2008 Toyota Avalon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Avalon years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 349 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Toyota Avalon. That ranks 2nd out of 28 Avalon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (209 complaints, 60%), typically at around 60,000 miles. Complaints mention 23 crashes, 4 fires, 15 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 349owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 23complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Toyota Avalon problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems | 209 | 60% | 60,000 | “high beam” (34%) | $3,300 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 45 | 13% | 22,750 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 44 | 13% | 55,600 | — | — |
| Structure | 22 | 6% | 64,850 | — | — |
| Steering | 17 | 5% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 4% | 20,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 3% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 3% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 145,387 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 1% | 29,836 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 3 | 1% | 29,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 1% | 42,600 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 105,451 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 26,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 15,160 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 12,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 15,160 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 102,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Toyota Avalon recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
Problem: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
Problem: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Southeast toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Risk: A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 avalon, model year 2007-2010 camry, model year 2009-2010 corolla, corolla matrix, rav4, model year 2010 highlander, model year 2008-2010 sequoia, and model year 2007-2010 tundra vehicles. Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation (without a/c) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.
Risk: The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. Gm will notify owners for the pontiac vibe please see 10v-018. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on february 5, 2010 and will be completed on march 15, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota filed an amended defect report on november 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal. These changes address the risk of pedal entrapment due to interference with the floor mat. Redesigned accelerator pedals will become available beginning in april 2010 and dealers will replace any modified pedal with the new pedal if desired. Also, dealers will replace any genuine toyota or lexus all-weather floor mats with redesigned all-weather mats, or repurchase the previous mats from owners who do not want the new ones. Additionally, software modifications will be installed on camry, avalon and lexus es 350, is 350 and is 250 models that will ensure that the brake overrides the accelerator in the event both brake and accelerator pedals are applied. Toyota will begin mailing letters to owners on december 31, 2009. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331, lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have an 08 Avalon xls and was driving and out of no where it started to shudder and it happened as I was bending a curve. I almost ran off the road. No indicators came on my dash! Because I am mechanically inclined I do know a little about vehicles! So I pulled to inspect the bottom of the…
Because my instrument panel is alway illuminated, I was unaware that I was driving one night without my lights on. Now I know why I see more cars at night without their lights. Manufacturers need to fix this problem. Older cars would not turn on the panel lights if the headlights weren't on. You…
OEM high beam bulbs continuously explode. Iâm not saying they just burn out, these bulbs shatter, and send shards of glass on the inside of the headlamp housing. I believe itâs a big safety risk, because for me, it happened while I was driving late at night in the dark where there are deer…
The telescopic steering wheel lever comes loose which will cause the wheel to lurch forward if the brakes are pushed in hard. This could be dangerous. This has happened twice in 2 months.
Car was rear ended by semi truck, crushed trunk into vehicle rear seat. Car was the pushed forward into truck in front crushing right fender. Pelvic fracture in right rear passenger. Air Bags did NOT DEPLOY.
Other Toyota Avalon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Avalon | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 Avalon | 21 | 2 |
| 2020 Avalon | 10 | 3 |
| 2019 Avalon | 71 | 4 |
| 2018 Avalon | 24 | 2 |
| 2017 Avalon | 14 | 2 |
| 2016 Avalon | 23 | 3 |
| 2015 Avalon | 41 | 2 |
| 2014 Avalon | 96 | 4 |
| 2013 Avalon | 137 | 4 |
| 2012 Avalon | 30 | 4 |
| 2011 Avalon | 106 | 1 |
| 2010 Avalon | 46 | 7 |
| 2009 Avalon | 91 | 7 |
| 2008 | 349 | 6 |
| 2007 Avalon | 243 | 6 |
| 2006 Avalon | 360 | 7 |
| 2005 Avalon | 228 | 7 |
| 2004 Avalon | 205 | 3 |
| 2003 Avalon | 293 | 2 |
| 2002 Avalon | 116 | 1 |
| 2001 Avalon | 134 | 2 |
| 2000 Avalon | 173 | 2 |
| 1999 Avalon | 92 | 1 |
| 1998 Avalon | 178 | 1 |
| 1997 Avalon | 125 | 1 |
| 1996 Avalon | 109 | 0 |
| 1995 Avalon | 80 | 0 |
See all Toyota Avalon problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Toyota Avalon?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electrical system problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 209 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Toyota Avalon?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Toyota Avalon a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Avalon model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.