Is the 2005 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
227 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Avalon years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2005 Toyota Avalon are in line with other Avalon years. Speed control and steering stand 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 2005 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 48,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 72 (32%) | 17k–75k miles · around this mileage | — |
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 42 (19%) | 35k–71k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 33 (15%) | 0k–56k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Brakes | 25 (11%) | 26k–97k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Engine | 24 (11%) | 30k–74k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 17 (7%) | 30k–120k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 15 (7%) | 40k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 12 (5%) | 45k–127k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 5 (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 48,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 227 complaints: 36 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 16 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Jan 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Our 2005 Toyota Avalon was serviced for safety recall on 3/1/10 and gas pedal feel became more sensitive immediately afterwards.
Transmission delay upon exhilaration that put me in a poison of accident, since the car doesn't react or respond on time.
I just purchased 2005 Toyota Avalon limited. I experience terrible transmission hesitation/slippage.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 48,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2005 Toyota Avalon: 7
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components. A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash.
These vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.
The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
On certain vehicles, due to improper assembly of the air bag inflator, which is used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag, and the knee air bag assembly, some inflators were produced with an insufficient amount of the heating agents necessary for proper air bag deployment. This may increase the risk of injury to the occupant in the involved seating position in the event of a crash.
On certain passenger vehicles, the steering yoke was not welded to the steering shaft. If the vehicle is operated in this condition, there is a possibility that the yoke may come off from the shaft, and could result in a loss of vehicle steering control. Loss of control of the vehicle could result in 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: 99
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2005 Toyota Avalon. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The vehicle may be difficult to start or have an abnormally low or rough idle after the battery has been disconnected or power to the Engine ECM has been…
TechTip: Condition - The vehicle may be difficult to start or have an abnormally low or rough idle after the battery has been disconnected or power…
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…
Neighbouring years
2004 Avalon: 205 complaints, keep it · 2006 Avalon: 360 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Toyota Avalon year
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Questions
Is the 2005 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
227 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Avalon years. At 48,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota Avalon?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: speed control (72), steering (42), transmission and drivetrain (33), brakes (25), engine (24).
How many recalls does the 2005 Toyota Avalon have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Seats (NHTSA 16V-396), Brakes (NHTSA 10V-499), Equipment (NHTSA 10V-036), Speed control (NHTSA 10V-017) and more. 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.