Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 ↗Air Bags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may not Deploy
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Fuel Pump May Fail
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- Consequence
- If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
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 (24)
24 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 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 25% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 20.8% |
| Steering | 4 | 16.7% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 12.5% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 8.3% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 8.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 8.3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4.2% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 4.2% |
| Lane departure | 1 | 4.2% |
How 2018 compares with other Avalon years
Best and worst Avalon years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 137 | 4 |
| 2014 | 96 | 4 |
| 2015 | 41 | 2 |
| 2016 | 23 | 3 |
| 2017 | 14 | 2 |
| 2018 | 24 | 2 |
| 2019 | 71 | 4 |
| 2020 | 10 | 3 |
| 2021 | 21 | 2 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 |
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.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Toyota Avalon 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 24 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,800
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 366 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 30 / 24 | $2,800 | 366 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2018 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
2018 Toyota Avalon FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 20V024000 (air bag), 20V012000 (fuel pump). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Toyota Avalon problems?
Owners filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (6), Unknown or other (5), Steering (4) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2018 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 21 city, 30 highway and 24 combined mpg.
What safety rating did the 2018 Toyota Avalon get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Toyota Avalon 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Avalon compare with other years?
Among the 2013–2021 Toyota Avalon model years at least five years old, the 2020 drew the fewest complaints (10) and the 2013 the most (137). The 2018 drew 24. 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.