Suspension complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 | 3% | 0 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 3% | 16,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 2% | 83,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 2% | 114,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 1% | 35,000 miles |
| 2005 | 6 | 3% | 132,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 2% | 107,000 miles |
| 2003 | 9 | 3% | 55,000 miles |
| 2002 | 3 | 3% | 122,000 miles |
| 2001 | 8 | 6% | 22,000 miles |
| 2000 | 13 | 8% | 89,000 miles |
| 1999 | 14 | 15% | 40,000 miles |
| 1998 | 19 | 11% | 105,000 miles |
| 1997 | 26 | 21% | 139,000 miles |
| 1996 | 4 | 4% | — |
| 1995 | 5 | 6% | 103,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My paid cash for this Toyota Avalon $5000 worth $2200 the car has 6 recalls none of which were ever investigated by Toyota or anyone else. I first got the car started driving and the belt started smoking before 3 yrs the battery was changed out by advanced auto free / we paid for a new belt then the tire went out 2 x found out theirs a wheel alignment issue with the arms that need replacing toy dealer and American best recommended new arms amer best priced $800 toy dealer priced $3-5K among brakes wipers suspension etc ! Toy should be liable to fix the car parts as I went there for help instead they send an est for thousands to fix when there are 6 recalls remaining ! I was in an accident 10/30 someone hit me while driving from behind . The car I believe was in an accident prior to ownership. …
It was daylight at approximately 3 pm local time. We were on good interstate road with moderate traffic and dry payment. We were on I-65 about 10 miles south of franklin, tn. My wife and I were the only passengers in our vehicle and we were both wearing seat belts. We are the original vehicle owner and the vehicle has been well maintained. We were not impaired and had stopped for a rest break and a driver change 15 minutes earlier. She was driving, I was in the front passenger seat. We were in the left lane. The driver immediately in front us in the right lane suddenly swerved into our lane for reasons unknown. We had traffic to our immediate right so the only place available for my wife to avoid was the left edge of the highway which is where she went. The left shoulder was rough due to recent construction in the area. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Avalon. While driving approximately 40 MPH, a loud thumping noise was heard in the rear of the vehicle. The contact opened the trunk and found that the torsion bar was detached from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torsion bar needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that a repair would be done; however, it was not considered a recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
I started to notice a clunk when I turned the wheel to the left which I though t was unusual. It concerned me that it sounded like a worn linkage or ball joint and the car had only 21,000 mile on it. Who informed me that there had been a bad lot of a steering linkage part put on certain avalons that they couldn't identify. Therefore, no recall which disturbed me. I though Toyota was known for outstanding quality! The car now has 26,300 miles and there have been no further issues.
When vehicle was in motion, each little bump or imperfection in the pavement would cause a rattle under the driver front. Examination by an auto repairman revealed the front suspension spring was cracked. I was told not to drive the car as this was next to the tire and could puncture it while being driven. The repairman also stated that this was unusual in a Toyota. Had maybe seen this twice over 2 years but recently within one month had seen this happen about 15 times. The repairman felt it was temperature related to subzero temperatures in December and January causing the metal spring to brake.
At highway speed, felt vehicle push to the left, as if by a strong gust of wind. Heard intermittent clunking sound under rear of car. Upon parking, noticed rear right wheel canted inwards. After removing the rear right wheel noticed the right rear suspension arm assembly number 2 disengaged and hanging loose. Inspected the threads on the assembly and they were rusted and worn down. I googled this part failure and this failure seems exactly like that described for the Toyota rav 4 that resulted in a recall.
I've noticed that sometimes I smell something burning, electrical, coolant or something. My mechanics finds no leaks, but I checked once and the coolant reservoir was empty, find no leaks. Somehow, the passenger side rear mud flap came off and the trunk lid doesn't line up. It always looks like it's partially opened. When driving I hear and feel rattling sounds that sounds and feels like the front passenger side suspension or body panels. More like the suspension. The person I bought it from had it serviced regularly and had timing chain, o2 sensor, anti-lock brakes checked and fixed or replaced. They also had it completely checked out and anything wrong was fixed. It also gets very poor gas mileage. The steering also doesn't feel quite right, can't really explain that very well, other than it's no quite right. …
2004 Toyota Avalon. Consumer requests reimbursement for power steering and wheel hub repairs. The consumer stated she experienced steering failure, two years prior to the recall. The consumer went to a local mechanic, because the Toyota dealership was too far to drive to for the repair. Upon submitting all the required proof, Toyota refused reimbursement stating the repair she paid for was not the reason for the recall. Therefore, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for the correct repair, which she felt had already been done. Last fall, the consumer started to hear a whirring noise while driving on the highway. The dealer was unable to diagnose the problem then, the noise became louder and again, she went back to the dealer. At that time, the noise was diagnosed as a wheel hub that needed to be replace at a cost of $ 750 per wheel plus tax totaling over $3,000. …
Related recalls (2)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Camry, Camry HV, Avalon, and Avalon HV vehicles equipped with 16-inch and 17-inch rims. In the affected vehicles, the left-side front suspension lower arm may have been incorrectly manufactured.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left side lower arm, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Suspension › Rear
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Due to improper heat treatment, the rear axle May not have adequate strength in some areas.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear axle hub assemblies.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Avalon years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (26), 1998 (19), 1999 (14), 2000 (13) and 2003 (9) model years. Suspension complaints make up 21% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for Toyota Avalon suspension problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 14V-715 (lower arm, Nov 7, 2014); 00V-154 (rear, Jun 5, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Avalon suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 47% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front (34 mentions), followed by the front › macpherson strut (18).
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.