FaultScore

1998 Toyota Avalon airbag problems

17 of the 205 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Avalon are about the airbag system — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 50,000 miles.

F

17

Complaints

15

Crashes

0

Fires

14

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 13 76.5%
AIR Bags 2 11.8%
Side/Window 2 11.8%

Airbags across every Toyota Avalon year

1998 17 3.3%
1999 25 4.8%
2000 27 5.2%
2001 21 4.0%
2002 35 6.7%
2003 184 35.2%
2004 128 24.5%
2005 13 2.5%
2006 27 5.2%
2007 20 3.8%
2013 14 2.7%
2021 12 2.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Raleigh, NC

AIR BAGS

ONE DAY WHEN MY CAR WAS STATIONARY AND AFTER IT HAD SET FOR A FEW DAYS I STARTED IT NORMALLY AND NOTICED THE SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON MY DASH CAME ON. THIS IS BEEN ABOUT A MONTH NOW AND A LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THE CODE READING INDICATES THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. THEY SAID IT MIGHT NOT DEPLOY AS ITS SUPPOSED TO DURING AN ACCIDENT. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOVLED SOON. AIRBAGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND LIFE SAVING.

NHTSA complaint #10954002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Kansas City, KS Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER PROPERLY. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10059846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

OAK Lawn, IL Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8003368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elizabethtown, KY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MPH CONSUMERS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANTOHER VEHICLE, FULL FRONTAL CRASH, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, DEALERSHIP AND USAA INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATIONS. *NOTE: PASSENGER SUSTAINED FOLLOWING INJURIES: BROKEN TOE/ STRAINED TOE, AND BRUISING FROM RESTRAINT BELTS. *AK

NHTSA complaint #898801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

MS State, MS Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

MY FRONT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT DID NOT INFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT. IT POPPED OUT AS FLAT AS COULD BE! I HIT MY HEAD ON THE SIDE WINDOW BECAUSE OF THIS. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A FAST RATE OF SPEED, MY HEAD INJURY COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS.

NHTSA complaint #753093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vero Beach, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THIS CAR WAS HIT IN THE CENTER FRONT BY A CAR TRAVELING 45 OR GREATER, ALL AIRBAGS FAILED!!!!!.

NHTSA complaint #746389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Vero Beach, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #889973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Evansville, IN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAGS FRONT AND SIDE FAILED TO DEPLOY ON A FRONTAL COLLISION AT A SPEED GREATER THAN 10 MPH. THE SPEED IS ONLY AN ESTIMATE, BUT IT WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FIREWALL TO PARTIALLY BUCKLE. THANK HEAVEN THAT THE SEAT BELTS WORKED PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #721235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Burmingham, AL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE CONSUMER WAS IN THE INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH, HITTING HER ON RIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT SIDE. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK

NHTSA complaint #856868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gremesland, NC Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH ON ICY ROAD CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WAS SIDE SWIPED, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #855957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greensboro, NC Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS WHICH DEPLOYED VIOLENTLY DURING COLLISION CAUSING SERVERE INJURY TO DRIVER'S CHEST, CHIN, AND FRONT TOOTH THAT ALSO INCLUDED BURNING AND INFLAMMATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND LUNGS.

NHTSA complaint #547447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelphia, PA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 15 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #837556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tuscaloosa, AL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR DOOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AND SLIDE INTO A MEDIAN. NEITHER THE SIDE NOR THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #826798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tuscaloosa, AL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR DOOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AND SLIDE INTO A MEDIAN. NEITHER THE SIDE NOR THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #826798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hyannis, MA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ON DEC. 24, 98 LEN LUZZI WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN MARIANNE SIMONS TOYOTA AVALON, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER OF AVALON INJURED. *AK.ET.

NHTSA complaint #833192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Highland Park, IL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THEN WAS HIT ON THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. POLICE WAS CALLED. CONSUMER WAS INJURED.

NHTSA complaint #827695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Selden, NY 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

SIDE AIR BAG.

NHTSA complaint #540448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Toyota Avalon problems

← Full 1998 Toyota Avalon report