Toyota · Avalon · 2004
3
Recalls
205
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2004 Toyota Avalon has 3 recalls and 205 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (109 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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.
Remedy Status
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.
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.
Remedy Status
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.
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.
Remedy Status
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.
Ella tuvo realmente la culpa
I'VE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, ELECTRICAL, COOLANT OR SOMETHING. MY MECHANICS FINDS NO LEAKS, BUT I CHECKED ONCE AND THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY, FIND NO LEAKS. SOMEHOW, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR MUD FLAP CAME OFF AND THE TRUNK LID DOESN'T LINE UP. IT ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE IT'S PARTIALLY OPENED. WHEN DRIVING I HEAR AND FEEL RATTLING SOUNDS THAT SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION OR BODY PANELS. MORE LIKE THE SUSPENSION. THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAD TIMING CHAIN, O2 SENSOR, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CHECKED AND FIXED OR REPLACED. THEY ALSO HAD IT COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT AND ANYTHING WRONG WAS FIXED. IT ALSO GETS VERY POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE STEERING ALSO DOESN'T FEEL QUITE RIGHT, CAN'T REALLY EXPLAIN THAT VERY WELL, OTHER THAN IT'S NO QUITE RIGHT. ALSO, FOR SOME REASON THE BATTERY WOULDN'T START THE CAR ONE DAY AND WE CHECKED THE BATTERY AND THE CELLS WERE DRY.
CAR MAKES A VERY, VERY LOUD SCREECHING SOUND WHEN STARTED WITH A/C OR HEATING ON (BUT MORE COMMONLY WITH A/C). THE SOUND WILL SOMETIMES DIE DOWN OR STOP ONCE A/C IS TURNED OFF, BUT NOT ALWAYS. PUDDLES CAN TRIGGER THE SOUND AS WELL. SOUND CAN BE HEARD MAINLY UPON INITAL STARTUP BUT CAN OCCUR AFTER CAR IS IN MOTION.
AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT OCCASIONALLY FLICKERS AND BEGINS TO GLOW FOR A FEW SECONDS. SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN WET WEATHER. MY STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. REVERSED BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT AND WIGGLED THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE THEN I WENT FORWARD AND WIGGLED AND IT FINALLY LOOSENED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES AND USUALLY IN WET WEATHER. MY CAR IS LISTED IN THE AIR BAG RECALL OF 2015; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF WHAT TO DO NEXT AND IT HAS NOW BEEN MORE THAN 3 YEARS SINCE FIRST NOTIFICATION.
(1) AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT OCCASIONALLY FLICKERS AND BEGINS TO GLOW FOR A FEW SECONDS THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN WET WEATHER.. (2) WHEN MOVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DOOR LOCKS CLICK OPEN AND THE INTERIOR LIGHT GOES ON FOR A FEW SECONDS, THIS HAPPENS DAILY.
MY STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING ..THIS MORNING I WAS JUST STARTING MY CAR AND WAS TURNING LEFT AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WENT UP THE SIDEWALK AND ALMOST HIT THE FENCE AND I COULDN'T MOVE IT I REVERSED BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT AND WIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE THEN I WENT FORWARD AND WIGGLED AND IT FINALLY LOOSENED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW USUALLY IN THE MORNING. AND MY MILEAGE IS 140,822
THE ECU ITSELF IS NOT WORKING, WHICH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO NEVER STOP WORKING. WELL OURS STOPPED WORKING AND THE LICENSED MECHANIC WILL NOT WORK ON IT IF IT IS RECALLED. WE ARE LITERALLY WAITING ON TOYOTA TO FIX OUR CAR. THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO. THE HOLE ECU NOT JUST PART OF IT.
#15V043 THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT BLINKING, NEVER STOPS, WHETHER DRIVING OR PARKED. I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED, IN MARYLAND, WHERE IT PASSED THEIR INSPECTION AND WILL PASS MY INSPECTION IN PENNSYLVANIA, BUT DOES CONCERN ME. I SOLD MY 1999 TOYOTA AVALON XL TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE CAR FAX THIS VEHICLE NEVER GOT A RECALL, BUT GOT THE RECALL # FROM THE INTERNET. SEEMS THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE TOYOTA AVALON HAS, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER VEHICLES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND BEING SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT HEARD THE ENGINE REV AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A FENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH SLOANE TOYOTA OF GLENSIDE (503 N EASTON RD, GLENSIDE, PA 19038) WHO DOCUMENTED THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
MY CAR KEYS CAN BE REMOVED WITHOUT PUTTING THE CAR IN P.THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING SPACE AND ROLLED BACK.
