Toyota Avalon Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 291 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the Toyota Avalon across 19 model years. The 2008 model year has the most (209). The words owners use most often: “high beam” (29% of reports).
- 291exterior lighting complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 61%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- High beam: mentioned in 85 of 291 complaints (29%)
- Low beams: mentioned in 23 of 291 complaints (8%)
- Side headlight: mentioned in 22 of 291 complaints (8%)
- Both headlights: mentioned in 15 of 291 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the Toyota Avalon at $3,100, and half of them between $1,250 and $3,700.
Based on 64 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2023), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 244 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 291 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Toyota Avalon exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Avalon | 3 | 4% | 4,500 |
| 2018 Avalon | 1 | 4% | 4,000 |
| 2014 Avalon | 1 | 1% | 280,000 |
| 2013 Avalon | 2 | 1% | 33,000 |
| 2011 Avalon | 2 | 2% | 60,008 |
| 2010 Avalon | 4 | 9% | 54,500 |
| 2009 Avalon | 25 | 27% | 60,421 |
| 2008 Avalon | 209 | 60% | 60,000 |
| 2007 Avalon | 6 | 2% | 65,224 |
| 2006 Avalon | 12 | 3% | 6,743 |
| 2005 Avalon | 3 | 1% | 73,500 |
| 2004 Avalon | 1 | 0% | 30,000 |
| 2003 Avalon | 1 | 0% | 25,000 |
| 2000 Avalon | 4 | 2% | 102,000 |
| 1999 Avalon | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1998 Avalon | 3 | 2% | 54,000 |
| 1997 Avalon | 3 | 2% | — |
| 1996 Avalon | 7 | 6% | — |
| 1995 Avalon | 3 | 4% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists exterior lighting for the Toyota Avalon. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Please check for all of the recalls on my car
When driving my 2009 Toyota Avalon my headlights sporadically go out. Mostly on the drivers side. I have replaced the headlight on 3 separate occasions with in the last 3 Years and each time it cost me $185.00 for labor and the headlight. I also got stopped by the POLICE for it! Now in 2023 the…
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…
From the time frame of 2017 til the present, the headlamps on the vehicle would burn out for no apparent reason. Each time i replace them, they would last for about 4 to 6 months and then they would burn out again. Sometimes either one would burn, left or right, and twice i've had both go out at…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Avalons have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 291 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the Toyota Avalon. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Avalon exterior lighting?
No recall currently lists exterior lighting for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the Toyota Avalon?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,100 (half paid between $1,250 and $3,700), from 64 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the Toyota Avalon?
The most frequent phrase is “high beam”, in 85 of 291 complaints, followed by “low beams” (23).
Other Toyota Avalon problems
See all Toyota Avalon problems.