Most common 2008 Toyota Avalon problems
Share of the 349 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Avalon complaints by model year
Best Avalon years: 2017, 2020, 2022. Years to avoid: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 1998. Compare all years →
2008 Toyota Avalon recalls (6)
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 avalon, model year 2007-2010 camry, model year 2009-2010 corolla, corolla matrix, rav4, model year 2010 highlander, model year 2008-2010 sequoia, and model year 2007-2010 tundra vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. GM will notify owners for the Pontiac vibe please see 10v-018.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Remedy: Toyota filed an amended defect report on November 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal.
What 2008 Toyota Avalon owners say
Lights all 209 →
OEM high beam bulbs continuously explode. I'm not saying they just burn out, these bulbs shatter, and send shards of glass on the inside of the headlamp housing. I believe it's a big safety risk, because for me, it happened while I was driving late at night in the dark where there are deer nearby. Brights are essential to see far and when you're driving through hills, going up a hill you need your brights to extend higher than your normal lights do. This is a commonly complained about problem for the 2008-2010 models of this Toyota Avalon. Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin back in 2011, but it is a major defect and I believe it should be fixed regardless of whether a customer pays for a warranty or not. A mechanic told me also that they are not sure why Toyota has not warrantied vehicles with this issue. The solution is replacing the headlight housing. …
Because my instrument panel is alway illuminated, I was unaware that I was driving one night without my lights on. Now I know why I see more cars at night without their lights. Manufacturers need to fix this problem. Older cars would not turn on the panel lights if the headlights weren't on. You would think this would be an easy technology fix with since we have self driving cars now.
Speed control & acceleration all 45 →
While traveling down main street approaching an intersection without warning my car very suddenly accelerated at a very high speed and crashed into a car in front of me. Driver's side airbag inflated, blocking my vision while my car continued to race forward. I immediately jammed on the brakes, the car swerved forward to the left, crossed main street, and came to a stop in front of a utility pole. Front axel broke, on impact which caused the car to stop. Seat belt and airbag pulled me back against the drivers seat resulted in chest bruising and pain. I was knocked out for a few seconds and came to just as airbag was beginning to deflate. The dashboard slammed into my legs badly bruising both of them. Police and emt were on the scene, and I walked out of the car on my own. My vehicle and the one it crashed into were both total losses. …
NHTSA, I would like report an incident of 'sudden unintended acceleration' when driving my 2008 Toyota Avalon. I was driving with my wife, [redacted], on Sunday, 10/23/16 traveling west on walker road in beaverton, oregon at 11:05 am (address: [redacted]) . I was stopped behind (2) cars waiting at a traffic light with my right foot on the brake. The car was in drive. Suddenly the car engine quickly revved up. My car surged forward as I depressed my right foot on the brake further. Thankfully my car only surged forward a foot or two and then the engine returned to idle. No contact was made to the car in front of me. This incident was very scary for me and my wife and I am very concerned that this 'sudden unintended acceleration' is a safety hazard and will cause harm to me, my family and others. [redacted]
Electrical system all 44 →
OEM high beam bulbs continuously explode. I'm not saying they just burn out, these bulbs shatter, and send shards of glass on the inside of the headlamp housing. I believe it's a big safety risk, because for me, it happened while I was driving late at night in the dark where there are deer nearby. Brights are essential to see far and when you're driving through hills, going up a hill you need your brights to extend higher than your normal lights do. This is a commonly complained about problem for the 2008-2010 models of this Toyota Avalon. Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin back in 2011, but it is a major defect and I believe it should be fixed regardless of whether a customer pays for a warranty or not. A mechanic told me also that they are not sure why Toyota has not warrantied vehicles with this issue. The solution is replacing the headlight housing. …
While driving down a two lane country highway at night with my bright lights on, I hit a bump and the bright lights simultaneouslywent off. Fortunately, my low beams then came on. I tried several different things including flicking the lights, stopping the car and turning the lights off/on. The brights no longer work. I did check to see if they exploded as reported by many others in this database, but they do not appear to have. They just do not work. Living in a very rural area of northern wisconsin, bright lights are a necessity. I called the dealer who services my car and they pleaded ignorance with regard to know problems with the headlights on this vehicle. They suggest I bring the car in to replace the bulbs. I will attempt to replace the bulbs myself before I will pay for the assembly mentioned in the many other complaints. …
2008 Toyota Avalon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Toyota Avalon a good car?
Based on 349 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Avalon rates avoid: 3.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Avalon at the same age. It is one of the Avalon years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Toyota Avalon?
The lights — 209 complaints, 60% of all complaints for this model year, most often about headlights. Next are the speed control & acceleration (45) and electrical system (44).
How many recalls does the 2008 Toyota Avalon have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2008 Toyota Avalon, the most recent from June 2, 2016 (seat heater/cooler). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Avalon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2020 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 1998. See the full Toyota Avalon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota Avalon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 45% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.