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Toyota AvalonModel year report

2011 Toyota Avalon Problems

Compared with other Toyota Avalon years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

31/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
106filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
34,950miles, 78 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 20 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Toyota Avalon (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on the 2011 Avalon concentrate on a steering column adjuster that releases on its own, and on door lock actuators that stop responding to the fob or master switch. Both tend to appear at moderate mileage. A smaller group of owners describes sudden unintended acceleration in low-speed parking situations, and some report interior window film or headlight ballast failures affecting visibility.

  1. Steering

    Steering wheel adjuster releases while driving

    • 20 complaints (19%)
    • median 36,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • filed 2011–2021

    Owners describe the tilt/telescoping lock lever on the left of the steering column working loose over time and letting the wheel fall forward or slide toward the dash, sometimes mid-turn or in traffic. Drivers say they can usually reset the lever and regain position, but that it recurs intermittently and without warning. Some report the dealer could not duplicate the problem or said a fix was not covered, while others mention a lever clip or a revised repair being available. Reported from a few thousand miles up to well over 100,000 miles, often noticed in the first years of ownership and recurring periodically afterward.

    What to check: Sit in the car and pull the column adjuster through its full travel, then push and pull the wheel firmly to see whether the lever holds; ask whether the lever detent clip or the revised repair has been installed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Telescoping steering column lock loosens while driving causing steering wheel and brakes to shake. Advised my local Toyota dealer and they said it was not covered under warranty but I could pay them to repair the issue with a upgraded repair that Toyota has identified. A notice was never sent out to Toyota owners. This should be a recall notice. Safety issue while driving. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11407050, filed 2021-04, 45,636 miles

    “I have a new 2011 Toyota Avalon limited with just over 1,700 miles. The telescoping steering wheel lever located under the steering column has fallen out of the locked position five times. When this happens the steering wheel collapses in towards the dash. Toyota dealership says they have not heard of this happening. I, myself, have now found reports by other Avalon owners with the same problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10419597, filed 2011-08, 500 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Sudden acceleration at low speed / while braking

    • 12 complaints (11%)
    • median 15,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2019

    Complaints describe the car surging forward or backward during slow parking maneuvers, driveway entries and stops, often with the driver's foot reported on the brake. Several owners say braking did not stop the car before it struck an object. According to the complaints, dealers and manufacturer investigators frequently could not find a fault, and some vehicles were repaired or totaled without a cause being identified. Most reports fall under about 30,000 miles, and many occurred within the first years of ownership, at very low speeds such as 2 to 5 mph.

    What to check: Test the car at walking pace in a parking lot and on a slight incline, noting any hesitation, idle flare or unexpected surge, and ask whether the throttle body and pedal position sensor have been checked.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Sudden acceleration when shifted into reverse gear and the brakes would not even slow the car. It was only stopped by hitting a low retaining was, knocking it down, and then falling over the edge of the driveway and being suspended like a see-saw over the edge of the driveway with the possibility of a 10+ foot drop off into a wooded ravine.”

    NHTSA complaint #10875154, filed 2016-06, 124,000 miles

    “While driving 5 MPH from parking spot to front of restaurant to pick up passenger, car suddenly accelerated very fast without depressing gas pedal. Both feet were applied to brake pedal and car did not slow down or stop until it hit cement pillar causing extensive damage, totaling the car and causing injury to driver.”

    NHTSA complaint #10970748, filed 2017-04, 24,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Door locks stop responding to fob or master switch

    • 15 complaints (14%)
    • median 47,500 mi at 5.4 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2020

    Owners report that the front passenger and rear doors stop unlocking with the key fob or the driver's master switch and must be opened from the inside. Some say the door beeps but does not release, and that the condition is intermittent. Complaints describe dealers diagnosing failed door lock actuators; one owner had the master window/lock assembly replaced and saw the problem return. Typically described between roughly 35,000 and 70,000 miles, with some reports higher, and often intermittent.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Cycle every door lock several times with the fob and with the master switch, and listen for a weak or slow actuator; ask whether any actuators have already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On 3/25/15 the front passenger door locked and could not be unlocked with fob or switch on drivers door. After about 5-10 minutes it unlocked. Since then they same thing has happened to both rear doors at same time. When hitting the unlock button on fob the door beeps several times, but does not unlock. I gave up trying to unlock it and went to my next destination. After coming out, the rear door unlocked normally. I never know now when the doors will unlock, and am afraid I will get totally locked in or out at some point. I have an appt. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10705301, filed 2015-04, 79,023 miles

    “The passenger and rear door locks do not open with the remote key nor with the door-lock switch on the driver's door. The passengers could not enter the car. Their door had to be unlocked manually from inside the vehicle. This is a serious personal safety issue if you have an emergency and need quick entry for any reason...storm, fire, explosion, personal attack. The Toyota dealer could not find a cause.”

