The Toyota Avalon has been flying under the radar for quite some time now due to the brand’s lack of aggressive marketing but offers a balanced package in its class. As compared to its competitors, the 2015 Toyota Avalon has a decent reliability department. The previous year’s Avalon saw four recalls along with 88 complaints whereas the current model saw about a 50% reduction in both the numbers with 2 recalls and 44 complaints to date. There is an open investigation against the 2015 Avalon under the heading “Air Bag ACU Electrical Overstress” and it deals with the airbag deployment failure issues reported by several owners. Apart from that, there are complaints regarding the vehicle’s paint quality, transmission issues, oil leakage from the engine, faulty in-car electronics, and suspension problems. Even though the number of complaints is on the lower side the issues reported can result in skepticism when deciding to buy the Avalon. In its class, the 2015 Toyota Avalon competes with the Buick LaCrosse, the Chrysler 300, and the Ford Taurus.
Toyota Avalon user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Engine stall: A few owners reported sudden engine stalling issues with their 2015 Toyota Avalon. The engine stalls occurred while driving but the exact reason for the faults is not mentioned in the reports.
- Uncontrollable acceleration: Some owners faced uncontrollable acceleration issues with their Avalon sedans. During the occurrences, the drivers applied the brakes but couldn’t control their cars. After putting the vehicles in reverse, the vehicles behaved in a similar manner as well. As a result, most of the owners reporting about this issue were involved in crashes too.
- Hesitant acceleration: A few reports mention this problem with the 2015 Avalon. The owners in their reports mention that after starting the vehicle to commence their journeys, their vehicles hesitate while accelerating.
- Oil leak: One incident regarding this issue is there against the 2015 Toyota Avalon. The owner mentioned that he faced the oil leak issue twice with his 2015 Avalon sedan within a span of two years.
Electrical problems
- Dashboard electrical system failure: One owner complains about an intermittent issue with his Avalon’s dashboard. The report states that the dashboard of the vehicle will go blank completely and would make a clicking sound. The malfunction occurred intermittently and the owner was informed by the concerned dealer that they couldn’t find anything wrong with the vehicle.
- Rough starter motor: A single complaint regarding the starter motor has been recorded by the NHTSA. In the report, the owner mentions that the starter motor in his vehicle is rough and the engine would start after 2-3 attempts.
Safety problems
- Airbag failure: A few complaints mentioning airbag failures are there from affected owners. The reports mention that despite having a head-on collision, none of the airbags on the affected cars deployed and resulting in injuries. The failures were caused by the faulty ACU for which there is an open investigation as well.
- Brake failure: A few owners complain that they have faced brake failures in their 2015 Toyota Avalon. While driving, the affected vehicles experienced sudden and uncontrollable accelerations but the brakes also failed during the incidents.
Miscellaneous problems
- Paint peeling issue: A single owner has filed a report regarding this issue. The report mentions that the pearl white color of the vehicle started to peel which is abnormal for a premium sedan.
- Water leakage: Another owner wrote a complaint stating that he has faced water leakage inside his Avalon’s cabin. Upon self-inspection, the sunroof was found to be leaking water.
2015 Toyota Avalon recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
November 3, 2015 |
15V728000 |
Unexpected Braking due to Pre-Collision System |
A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash. |
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. |
|
2 |
January 17, 2020 |
20V024000 |
Air Bags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may not Deploy |
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. |
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020, and June 27, 2020. |
Should you buy a used Toyota Avalon?
The Toyota Avalon is a well-rounded sedan in its class that distinguishes itself with its styling, impressive fuel economy, roomy cabin, and premium interiors. The sedan has clocked decent sales figures in the recent past and the number of complaints from the owners only makes up a small percentage. Furthermore, there has been an improvement in terms of reliability over the past model year of the sedan too. Going for a used Avalon makes sense, and make sure to rule out the known PCS fault and the brake failure issues before finalizing.
