Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2003 Toyota Avalon. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
- Consequence
- Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.
STEERING INTERLOCK ASSEMBLY
- Summary
- TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
- Consequence
- SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (293)
293 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 293 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 184 | 62.8% |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 17.4% |
| Steering | 19 | 6.5% |
| Electrical system | 18 | 6.1% |
| Service brakes | 15 | 5.1% |
| Suspension | 9 | 3.1% |
| Engine | 7 | 2.4% |
| Structure | 7 | 2.4% |
| Power train | 6 | 2% |
| Seat belts | 6 | 2% |
How 2003 compares with other Avalon years
Best and worst Avalon years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 92 | 1 |
| 2000 | 173 | 2 |
| 2001 | 134 | 2 |
| 2002 | 116 | 1 |
| 2003 | 293 | 2 |
| 2004 | 205 | 3 |
| 2005 | 228 | 7 |
| 2006 | 360 | 7 |
| 2007 | 243 | 6 |
| 2008 | 349 | 6 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 22 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,050
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 404 g/mi
- EPA class
- Large Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 22 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 / 27 / 22 | $3,050 | 404 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2003 Avalon for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2003 Toyota Avalon FAQ
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 15V043000 (air bag), 10V345000 (steering). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Avalon problems?
Owners filed 293 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (184), Vehicle speed control (51), Steering (19) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2003 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA rates the 3 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic version at 19 city, 27 highway and 22 combined mpg.
How does the 2003 Avalon compare with other years?
Among the 1999–2008 Toyota Avalon model years at least five years old, the 1999 drew the fewest complaints (92) and the 2006 the most (360). The 2003 drew 293. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.