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2004 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalon years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Toyota Avalon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 101.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

114 reports with mileage · 91 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

27 crash reports0 fire reports13 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

4 reports
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75,890 miles · Dec 17, 2013
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I WAS DRIVING IN MY LANE AT 40 MPH UNTIL AN AUSTEX TOWING TRUCK WENT INTO MY LANE WITHOUT A SIGNAL AND I WAS RIGHT BESIDE HIM. I HONKED TO NO AVAIL AND HE WAS STILL PROCEEDING INTO MY LANE. I HIT THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND I HAD TO SWERVE A LITTLE TO MY LEFT (TO MY LEFT WAS THE CURB AS IT WAS A 2 L…

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I WAS DRIVING IN MY LANE AT 40 MPH UNTIL AN AUSTEX TOWING TRUCK WENT INTO MY LANE WITHOUT A SIGNAL AND I WAS RIGHT BESIDE HIM. I HONKED TO NO AVAIL AND HE WAS STILL PROCEEDING INTO MY LANE. I HIT THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD TO AVOID HIM HITTING ME AND I HAD TO SWERVE A LITTLE TO MY LEFT (TO MY LEFT WAS THE CURB AS IT WAS A 2 LANE ROAD) TO AVOID HIM HITTING MY RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER I AVOIDED HIM, HE WAS DRIVING HALF INTO BOTH LANES FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS LANE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10556313

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2012
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

2004 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY *TGW THE CONSUMER BELIEVED UNNECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE, PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WAS SLUGGISH AND THERE WAS A VI…

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2004 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY *TGW THE CONSUMER BELIEVED UNNECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE, PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WAS SLUGGISH AND THERE WAS A VIBRATION. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE BRAKES, TIRES, AND RACK AND PINION WERE ALSO REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10448683

30,000 miles · Sep 14, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2004 AVALON XLS - ABS DASH LIGHT HAS BEEN STAYING ON CONTINUOUSLY FOR OVER TWO YEARS ONCE ENGINE IS STARTED. I TOOK IT TO DEALER ONCE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE A BOOK WAS UNDER THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LIGHT WAS NOT CONTINUOUSLY STAYING ON WHEN THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS. THE PROBLEM CONTINUE…

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2004 AVALON XLS - ABS DASH LIGHT HAS BEEN STAYING ON CONTINUOUSLY FOR OVER TWO YEARS ONCE ENGINE IS STARTED. I TOOK IT TO DEALER ONCE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE A BOOK WAS UNDER THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE LIGHT WAS NOT CONTINUOUSLY STAYING ON WHEN THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242172

9,902 miles · Sep 25, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SLOW LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID ON 2004 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER. REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND ONE THAT SHOULD BE REPORTED AS THERE MAY BE OTHER VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10169171

Official recalls

3

15V043000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jan 28, 2015

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

Remedy: 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.

11V539000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Nov 9, 2011

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

10V345000 · Steering

Jul 29, 2010

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.