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2012 Toyota AvalonProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 30 owner complaints about the 2012 Toyota Avalon, most often about the structure. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-024 the manufacturer reports only 58% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Toyota Avalon
76
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years68% below the Avalon median · #22 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 58%Owner complaints3013 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage17kStructure, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 5, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Toyota Avalon has problems

30 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
Structure62
Air bags64
Electrical system41
Vehicle speed control44
Visibility/wiper30
Service brakes31
Electronic stability control (ESC)10
Power train10
Suspension10
4 other systems41

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

4 recalls

2012 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.

58%repaired · 2022 Q1

Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

Recall 20V-024 · Jan 17, 2020 · 2,891,976 vehicles · 1,672,902 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

58%repaired · 2019 Q4

Air bags

Recall 18V-569 · Aug 29, 2018 · 19,354 vehicles · 11,210 repaired

Risk. If the seat belt is falsely interpreted as being buckled, in the event of a crash, the air bags may not deploy appropriately, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2016 Q4

Electrical system

Recall 15V-047 · Jan 28, 2015 · 51,495 vehicles · 38,480 repaired

Risk. A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

86%repaired · 2015 Q1

Air bags

Recall 13V-442 · Oct 17, 2013 · 802,769 vehicles · 691,819 repaired

Risk. A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Best & worst years

2012 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

2012 Toyota Avalon safety ratings

2012 Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Toyota Avalon, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Electrical overstressEA19001 · closed Sep 19, 2024
    Led to recall 20V-024
In owners' words

What Avalon owners report

Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while it was hot outside, or whenever there was direct sunlight on the dashboard, the dashboard would become very sticky. The contact stated that the glare on the windshield from the reflection of the dashboard made it very difficult to…
Complaint 11460724 · Apr 14, 2022 · 50,000 miles
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT SPEED LIMIT. LOUD EXPLOSION TYPE SOUND. SUN ROOF HAD SHATTERED. DIDN'T THINK TO TAKE A PICTURE. WAS 1,000 MI FROM HOME, SO COVERED WITH PLASTIC AND CARDBOARD, AND DROVE HOME. PICTURES ARE FROM INSIDE VEHICLE, UNFORTUNATELY NOT SHOWING MUCH.
Complaint 10806294 · Nov 23, 2015 · 82,000 miles
THE TRUNK LID IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY COUNTERBALANCED AND FALLS CLOSED EVEN WHEN RAISED TO ITS UPPER LIMIT. SOMETIMES THE LID WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE SWITCH; IT UNLOCKS, BUT DOES NOT OPEN (3 FAILURES). THIS FAILED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE LID FELL CLOSED, NUMEROUS TIMES, MINOR INJURY TO MY HEAD (1…
Complaint 10700569 · Mar 20, 2015 · 15,000 miles

Own a 2012 Avalon?

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