONE CALL. WE ARE THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED! SINCE THIS PLACES OUR FAMILY AT GREAT RISK OF HARM AND ENDANGERS THEIR WELL-BEING, OUT OF DESPERATION, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO YOU. IT HAS NOW BEEN OVER TWO (2) YEARS SINCE RECEIPT OF THE INITIAL SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. SURELY, THIS IS SUFFICIENT TIME TO BE ABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT VIA EMAIL AT EITHER [XXX] TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER. OR, YOU MAY REACH OUT TO US BY PHONE AT [XXX](H) OR [XXX] (C). IT IS MY HOPE THAT YOUR ASSISTANCE WILL PROVIDE THE IMPETUS NEEDED TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. SINCERELY YOURS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR
THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT ON MY 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. I WAS DENIED MY CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE $ 760.00 CHARGE AS IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000.
ON 4/01/03, I LEASED A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON XL FROM PRESTIGE TOYOTA OF RAMSEY, N.J. BY THE TIME I SIGNED ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR, IT HAD BECOME DARK OUTSIDE. THE DISPLAY OF GEAR POSITIONS (P, R, N, D, 2, L) WHICH WAS OBVIOUS IN DAYLIGHT, WAS NOW IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DISTINGUISH. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, MY EYES WERE STRAINED FROM TRYING TO READ THE LETTERS, THUS CREATING A HAZARDOUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE. FROM DUSK TO DAWN, IT IS UNNERVING TO SEARCH FOR LETTERS ON THE DASH BOARD PANEL. WHILE ALL OTHER INDICATORS ARE ILLUMINATED, THE GEAR POSITION PANEL IS NOT. THE LETTERS ARE OF A LIGHT WHITE COLOR AND ARE ENCLOSED WITHIN A THIN-LINED GREEN NEON SQUARE WHICH BLURS THE LETTERS EVEN MORE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO VOICE MY CONCERN AND REQUEST AN EXCHANGE FOR A SAFER VEHICLE, BUT I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. I HAVE MADE PHONE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP, TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS (#200304030875)(TEL.# 800-331-4331), MY LEASE COMPANY (SOUTHTRUST BANK) AND STATE SENATOR TOM MORAHAN, AS WELL AS A VISIT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AT CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN WHITE PLAINS, NY, ALL TO NO AVAIL. PLEASE CONSIDER MY REQUEST AND COMPLAINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026