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Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (2)
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Steering: column
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk and remedy
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.
Canadian recalls (1)
Show 1 Canadian recall
Airbag
2023-12-20 · campaign 2023-684
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a sensor for the occupant classification system (OCS) may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the sensor could short circuit and cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated.
Note: This problem would cause a warning message to display on the instrument panel and the airbag indicator light would display "passenger airbag off".
Safety Risk:
An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the OCS sensor.
Owner complaints (21)
Owners filed 21 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Avalon (1 crashes reported). Among 28 model years of this model, it ranks #25 for the most complaints (median 106).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Air bags | 12 | |
| Engine | 4 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | |
| Service brakes | 2 | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | |
| Back over prevention | 1 | |
| Electrical system | 1 | |
| Tires | 1 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2021 Toyota Avalon.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2021 Toyota AVALON 4 DR FWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
| 2021 Toyota AVALON 4 DR AWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2021 Toyota Avalon version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Avalon 3.5 L Automatic (S8) | 22 | 31 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Avalon AWD 2.5 L Automatic (S8) | 25 | 34 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Avalon Hybrid 2.5 L Automatic (AV-S6) | 43 | 43 | 43 | $1,550 |
| Avalon Hybrid XLE 2.5 L Automatic (AV-S6) | 43 | 44 | 44 | $1,500 |
| Avalon TRD 3.5 L Automatic (S8) | 21 | 30 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Avalon XLE 3.5 L Automatic (S8) | 22 | 32 | 26 | $2,600 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.