TAKATA RECALL
NHTSA RECALL 15V-043 (1-27-15). ON 7/16 I RECEIVED AN URGENT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE VIA MAIL. RUSSEL TOYOTA 410-788-8400 SAID THEY WOULD CALL WHEN THE PART COMES IN. ON 12/6/16 I CALL MR. ALLEN, SERVICE MANAGER WHO SAID THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THEY WOULD CALL ME IN 2-3 MONTHS. ONE QUESTION: WHY IS TOYOTA ALLOWED TO MAKE ME DRIVE MY CAR WITH THIS UNSAFE CONDITION FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS BEFORE THEY THINK ABOUT OBTAINING THE PARTS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS?
TOOK CAR TO DON MCGILL 3TIMES ,TOOK IT TO JOE MYERS TODAY AND THE SRS LIGHT IS STILL ON ,THEY SAY THEY COMPLETED THE RECALL ,BUT I NEED A DR SIDE AIR BAG IT HAS A DTC B0116 I'M GOING TO CHECK CONNECTIONS . IT'S MY MOMS CAR AND I WANT TO BE SURE IT'S WORKING.AND SAFE NO SHRAPMETAL.
I TRIED TWICE TO GET A SAFETY RECALL FIXED BY KOONS TOYOTA TYSONS CORNER AFTER RECEIVING A NOTICE FROM TOYOTA THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON MY TOYOTA AVALON (RECALL 15V-043). TWICE THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO INSPECT THE CAR TO SEE IF IT NEEDED A REMEDY TO THE RECALL AND ONLY AFTER AN INSPECTION WOULD THEY ORDER PARTS. I BROUGHT IT IN THE FIRST TIME, THEY SAID IT DID NEED THE RECALL AND THEY WOULD ORDER THE PARTS. THEY NEVER DID. WHEN I TRIED TO SCHEDULE IT AGAIN, THEY TOLD ME THE SAME STORY THAT I HAD TO BRING IT IN FOR AN INSPECTION AND THEN THEY WOULD DECIDE IF THEY COULD ORDER THE PARTS. IT IS RIDICULOUS TO GO THROUGH SUCH TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND SO THEREFORE THE RECALL HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED YET.
NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN MY 2004 AVALON XLS WHEN A DRIVER STATED SHE DID NOT SEE ME/MY CAR AND TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF ME LEAVING ME 2 SECONDS TO BRAKE.THIS WAS ON A CITYN STREET AND SHE WAS TURNING FROM STOPPED POSITION INTO PRIVATE COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT. I WAS DRIVING IN LANE CLOSEST TO HER CAR TO REACH LIGHT ANOTHER 500 FEET AHEAD SO I COULD TURN SOUTH WHEN I GOT TO IT. MY CAR WAS TRAVELING 30-35MPH(5-10MPH UNDER POSTED SPEED LIMIT).I HAD JUST ENTERED THE ROADWAY 400 FT BEFORE HER TURN FROM 0MPH TO MAYBE 3MPH? IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR HIT HERS ON BAR BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK PASSENGER DOORS. IT CAUSED HER CAR TO RISE UP-I SAW THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF HER CAR; IT THEN ROLLED COMPLETELY OVER ONTO ITS ROOF OUT OF MY SIGHT. ALL WITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INCIDENT AND MY OWN DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED WERE EXACTLY THE SAME. SHE WAS FOUND AT FAULT AND WE BOTH WERE TRANSPORTED ON BACKBOARDS WITH C COLLARS TO CLOSEST HOSPITAL. I HAVE INJURED SPINE(CERVICAL, THORACIC, LUMBAR), BILATERAL INJURIES TO SHOULDERS, ELBOWS, WRISTS, HANDS, FINGERS, KNEES, FEMORAL BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS, MIGRAINES, INABILITY TO GET FULL NIGHT'S REST, MEMORY LOSS-SEARCH FOR WORDS & JUST PLAIN DON;T REMEMBER THINGS I MAY HAVE DONE-WHAT I HAD FOR BREAKFAST OR IF I EVEN ATE BREAKFAST; WHAT SOMEONE HAS TOLD ME; WHAT HAPPENED ON A TV SHOW OR MOVIE; EXPERIENCING FRUSTRATION, ANXIETY, FEAR OF DYING IN A CAR WRECK-PARAMEDIC TOLD ME IF I HAD NOT BEEN IN THE SIZE CAR I WAS IN THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN A PILE OF BROKEN BONES OR DEAD; THE AT-FAULT DRIVER WAS ALSO TAKEN TO HOSPITAL THE SAME WAY I WAS; HER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPOLY EITHER; IMPACTED HER CAR, A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON. ANY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION OF WHY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN EITHER OF OUR CARS?
