Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Toyota Avalon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving on a highway when the car accelerated by itself, brakes did not work. The car put itself in the middle of two lanes, then accelerated turn half ,I think, crashed (the front of the car)with a small hill some how did not stop and ended up somehow turning back and crashed again this time the back of the car crashed against the hill and stopped. The car suffered several breaks in and a transmision repair. This is my third Toyota. It was perfect before the incident. It was very scary. Just a few min before the crash I was passing a toll at about 28 MPH. After passing the tool I was faster than that but I do not like to speed.
My 2002 Toyota Avalon continued to accelerate when I took my foot off the gas peddle and depressed the brake. I tried using the brake and emergency brake to stop the car, but I could not stop the car's acceleration. My car ended up slamming into a house. It was investigated by shelby township michigan police and confirmed the accelerated was stuck. I received severe injuries in this accident including a head injury, and neck & back injuries. I am concerned about the safety of other people driving a similar car. Please investigate.
I was leaving parking lot @ 1-2 MPH turning right onto w tuolumne rd in turlock ca. Suddenly car took off like a jet, brakes didn't depress, hit an island then slammed into tree. I am injured ans car totaled. Vehicle speed control acceleration pedal problem.
(02/19/2008) was driving my 2002 Toyota Avalon just before 9 am se in the l lane on rte.2 (ct) at 65 MPH with the cruise control on. There was an obstruction in the l lane so I put on my signal, pushed on my brakes and proceeded into the r lane. Instead of slowing down, my vehicle continued to speed up. I lost control of the vehicle depits having both feet on the brakes and both hands on the steering wheel. I was swerving from lane to lane in rush hour traffic attempting to avoid the other vehicles. After about a mile, I was able to steer the vehicle into the r guardrail, enabling me to keep the car straight (and out of traffic) so I could use one hand to shift into neutral to stop the vehicle. The entire passenger side of my vehicle was ripped off and strewn along the r shoulder of the highway for about 1/4 mile. …
In 2007 my 2002 Toyota Avalon had a serious accident due to sudden acceleration. I was parallel parking, heading slowly forward at no more than 1 or 2 MPH when the car suddenly took off. My car struck the car in front of me, careened across the road and sidewalk, and crashed into a truck parked in a driveway across the street. Fortunately no body was hurt but people could have been killed especially if there had been pedestrians in the way. As you might expect, I was very shaken. My car was "totaled" and my insurance company said it had to hold me at fault because Toyota refused to take responsibility. I am convinced this was a problem of sudden acceleration not having anything to do with a sticking gas pedal as I was barely going forward. I believe that the sudden acceleration problem in Toyota vehicles should be further investigated and not confined to the recalled models. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that when she engage the accelerator pedal, to drive the vehicle in reverse, the vehicle accelerated backwards. The contact stated that she put the vehicle in drive to avoid hitting the light pole. The vehicle accelerated over a curb and crashed into a fence. The contact didn't state if a police report was filed or not. The contact was injured. The driver was able to apply pressure to the brakes in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The insurance company authorized had the vehicle towed to an auto body shop to be repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The approximate current mileage was 100,000.
Moving my car from a to b put it in reverse it just took off by it self. It was going so fast I could not stop it even pressing the breaks it still went fast on it on. I started screaming why this car going so fast and why I can't stop it. It stopped when it hit the carport and to sienna van under the carport.which my vans are damage very bad. I call Toyota corporation and told them what happen. They asked me what I wanted from Toyota I said my car carport, and both vans fix. They gave me a claim number.so they are having an inspector to inspect it I will have to pay to have it towed. They work for Toyota and May say the car is fine but I know what happen to me. It is scary, I could have been killed. In my own backyard.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that she experienced sudden acceleration while her foot was on the accelerator pedal. As she turned into a parking space, the vehicle lurched forward and crashed into another vehicle next to her. There were no injuries but a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the dealer inspected the brake and ran a diagnostic test but could not find the cause for failure. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. The failure and current mileages were approximately 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving 30 MPH during inclement weather when the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into an embankment. The air bags did not deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact was not injured during the crash. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. The manufacturer also stated that an engineer would be sent to inspect the vehicle. The manufacturer inspected the vehicle but did not give any details of what caused the crash. The failure mileage was 101,000.
I was approaching a parking space at a restaurant. I had my foot on the brake pedal as I turned into the space. As I came to the end of the space, the car lunged over the curb and hit the building. Because things happened so quickly, I cannot say whether my foot slipped off the brake but I do know that I didn't have control of my car. There was damage to the corner of the building and to my car as well. I have not had any problems with this car in the past and can't say that any equipment was deficient.
Acceleration complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2002 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2002 Toyota Avalon, 22% of the model year's 116 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Toyota Avalon acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2002 Toyota Avalon, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Avalon acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 16 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.