2015 Toyota Avalon

The 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.

The risk

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.

The 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.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 2,891,976 vehicles across all model years covered

The 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.

The risk

A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

The 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.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 30,812 vehicles across all model years covered

Closed engineering analysis · opened April 19, 2019 · closed September 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024

the air bags

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

crash · towed · 40,000 miles

ON FEB. 5, 2020 AT ABOUT 6:30 AM, MY WIFE WAS PULLING UP BEHIND CARS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AS SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, SHE PRESSED THE BRAKES AS HARD AS SHE COULD, THE CAR CONTINUED TO DRIVE FORWARD HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF HER IN LINE. SHE COULD HEAR THE CAR ENGINE RACING AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, BUT IT WENT INTO REVERSE AND RAPIDLY MOVED BACKWARDS, EVEN WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, HIT THE CAR BEHIND HER. SHE THAN ONCE AGAIN TRIED TO UP THE CAR IN PARK, BUT PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE AND THE OUR CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD AGAIN FILL SPEED HITTING THE CAR AHEAD FOR A SECOND TIME, ALL THE TIME HOLDING HER FOOT DOWN AS HARD AS SHE COULD ON THE BRAKE. …

NHTSA complaint 11308465, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

crash · towed · 60,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER MADE AN ABRUPT STOP; CAUSING HER TO REAR END THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT NOR THE OTHER DRIVER WERE INJURED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INITIALLY ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME; LATER ON, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 20V024000 (AIR BAGS) WHICH SHE ASSOCIATED WITH HER FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH DOWNTOWN TOYOTA OF OAKLAND (4145 …

NHTSA complaint 11317604, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

165,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission shuddered. No warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure did not occur once the vehicle speed exceeded 45 MPH. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure was common with the vehicle model year. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.

NHTSA complaint 11749514. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

251,617 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, the contact noticed that the title listed the mileage at 133,510, with the note " Not the Actual Mileage" next to the mileage. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 133,510, and it was later discovered that the Carfax report listed the mileage at 251,617. The Carfax report also displayed that the vehicle was sold at an auto auction on 11/25/2025. Additionally, the contact stated that while his daughter was driving the vehicle on the same day of purchase, the …

NHTSA complaint 11709132, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

83,829 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the brake warning light illuminated, and the brake independently activated. The vehicle was taken to a specialty brake shop, where it was diagnosed that the brake actuator had failed, causing the ABS system to activate independently. The vehicle was repaired. On the drive back to the residence, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with brake master cylinder failure. The brake booster, gasket, and brake actuator were replaced. The contact stated that …

NHTSA complaint 11680608, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

crash · towed

Accident June 12, 2024 air bag did not deploy. hit on passenger side no air bags deployed. Air bag not able to be reset

NHTSA complaint 11661245. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

05/04/2025 First of all, we love our Avalon. However, for the last 6 months or so, water is getting in the car and ends up soaking the carpet on the left front floorboard carpet. We have checked everything we can think of to find the source of the leak but was uneasily. We had to have some scratches fixed and took the car to a body shop to see if they could find the source of the leak. They sprayed water on the sunroof for about an hour but no water leaked inside. We have also taken the car to the local Toyota Dealership (Sheehy Toyota in the Fredericksburg area, they could not find the source of the leak. It rained here (Fredericksburg, VA last night and the left front floorboard was …

NHTSA complaint 11658794, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

I have tire size P225 / 45 R 18. Michelin Primacy mxm4. The compalint tire exploded at 65 MPH (the speed limit). The falure caused the car to swerve into the next lane which was occupied by another car at the time. My safety was at risk when I momemtarily lost control of the vehicle and others were at risk when I enetred an occupied lane. Problem was inspected and confirmed by Mavis (formerly NTB) in Keller TX. The only warning was that a couple of weeks prior to the incident while rotating my tires the Mavis location found a bubble in the sidewall of another tire (not the one that exploded) that was in the same lot as the one that exploded. It was replaced under the warranty. I now beleive …

NHTSA complaint 11548028, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.