Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Avalon, and it carries 1 recall. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 26 | 25% |
| Electrical system | 19 | 18% |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 8 | 8% |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 8% |
| Seat belts | 2 | 2% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% |
| Structure | 2 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 2% |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side seat belt failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the front passenger's side seat b
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
The rear sun screen will get stuck in the up position . At night there is almost no visibility out of the back window. This is a very dangerous safety problem. Apparently Toyota has had a problem with this feature with
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The engine has quit while in traffic several times and the check engine light and the skid control lights are the only lights lit on the dashboard. Once the car comes to rest and one waits 3 to 5 minutes, the car will re
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Failure of the Sun shade in the rear causes a problem with visability. Stays stuck in up or down position. Creates a loud distracting grinding noise when in operation and highly reduces visibility through the rear windo
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN LOCK LOOSENS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES TO SHAKE. ADVISED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT I COULD PAY THEM TO REPAIR THE ISSUE W
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO READJ
NHTSA complaint: Steering
2011 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE KEY FOB AND DOOR LOCKS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE KEY FOB AT TIMES WOULD ONLY UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR. ALL OTHER DOO
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages
HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING CONSTANTLY AND AT TIMES ONE OR BOTH WILL GO COMPLETELY OFF. WILL HAVE TO MANUALLY TURN OFF AND THEN TURN ON AGAIN. BOTH WILL SHINE STEADY FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND THEN BEGAN TO FLICKER AGAIN. THIS HA
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2011 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 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk may experience an intermittent electrical short which may caus
Risk: A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may contact
| Reliability raw | 68 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 83 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 57 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 26 of them (25%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 68/100 (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 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 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 71/100. 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.