YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 9 Avalon Hybrid years

The 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid ranks worst of 9 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 23 NHTSA complaints tied to 3 recalls. Top problem areas are Collision Avoidance & Cameras and Structure & Body, each 22% of complaints.

Complaints
23
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
40
40 city / 39 hwy

Top 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras5 (22%)
  2. Structure & Body5 (22%)
  3. Engine4 (17%)
  4. Other4 (17%)
  5. Airbags3 (13%)
  6. Brakes2 (9%)
  7. Electrical System2 (9%)
  8. Fuel System2 (9%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (4%)

What owners report

  • Air bags failed to deploy during a crash after being struck by another driver, resulting in injuries.
  • Vehicles suddenly accelerated on their own while shifting into or out of park, sometimes hitting nearby objects or vehicles.
  • The pre-collision system activated braking or warnings for no reason, even after a recall repair was performed.
  • The headliner detached and drooped over the rear window months after purchase, even after dealer glue repairs.
  • A seat back trim panel's clips disconnected, causing the panel to hang loose near the rear seat.
  • Instrument cluster warning lights illuminated without a diagnosable cause, and a side mirror shattered while driving at low speed.
2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid complaints: complaints filed per month6Oct 2013Jul 2014Oct 2015May 2016Nov 2016Jun 2019
29 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2013 to Dec 2021; peak Dec 2014 (6).

2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V024000Jan 17, 2020Airbags2,891,976 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 15V728000Nov 3, 2015Collision Avoidance & Cameras30,812 vehicles

    Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.

    Risk: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.

  3. NHTSA 13V505000Oct 17, 2013Visibility & Wipers9,795 vehicles

    Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring

    Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."

    Risk: A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid fuel economy and fuel cost

City
40 MPG
Highway
39 MPG
Combined
40 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Avalon Hybrid years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201320142015201620172018201920202021
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Avoid10023340
2014Avoid8818240
2015Avoid7512240

All Toyota Avalon Hybrid years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Avalon Hybrid ranks worst among the 9 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 23 complaints tied to 3 recalls.
What problems does the 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid have?
The top reported problem areas are Collision Avoidance & Cameras (22% of complaints) and Structure & Body (22%), followed by Engine issues (17%) and Airbags (13%).
Does the 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for this year: an airbag control unit issue, a pre-collision system component recall, and a wiper switch assembly recall. None are listed as do-not-drive recalls.
Which Avalon Hybrid year is better than 2013?
Later years score lower on the Complaint Index, such as 2016 at 50, 2018 at 25, and 2020 at 13, all with fewer complaints than the 2013 model's 23.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.