Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated without warning and crashed into a tree. The failure occurred numerous times. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained severe injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The failure mileage was 168,000. Updated 04/05/17 the consumer stated car crashed into a tree and a police report was filed. Updated 7/5/18
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. While driving approximately 30 MPH, there was a loud noise coming from the undercarriage of the vehicle. The contact looked in the rearview mirror and noticed parts detaching from the vehicle. The contact merged over and retrieved the parts that were from the transmission. The vehicle was driven home very slowly. When parked, the vehicle would not shift into reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000. Updated 6/3/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the transmission failed to shift properly. In addition, when coming to a stop, the transmission downshifted violently with a loud bang. The failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. In 2015, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the engine mounts were replaced however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who was unable to locate a failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.
I have experienced on several occasions the transmission slipping so that when I accelerate the car does not move, then suddenly jerks real hard. This has left me in the middle of the street and almost caused several accidents. It has become progressively7 worse. Now it is becoming a safety problem in that the car could suddenly fail to move once you get in the middle of a cross road then suddenly drive off.
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.
I was stopped at a traffic light right off a highway exit on a busy mall road. When the light changed and I tried to press the gas pedal the car would not move. Engine was running, everything was working perfectly but car would not move. I tried to turn off and restart several times to no avail. Attempted to shift into neutral or any other gear and although shift moved car still would not respond. Car could not even be pushed off of road in neutral. The car was towed to a mechanic and sat for a couple of days. When the mechanic turned the car on it presented no issues, ran perfectly fine and no signs of problems on diagnostic computer. The car ran perfectly for another week or so until my father was driving on highway and all of a sudden could feel that car was just rolling, and the power was gone. He was coasting in high speed lane of interstate. Luckily he pulled to safety. …
I own a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The transmission has a problem. When coasting down without accelerator being engage the transmission down shifts at 30 MPH but the car speeds up. It is only 4-5 MPH and after a few seconds then starts coasting down again. This problem has been investigated by the dealer and "there is nothing wrong". It has been reported to the Toyota technical service manager and "there is nothing wrong". It has been reported to Toyota customer service and we will get back to you but nothing happened. This car had the "stuck accelerator" problem two years ago and it was reported to the dealer and "no problem". The "stuck accelerator" only happened once and was not the problem of a floor mat. The car has had all the recalls performed on it but still has the speed up problem at each down shift.
Steering colum adjusting control continues to release. This causes the steering wheel to go into the the dash area or up or down. There is no control of steering. Before this incident, oil burst all over the engine and drained out of my car, spilled onto the floor of my garage. The oil light or check engine light never came on. Dealer made repairs after keeping my car -not a recall notice but a noted problem. No power while pressing on the gas. There is a delayed reaction resulting in slow or no speed for passing or just driving (dealer indicated power trans problem - not recall kept car 3+ days for repairs). The grey paint has spots ithat will not come out with a wash and wax.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact started the ignition, and made several attempts before the gear selector would shift into the "drive" position. The shifting failure occurred intermittently. In addition, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the technician informed that the failure was contributed to the brake safety switch which was a common problem. The part was unavailable for the repair for a period of two weeks. The vehicle was repaired for the malfunction after the part became available. The failure mileage was approximately 40,300. Updated 12/08/10. Updated 12/08/10
Transmission complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2007 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2007 Toyota Avalon, 9% of the model year's 243 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Toyota Avalon transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.