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND SPENT 2000 DOLLARS AT DON MCGILL TOYOTA TO HAVE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG REPLACED. ABOUT A 1000 MILES ( 3 MONTHS) LATER, THE LIGHT IS BACK ON WITH THE SAME CODE. DEALER SO FAR IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT INADVERTENT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AS WELL AS LOSING THE USE OF MY CAR WHILE THE DEALER TRIES TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. I THINK THEY ARE JUST THROWING EXPENSIVE PARTS AT IT HOPING SOMETHING WORKS,
I TOOK MY CAR TO GRESHAM TOYOTA FOR A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT ON JUNE 7 2016 AT 9:00AM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS SERVICE SHOULD NOT TAKE MORE THAN 4 HOURS. TO MAKE STORY SHORT, WHEN I CAME AT 6:00PM MY CAR WAS STILL NOT DONE AND THEY TOLD ME TO LEAVE IT OVER NIGHT. I AM A BUSY PERSON AND I NEED MY CAR AT ALL TIMES. SO NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO IT BECAUSE OF THEIR IMPROPER TIME MANAGEMENT. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONTACT THIS DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS RECALL IMMEDIATELY.
CAR WAS TAKEN IN 05/2016 FOR RECALL WORK TO REPLACE SRS AND ECU. AFTER RECALL REPAIR, INTERMITTENT PAX SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF SAYING PASSENGER AIRBAG ISSUE. DEALER REFUSES TO DO MORE THAN SPECIFIED RECALL REPLACEMENT. WE NOW CANNOT TELL IF WE HAVE AIRBAGS THAT WILL WORK AND IF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WILL TENSION THE SEAT BELTS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE ADDITIONAL ISSUE IS THAT THE FRONT SPRINGS AND STRUTS HAVE A FLAW THAT MAKES A WELL ALIGNED CAR, PULL LEFT. WE ARE REPLACING THIS TOYOTA FLAW AT OUR OWN EXPENSE DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF A SERVICE NOTICE.
"TAKATA RECALL: IN AUGUST OF 2009 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING; I TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER ,TECHNICIAN ROAD TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE AIRBAGS LIGHT CONTINUED COMING ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES,BUT DID NOT STAY ON CONSTANTLY. IN JULY OF 2014 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA, REMEDY WAS DONE, ON JANUARY 06,2015. THIS REMEDY DID NOT WORK SO I WAS NOTIFIED IN MARCH 2016 THAT A REMEDY WAS READY, AND TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THE REMEDY WOULD BE INSTALLED. SINCE APRIL 07, 2016 MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON ESPECIALLY DURING WARM WEATHER, I GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON APRIL 28. 2016 FOR THE SECOND TIME, DROVE IT ON THE WEEKEND ABOUT 64 MILES ROUND TRIP THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF TO AND FROM MY TRIP. MY CAR HAS APPROX.103,900 MILES BUT THE PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE THAT MILEAGE AND TOYOTA DID NOT SAY IT WAS DUE TO HOW MANY MILES THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN.
TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT IN MARCH 2015. MY CAR'S AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE TOYOTA DEALER RECOMMENDS THE ECU BE REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA AND MY CALL HAS BEEN ESCALATED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY STILL ARE NOT FIXING MY CAR. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYING ACCIDENTALLY. I DO NOT FEEL THAT TOYOTA IS TAKING MY SAFETY OR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY SERIOUSLY. THE RECALL I RECEIVED CLEARLY STATES THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM "REPLACEMENT OF THE SRS ECU IS NOW ALSO REQUIRED FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL TO BE COMPLETE," IT JUST SEEMS THAT THEY WON'T. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A CAR IN WHICH I AM NOT CONFIDENT. PLEASE MAKE TOYOTA EXECUTE THIS RECALL IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2004 Toyota Avalon has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 205 owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Toyota Avalon.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2004 Toyota Avalon.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2004 Toyota Avalon are air bags (109 reports), vehicle speed control (19 reports), steering (18 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2004 Toyota Avalon. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.