2002 Toyota Avalon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
148 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Toyota Avalon, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 41/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 159,500 miles.
Below average
Where 2002 sits among all Avalon years
What owners report
“The 2003-2004 model avalon's have a recall for the airbags when exposed to certain frequencies and noises. My 2002 avalon has the same issue and toyota needs to include this model year as well. I've had no problems out of this car ever, but as soon as it hit 140,000 miles the air bags light came…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Avalon
“When using the cruise control on a downgrade, the vehicle accelerates up to 20 mph. It seems as if you are going out of control. The vehicle does not downshift at all.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Avalon
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 97 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 94,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 48,000 and 155,995 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Fix: 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.
Technical service bulletins
109 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Toyota Avalon. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Avalon TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Toyota Avalon reliable?
The 2002 Toyota Avalon drew 148 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 41/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2002 Toyota Avalon problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Toyota Avalon are airbags (35 complaints), speed control (25), and steering (18).
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Avalon problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Toyota Avalon problems around 94,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 48,000 and 155,995 miles.
Does the 2002 Toyota Avalon have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2002 Toyota Avalon. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.