Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Toyota Avalon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
The sun shade in the rear back malfunctions. When it malfunctions you are unable to visibility see when backing up due to the sun shade being in the way which put other people at risk for safety when backing up. Also when this piece malfunctions it makes a gridding nose which can cause a wreck if the person is unaware of the noise in the car while backing up. This function has been looked at by a Toyota Dealer ship which would result of owner paying over $1000.00 to get it fixed or even disabled. There are no warnings regarding the malfunction besides a loud noise while backing up when not functioning properly.
Rear window sunscreen (dark black) stuck in the up position. Poor visibility during night driving with the curtain stuck in the upright position. This has always had this problem and Toyota has not solution.
The vehicle was taken to a local dealership for the required 10,000 mile warranty maintenance. At this time, I showed the dealership where water marks had appeared in all four upper corners of the inside cloth liners beside the front and rear windshields. I was told the sunroof had tubes that occasionally clogged and they would clear the tubes and clean the inside cloth. Over the past few months our area experienced a tremendous amount of rain. When the car was taken to the dealership for the 15,000 mile warranty maintenance, I showed the dealership where water marks appeared to have worsened in the same areas. The dealership explained that there were no clogs in the sunroof tubing and they had attempted to recreate the water leakage by running water over the car for one hour. They could not explain why the water marks kept reappearing and did not know if anyone called Toyota. …
This issue happened while the vehicle was in motion on the highway. Rear sunshade randomly deployed and is permanently stuck in the up position completely blocking rear visibility. Sunshade is supposed to go down when vehicle is placed in reverse, this function no longer works further inhibiting safe vehicle maneuvering. The rear facing backup camera has a statement saying to not rely on the backup camera when backing up, this no longer an option for me as I can no longer clearly see out of the rear window. Night time reversing is virtually impossible with any degree of safety. This appears to be a known issue with Toyota as they replaced a relay in the sunshade in model years after 2014 that seems to have remedied this issue. There is no way manually lower the sunscreen. There's no way to easily swap out the defective relay. …
The rear sunshade is stuck in the 'up' (extended) position, greatly hindering view to the rear, both with rear-view mirror and when driver turns head to the rear. This device is designed to automatically retract from 'up' position every time the car is shifted to "reverse" gear, so as to not hinder rear views. It worked fine for several years, but last month it became stuck in the extended position, and cannot be retracted. This is a problem at all times; but is especially a dangerous situation at night, when darkness hinders views. From online searching, it appears that this problem occurs very frequently, and most commenters say it's not worth fixing, because replacement units develop the same problem. Removing the unit is my preferred approach. But I understand that several hours of labor are required, as the rear seat needs to be removed. …
While driving the vehicle at approximately 45 MPH on a clear sunny day the windshield wipers turned on and began to operate at full speed and would not respond at attempts to stop them. The horn started going off with alarm noises in the vehicle. The smell of an electrical odor and white smoke began to enter the cabin through the dash. Attempts to pull the vehicle over were prevented as the steering wheel locked. The brakes would not respond or work despite stepping on them with both feet and attempting to pump them. The vehicle was still traveling on the road and down a hill with no electrical, steering, or power function of the vehicle. As the vehicle slowed the passenger jumped out. Fire began to come through the dash and upon the driver opening his door fire also came into the cabin from beneath the vehicle. …
The rear sun shade which extends and retracts to cover the back window of my Avalon has a fault which causes it to get stuck in the extended position, covering the rear window. This drastically reduces the visibility out the rear window and there is no obvious or simple fix for the issue. I have found online that many people are having a similar problem. Before the shade got stuck, it would randomly extend or retract during hot days, which seems to be due to a faulty relay. This is clearly a poor design which presents a safety hazard to the driver and anyone behind the vehicle while backing up.
The rear retractable sunshade went up and locked in place and will not retract under any circumstances. At night it becomes very difficult to see any vehicles behind you. Backing up becomes a problem as well for it becomes hard to see pedestrians as they pass behind you in parking lots. Very dangerous defect and I have seen many reports of this happening.
Related recalls
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.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Avalon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2013 Toyota Avalon?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2013 Toyota Avalon, 21% of the model year's 137 complaints. The component named most often is glass, side/rear (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Toyota Avalon window & wiper problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 13V-505 (switch/wiring, Oct 17, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2013 Toyota Avalon window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 7,000 miles, and 63% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.