Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 13% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 4% | 55,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2014 | 2 | 2% | 115,000 miles |
| 2013 | 4 | 3% | 75,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 3% | 71,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 2% | 122,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 1% | 141,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 1% | 89,000 miles |
| 2004 | 7 | 3% | 120,000 miles |
| 2003 | 6 | 2% | 125,000 miles |
| 2002 | 4 | 3% | 48,000 miles |
| 2001 | 4 | 3% | 62,000 miles |
| 2000 | 3 | 2% | 58,000 miles |
| 1999 | 4 | 4% | 124,000 miles |
| 1998 | 6 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 1997 | 5 | 4% | — |
| 1996 | 4 | 4% | 240,000 miles |
| 1995 | 5 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 Toyota Avalon. While driving 35 MPH, the contact rear ended a parked vehicle. The contact stated that the front driver's side air bag did not deploy and the front driver's seat belt did not retract during the impact. As a result, the contact's head struck the windshield. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact sustained a fractured right hand, multiple lacerations on his forehead that required 29 stitches, neck pain, whiplash, and a concussion. The contact was transported by ambulance to the emergency room for medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and deemed destroyed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated the rear passenger's seat belt failed to latch securely into the buckle. The vehicle was taken to al hendrickson Toyota located at 5201 w, fl-834, coconut creek, fl 33073, and the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
I rear ended car and the lower airbag deployed striking me just below by knees. My right leg developed a hematoma from the airbag deployment and required surgery. I still have a large depressed area on my leg, a scar, tenderness and darkening of the skin, all which will require further surgery to repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving 60 MPH when the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt shoulder harness failed to restraint the contact. The contact sustained injuries to the shoulder. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and the current mileages was 121,000. The VIN was not available.
Toyota has issued a recall for the supplemental restraint system and electronic control unit in March 2015. My car's airbag light is illuminated intermittently and the Toyota dealer recommends the ECU be replaced. I have been in contact with Toyota and my call has been escalated several times but they still are not fixing my car. Toyota says that there is no remedy available. I am very concerned about my airbags deploying accidentally. I do not feel that Toyota is taking my safety or my family's safety seriously. The recall I received clearly states that they know how to fix the problem "replacement of the SRS ECU is now also required for this safety recall to be complete," it just seems that they won't. It has been almost a year that I have been driving a car in which I am not confident. Please make Toyota execute this recall in a more timely manner.
2004 Toyota Avalon -receive a notice of a problem with the supplemental restraint system(SRS) electronic control unit (ECU). The original "fix" for this problem (deemed an "urgent safety recall" by Toyota) was announced in mar, 2014. It was later found that this "fix" did not do the job.a 2nd recall (dated jan 27th, 2015)was issued. To date, the recall has a status of "remedy not available". I consider this to be reprehensible!! The recall id is 15V043. I have called Toyota on several occasions and I get the same response.... "we will contact you when a remedy is available."
March 13, 2026, I was on a road trip from CA to AZ and while driving around 75-80mph (speed limit), something in the driver's side seat belt or the shoulder holster exploded, the belt tightened, and something metal or plastic flew off. Shortly after (within 30 seconds or so), the passenger's side seat belt did something similar where something in the seat belt mechanism exploded and another part went flying. There was an electrical buzzing noise. I was looking for a place to pull over when the air bags went off. There was no bump in the road or a dip and I did not hit anything. I don't remember the order the air bags exploded but it was one after the other. The driver's side air bag exploding left a red abrasion on my left hand. The vehicle was brought to a nearby dealership (Anderson Toyota) where they said they could not verify what the issue was. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Avalon. While driving on several occasions, the SRS warning indicator illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to beechmont Toyota (8667 beechmont ave, cincinnati, oh 45255, [phone]) to be diagnosed, but the mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 230,807.
Related recalls (1)
Seat belts
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles. During a vehicle repair, the seat belt inner buckles may have been replaced with parts that may incorrectly tell the air bag management system that the seat belt is always buckled.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the seat belt assembly to verify that it is properly detecting being unbuckled, replacing the inner seat belt assembly as necessary, free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Avalon years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (7), 1998 (6), 2003 (6), 1995 (5) and 1997 (5) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Toyota Avalon seat belt problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 18V-569 (seat belts, Aug 29, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Avalon seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles; 17% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › retractor (6 mentions), followed by the front › webbing (5).
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.