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2012 Toyota Avalon electrical problems
severe
Owners of the 2012 Toyota Avalon have filed 4 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
4
Recalls
2
Avg fix
$850
electrical complaints on the Toyota Avalon, by model year
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012
A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles
A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
Service BulletinT-SB-0057-18May 2023
TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost. Once the system is reset, all previously registered keys will be erased. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to reset a vehicle Immobilizer or Smart Key system.
TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the phone. ?Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle. ?Various Bluetooth® Audio functions are no longer functioning with customer?s phone such as ability to change the track using the steering wheel controls. These concerns can be caused by changes made on the customer?s phone. Make sure to inquire with the customer if the connectivity concerns occurred after receiving an operating system update on their phone, or if they have restored their phone data/settings recently.
TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections have been updated. October 30, 2017 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2018 model year vehicles. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0012-13. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0012-13 is obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. Flash reprogramming allows the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to be updated
TSB: REVISION NOTICE May 23, 2019 Rev1: ? The Applicable Warranty has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. Some 2012 ? 2016 model year Avalon Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON condition with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0A7A (Generator Inverter Performance) and information code 122 generator inverter fail signal detection (overcurrent due to system malfunction). Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition. NOTE This Service Bulletin applies ONLY if information code 122 is present.
TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ? Difficulty to pair the phone. ? Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle. ? Various Bluetooth® Audio functions are no longer functioning with customer?s phone such as ability to change the track using the steering wheel controls. These concerns can be caused by changes made on the customer?s phone. Make sure to inquire with the customer if the connectivity concerns occurred after receiving an operating system update on their phone, or if they have restored their phone data/settings recently.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting
3 most recent
electrical
· filed 10/19/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota avalon. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v047000 (electrical system); however, the parts were unavailable to perform the repairs. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
electrical
· filed 06/29/2015
2012 Toyota avalon. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle radio sub-woofer recall notice issues. *smd the consumer stated on two occasions, he took the vehicle to the dealer regarding the issue. On both occasions, the dealer stated the had not received the means or the information as to how to correct the sub-woofer problem but he would be contacted when the remedy was available. On may 13th,…
electrical
· filed 06/23/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota avalon. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v047000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Had electrical trouble with your 2012 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 electrical problem on the 2012 Toyota Avalon?
It's a meaningful issue. 4 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
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/2012/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.