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2011 Toyota Avalon
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
106 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 15, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Steering problems dominate (29% of complaints, typically reported near 26k miles).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2011 Toyota Avalon, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (25) · Visibility & wipers (14) · Speed control (11) · Brakes (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Steering
29%31 complaints · typically near 26k mi
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS…”
Electrical system
24%25 complaints
“PASSENGER AND TWO REAR DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM KEY FOB NOR MASTER LOCK BUTTON. THESE DOORS MUST BE UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE.”
Visibility & wipers
13%14 complaints
“THE REAR SUNSHADE DOES NOT WORK AND OBSTRUCTS YOUR VIEW OF THE REAR ROAD. IF YOU GOOGLE IT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS COMPLAINT.”
Speed control
10%11 complaints
“WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH FROM PARKING SPOT TO FRONT OF RESTAURANT TO PICK UP PASSENGER, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED VERY FAST WITHOUT DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL. BOTH FEET WERE APPL…”
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Electrical System · 15V047000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the sub-woofer speaker located in the trunk may experience an intermittent electrical short which may cause damage to the integrated circuit (IC) in the audio amplifier. In some cases, the damaged IC may allow a constant electrical current flow to the sub-woofer.
Risk: A constant electrical current flow may cause the sub-woofer to overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the audio system amplifier and install a protective cover around the sub-woofer, free of charge. The recall began on July 1,2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 Toyota AVALON beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2011? See how every Avalon model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 Toyota Avalon against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.