Most common 2013 Toyota Avalon problems
Share of the 137 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 →
2013 Toyota Avalon recalls (4)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge.
Forward collision avoidance › Crash imminent braking
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Switch/wiring
Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 Toyota Avalon:
Electrical overstress
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events.
What 2013 Toyota Avalon owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 29 →
1) System Failure: Back window shade. It is available for inspection at any time. 2) Safety of me and others put at risk: When the shade is down I can not see out the back window posing a significant risk to those behind me particularly pedestrians 3) Has problem been reproduced: Yes 4) Has the component been inspected: No the motor operating the shade has not been inspected 5) Warnings prior to system failure: None Description: The window shade is meant to automatically retract out of sight when the transmission is placed in reverse. It does not retract at all. It stays fully extended covering the entire back window. This problem drastically impairs my ability to see out the back window at all. …
The rear window spontaneously shattered into little fragments of glass and fell into the backseat section of the vehicle. This happened once while parked at work in a gated lot and security camera with motion sensors caught the incident happening on video. Temperature was in the high 80 F, and happened in August of 2022. After 5 months later the rear window shattered again while parked on driveway. Safety of anyone in the back seat is at risk due to sharp glass. Unable to convince the dealer this is a factory defect. Manufacturer said they can do a visual inspection but in realty results will be pointless since the car have not been in any accident. No warning appeared before rear window shattered.
Body & structure all 25 →
I recently took my car in for maintenance and I was offered a complimentary car wash. 1 week after the wash, I noticed there were cloth fibers stuck between the rear side body panels. When i pulled them out, there was evidence of rust and corrosion right underneath. I suspected the cloth fibers were from the dealership's car wash so i contacted them. They confirmed the fibers are from their machine but claimed the rust is caused by a pre-existing problem (there is a small gap between the side body that was noted in the pre-inspections), when asked if the rust was noted during pre-inspections as well, they refused to answer my question. There was no evidence of rust or corrosion on the car before this incident and there are other fibers stuck in the side body panels as well which i haven't taken out yet. …
Water is filling up in my trunk not sure how it is getting in . Have noticed a lil water stains along back top of lining. I started smelling a stail water smell when I found a puddle of water under my spare tire . Im extremely worried with winter coming again . Not to mention there is a battery locate in truck as well. So I feel completely unsafe. I have recently had noticed hybrid battery going from high to low then all of sudden died. Had to purchase a new battery. Please is this normal?someone help before it rains again and something terrible happens
Speed control & acceleration all 22 →
My vehicle while holding the brake (stationary) at a stop sigh, the vehicle accelerated and hit the back of the car in front.. For 5 days it worked and the following Wednesday it accelerated again ( in motion) while parking in the handicap space at idle speed and brakes. Toyota motor north America, inc. Sent me a letter that stated that they could not find any problem with the vehicle. Their inspector called me and told me the car worked great and the master warning signal was not flashing nor buzzing and he would send me a copy of the computer print out but it was never sent. I did get some kind of a record but it could not be copied, I took a picture of it but it is in some type code( a computer file) the test consisted of a acceleration and stopping test 22 days after the 1st incident, the car worked well for the days between the incidents. …
On March 7, 2020 the driver entered a parking lot of a retail establishment. The driver, using the brakes and traveling at less than 5 miles per hour, turned into a parking space. As the driver negotiated the turn into the parking space, the car suddenly accelerated and crashed headfirst into a retail signage pole. Despite depressing the brakes as hard as possible, the driver could not stop the car once the car suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated. The car would have landed in a busy four-lane road, if it had not crashed into the signage pole. Fortunately, there was no fatality. The car was totaled and there was some property damage to the retail establishment. It was truly a horrific experience for the driver.
2013 Toyota Avalon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 40 / 39 / 40 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Toyota Avalon a good car?
Based on 137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Avalon rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Avalon at the same age. 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 2013 Toyota Avalon?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 29 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about glass, side/rear. Next are the body & structure (25) and speed control & acceleration (22).
How many recalls does the 2013 Toyota Avalon have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2013 Toyota Avalon, the most recent from January 17, 2020 (air bag/restraint control module). 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 2013 Toyota Avalon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 19,000 miles; 72% 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.