YearToAvoid

2015 Toyota Avalon Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#9 most-complained of 13 Avalon years

The 2015 Toyota Avalon has 41 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 33, and ranks 9th worst out of 13 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Avalon years. Brakes are the top problem area with 10 complaints.

Complaints
41
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
7 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 30 hwy

Top 2015 Toyota Avalon problems

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

  1. Brakes10 (24%)
  2. Collision Avoidance & Cameras9 (22%)
  3. Other8 (20%)
  4. Airbags7 (17%)
  5. Engine7 (17%)
  6. Electrical System4 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body4 (10%)
  8. Fuel System3 (7%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (7%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain2 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration or lurching forward when shifting into drive, sometimes leading to a collision.
  • Brakes have reportedly failed to stop the car in time, with some drivers rear-ending vehicles ahead at speeds around 35 to 40 mph.
  • Front driver's airbags failed to deploy in multiple rear-end and head-on collisions, in some cases resulting in injury.
  • Front passenger seat control casing reportedly loosened and detached, with the issue recurring after dealer repair.
  • Owners describe rough or hesitant starting requiring multiple attempts, along with the rear deck lid opening on its own while driving.
2015 Toyota Avalon complaints: complaints filed per month4Jul 2015Mar 2016May 2017Nov 2019May 2020Nov 2021Sep 2023Jan 2026
61 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2015 to Jul 2026; peak Mar 2016 (4).

2015 Toyota Avalon recalls

2 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.

2015 Toyota Avalon fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2015 compared with other Avalon years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Avoid100137424.5
2014Avoid8396424.5
2015Good3341224
2016Good2523324
2017Caution6714224

All Toyota Avalon years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Toyota Avalon reliable?
Relative to other Avalon model years, the 2015 rates "Good," with a complaint index of 33 and rank 9th worst out of 13 years tracked by NHTSA data.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA complaints most often involve brakes (10 complaints, 24% share), collision avoidance and camera systems (9 complaints, 22%), airbags (7 complaints, 17%), and engine issues (7 complaints, 17%).
Does the 2015 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2015 Avalon: one for airbag control unit noise filters (campaign 20V024000) and one for pre-collision system components (campaign 15V728000). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2015 Avalon compare to other years?
The 2015 Avalon's complaint index of 33 is lower than the 2013 (100), 2011 (92), and 2014 (83) model years, which are rated "Avoid," but higher than the 2020, 2021, and 2022 years rated "Best."
What is the median mileage at failure for 2015 Avalon complaints?
Across all complaints, the median mileage at failure is 42,500 miles; brake and engine complaints show a median of 40,000 miles.

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.