2009 Toyota Avalon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
110 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Toyota Avalon, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 21/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 57,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2009 sits among all Avalon years
What owners report
“High beam light bulb shattered, no high beam lights. Possible hazard for fire or accident at night.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Avalon
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 89 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 44,101 miles. Half of those reports fall between 18,000 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (7)
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4,…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and…
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may…
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY…
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 TUNDRA VEHICLES. DUE TO THE MANNER IN…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BAR IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH WILL ALLOW THE PEDAL TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY. GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS FOR THE PONTIAC VIBE PLEASE SEE 10V-018. THIS SERVICE WILL BE…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. 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.
Fix: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL.…
Technical service bulletins
285 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2009 Toyota Avalon. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2009 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 2009 Toyota Avalon reliable?
The 2009 Toyota Avalon drew 110 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 21/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2009 Toyota Avalon problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Toyota Avalon are electrical (36 complaints), speed control (18), and steering (18).
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Avalon problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Toyota Avalon problems around 44,101 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 18,000 and 80,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Toyota Avalon have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 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.