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 2004 Toyota Avalon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Toyota Avalon. While the vehicle was stationary and being shifted into park, the contact depressed the brake pedal. The contact heard the engine rev and the vehicle accelerated independently, causing the contact to crash into a fence. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene and the contact's insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed. The contact spoke with sloane Toyota of glenside (503 n easton rd, glenside, pa 19038) who documented the incident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
Having traveled up a steep road, I proceeded to turn into an acquaintance's driveway. I began to apply the brake as I came to park behind her vehicle. Suddenly without warning, my 2004 Toyota Avalon surged ahead and crashed into her parked vehicle causing my front bumper to go under the back of her 2004 sebring convertible lifting it up off the ground. The air bags did not deploy. I called my Toyota dealer and they suggested I not drive it (I was to go out of town for the memorial day weekend). So I had it towed to the dealer as I wanted them to check this accerlation problem. I had $2537.16 damage to the front end of my Avalon, that included damage to my front bumper, grille, headlamp, panel hood, radiator and front fenders. The sebring had approximately $650 damage. It took 10 days to repair. The dealer said that he could find nothing wrong with my vehicle. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that as she shifted into drive and depressed the accelerator pedal lightly, the vehicle rapidly accelerated to 50 MPH. The contact attempted to stop the abnormal acceleration by depressing the brakes but to no avail. She crashed into three cars as a result of the sudden acceleration and was reported as injured. A police report was available. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact called the manufacturer who advised that they would send someone to inspect the vehicle. There were also pictures available. The current and failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Toyota Avalon. While the contact was attempting to pull out of a parking space at a low speed the vehicle had suddenly accelerated without warning causing the contact to crash into a nearby vehicle. No one was injured during the crash. A police report was not filed for the incident. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 67,000. Updated 3/30/2010 after backing out of a parking space, the consumer shifted the vehicle into drive and it accelerated. Updated 06/04/10
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Toyota Avalon . The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the brakes were applied and the vehicle accelerated abnormally. The contact then crashed into the side of a home, causing major damage to the contact's vehicle and the home. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle and advised the contact that there were no failures found within the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 80,000. Updated 5/7/12 the consumer has since traded the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Avalon. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and the speed erroneously increased to 105 MPH. During the incident, the brakes also malfunctioned and the driver was unable to apply pressure to the brake pedal. The contact switched the shifter to the neutral position to slow the vehicle down and stop. The contact indicated that the failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Toyota Avalon. The contact was shifting from neutral to drive when the vehicle suddenly accelerated to 50 MPH. The contact attempted to engage the brakes but they did not respond. The vehicle crashed into three vehicles before it finally stopped and then the engine stalled. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop where it was inspected by a representative from the manufacturer who stated that nothing was wrong. The vehicle was destroyed. The current and failure mileages were approximately 40,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated while she driving at low speeds of under 10 MPH. The contact lost control of the vehicle, traveled over the curb and crashed into a mail box. The police department was present however, no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000 and the current mileage was 40,600. ..updated 12-26-13
Dt*: the contact stated while backing out of a parking space the vehicle accelerated without warning. As a result, two other vehicles were damaged. However, no injuries were sustained. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and then taken to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was contacted. Repairs to the rear end totaled $7014.00 plus sales tax
While driving in stop and go traffic the vehicle's engine revved up and the vehicle accelerated forward into another vehicle. The RPM reached 7000. The consumer stated that this marks the fourth time this vehicle has had this issue. The consumer referenced 10099310. Heavy smoke came from the front of the vehicle after the crash. The consumer had to turn the key to the off position to stop the engine from racing.
Acceleration complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Toyota Avalon, 12% of the model year's 205 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Avalon acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 Toyota Avalon, though it has 3 recalls 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 2004 Toyota Avalon acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 16 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries and 2 deaths 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.