Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Toyota avalon. Contact stated while parking the vehicle going up a ramp the vehicle accelerated and crashed into wall. The contact thought at the time her foot slipped on the brake pedal. The contact was not hurt and the vehicle was repaired. One year after the first incident, while pulling into the driveway the vehicle surged again. This time the contact was able to…
2005 Toyota Avalon cruise control problems
critical 64 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
64
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
21crashes
9injuries
1fatality
When does it fail?
Of the 64 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Toyota Avalon, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 64 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 12 model years of Toyota Avalon in our records for cruise control problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2005 Avalon has documented cases of uncontrolled acceleration at low speeds (parking, turning) and highway speeds, often unresponsive to brakes, resulting in collisions. Many incidents occurred even after recall repairs for the accelerator pedal; dealers frequently found no mechanical fault and offered no remedy, leaving owners with unsafe vehicles.
Owners report two broad categories of acceleration failure. First, sudden unintended acceleration during low-speed maneuvers—parking, reversing, turning—where the vehicle lurches forward at 2–15 mph despite the brake pedal being pressed. Impacts into parked vehicles, curbs, light poles, trees, and buildings are common. Brake pressure often proves ineffective; at least one owner required maximum force from both feet to stop the car.
Second, on highways and normal driving, vehicles accelerate suddenly to speeds of 25–75 mph without driver input and sometimes resist braking. Operators shift to neutral and kill the ignition to regain control. Cruise control malfunctions are also reported: violent surges ahead on inclines or when resume is activated, with 3000-rpm swings and downshifts beyond normal.
Critically, multiple owners experienced worsened acceleration faults *after* dealer completion of the recall repair for the accelerator pedal (NHTSA 10V017000). Post-repair symptoms include hesitation, jerking at various speeds, stalling followed by sudden high-rpm surge, and loss of motive power.
Dealer diagnostic tests consistently return no codes and no mechanical failure. Dealers often cannot duplicate the problem and sometimes claim behavior is "normal." Toyota corporate offers arbitration or no further assistance. A few customers report adaptive cruise control that slows the vehicle without illuminating brake lights—a hazard to following traffic—with manufacturer advising simply not to use the feature on busy roads.
Same Toyota Avalon cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration during low-speed maneuvers
Vehicle surges forward without driver input, typically while parking, reversing, or making turns at speeds under 15 mph. Drivers report foot on brake did not prevent acceleration. Multiple incidents result in collisions with parked vehicles, curbs, light poles, trees, planters, and structures.
When: Low speeds during parking/turning; mileage ranges 18,000–49,000 reported
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden forward lurch without accelerator input; Brake pedal ineffective or unresponsive; Loud engine sound accompanying surge; Vehicle continued to accelerate despite brake pressure; Multiple impacts in single incident (e.g., backing into two vehicles, then forward into third vehicle and pole)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnostic tests returned no codes and no mechanical failure found. Multiple dealers unable to duplicate. Toyota inspector reportedly found nothing wrong. Insurance investigator never completed inspection in at least one case. Repairs inconclusive or unperformed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Floor mat recall (09V388000); accelerator pedal replacement recall (10V017000). However, incidents continued after recall repairs in at least 5 cases. Toyota customer service unhelpful; some customers told to contact arbitration. Dealer service managers sometimes downplayed concerns or dismissed complaints as 'normal' operation.
Cruise control malfunction with violent surging on inclines and resume
Cruise control equipped vehicles exhibit jerky downshifting and violent surge ahead when encountering inclines causing speed loss of 3+ mph, or when resume function is activated. Vehicle surges 3+ mph above set speed then settles back. On inclines, vehicle may accelerate excessively beyond normal operation with cruise off. Operator reports can be startling to occupants and create safety hazard for following traffic.
When: At highway speeds (30–70 mph) on inclines and gradual grades; mileage not consistently stated
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle surges ahead violently on slight inclines; Large RPM increase (up to 3000 rpm reported); Multiple downshift beyond normal (more than one gear); Surge 3+ mph above set cruise speed before settling; Excessive downhill acceleration with cruise on vs. off; Resume function causes sudden lunge forward; Occupants report startling, jerky motion
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers found no mechanical issue. One dealer test drove a 2006 Avalon alongside complainant's vehicle and determined surging was 'normal,' but owner disputes this is abnormal behavior. No repair performed or offered.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota case #2005 0921 1138 opened. Area rep inspected but never contacted customer or drove vehicle. Toyota determined surging was 'normal' operation. Customer offered arbitration only. No technical service bulletins or software updates mentioned.
