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Light NHTSA footprint — 23 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2016 Toyota Avalon has 23 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 3 complaints, typically surfacing around 31,000 miles (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Avalon | 160 | 1 |
| 2014 Avalon | 96 | 1 |
| 2015 Avalon | 53 | 1 |
| 2016 Avalon (this page) | 23 | 1 |
| 2017 Avalon | 14 | 0 |
| 2018 Avalon | 24 | 0 |
| 2019 Avalon | 68 | 1 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2016 Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 38,642 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is airbags (~$1,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Engine hesitates for a few seconds when starting from a stop or a slow speed in city traffic. The dealer said it was a computer learning process and it should go away. Problems has been around since new in 2016.
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the sunroof glass shattered. The contact stated that there was no glass inside the vehicle because the sunroof shade was in the closed position. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…
Travel on the street and may hit an object (could be an empty trash container. Vehicle left the travel lane, going up on the sidewalk, stuck 2 garbage cans and through the numerous bushes.
Takata recall. I purchased my new car on may 4th, 2016. The recall was issued april 13th, 2016, before I made the purchase. The dealership sold me this without notifying me of this. The sales manager said I should have received the letter of the recall but I hadn't even bought…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Air bags that do not deploy as intended during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.2 out of 10 based on 23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Toyota Avalon is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2016 Toyota Avalon does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 8.2/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 3 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 31,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 23 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Typical failure occurs around 31,000 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 3 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 31,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 31,000 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 23 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.