The rear sunshade is stuck in the upright position without being activated and does not go down when the car in put in reverse. This is a very dangerous and potentially fatal situation at night when visibility is poor. There are a plethora of complaints about the sunshade on the internet. When I asked the dealership how much it would cost to repair, they only replace the device for $1000, and…
2011 Toyota Avalon visibility problems
moderate 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $350 · see visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
When does it fail?
Of the 14 visibility complaints filed for the 2011 Toyota Avalon, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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
Among the 9 model years of Toyota Avalon in our records for visibility problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA visibility complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2011 Avalon has documented visibility issues: interior window film that doesn't clean off and degrades sight lines, a power rear sunshade that frequently jams or stays stuck in the up position (blocking rear view completely at night), and a sunshade control button dangerously close to the trunk release. These are not quick fixes and Toyota has not issued recalls for these problems.
Interior window film is the most persistent complaint. Owners say a thick film from gas vapors coats the inside of windows—particularly rear windows—within weeks of ownership, and it cannot be cleaned off. The buildup is so heavy in some cases owners can write their name on it. In sunlight and with headlight glare, the iridescence makes it genuinely hard to judge distance to other vehicles. One owner took Toyota to arbitration (case #2210170) and was offered only a $500 car wash allowance; Toyota's defense cited a 1989 letter stating no carcinogenic materials were used—hardly reassuring to a 2011 buyer.
The rear power sunshade is another widespread failure. It either gets stuck in the up position permanently or refuses to lower when reverse is engaged. Multiple owners report loud grinding noise from the motor. When the shade malfunctions at night or in fog or rain, rear visibility drops to zero—a genuine safety problem. One owner paid the dealership $57.75 to permanently disable the mechanism. Replacement units (quoted at $1,000) may not solve the underlying defect.
An ergonomic hazard also appears: the sunshade control button sits right next to the trunk release on the dashboard, hidden by the steering column. Drivers have accidentally popped the trunk while driving because they hit the wrong button.
Same Toyota Avalon visibility reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Interior window film from gas vapors
Film accumulates on interior window surfaces (particularly rear windows), forming thick deposits that impede visibility. Owners report the film is thick enough to write on and creates an iridescence effect with sun and headlight reflections, making it difficult to judge distances between vehicles.
When: Within 2 weeks to over a year of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Thick film coating on interior windows; Reduced vision particularly in sunlight; Iridescent appearance creating reflection issues; Safety hazard impairing distance judgment
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer service reportedly ineffective; Toyota offered $500 car wash allowance in one arbitration case; owners unable to clean film off
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued arbitration settlement offering $500 for car washes; 1989 Toyota letter cited stating 'no known carcinogenic materials' (TASC# 102320282)
Rear power sunshade stuck or unresponsive
Rear sunshade mechanism fails to operate properly, either remaining stuck in the up position or refusing to retract when reverse is engaged. When activated, the motor produces loud grinding noise. In some cases the shade becomes stuck in intermediate position, partially blocking rear visibility.
When: Failures occur randomly during normal use; grinding noise initially alerts owners to the problem
Symptoms owners cite: Sunshade stuck in raised (up) position; Sunshade fails to lower in reverse; Loud grinding noise from motor; Complete rear visibility obstruction at night in poor conditions; Shade stuck in half-way position; Unresponsive to control button activation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replacement cost quoted at $1000; one owner paid $57.75 to have the device permanently disabled; repairs may not resolve the defect on replacement units
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None explicitly documented; owners note this is acknowledged as a common problem across multiple Avalon model years
Rear sunshade control button location hazard
Power sunshade control buttons positioned directly adjacent to trunk release switch on the dashboard near the driver's left knee, hidden behind the steering column. This layout causes accidental activation of the trunk release while driving.
When: During normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk accidentally popped open while driving; Driver inadvertently activated trunk instead of sunshade control
Rear view mirror duplicate image display
Rear view mirror displays duplicate or erroneous images, impacting visibility assessment.
When: Unknown mileage/timing
Symptoms owners cite: Mirror displays duplicate images
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer found no failure; vehicle not repaired
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Failure of the Sun shade in the rear causes a problem with visability. Stays stuck in up or down position. Creates a loud distracting grinding noise when in operation and highly reduces visibility through the rear window. Particularly when it is stuck in the half way position.
I have a 2011 Toyota avalon limited with a power rear sunscreen. The control buttons for the sunscreen are positioned adjacent to the trunk release switch on the dashboard located near the left knee of the driver which is hidden by the steering column. While driving I inadvertently pushed the trunk release button instead of the sunscreen button and the trunk popped open. I would think that the…
Had visibility trouble with your 2011 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 visibility problem on the 2011 Toyota Avalon?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 103,813 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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/2011/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.