Acceleration failure after recall repair (accelerator pedal replacement)
After dealer performed the accelerator pedal replacement recall (10V017000 or 09V388000), vehicle developed new or worsened acceleration faults: hesitation at takeoff, jerking and surging at varied speeds, stalling followed by sudden acceleration, and complete loss of motive power at cruise speed. In one case, transmission replacement was recommended but hesitation persisted.
When: Within minutes to days after recall repair completion; mileage 40,000–120,000
Symptoms owners cite: Jerking/surging motion at 25, 40, 60 mph; Hesitation during acceleration from stop; Stalling then sudden RPM surge to ~7000 before controlled start; Loss of motive power during cruise that returns intermittently; Spark plug misfiring identified by dealer; Hard-to-depress brake pedal and unresponsive brakes immediately after recall repair
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer first advised computer reset/re-seating of electronic control module. Spark plugs replaced. Transmission replacement recommended but did not fully resolve hesitation. One customer told to use both feet (gas and brake) to cut fuel supply and shut off engine—a dangerous workaround.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 10V017000 accelerator pedal recall. After repair, manufacturer and dealer offered no explanation or additional remedy. One dealer admitted they had not performed proper test drive post-repair. Customer frustration: 'felt more unsafe after fix than before.'
Sudden acceleration uncontrollable by brakes during highway/normal driving
Vehicle accelerates suddenly at various speeds (25–75 mph) on highways, during lane changes, or in traffic. Brakes either fail to respond or require maximum pressure. Operator unable to slow or stop vehicle; forced to shift to neutral and kill engine to regain control. Some incidents result in crashes.
When: Highway speeds and normal driving; mileage 40,000–170,000
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden uncontrolled acceleration at 25–75 mph; Brakes ineffective or require extreme pressure; RPM surges to 7000+ without pedal input; Vehicle continues to accelerate even after brake application; No check engine light or fault codes logged; Operator forced to shift neutral and turn off ignition to regain control
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to find mechanical cause or duplicate failure. No diagnostic codes stored. Dealer's recommendation: shift to neutral and shut off engine when it happens. Some customers reported multiple incidents (10–15 times over weeks/months) but no repairs performed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota corporate referred customers to arbitration or provided no further response after initial complaint. One manufacturer inspection offered (result awaited 30–45 days post-crash). Customers reported Toyota ignored safety concerns and stood by 'no mechanical failure' findings.
Intermittent acceleration surge at low speeds after brake application
Vehicle unexpectedly surges forward when driver depresses brake pedal at low speeds (2–10 mph). Described as increase in engine RPM or shift to another gear when brakes applied. Occurs unpredictably at traffic lights, while parking, or during gentle braking.
When: Low-speed driving and parking; mileage 4,500–61,000
Symptoms owners cite: Unusual RPM increase when brake pedal depressed; Vehicle lurches or shifts forward upon braking; No check engine light; Brake pedal sometimes hard to depress; Occurs intermittently at random times
Repairs/costs cited: Computer software update performed at dealer. One customer reported it did not resolve issue. Dealer advised surges at low speeds not covered under recall.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 10V017000 software update. Manufacturer and dealer stated low-speed surges not covered by recall. No further remedy offered to at least one customer.
Adaptive cruise control brake light non-function
Sonar-based adaptive cruise control (also called radar or adaptive cruise) automatically slows vehicle when car ahead detected, but brake lights do not illuminate. Trailing vehicle driver unaware of sudden deceleration, creating collision hazard. Manufacturer advised not to use feature on busy roads—not a solution.
When: Any driving condition with adaptive cruise engaged; mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle slows automatically but brake lights remain off; No warning to driver behind; Hazard particularly acute at highway speeds
Repairs/costs cited: None offered. Manufacturer told owner not to use sonar cruise on busy roads.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledged problem and advised not to use feature on heavily traveled roads. No design fix offered.
Synthesized from 64 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Toyota Avalon?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Toyota Avalon?
It's a serious issue. 64 complaints have been filed, including 21 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 51 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 16,888 and 78,000 miles, with the median around 47,800. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,888; a quarter make it past 78,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Toyota/Avalon.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.