2003 Toyota Avalon
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Airbags & Restraints
Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 185 of 293 complaints (63%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (20) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 116 in 2002 to 293 in 2003.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | vs. 2003 Large Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,950 | 2,850 | 2,850 | 2,850 | 2,850 | |
| Combined MPG | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 18 / 27 | 19 / 27 | 19 / 27 | 19 / 27 | 19 / 28 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 423 | 404 | 404 | 404 | 404 | |
| Complaints filed | 134 | 116 | 293 | 205 | 228 | |
| Recalls issued | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 34 | 32 | 49 | 27 | 36 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| Injuries reported | 25 | 16 | 28 | 17 | 21 | |
| Deaths reported | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have?
2 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2003 Toyota Avalon?
Airbags & Restraints: 185 of 293 NHTSA complaints (63%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA rates it 22 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2003 Toyota Avalon?
EPA estimates $2,850 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (1)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic 4-spd | 6 | 3.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars | 19 mpg | 27 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 404 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 16 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 19 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 185 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 51 | 37 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 10 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (2)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · Campaign 15V043000 · Jan 28, 2015
Defect: 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: 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.
STEERING · Campaign 10V345000 · Jul 29, 2010
Defect: 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: 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.