Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 2% | 45,000 miles |
| 2014 | 5 | 5% | 35,000 miles |
| 2013 | 5 | 4% | 7,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 3% | 33,000 miles |
| 2011 | 3 | 3% | 35,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 2% | 173,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 1% | 17,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 146,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 1% | 135,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 1% | 131,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% | 15,000 miles |
| 2003 | 3 | 1% | 174,000 miles |
| 2002 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2000 | 2 | 1% | 17,000 miles |
| 1999 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1998 | 5 | 3% | 160,000 miles |
| 1997 | 3 | 2% | — |
| 1996 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1995 | 2 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Under normal driving conditions, this one owner cars driver's seat is falling apart. It broke where the controls are, and the leather finish of the seat coverings [back and bottom] prematurely wore off. While under warranty, the mfg replaced the leather seat portions twice, both times with new leather whose finish also wore off. Out of warranty its just "too bad for the owner." this has been going on since the car was bought new.
Tl contact owns a 2014 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the front passenger's side control casing for the electronic adjustable seats loosened and detached. The vehicle was taken to savannah Toyota (11101 abercorn st, savannah, ga 31419) who replaced the casing however, the failure recurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
2013 Avalon touring on April 2013 experience with this car hasn't been very good considering that it is a new car. There was an issue with the leather on the back seat buckling and a stain that was on the headliner in the driver's side rear area because of a water leak from the roof. It was taken to clint's auto trim to correct the leather. He felt it was a water stain that was the result of water leaking from an area on the roof that wasn't sealed correctly. Based on what we heard from clint's auto trim, we tested the car by placing water on the car over the area where the stain was present. It revealed a new water stain on the headliner. We immediately took it to service about our finding. The car was taken to stephen's auto glass to fix the leak. The stain on the headliner was cleaned. However, the stain can still be seen. …
One week (7/11/13) after purchasing a brand new Avalon, noticed a sag in the headliner towards the rear windshield. After looking closer, the headliner is drooping towards the rear windshield as well as a noticeable gap near the moon roof. Took back to dealer and they ordered a new part. About 8/27/13, took back to dealer because the seat panel on the driver side seat was falling off. 9/13/13, dealer installed a new headliner. Picking up on 9/18/13 after a new headliner was installed, the gap remains at the moon roof area and one of the back panels was not in place. The dealer was still waiting for seat back panel part and was not able to replace the seat back panel. 9/18/13 - left it at the dealer since headliner issue is still not resolved and the seat back panel is still not fixed. …
I was using the lever to push the seat away from the steering wheel when one side stopped moving, causing the other side to derail. I took the car to jim hudson Toyota immediately, and the technician was able to get seat back on track. However, he wasn't able to get the side moving, and stated the entire seat rail would have to be replaced. Furthermore, I was told I have a leak in the rod and pinion system because the inner seal needs to be replaced. Although, I service my vehicle regularly with fred anderson Toyota, and nothing has ever been said about this.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving approximately 60 MPH with the front driver's side heated seat activated when suddenly, a loud bang was heard. The front driver's seat cushion them became sunken. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis however, the technician was unable to locate a failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,400.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Toyota 4runner (na). The contact stated that the active head rest safety system did not activate when the vehicle was rear ended. The dealer stated that there was never a head rest safety system installed in the vehicle. The contact stated that according to the manufacturer's documentation, all 2008 toyotas should have the feature installed. The driver sustained neck and back injuries and the front seat passenger sustained injuries to the arm, neck, and back. As of November 19, 2007, the manufacturer had not returned any phone calls. A police report was filed. The speed was unknown. The failure mileage was 2,100 and current mileage was 2,750.
Soon after purchasing the used car, when driving on the interstate, the driver's seat started heating up. Outside temperature was 100 degrees so heater was not turned on. It kept getting hotter and was almost impossible to sit on while driving to destination. When contacting a dealership was told there was no service bulletin on it. It finally quit on it's own and have never used it again.just read in consumer reports that there is a recall on seat heaters. Have one recall number on seat heater problems that were in the article (set16b). Have been unable to find any additional information on this problem.
Related recalls (1)
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and…
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Avalon years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (5), 2013 (5) and 2014 (5) model years. Seat complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Toyota Avalon seat problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 13V-014 (seats, Jan 16, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Avalon seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles; 56% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › recliner (5 mentions), followed by the front assembly › power adjust (4).
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.