2015 Toyota Avalon Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2015 Toyota Avalon has a complaint index of 29 and ranks 13th out of 18 model years, earning a Good verdict. Owners most often cited brake problems (24% of complaints) and collision-avoidance camera issues (22%), with 2 recalls filed.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 29/100
- #13 of 18 Avalon years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 41
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 7
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 30 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
Top 2015 Toyota Avalon problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes10 (24%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras9 (22%)
- Other8 (20%)
- Airbags7 (17%)
- Engine7 (17%)
- Electrical System4 (10%)
- Structure & Body4 (10%)
- Fuel System3 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain2 (5%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report unexpected acceleration or lurching forward when shifting into drive, sometimes ending in a low-speed collision.
- Several drivers describe sudden brake failure or the car not stopping in time despite pressing the brake pedal hard.
- Multiple complaints describe front airbags failing to deploy during frontal or side-impact crashes, in some cases with injuries.
- The pre-collision system reportedly triggered false warnings, retracting seat belts and sounding buzzers when no obstacle was close.
- One driver reported a stall at low speed while turning, with no warning beforehand.
2015 Toyota Avalon recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Toyota Avalon reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2015 Avalon a complaint index of 29 and a Good verdict, ranking 13th out of 18 model years for the Avalon. It has fewer reported problems than most earlier Avalon years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Toyota Avalon?
- Brakes account for 24% of complaints and collision avoidance/camera systems for 22%, followed by airbags and engine issues at 17% each, according to NHTSA data.
- Does the 2015 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2015 Avalon: one for airbag electronic control units (2020) and one for pre-collision system components (2015). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- At what mileage do 2015 Avalon brake problems usually happen?
- The median mileage at failure for brake-related complaints on the 2015 Avalon is 40,000 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
- How does the 2015 Avalon compare to other Avalon years?
- The 2015 Avalon's complaint index of 29 is much lower than the worst years, like 2006 at 100 and 2007 at 94, but higher than the 2016 Avalon's index of 12.