Model year record

2021 Toyota Avalon

2 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 41 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 23V865000

Air bags: sensor: occupant classification

Component
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Vehicles affected
999,901
Reported to NHTSA
2023-12-20
Owners notified
2024-10-31

Defect description

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Safety risk

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Recall campaignNHTSA 20V734000

Air bags: frontal

Component
Air bags: frontal
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Vehicles affected
161
Reported to NHTSA
2020-11-25
Owners notified
2020-12-18

Defect description

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Safety risk

In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Air bags20
Engine52,500 mi
Vehicle speed control415,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control3
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking2
Service brakes220 mi
Back over prevention: rearview system braking1
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel1800 mi
Power train: automatic transmission12,500 mi
Seat belts1
Tires1

The 2020 model has 3 times as many complaints as this one. The 2022 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.