Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Avalon, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 158 | 52% |
| Vehicle speed control | 34 | 11% |
| Steering | 11 | 4% |
| Power train | 8 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 2% |
| Suspension | 6 | 2% |
| Air bags | 6 | 2% |
| Air bags | 5 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
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 pl
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Many things are happening to my truck that’s why I am contacting you people to see if I got any callback thank you so much
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
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 di
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Purchased car used 11/2020 Jan 14 2021 had 2 open recalls steering casting defect and wire harness filter to deflect noise from ecm . I lost control of communication of operations. 12/2022 steering lock bar The past
NHTSA complaint: Steering
turn off the lights inside panel. The level of heat all the way up, the same with the gasoline level. The internal lights blink. Loss of power.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle started smoking and the engine stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an indepen
NHTSA complaint: Engine
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 1- AUG 2020- MEGA MOTERS- PURCHASSED AUTO- CARFAX AND AUTO GURO- RECOMMENDED THIS VEHISCAL AND SALES PITCH INCLUDED THESE
NHTSA complaint: Steering
CAR'S STEERING STOPS TURNING WHILE DRIVING IN THE INITIAL 5 MINUTES OF DRIVE, IT OCCURS MOSTLY WHEN WEATHER IS HUMID ( RAINING). THE EPISODE OCCURS WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE STEERING AND RECOVERS AFTER I FORCIBLY TURN THE
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2003 Toyota Avalon. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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,
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
Fix: 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
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 EVENTUAL
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.
Fix: 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.
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 83 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 54 | average |
| Efficiency | 41 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 158 of them (52%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2003 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.