2012 Toyota Avalon: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Toyota Avalon: 4 recalls, 30 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
4 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Equipment, Airbags Vehicle recall #13V442000 · 2013 · 802,769 vehicles
What's wrong: In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser May become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water May then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Why it matters: A short circuit May cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become…
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014.
Electrical Vehicle recall #15V047000 · 2015 · 51,495 vehicles
What's wrong: In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk May experience an intermittent electrical short which May cause damage to the integrated circuit (ic) in the audio amplifier. In some cases, the damaged ic May allow a constant electrical current flow to the sub-woofer.
Why it matters: A constant electrical current flow May cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
The 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.
Seat belts, Airbags Vehicle recall #18V569000 · 2018 · 19,354 vehicles
What's wrong: During a vehicle repair, the seat belt inner buckles May have been replaced with parts that May incorrectly tell the air bag management system that the seat belt is always buckled.
Why it matters: If the seat belt is falsely interpreted as being buckled, in the event of a crash, the air bags May not deploy appropriately, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the seat belt assembly to verify that it is properly detecting being unbuckled, replacing the inner seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 19, 2018.
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V024000 · 2020 · 2,891,976 vehicles
What's wrong: During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) May malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended May increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will…
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 6 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Body & structure (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Airbags (6): the most common themes are fails to deploy (4).
- Speed control / throttle (4): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Electrical (4): the most common themes are electrical failure (4).
The 2012 Toyota Avalon has 30 owner complaints, ranking #22 of 28 Avalon model years for complaints (well below the 122 average). Complaints peaked in 2015 (10 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 3 years old, at a median of 33,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (106 complaints, 1 recalls), 2013 (137 complaints, 4 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 28 | 22 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Toyota Avalon.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Toyota Avalon. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2012 Toyota Avalon problems?
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are body & structure (6), airbags (6), speed control / throttle (4).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (3.5 L, Automatic (S6)), across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 Toyota Avalon repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.