Is the 2003 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Avalon years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2003 Toyota Avalon are in line with other Avalon years. Air bags stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2003 Avalon owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 99,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 184 (63%) | 75k–134k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 19 (6%) | 39k–119k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Brakes | 15 (5%) | 30k–120k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 51 (17%) | 31k–87k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 18 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine | 12 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 99,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 293 complaints: 49 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 20 report an injury · 6 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Apr 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2003 Toyota Avalon: 2
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. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
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. 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.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Toyota: 54
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2003 Toyota Avalon. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of the correct torque converter bolts during automatic…
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON" shifting issues…
Low battery voltage can contribute to a MIL "ON" condition for P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit) and/or P0340…
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels…
Neighbouring years
2002 Avalon: 116 complaints, keep it · 2004 Avalon: 205 complaints, keep it.
Every Toyota Avalon year
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Questions
Is the 2003 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Avalon years. At 99,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Avalon?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (184), steering (19), brakes (15), speed control (51), electrical system (18).
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 15V-043), Steering (NHTSA 10V-345). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.