2018 Toyota Avalon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
42/100
#8 most-complained of 13 Avalon years
The 2018 Toyota Avalon has a complaint index of 42 and ranks 8th out of 13 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Avalon years. Its top problem area is airbags, tied to 2 recalls, with 24 total complaints and 7 crashes reported.
- Complaints
- 24
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 4 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 30 hwy
Top 2018 Toyota Avalon problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags6 (25%)
- Other5 (21%)
- Steering4 (17%)
- Fuel System3 (13%)
- Brakes2 (8%)
- Electrical System2 (8%)
- Engine2 (8%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (8%)
- Lane Departure1 (4%)
- Seat Belts1 (4%)
What owners report
- Frontal airbags failed to deploy during moderate to high-speed collisions, in some cases leading to injuries and ambulance transport.
- Owners waiting on the airbag ECU recall (20V024000) reported parts unavailability and long delays for the repair.
- The fuel pump recall (20V012000) left some owners waiting months for replacement parts while driving with a flagged safety issue.
- Some owners reported the engine briefly losing power or almost stalling during acceleration, later linked to the fuel pump recall.
- Steering was reported to jerk suddenly to the right at highway speeds around 34,836 miles, described as feeling like torque steer.
- The automatic high-beam headlight system was reported to cycle on and off unpredictably at night around 4,000 miles.
2018 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 20V012000Jan 13, 2020Fuel System1,830,752 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
2018 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.
2018 compared with other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Toyota Avalon reliable?
- Compared with other Avalon model years, 2018 ranks 8th out of 13 with a complaint index of 42 and a "Good" verdict. It has fewer complaints than several other years, such as 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2019, which are rated "Avoid."
- What problems does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have?
- NHTSA lists 24 complaints for the 2018 Avalon, led by airbags (6 complaints, 25% share, 5 crashes), followed by steering (4 complaints) and fuel system (3 complaints).
- Does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for an airbag electronic control unit issue (20V024000) and one for a fuel pump replacement (20V012000). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- What is the median mileage for reported failures on the 2018 Avalon?
- Across all complaints, the median mileage at failure is 10,500 miles. Airbag-related complaints had a median mileage of 9,650 miles, while steering complaints had a median of 34,836 miles.
- How does the 2018 Avalon compare to other years?
- The 2018 Avalon's complaint index of 42 is lower than 2011 (92), 2013 (100), 2014 (83), and 2019 (75), all rated "Avoid," but higher than 2020, 2021, and 2022, which are rated "Best."