Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Toyota Avalon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Collision with another vehicle while making a left turn. Driver's upper and lower (knee) airbags deployed. Driver incurred severe cuts to both legs below the knee approximately half way down to ankle. Cause of injuries has not been determined but inspection of vehicle disclosed that the knee airbag containment compartment in the low part of the dash has a flap/door that opens in deployment, is very extremely sharp and May have been the source of the injuries.
The radio station started to fade in and out. Then the dashboard console started to shut down and displayed the letter f (for fail). Then the engine shut down while I was driving on a divided four-lane highway in the lane closest to the median. There was no time to move into the right-hand lane. There was never any battery warning light or other indication that the battery did not have enough charge to run the engine or even to power the emergency flashers. The problem was that the alternator failed. The battery didn't need replacing. Only the alternator needed replacing. I had the Toyota service department test the battery warning light and was told that the sensor was working properly. I have had no trouble with the car since the alternator was replaced. I was told that the alternator has three diodes and the failure of one or two diodes can still provide sufficient charge. …
When driving north on I-95, my car began to slow down even though I had not released pressure on the gas peddle, so I accelerated. As soon as I accelerated, the car then began to run extremely rough, the RPM monitor fluctuated back and forth, and the began to slow down even more. I looked in the rear view mirror to check traffic as I prepared to pull off the interstate and saw smoke coming from the rear of the car. When I stopped and exited the car, smoke was then bellowing profusely from the front right side of the hood and upper right tire rim, so much so that I thought the engine was about to explode. It should also be noted that the check engine light never came on. A tow truck was called and now I'm waiting for my local Toyota dealership to open so that I can find out what is wrong with my car. …
I was parking my car in reverse at a speed of less than 5 miles in a designated spot adjacent to my daughter's house in quebec, Canada. The engine accelerated and hit a wooden fence behind my car. I applied the brake and put it into drive to go forward and to get out of the car to see what happened. Then, the car sped at about 100 miles an hour and crashed into a metal fence of a kindergarten school across the street and hit a tree inside the kindergarten. Then again, the vehicle crashed into the brick wall of my daughter's house in reverse. A 2x2 concrete block from the brick wall that my car encountered hit my rear windshield and landed inches away from my head inside my car. I called 911 and police showed up and they towed the car and I realized it was 9:41 pm as confirmed by the time on my cellphone and luckily no children were there to get killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal odor coming from the engine. The contact then discovered that there was oil leaking from the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the oil line hose had fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.
Purchased vehicle "as is" while recovering from surgery. Could not inspect vehicle. On first drive on city street, could not slow down to make a rh turn. Brakes did not fully engage, and driver had to shift down. Vehicle entered adjacent lawn before stopping. Vehicle was driven slowly to Toyota dealership where it was examined. Estimate to get vehicle running safely: $4,719.11. Vehicle declared unsafe when sold.
Transmission shifting uneven and some time it stays in one particular gear even brake is applied. Car doesn't not stop even while applied brake. I have to put my car in park p mode while it is running on the road to stop my vehicle. Since even I apply brake it does not want to stop.
The variable valve timing oil feedline was a recall for Toyota a little short time ago in, 2015 the same problem reoccurs and I was just told by Toyota that this is not their problem it's my problem I felt to understand how a factory defect would be the consumers problem
I was driving my 2007 Toyota Avalon on 3/23/13 when the check engine light, traction control light, and stability control light all came on. I immediately went to a local napa store and discussed the error/s (found on my vehicle dash) with one of the sales assistants.. The sales assistant then went out to my car and interfaced his "black box" with my automobile computer and an error code p 2197 showed up. As it turns out this error code is a faulty oxygen sensor in bank two of my right exhaust manifold. The napa store did not have the oxygen sensor in stock however, as a favor to me they reset the computer and I regained use of my traction control,stability control, and elimination of the check engine light. After further research and verification from an independent garage it appears that Toyota has a technical service bulletin on this issue. The technical bulletin is t-sb-0114-08. …
My 2007 Avalon never had an oil problem. Last Thursday I noticed oil in the driveway as a shoveled snow. I checked the oil level and the vehicle was 1 1/2 quarts down. I put the 1 1/2 quarts into the car and drove it to my mechanic 5 miles away. The mechanic said that the vehicle was totally out of oil and that I was very lucky that the engine didn't catch on fire because the oil was spraying all over the engine. The mechanic diagnosed the problem as an oil leak from the vvt-I oil hose. I went on line and discovered this limited service campaign for vvt-I oil line. I contacted the dealership where I purchased the vehicle. They stated that they would get back to me. They never did. I contacted Toyota.com and spoke to the representative. …
Engine complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2007 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2007 Toyota Avalon, 11% of the model year's 243 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Toyota Avalon engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2007 Toyota Avalon, though it has 6 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 2007 Toyota Avalon engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to engine & cooling 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.