2018 Toyota Avalon reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Toyota Avalon has 24 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 5 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Avalon years here — over the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Air bag control module and Fuel pump.

2016 Toyota Avalon — Photo by aneekr, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (6 of 24), then Steering (4) and Fuel and propulsion system (3). Those filings include 7 that report a crash and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Avalon has 14 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 70 complaints, 14 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Toyota Avalon. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall air bags, air bag control module 2020-01-17 · NHTSA campaign 20V024000

Summary 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.

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.

Recall Fuel pump 2020-01-13 · NHTSA campaign 20V012000

Summary 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.

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.

Complaints by component (24 total)

Air bags

Steering

Fuel and propulsion system

Forward collision avoidance

Service brakes

Speed control

Electrical system

Exterior lighting

Lane departure

Powertrain

Seat belts

Structure

Wheels

Show 5 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Involved in a 2 vehicle accident on October 26th. My car is totaled and so is the other car. No airbags deployed and my drivers side seat belt failed to lock in the accident. I was injured and taken by ambulance to…"
Air bags, Seat belts · filed 2025-11-25
"Date of safety issue: July 12, 2023 Location: Piper Glen Shopping Center, Rea Road, Charlotte NC (destination was Run For Your Life at 6416 Rea Road - within the shopping center). Time: Approximately sometime between…"
Speed control · filed 2023-07-13
"Hello, My name is [XXX]. I bought my car from Longo Toyota in El Monte about 15 months ago. The car was certified preowned and had a Carfax report with no accident reported history. That is exactly why I bought the car,…"
Structure · filed 2023-01-22
"Air Bag did not deploy during a major front end collision. Resulted in total loss of the vehicle."
Air bags · filed 2022-12-19
"Intermittently, unpredictably, for several seconds at a time, the engine almost quits, especially when accelerating So far, it has not happened in heavy traffic, but if it did, it would create a possibly major safety…"
Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2022-11-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2018 Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid 4 DR FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Avalon	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	21	30	24 MPG	$2700
Avalon hybrid	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S6)	Front-wheel drive	40	39	40 MPG	$1600

Specs and fitment

4th generation (XX40), 2012–2018

Body styles Sedan

Oil 5W-30 (3.5L V6, 2012 only); 0W-20 (3.5L V6, 2013–2018; 2.5L Hybrid, 2013–2018) , 6.4 qt capacity

Tire size 215/60R16 (2012 Base), 215/55R17 (XLE and most trims), 225/45R18 (2016 Limited/Touring)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-024 covers certain 2012–2018 Avalon and 2013–2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles (along with other Toyota models). During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit may malfunction and may disable deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners; dealers inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness when needed, free of charge. Recall 15V-728 covers certain 2013–2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles with the optional Pre-Collision System: the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object, increasing the risk of a crash; dealers replace certain PCS components, free of charge (Toyota campaign numbers F1V and F2E). Recall 14V-715 covers certain 2014 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles equipped with 16-inch and 17-inch rims in which the left-side front suspension lower arm may have been incorrectly manufactured, so the lower arm may separate from the ball joint; dealers replace the left lower arm, free of charge.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Toyota Avalon Next year 2019 Toyota Avalon See every Toyota Avalon model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Toyota Avalon reliable?

What are common problems with a 2018 Toyota Avalon?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (6 of 24), then Steering (4) and Fuel and propulsion system (3). Those filings include 7 that report a crash and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Toyota Avalon more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Avalon has 14 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 70 complaints, 14 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Toyota Avalon been recalled?

The 2018 Toyota Avalon has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

Owners have filed 24 complaints about the 2018 Toyota Avalon with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Toyota Avalon get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Toyota Avalon is 32 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When was the Toyota Avalon discontinued in the US?

Toyota ended US Avalon production after the 2022 model year; the fifth-generation car was built in Georgetown, Kentucky through that run.

What generation is a 2016 Toyota Avalon?

4th generation XX40 (2012–2018 in this catalog).

Does the Avalon Hybrid use the same engine oil as the V6?

Both use 0W-20 in the XX40 and XX50 generations, but oil capacity differs: about 4.6 qt with filter on the 2.5L Hybrid versus about 6.4 qt on the 3.5L V6 (XX40); confirm on the dipstick for your engine.