Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Toyota Avalon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have been experiencing sponginess in the brakes. the air conditioner stopped working, the temperature gauges stopped working, and the ABS and Brake light are all on in the dash. Reviewing possible fixes according to Toyota Nation Forum online all these symptoms are a result of an ABS Control Module. This part alone costs almost $1500.00 and supposedly is a very common problem with this type of Avalon, Thank you for researching this further.
On 10/25/18 I was involved in a head on collision when my gas pedal hung and lurched forward while I was pulling into a parking space at a doctor's office. I had slowed down to park when my car jumped the curb and hit the building head on. It was 3:50 in the afternoon and a clear visibility day. The police report has my speed at about 20 MPH. My airbag didn't deploy, I did have my seatbelt on. It was straight front end damage to my car. As a result of the impact I am suffering from whiplash and possible (traumatic brain injury), also neck and back pain. I believe that the cause of this accident was the gas pedal 'sticking' and as a result of no airbag deployment causing more motion on my head, neck, and back.
I was backing into my garage and suddenly I could not control my car. It accelerated and I could not stop it. I hit the brake and car didnt stop until it crashed into my refrigerator in the garage. It happened so fast, like a bad dream. I could not control my car. I was only going approx 5 miles and hour then it accelerated to a great speed I could not control or stop my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. While driving at speeds of 35 MPH, a vehicle preceeding vehicle depressed the brakes suddenly to avoid hitting an animal in the street. The contact attempted to depress the brakes, however the brakes did not catch in time and she crashed into the vehicle. The police arrived and a report was filed. There were no injuries. On a separate occasion, while driving at speeds of less than 40 MPH, a deer ran out in front of the vehicle and she attempted to stop by depressing the brakes. The brakes did not provide adequate stopping and she crashed into a guard rail, causing moderate damage to the front passenger's side. She was involved in two additional crashes where she attempted to depress the brakes and they would not engage or were slow to engage. Neither the manufacturer or local dealer were contacted to report the failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. The contact received repairs to the vehicle under NHTSA campaign id number: 10V499000 (service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder) by an authorized dealer. After repairs, the contact noticed that when she would drive and remove her foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would stop independently and then proceed as if it were pulling or dragging abnormally. In addition, she noticed smoke coming from under the vehicle. The dealer advised her that there was a mechanical error on their end which caused the failure. The master cylinder was repaired a second time. The failure mileage was approximately 71,200.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving 20 MPH when the brakes were depressed but the vehicle did not respond and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. On a second occasion while driving 25 MPH, the brakes failed a second time and the contact crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure nor was the vehicle repaired. The contact stated that there were several recurring braking failures experienced in the vehicle. The failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 97.341.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. While driving, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle came to a slow stop. The contact stated that the engine made a revving noise, but the accelerator pedal was not depressed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the computer needed to be reprogrammed. The computer was reprogrammed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving, the brake pedal was depressed and became soft. The brake pedal was pumped several times to fix the issue. There was no warning. The dealer was not called. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a brake master cylinder failure. The part to do the repair was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer by phone but was unsuccessful. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the ABS and brake warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to frontier Toyota (23621 creekside rd, valencia, ca 91355, [phone]) where it was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 10V499000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The contact also stated that the temperature gauge illuminated after the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 245,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and making a right turn, the contact depressed the brakes and the vehicle would not stop. The contact crashed into the curb to prevent him from crashing into another vehicle. The contact received a recall notice 10V499000 service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder. The vehicle had not be taken to the dealer to be repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 11,984.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 avalon, model year 2004-2006 highlander, model year 2004-2006 Lexus rx, and model year 2006 Lexus gs and is vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on November 15, 2010.
Brake complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2005 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Toyota Avalon, 11% of the model year's 228 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › master cylinder (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Toyota Avalon brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-499 (master cylinder, Oct 21, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Toyota Avalon brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 1 fire and 6 injuries to brakes 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.