repaired · 2016 Q4
Air bags: frontal
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
2003 Toyota AvalonProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 293 owner complaints about the 2003 Toyota Avalon, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-043 the manufacturer reports only 29% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Toyota Avalon has problems
293 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
184Air bags18 crash/fire/injury
51Vehicle speed control37 crash/fire/injury
19Steering
18Electrical system
11Service brakes, hydraulic
9Suspension
7Engine
7Structure
6Power train
3514 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 184 | 18 |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 37 |
| Steering | 19 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 18 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 11 | 4 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 3 |
| Structure | 7 | 3 |
| Power train | 6 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 35 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2003 Toyota Avalon recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Steering
Risk. SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
99kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 62 air bags complaints. 50% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 47% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
5under 30k miles31under 100k miles31100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2003 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
2003 Toyota Avalon safety ratings
2003 Toyota Avalon 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Avalon owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
March 13, 2026, I was on a road trip from CA to AZ and while driving around 75-80mph (speed limit), something in the driver's side seat belt or the shoulder holster exploded, the belt tightened, and something metal or plastic flew off. Shortly after (within 30 seconds or so), the passenger's side…
I was driving back home, out of no where my car went out of control, went left, then right, hit something and flipped over twice to end in a hill against the traffic with 4 flat tires. The air bag did not deployed. I did hit the windshield. The car was total.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BEECHMONT TOYOTA (8667 BEECHMONT AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45255, [PHONE]) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE.…
Own a 2003 Avalon?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.