10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 58,404 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Multiple failures of high beam / drls (same bulb). Bulb will quit working or in some cases shatter and leave glass shards in the housing. (known, and recently acknowledged, problem with bulb housings by Toyota.) I have also recently experienced several failures (temporary failures so far) of the high intensity discharge (hid) low beam headlight. The low beam will fail, and usually (after cooling, or a few on/off cycles) will resume operation. Internet research shows this also to be a common problem, probably a voltage problem, and seemingly related to the bulb housing problem that Toyota recently officially acknowledged and offered time/mileage-limited repairs for. So far, Toyota has refused to repair this known problem for vehicles outside the arbitrary set limitations of 5 years or 72,000 miles. The chronic and repeated failure of these headlights (high beams/drl and hid low beams) is a safety issue and should be included in an official recall for repair at Toyota's expense without time or mileage limits.
- Wedowee, AL, USA
Noticed my lights being dimmer than normal on various occasions, then realized that the headlights were going off alternately. But on at least 2 occasions they both went out at the same time. The running or fog lights were on so I had some lighting, but on at least 1 occasion I had to use my bright lights as I was driving on a section of road where there were no street lights.
- Pittsburg, CA, USA
In September 2011, the driver's side front headlight failed on my Toyota Avalon at around 62,000 miles. The car was immediately taken to the dealer and they replaced the bulb at a cost of $217.99. I have received a notice of the extended warranty from Toyota for high beam and driving light bulbs but nothing for low beam bulbs. I have submitted this last service visit for reimbursement but do not know if it will be covered. Now, 5 months and 3,000 miles later, the headlight (probably the low beam bulb) on the front passenger side has failed. The dealer has informed me that they will replace that bulb as a courtesy for a charge of only $40 instead of the full price of $217.99. This is the third Toyota Avalon I have had and the first time I have had any reliability problems with one. Clearly Toyota needs to reimburse owners for the cost of these bulb replacements.
- Hutchinson, KS, USA
Over the course of 1 month both high beams exploded while driving at night. Bulb chips are inside the assembly. Headlight leveling system not functioning on 1 side, light is pointing to the ground.
- Brookfield, Wi, WI, USA
When I started my car last week, the drivers side headlight was out. I assumed it was the bulb but took it to a shop where they tried to replace the bulb but I was told it's not the bulb. It began working again a few days later but seems to turn on and off but without any consistancy. When I was driving to work this morning, both headlights were turning on and off together. The fog lights are working but I have to turn the headlights on and off every few minutes to get them to come back on. The headlights were checked again but I am being told again it is not the bulbs. This is very unsafe! I am waiting for them to turn off one late night and not return nd cause an accident, injuring me and my family.
- Millsboro, DE, USA
I have the 2008 Toyota Avalon touring. The hid/low beam passenger light went out. Dealer advised both light assembly need replaced at $1088 each plus 2 hours labor. There is a major problem and they are backlogged 90 days. Dealer just received one that was ordered 90 days ago. Driving with one light (maybe 2 soon) is dangerous and I can't park it in the garage for 90 days. Toyota should be replacing free and supplying a rental car while they are on back order.
- Greenwood, IN, USA
Low beam head lights both right & left go off intermittingly, I had originally had problems with nigh beams they were fixed under warranty.
- Sayville, NY, USA
Right low beam headlight / daytime running light goes out approximately three minutes after vehicle is started. Occurs whether vehicle is stationary or moving. Turning off vehicle and restarting will reset light for a few minutes.
- Rock Hill, NY, USA
I started having problems with both front low beam light bulbs. The passenger and driver side would work only intermittently keeping me at bay as I could not drive @ night. Both driver and passenger went out at the same time I took it to the dealer and the passenger side along with the drivers side were replaced on two appointments at $192.50 per bulb along with labor.. the total came to $310.20 X 2= $620.40 that's a huge amount of money for defective parts. I was informed that I was using the lights too much and that was the reason for the lights going out!! my car has low miles and it told him that was a defect from the factory. I am very discouraged with the outcome of having to fork out so much money for a factory defect, shame on Toyota!
- Quincy, WA, USA
Driver side low beam intermittently goes out. Turning lights off and on makes it work again, but problem is occurring more frequently and the duration the headlight stays on appears to be shorter after each on/off cycle.
