2012 Toyota Avalon recalls and problems
The 2012 Toyota Avalon has 4 safety recalls and 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2012 Toyota Avalon recalls
Recall 20V-024: Air Bags
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.
Recall 18V-569: Seat Belts, Air 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.
Recall 15V-047: Electrical 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.
Recall 13V-442: Equipment, Air Bags, Electrical 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.
2012 Toyota Avalon problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 6 | |
| Air Bags | 6 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | |
| Electrical System | 4 | |
| Service Brakes | 3 | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 | |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | |
| Suspension | 1 | |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 1 | |
| Seats | 1 | |
| Visibility | 1 | |
| Engine | 1 |
Most reported parts
- Structure › Body — 5
- Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 1
- Structure › Interior Panels › Dashboard — 1
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 33,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2012 Toyota Avalon complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Other Toyota Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2012 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Avalon: 20V-024 (air bags), 18V-569 (seat belts, air bags), 15V-047 (electrical system), 13V-442 (equipment, air bags, electrical system). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Avalon?
Owners report structure problems most often (6 reports), followed by air bags (6). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 33,000 miles.
Are Toyota recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.