Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Toyota Avalon, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Visibility12
- Service brakes, hydraulic10
- Steering10
- Vehicle speed control10
- Electrical system7
- Exterior lighting7
- Tires5
- Air bags5
- Equipment4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 10 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 14 1996 Avalon vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 7 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Toyota Avalon failed the safety check 1.70% of the time — 16% more often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 152,418 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
2 1996 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.4 L/100 km (about 21 mpg US), CO₂ 262 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 13.3 | 9.0 | 11.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1996 Toyota Avalon.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1996 Toyota Avalon: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 628688 | SUBJECT REGARDING STEERING RACK END NOISE. *TT |
| 627195 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *YD |
| 619097 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING RETRO-FIT INTERNAL TRUNK RELEASE KITS. *TT |
| 609185 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT BRAKE GROAN NOISE, GRINDING NOISE, SQUEAK OR VIBRATION. *TT |
| 609184 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A SLIGHT SIDE-TO-SIDE MOVEMENT IN FRONT BUCKET SEATS DURING CORNERING. *TT |
| 604947 | INFORMATION ON PROGRAMMING OEM WIRELESS DOOR LOCK REMOTE TRANSMITTERS. *TT |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 602531 | A GROAN OR CRUNCH NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROADWAY. *YC |
| 602529 | NEW FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE AVAILABLE TO REDUCE THE FRONT BRAKE GROAN NOISE. *YC |
| 602183 | NEW FRONT BRAKE PAD KITS ARE AVAILABLE TO REDUCE FRONT BRAKE GROAN NOISE, GRINDING NOISE, SQUEAK OR VIBRATION. *YC |
| 602177 | A GROAN OR CURNCH NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROADWAY. *YC |
| 601598 | INFORMATION ON VANITY MIRROR IMPROVEMENT. *YC |
| 54414 | EXHIBITING A "POPPING" NOISE EMITTING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *YC |
| 52549 | PRODUCTION CHANGE TO HAZARD SWITCH. *TW |
| 52140 | THE SHAPE OF VALVE BODY GASKET NO.2 HAS BEEN CHANGED. *JD |
| 52129 | A PRODUCTION CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE TO HAZARD SWITCH TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TURN SIGNAL CIRCUIT IN COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *JD |
| 52112 | WIND NOISE FROM FRONT DOOR "A" PILLAR AREA. *JD |
| 52104 | A541E VALVE BODY GASKET NO.2. *JD |
| 51257 | INTERAL ENGINE NOISE WHEN IDLING AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. *JD |
| 10244113 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10214323 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions |
| 10207946 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10197476 | Replacement vin plates. |
| 10197473 | Product general information. |
| 10190453 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE SEIZURE
TURN SIGNAL FAILURES
TURN SIGNAL FAILURES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation