2009 Toyota Avalon Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Avalon most often write about headlights that quit or shatter, seat-time-ago steering column locks that let the wheel drop, and unintended acceleration episodes reported at low mileage. Many lighting and brake complaints come in at relatively low mileage, while speed-control reports cluster in the first couple of years of ownership.

1. 1
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights go out or bulbs shatter

   • 25 complaints (27%)
   • median 60,421 mi at 6.0 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,300 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2023

   Owners describe high beams, low beams and daytime running lights that stop working, often with no warning, sometimes one side at a time and sometimes both. Several say the bulbs had shattered or disappeared inside the housing, and some dealers replaced the bulb assemblies or the whole headlamp housing. A few report the repair did not last or that the cost was quoted in the thousands. Reported from roughly 30,000 to 165,000 miles, with many between 40,000 and 90,000, often noticed during night driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that both high and low beams and the daytime running lights work on a dark test drive, and ask whether the headlamp assemblies or bulbs have already been replaced. Service information describes a bulletin covering the high beam and daytime running light sharing one bulb on this model.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving on an unlighted texas highway at night my hi-beam lights went out. When I checked them later , both sides the bulb had shattered. I was driving the speed limit of 70 at that time counting on those hi-beams to spot wildlife around the road area. After I lost the use of the high beams I had to lower my speed and the area which I could safely see had greatly decreased.”

   NHTSA complaint #11020628, filed 2017-08, 74,399 miles

   “The headlights go out when operating the car without warning. This happens when driving on residential, highways and interstate roads. Cannot drive the car at night for fear that they will go out when I am driving. Dealer wanted $2,900 to replace the headlights. This is a safety issue which the manufacturer should address and be responsible for. The limited TSB which they issued would not have helped me. Was not covered under extended warranty.”

   NHTSA complaint #10862953, filed 2016-05, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Steering wheel drops or lock slips while driving

   • 18 complaints (20%)
   • median 41,050 mi at 4.9 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,100 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2025

   Owners report the lever that holds the telescoping steering wheel in place letting go while the car is moving, so the column collapses and the wheel drops toward the dash. Some say it happened repeatedly and made steering harder to control, and a few mention the horn working only intermittently and the dealer pointing to the steering column. Repair was usually quoted as replacing the entire column. Mostly reported between about 18,000 and 85,000 miles, across normal city and highway driving.

   What to check: With the car parked, set the telescoping wheel to a comfortable position and tug firmly on the wheel and column to see whether the lock holds; then repeat after driving. Ask whether the column has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Telescopic steering wheel lock fails while driving and steering wheel collapses. Took to Toyota of temecula valley and they said there is no known problem and no TSB. I looked on line there is a TSB for this. This failure of this dealership puts my family's safety at risk.”

   NHTSA complaint #10554635, filed 2013-12, 27,655 miles

   “The steering column telescoping mechanism drops, making the steering wheel telescope all the way down while driving the car. It has almost caused multiple accidents in the past few months that we have had the 2009 Avalon. Our 2005 did the same exact thing. I am now being told that we need to pay over $1100 to have the steering column replaced and have the car aligned again. This is not a freak thing with just this car, as our other one was the same way.”

   NHTSA complaint #10547223, filed 2013-10, 24,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended or sudden acceleration

   • 22 complaints (24%)
   • median 16,750 mi at 1.4 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2019

   Complaints describe the car surging forward or speeding up without the driver asking for it, sometimes while parking or pulling into a space and sometimes while braking or at highway speed. Several owners say the dealer modified or adjusted the accelerator pedal afterwards, and some mention the vehicle was later part of a pedal-related recall. Reported from very low mileage, many under 25,000 miles, and often in low-speed parking or stop-and-go situations.

   Recall 10V017000Recall 09V388000

   What to check: Ask the seller whether both accelerator-pedal recalls (floor mat interference and pedal sensor) were completed, and check the floor mats are the correct type and securely clipped. Pay attention to how the throttle responds at very low speed during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As I pulled into a parking space at my hairdresser's (part of a strip mall) and had almost reached the cement parking stop, my car suddenly lurched forward, jumped the curb, and crashed into the glass storefront before I was able to stop. It felt as if the car had suddenly accelerated on its own. Luckily, the storefront was vacant, so no one was injured, including myself, but there was significant damage to the storefront and my vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10919018, filed 2016-10, 115,000 miles

   “Going very slowly and heading into a curb in a parking lot, I stepped on the brake, and instead the car accelerated and stopped only when it hit a limb of a large bush. It left a dent in my front bumper. This has happened only one time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10285972, filed 2009-10, 3,240 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal feels weak, car creeps forward

   • 14 complaints (15%)
   • median 1,925 mi at 1.3 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2014

   Owners describe pressing the brake and having the car keep moving, sometimes with a ratcheting or grinding feel through the pedal, and in a few cases the car nudged forward into another vehicle or an intersection. One owner reported a thud noise each time the brake pedal was released, and another had vibration and wobble that a dealer attributed to the rotors. Dealers often could not reproduce or explain the behavior. Reported at very low mileage, many under 5,000 miles, plus a later case near 38,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the brakes from a slow roll in an empty lot, feeling for grabbing, ratcheting or a soft pedal, and ask about rotor or pad service history. Service bulletins mention noise from certain dealer-installed brake pads, not a loss of braking.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought Avalon feb. 2009. Within 1 month car began creeping forward after applying brakes. The incident involving damage occurred on may 9, 2009. I stopped in line at the bank drive through. I applied the brake and the car stopped. I reached for something in my purse, the car began moving forward. My reaction was to pump the brakes. Nothing stopped the car from moving forward. It rear ended the car in front of me. Damage was incurred to the car in front of me. $600 was paid out by my insurance company. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10310391, filed 2010-02, 200 miles

   “We have a 2009 Toyota Avalon, which we purchased in mid-november of 2009. We have been through two recalls already. Everytime we use the breaks and release them it makes a thud noise. I took it to the dealer who said he didn't know why it occurred. My wife and I are not happy with Toyota or NHTSA who should of released to the public the many issues Toyota was having with their automobiles in 2009. I would not have purchased this problem auto if NHTSA had notified the media of the issue in oct. Or the 1st of nov. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10320584, filed 2010-03, 5,112 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag off light or no deployment in a crash

   • 9 complaints (10%)
   • median 103,500 mi at 9.3 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2021

   Owners report the passenger airbag indicator showing off with someone seated in the front passenger seat, and in one case the side airbags did not deploy in a side impact. One owner linked the indicator to a seat-related recall campaign and was told their vehicle was not covered, and another had a rear sunshade issue reported alongside visibility complaints. Reported from about 66,000 to 237,000 miles, in everyday seating and one collision.

   Recall 13V014000Recall 14V743000Recall 16V396000

   What to check: Sit in the front passenger seat with the ignition on and confirm the airbag indicator reads on, and ask whether the seat-related recall campaigns were performed for this vehicle. Also check that the rear sunshade retracts when reverse is selected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In a june 21 t- bone collision in which I was hit by an SUV on the left side while driving on us 20 in western massachusetts, none of the side airbags deployed. This resulting in severe injury to my left rib cage (11 of 12 ribs either broken or cracked). The SUV had run a stop sign and was estimated to have been going 45-50 MPH. The driver and passenger front airbags deployed, but not the side airbags that would have provided vital protection. I suspect that the sensors failed to trigger the airbag deployment.”

   NHTSA complaint #11123320, filed 2018-08, 237,000 miles

   “A power rear window sunshade is an option that is designed to be retractable. A push button switch below the dashboard is supposed to toggle the perforated sunshade to the raised and retracted position. Once the sunshade is raised normally, it cannot be retracted again. Any attempt to lower it results in a loud clicking noise as the shade tries to retract but cannot.. The problem is exacerbated when backing up, since shifting the vehicle into reverse (r) should automatically retract the sunshade but cannot do so. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11252255, filed 2019-08, 118,000 miles

Buying note. Look closely at the headlights, the telescoping steering column lock and the brake feel on a test drive, since those are the areas owners write about most. Confirm which open recalls have been completed for the specific vehicle before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.