TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Toyota Avalon cruise control problems
severe 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
5crashes
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 15 cruise control complaints filed for the 2009 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
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
As communicated in mid-June 2013, the Federal Court in Orange County, California continued the Fairness Hearing regarding the proposed settlement of the consolidated Economic Loss Class Actions related to claims of unintended acceleration until July 19, 2013.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The Federal Court in Orange County, CA today continued a Fairness Hearing regarding the proposed settlement of the consolidated Economic L:oss Class Actions relating to claims of unintended acceleration. The new (continued) date for Fairness Hearing is July 19,2013. After the hearing TMS will provide further updates on the status and timing of the settlement.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗On June 14, 2013 the Federal Court in Orange County, California will conduct a Fairness Hearing regarding the proposed settlement of the consolidated Economic Loss Class Actions. Dealerships may notice media coverage of this Fairness Hearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TOYOTA: ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY INFORMATION REGARDING THE INSPECTION, REMOVAL, AND INSTALLATION, IF LUBRICATION OR OIL, IS APPLIED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe unintended acceleration as the dominant failure mode—vehicles accelerating without driver input during highway passing, low-speed parking maneuvers, and even while backing up. In several cases, brakes proved ineffective or barely manageable; one owner reported standing on brakes with both feet to slow from 155 km/h to 30 km/h over roughly a mile, with tires smoking heavily. Another owner's vehicle accelerated during a left turn at an intersection and would not respond to foot pressure, resulting in a collision and severe injury.
Owners attribute some acceleration events to adaptive cruise control malfunctions—one specifically reports a software bug that invokes the accelerate function, with the dashboard display showing 85 mph despite actual speed being lower. Cruise control also deactivated unexpectedly during highway driving at 75 mph.
A separate issue involves the accelerator pedal itself being hard to press or sticky, causing hesitation that prevented adequate acceleration in critical situations.
Toyota issued recalls for floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedal, but owners report significant delays in parts availability, inadequate recall communication (one customer waited 1.5 hours on hold multiple times without being answered), and initial repair methods that involved sawing and grinding existing pedals rather than replacement. Brake override software was installed on new production vehicles but reportedly not made available for existing customer vehicles.
Engine idle surges by a few hundred RPM when coming to a stop in roughly half of braking events, raising additional throttle control concerns.
Same Toyota Avalon cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration
Vehicle accelerates without driver input or continues accelerating when driver releases the accelerator. Occurs across varying driving conditions—pulling into parking spaces, merging on highways, backing up, or during normal driving. In multiple cases, brakes were ineffective or only partially effective at controlling the acceleration.
When: 42,000 miles (one complaint); 25,000 miles (one complaint); 19,200 miles (one complaint); no mileage stated in others
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates independently when turning steering wheel; Accelerator does not respond to foot pressure; Vehicle continues accelerating to 155 km/h (96 mph) despite driver releasing accelerator; Vehicle suddenly accelerates when pulling into parking spaces or during low-speed maneuvers; Brakes become hard to apply or ineffective during acceleration events; Tires smoke under heavy braking during acceleration event
Repairs/costs cited: One complaint mentions accelerator pedal modification by dealer. Recall involved redesigned accelerator pedal installation; some owners reported Toyota initially attempted to 'saw' and grind existing pedals instead of replacing them. Brake override software mentioned in recall but not uniformly available at dealerships for existing vehicles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Floor mat interference recall (November 2009); sticky accelerator pedal recall (received after some incidents); redesigned accelerator pedal available April 2010 (per one complaint from mid-2010); brake override software retrofit for new Avalons but reportedly not available for existing customer vehicles
Adaptive/Cruise Control Malfunction
Cruise control system exhibits unintended behavior, including spontaneous activation, display/speed discrepancies, and deactivation during highway driving. One complaint specifically attributes sudden acceleration to a software bug in the cruise control system inadvertently invoking accelerate function.
When: 16,000 miles (one cruise control deactivation complaint)
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control activates unexpectedly via software bug; Cruise control accelerate function gets activated inadvertently; Cruise control display shows speed (85 mph) that does not match actual vehicle speed; Cruise control deactivates during highway driving at 75 mph; Vehicle slows when cruise control deactivates
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Brake override software mentioned in context of recall, but no specific cruise control remedy documented in complaints
Accelerator Pedal Hard to Press / Sticky
Accelerator pedal exhibits stiffness or requires excessive foot pressure to operate. One complaint describes severe hesitation preventing adequate acceleration during left turn at intersection, resulting in crash. Recall addressed this issue with redesigned pedal.
When: No specific mileage reported; one incident occurred before recall notice was issued
Symptoms owners cite: Hard to press accelerator pedal; Accelerator hesitation—pedal does not respond to foot pressure; Vehicle eases into intersection but fails to accelerate when driver applies foot pressure
Repairs/costs cited: Redesigned accelerator pedal installed per recall. Initial repair approach involved sawing existing pedal and grinding to smooth edges, which owners found unacceptable.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Accelerator pedal recall issued after some incidents; redesigned pedal available April 2010; one complaint notes unresponsiveness to multiple follow-up requests after recall letter
Engine Idle/Rev Surge at Stop
Engine RPM increases by a few hundred revolutions when vehicle comes to a complete stop. Not consistent—occurs in approximately 50% or more of stopping events.
When: No mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs kick up by a few hundred RPM as vehicle comes to stop; Intermittent—not on every occasion but frequently (50% or more of stops)
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
When slowly pulling into a parking space in front of a building, the vehicle suddenly accelerated across a 3-foot wide sidewalk and into one of the storefronts of a building--resulting in extensive damage to the front of the vehicle (currently in the body shop) and extensive damage to the storefront. Fortunately, no one was on the sidewalk at the time. This is the first sudden unintended…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota avalon. The contact stated that when turning the steering wheel, the vehicle accelerated independently. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into a few vehicles driving on the road, a curb, and a parked vehicle.the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A police report was filed. The contact was transported to the hospital and sustained unknown injuries.…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2009 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 2009 Toyota Avalon?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 5,000 and 25,000 miles, with the median around 16,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 5,000; a quarter make it past 25,000. 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/2009/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.