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1996 Toyota AvalonProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 109 owner complaints about the 1996 Toyota Avalon, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

55
CarFlaw IndexSolid year17% below the Avalon median · #13 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints10918 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage106kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 9, 2014. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1996 Toyota Avalon has problems

109 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling191
Visibility120
Service brakes, hydraulic100
Vehicle speed control105
Steering100
Exterior lighting70
Electrical system70
Tires50
Air bags54
13 other systems281

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

1996 Toyota Avalon recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Best & worst years

1996 vs. every other Avalon year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Avalon median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1996 Toyota Avalon safety ratings

1996 Toyota Avalon 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1996 Toyota Avalon, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE SEIZUREDP02004 · closed Jun 20, 2002
    No recall
  2. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESEA97015 · closed Sep 21, 1998
    No recall
  3. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESPE97018 · closed Jul 22, 1997
    No recall
In owners' words

What Avalon owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAVE A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON AND THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE BURNING A LOT OF OIL AND SENDING OFF A LOT OF SMOKE RELATED TO THE SLUDGE PROBLEM KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE PROBLEM KNOWN ONCE MORE. *JB
Complaint 10173794 · Nov 18, 2006
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR AVALONS OF 1997, BUT NOT FOR THIS YEAR.*AK
Complaint 10081650 · Jul 9, 2004 · 117,000 miles
THE ENGINE CUT OUT/STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY WITH NO WARNING. PULLED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE, TURNED ENGINE BACK ON AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON FOR FIRST TIME. TOWED CAR TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATES IT IS OIL SLUDGE DUE TO FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL FREQUENTLY…
Complaint 10070440 · Jan 15, 2004 · 63,000 miles

Own a 1996 Avalon?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.