Is the 2006 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
360 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 68, 6.8× a quiet Avalon year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 45k–79k miles, where you are now.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2006 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 63,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 68 (19%) | 45k–79k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 52 (14%) | 6k–66k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 35 (10%) | 30k–82k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Brakes | 28 (8%) | 18k–83k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Air bags | 27 (8%) | 31k–115k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 23 (6%) | 40k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 16 (4%) | 28k–91k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 103 (29%) | 18k–57k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 12 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 5 (1%) | 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 63,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 360 complaints: 54 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 25 report an injury · 6 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Car has been fine up until this point. But when starting the car one morning, oil began streaming onto the ground.
I was running my air conditioner when suddenly it stopped working and I received a check air conditioner. I also heard a clicking under the hood.
For some time - several weeks - I had noticed an odor of burning oil in the passenger compartment of my 2006 Toyota avalon.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 63,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2006 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.
The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
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.
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: 103
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2006 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
2005 Avalon: 227 complaints, keep it · 2007 Avalon: 243 complaints, keep it.
Every Toyota Avalon year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · All Avalon years side by side
Other Toyota models: Toyota 4Runner · Toyota C-HR · Toyota Camry · Toyota Camry Hybrid · Toyota Camry Solara · Toyota Celica · Toyota Corolla · Toyota Corolla Cross · Toyota Corolla Matrix · Toyota Echo · Toyota FJ Cruiser · Toyota Grand Highlander · Toyota Highlander · Toyota Highlander Hybrid · Toyota Matrix · Toyota Prius · Toyota Prius c · Toyota Prius v · Toyota RAV4 · Toyota RAV4 Hybrid · Toyota RAV4 Prime · Toyota Sequoia · Toyota Sienna · Toyota Sienna Hybrid · Toyota Tacoma · Toyota Tundra · Toyota Venza · Toyota Venza Hybrid · Toyota Yaris. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2006 Toyota Avalon a bad year?
360 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 68, 6.8× a quiet Avalon year. At 63,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 45k–79k miles, where you are now.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Toyota Avalon?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (68), transmission and drivetrain (52), steering (35), brakes (28), air bags (27). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 45k–79k miles.
How many recalls does the 2006 Toyota Avalon have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Seats (NHTSA 16V-396), Seats (NHTSA 14V-743), Brakes (NHTSA 10V-499), Equipment (NHTSA 10V-036) 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.