Every 2012 Toyota Avalon recall
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Air Bags · NHTSA 20V024000
Jan 17, 2020Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module
- Problem
- 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.
- 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.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 20V024000 →Air Bags · NHTSA 18V569000
Aug 29, 2018Air Bags
- Problem
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles. During a vehicle repair, the seat belt inner buckles may have been replaced with parts that may incorrectly tell the air bag management system that the seat belt is always buckled.
- Risk
- If the seat belt is falsely interpreted as being buckled, in the event of a crash, the air bags may not deploy appropriately, increasing the risk of injury.
- Fix
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the seat belt assembly to verify that it is properly detecting being unbuckled, replacing the inner seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 19, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0S.
Full recall details for 18V569000 →Electrical System · NHTSA 15V047000
Jan 28, 2015Electrical System
- Problem
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk may experience an intermittent electrical short which may cause damage to the integrated circuit (IC) in the audio amplifier. In some cases, the damaged IC may allow a constant electrical current flow to the sub-woofer.
- Risk
- A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
- Fix
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Full recall details for 15V047000 →Electrical System · NHTSA 13V442000
Oct 17, 2013Electrical System
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 13V442000 →
2012 Toyota Avalon complaints and service bulletins
Owners filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Avalon, reporting 8 crashes, 1 fires, 6 injuries. Toyota has issued at least 292 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Most-reported components
- Air Bags6
- Structure6
- Electrical System4
- Vehicle Speed Control4
- Service Brakes3
- Visibility/Wiper3
Service bulletins by component
- Equipment (133)
- Structure (67)
- Electrical System (35)
- Engine (17)
- Steering (13)
- Power Train (12)
Read Toyota Avalon owner complaints and bulletins, every year
What people reported
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Avalon. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
Injury reportedCrash
“THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA AVALON. THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN AN 18 WHEELER COLLIDED INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 65 MPH. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE HOSPITALIZED WITH SPINAL INJURIES AND BRUISES.”
2012 TOYOTA AVALONMar 6, 2020
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11316549
Crash
“ANOTHER DRIVER RAND A RED LIGHT AND I (T-BONED HIS PASSENGER SIDE) WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. I WAS BREAKING AT THE TIME, BUT STILL IMAGINE I HIT HIM AT BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. THE FRONT END CRUMPLED AS EXPECTED BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.”
2012 TOYOTA AVALONOct 18, 2019
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11269414
Injury reportedCrash
“MY VEHICLES AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY I WAS HIT BY AN 18 WHEELER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.”
2012 TOYOTA AVALONDec 17, 2018
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11161898
Crash
“I ATTEMPTING TO PARK . THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STRUCK A HANDICAP SIGN AND THEN STRUCK THE BUILDING.”
2012 TOYOTA AVALONApr 17, 2015
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 10706213
Fire
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V047000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DISCONNECTED THE SUB-WOOFER AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.”
2012 TOYOTA AVALONApr 15, 2015
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 10705855
Check your Avalon by VIN
Not every 2012 Toyota Avalon is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Toyota dealer.
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