- Westerville, OH, USA
Head lights flickering... one day one headlight would go out, the next day, the other light... essentially taking turns going off. Then both would be on. Per some recent complaints, it doesn't look like replacing the low beams will fix this issue. This is a clear manufacturing issue considering the other complaints for this same model. Toyota dealership advised this had nothing to due with the extended warranty for the high beam issue.
- Owasso , OK, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving approximately 60 mph with the headlights activated when suddenly, the front driver side headlight failed to illuminate. The contact replaced the driver's side headlight bulb a total of three times but the failure would recur every two to three months after the replacement. Most recently, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised that the malfunction was contributed to the headlight housing, which required replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact planned to notify the manufacturer regarding the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
- Randallstown , MD, USA
While driving with the low beam headlights on either the right or the left light went out. Replaced both hid lights but issue keeps coming back. When I turn the light off and then on the lights come back on. However after a couple of minutes one of the lights go off again. It seems to be random, but some times both go out this is an obvious safety issue. Called Toyota to file a complaint as the dealer did not want to take care of this. Toyota frankly told us that this is not their issue. Looking at many other owners having the same issue this is a safety defect. We live in the mountains and without lights you have very dangerous situations especially in the winter. P.S. this is not the high beam issue but rather the normal head light.
- Evergreen, CO, USA
Idling in the driveway with the high beams illuminated, we heard what seemed like a firework or small arms fire. Moments later the vehicle was on fire. We extinguished the fire and disconnected the battery cables. The vehicle was towed in to the local Toyota body shop where it was examined, diagnosed, & repaired. The drivers side headlight lens, bumper cover, & cowling were replaced due to melting and fire damage, the wiring harness was inspected and repaired(it had been determined it hadn't been damaged other than inspection) all parts were reserved for my inspection. I had been told the high beam had worked itself loose & caused the fire. This did not happen!!! the bulb had exploded in the housing, minute pieces of glass were inside the headlight housing, & the only damage to it was external charring. I have stored the lens for inspection, proving the explosion theory. I thank the lord we were not driving at the time or the vehicle would have burned to a crisp. We received a form letter from Toyota a "warranty enhancement notice" concerning certain 2008- 2010 Avalon's high beam drl bulbs. Obviously they have had other issues as they have offered reimbursement if we have had any repairs paid for "out of pocket" this bulb exploded.....it caused a fire in the engine compartment, its only by the grace of god that we were idling in a driveway near a water source, and I have had fire safety training. I have since purchased a large extinguisher and carry it it the vehicle. We are very anxious & cautious driving the vehicle now.
- Port Arthur, TX, USA
Failure: High beam/drl bulbs hir1 9011. In November 2010, the right front hid low beam bulb was flickering and failed. As part of the right front hid low beam bulb replacement, I decided to replace both oe toshiba high beam/drl bulbs with philips replacements. Toshiba no longer manufactures the hir1 9011 bulbs. This move was strictly a precautionary action. Kept the toshiba bulbs as spares. Within 6 months one philips hir1 bulb failed in the drl mode and the other bulb failed in the high beam mode. Reused the toshiba bulbs.
- Douglassville, PA, USA
The headlights on my Toyota Avalon 2008 touring go out without warning. It started with the drivers side low beam and now both go out occasionally. Very scary when driving in early a.M. rush hour traffic and driving at night and your lights go out.
- Mason, OH, USA
High beam exterior lamp lighting failure. Auto repair shop stated that bulbs were shattered inside of head light assembly and replaced the bulbs. High beam bulbs failed again after 9 months. Toyota states that both head light assemblies must be replaced at $1088 ea to prevent high beam bulbs from shattering in the future.
- Carpentersville, IL, USA
Right side headlight stopping working while driving at night, turned light switch off and back on and headlight worked, has happened numerous times without warning, worried it will happen to both headlights at the same time while driving at night.
- Salisbury, MD, USA
It started off with my low beam hid lights on my passenger side...it would burn very dim and sometimes go out completely. I would turn the lights off and then back on and the light worked somewhat, it would burn but it was dim. A few months later the light completely stopped working so I used my high beams when possible. About a month or two after that (late August/early September 2011) my high beam on the driver side stopped working and it was replaced a little over a year before it stopped working. So that left me with a low-beam on the driverside and a high-beam on the passenger side. A few weeks after the high-beam went out on the driverside the high-beam on the passenger side went out leaving me with only a low-beam on the drivers side and fog lights. And everytime a light went out I was driving down the road and noticed my lights got dim.
- Como, NC, USA
- Sierra Vista, AZ, USA