2013 Toyota Avalon: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
4 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer.
Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.
Known problems on the 2013 Toyota Avalon
No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.
2013 Toyota Avalon recalls
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2013 Toyota Avalon. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Airbags
In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Details 20V024000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
- Driver-assist systems
A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.
Details 15V728000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.
- Electrical
A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy.
Details 13V442000
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
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.
- Visibility & wipers
A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Details 13V505000
Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
2013 Toyota Avalon safety investigations and free repairs
No open safety investigations.
No warranty extensions listed.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2013 Toyota Avalon safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
160 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, about average.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
Other Toyota Avalon years
Printable inspection checklist · Out-the-door price calculator