AI Damage2018 Toyota Avalon: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Toyota Avalon filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and steering. The maker issued 101 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 7
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 101
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 6 Forward collision avoidance 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 4% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- Air bags: 6 complaints (25% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Steering: 4 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2.5 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- CVT
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Steering | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Lane departure | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 34 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
No airbags deployed and my drivers side seat belt failed to lock in the accident. I was injured and taken by ambulance to hospital.
Thank God for the curb and the bushes which prevented the car from surging into traffic on Rea Road. And, thank God no one was in the path of the car when the car accelerated in reverse. That was a miracle at this shopping center since it is very busy. I went into Run For Your Life and told them what happened.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact received injuries to his left arm, leg and chest/torso area medical attention was needed. The vehicle was towed. The contact contacted the unknown dealership who diagnosed that the left side of the vehicle, steering, and braking needed to be repaired.
I was traveling on I-294 south in the vicinity of, south highland, illinois traveling about 70 miles per hour. I was next to the median. There was a car next to me that was behind an 18 wheeler, pulling an extra trailer.
The vehicle was driven to the dealer jim norton toyota of okc, 8401 northwest expressway, oklahoma city, [ZIP], they could not determined why the air bags did not deploy.
Hello, My name is [XXX]. I bought my car from Longo Toyota in El Monte about 15 months ago. The car was certified preowned and had a Carfax report with no accident reported history. That is exactly why I bought the car, because this was going to be my family car.
Just learned about the fuel pump problem that is associated with my 2018 Toyota Avalon. Plan to contact the dealer tomorrow. I have not seen any instrumental warning or notification. There is no warning that the engine is about to lose power and so far the engine has not stopped, but recovers to normal operation..
At approximately 42000 miles with no significant issues and no front end damages, the steering failed as I was driving at highway speed (70 mph) on a 2 lane road approaching a 90 degree curve.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,179 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 44% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Avalon has 24 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 24, about average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free
This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air…
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix…
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used…
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical…
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow…
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad…
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can…
- Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination.
- This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for…
This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
- This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life…
This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024. These products are ordered through the Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC)…
NHTSA lists 101 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Avalon?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, steering, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (13%), airbags did not deploy (13%), fuel system, fuel smell (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA lists 101 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 Toyota Avalon from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.