Toyota Avalon 2018 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls issued for the Toyota Avalon 2018 and 24 complaints filed by owners. It has 2% fewer complaints than the average Toyota Avalon from 2016–2022 (24 per year).
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a Toyota Avalon 2018? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the Toyota Avalon 2018
Air bags
NHTSA campaign 20V024000 · 2020-01-17
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Fuel system
NHTSA campaign 20V012000 · 2020-01-13
What happens
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
24 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
7 with a crash · 4 injuries
Most reported problems on the Toyota Avalon 2018
- Air bags: 5 (21% of complaints)
- Fuel and propulsion: 3 (13% of complaints)
- Steering: 3 (13% of complaints)
- Throttle and cruise control: 2 (8% of complaints)
- Forward collision avoidance: 2 (8% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a Toyota Avalon 2018
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- The air bag light should come on for a second at start-up and go off. Confirm by VIN that air bag recalls were done.
- Check for loss of power, stalling or uneven acceleration on the test drive.
- The wheel should be centered going straight, with no vibration, noises when turning or stiffness.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Toyota Avalon recalls by year
- 2016 : 3 recalls · 23 complaints
- 2017 : 2 recalls · 14 complaints
- 2018 : 2 recalls · 24 complaints
- 2019 : 4 recalls · 71 complaints
- 2020 : 3 recalls · 10 complaints
- 2021 : 2 recalls · 21 complaints
- 2022 : 0 recalls · 8 complaints
Guides for this check
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Toyota Avalon 2018 have?
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls issued for the Toyota Avalon 2018. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the Toyota Avalon 2018?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: air bags (5 of 24 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 26, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).