2011 Toyota Avalon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
130 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Toyota Avalon, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 25/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 41,805 miles.
Typical
Where 2011 sits among all Avalon years
What owners report
“Steering wheel collapses without warning while driving. Told the part would be $800. Only 49000 miles on the car”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Avalon
“Passenger and two rear doors will not unlock from key fob nor master lock button. These doors must be unlocked from inside.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Avalon
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 89 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 36,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,000 and 70,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk may experience an…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may…
Technical service bulletins
274 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2011 Toyota Avalon. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 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 2011 Toyota Avalon reliable?
The 2011 Toyota Avalon drew 130 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 25/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2011 Toyota Avalon problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Toyota Avalon are steering (33 complaints), electrical (27), and visibility & wipers (14).
At what mileage do 2011 Toyota Avalon problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Toyota Avalon problems around 36,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,000 and 70,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Toyota Avalon have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2011 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.