2013 Toyota Avalon
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Driver Assistance & Speed Control
Driver Assistance & Speed Control leads by volume: 37 of 160 complaints (23%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (10) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 30 in 2012 to 160 in 2013.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | vs. 2013 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,700 | 2,850 | 1,550–2,600 | 1,550–2,600 | 1,550–2,600 | |
| Combined MPG | 23 | 22 | 24–40 | 24–40 | 24–40 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 20 / 29 | 19 / 28 | 21–40 / 30–39 | 21–40 / 30–39 | 21–40 / 30–39 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 386 | 404 | 224–365 | 223–365 | 223–365 | |
| Complaints filed | 106 | 30 | 160 | 114 | 53 | |
| Recalls issued | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 14 | 8 | 18 | 8 | 8 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 6 | 6 | 21 | 11 | 3 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
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 2013 Toyota Avalon have?
4 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 2013 Toyota Avalon?
Driver Assistance & Speed Control: 37 of 160 NHTSA complaints (23%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2013 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA rates it 24–40 MPG combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2013 Toyota Avalon?
EPA estimates $1,550–$2,600 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 21 mpg (low) | 30 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (low) | $2,600 (high) | 365 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (AV-S6) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 40 mpg (high) | 39 mpg (high) | 40 mpg (high) | $1,550 (low) | 224 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 21 mpg (low) | 30 mpg (low) | 25 mpg | $2,500 | 361 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical | 15 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Brakes | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 20 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 37 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 31 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 34 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Other | 28 | 1 | 0 | 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 (4)
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE · Campaign 20V024000 · Jan 21, 2020
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag 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. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING · Campaign 15V728000 · Nov 3, 2015
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.
Consequence: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING · Campaign 13V505000 · Nov 1, 2013
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Consequence: A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; AIR BAGS; EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER · Campaign 13V442000 · Oct 17, 2013
Defect: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Consequence: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.