    NHTSA complaint #10509389, filed 2013-04, 34,500 miles
  4. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Hazy film on interior glass and sunshade problems

    • 12 complaints (11%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2011–2021

    Owners describe a film forming on the inside of the windshield and other glass within weeks of purchase, thick enough to hamper vision in low sun or oncoming headlights. Complaints say dealers acknowledged the condition but considered it normal. Others report the rear power sunshade grinding when lowered or failing to retract, leaving rearward visibility poor at night. The window film is reported at very low mileage, often within the first weeks and hundreds to a few thousand miles; sunshade failures appear later, around 70,000 to 130,000 miles.

    What to check: Inspect the inside of the glass for haze or residue on a sunny day, and operate the rear sunshade up and down to check for grinding or slow travel.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I raised my rear sunshade and couldn't lower it. It was during the day running errands and very difficult to see out the back window. I chose not to drive my car late evenings and night because of safety and visibility .I need my car 24/7, I paid for the shade to be lowered but it's inoperable. This summer I know I will need the sunshade.”

    NHTSA complaint #11318717, filed 2020-03, 128,250 miles

    “I bought a new 2011 Toyota Avalon in april of 2010. Within a couple of weeks the inside of the windows are covered with a film from gas vapors. It is so thick that it reduces your vision particularly in the sun. It is a safety issue. I reported it to the dealer but they just listen and do nothing. A friend of mine also bought a new Avalon in may of 2011 and their car has the same problem so over a year later the avalons are doing the same thing.”

    NHTSA complaint #10419292, filed 2011-08, 100 miles

Buying note. Check the steering column adjuster carefully on a test drive and confirm whether the door locks and headlights have already been serviced, since these are the most frequently reported items. Have a pre-purchase inspection look at the steering rack for leaks as well, as some owners report seepage at higher mileage.

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.

NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 2011 Toyota Avalon. 78 of the complaints include a mileage, and 68% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 34,950 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 274 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 8 Toyota Avalon model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 31 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Air bags (2), Engine cooling (2), Exterior lighting (2), Fuel system (2), Seat belts (2), Transmission and drivetrain (2), Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “Steering column position lock lever continues to disengage. The lever, over time, works it's way down until it releases the set position of the steering column. This causes the steering column to move out of it's set position while driving which could cause a dangerous situation. This has occurred many times since I have owned this vehicle. I think there was a recall on other year models of the Toyota Avalon but I do not understand why 2011 was excluded.”

NHTSA complaint #11002889, filed 2017-07, 23,000 miles

Electrical system: “I brought my vehicle into a Toyota garage on 4/13/15 for the safety recall on the rear sub-roofer. At that time, no replacement parts. Subsequently, I had the sub-roofer disconnected. I just called 7/9/15, almost 3 months later and still no replacement parts. Lousy customer service on the part of Toyota motor sales.”

NHTSA complaint #10733027, filed 2015-07, 26,000 miles

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “Flim over rear window, inside the glass , around the heat elements.I can not clean the film off.I can not see through the rear glass, this is a safety hazard.”

NHTSA complaint #11253812, filed 2019-09, 125,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “While pulling into parking space at a very slow speed, while applying brake, the car accelerated unexpectedly with so much force that it overpowered the brake and caused a collision into a cement pole which caused major front in damage to the vehicle. The foot was on the brake and was not, at the same time, touching the gas pedal. There was no obstruction from the floor mat. …”

NHTSA complaint #10967152, filed 2017-03, 43,353 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

68% of the 78 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 8,000 and 70,000 miles.

27%0–1015%10–2526%25–5012%50–758%75–10013%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (78 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 34,950 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’12’1417’16’18’20’22’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Toyota Avalon. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Avalon · sedan FWDnot rated———4 · 11.1% risk

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Toyota Avalon version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Avalon FWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic202923$2,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2011 Toyota Avalon → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 274 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 274 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Avalon

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20228—0526—Not enough data
2021211,6502525—Rising
2020104,0003526—Not enough data
2019715,116452650 · TypicalFalling
20182410,5002524—Falling
20171417,5152524—Not enough data
20162331,0003524—Rising
20154242,50025240 · FewerFalling
20149613,625452558 · TypicalFalling
201313717,522452567 · MoreFalling
20123033,0004—224 · FewerFalling
201110634,9501—2331 · FewerFalling
20104613,0007—2346 · TypicalFalling
20099147,0107—2364 · TypicalFalling
200834952,0006—2296 · MoreFalling
200724340,6506—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200636045,0007—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200522847,8507—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200420567,8863—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200329382,5002—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200211691,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200113460,0002—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200017383,8372—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19999253,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199817872,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199712599,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1996109116,0000—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19958099,5000—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Toyota Avalon model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota Avalon?

Complaints on the 2011 Avalon concentrate on a steering column adjuster that releases on its own, and on door lock actuators that stop responding to the fob or master switch. The issues reported most often: Steering wheel adjuster releases while driving; Sudden acceleration at low speed / while braking; Door locks stop responding to fob or master switch.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Toyota Avalon have?

NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 2011 Toyota Avalon as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Toyota Avalon is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 31 complaints (29% of the total), followed by electrical system with 25.

Has the 2011 Toyota Avalon been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Toyota Avalon get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Toyota Avalon (Avalon, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Toyota Avalon reported?

Among the 78 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 34,950 miles and the middle half falls between 8,000 and 70,000 miles; 68% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.