2.9

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
50,117 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Toyota Avalon:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #14

Dec 182015

Avalon

  • 70,187 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. While the vehicle was being serviced, the technician discovered that both headlamps were not corresponding. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that both headlamp assemblies blew out and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,187.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #13

Oct 172014

Avalon

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. While driving 40 mph, the headlights shut off and no warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred numerous times. The dealer stated that the headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

- Decatur , IL, USA

problem #12

Jul 122014

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 64,300 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph on a dark road, the contact attempted to turn on the high beam headlights which failed to activate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the high beam bulbs fractured in the headlamp assembly as a result the headlamp assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,300. Updated 9/4/14 the consumer stated the failure was the result of poor design by Toyota. Which was eventually re-designed in 2010. The assembly was too small for the heat generated by the lamps and as a result, the lamps became welded to the assembly. When it welded, it was impossible to replace a burned out lamp. The entire light assembly needed to be replaced at a cost of $2700. Updated 11/17/14

- Pickerington, OH, USA

problem #11

Feb 092014

Avalon

  • 4,500 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, both high beam headlights malfunctioned without warning. The failure occurred on one occasion. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the head lamp assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 4,500.

- Clifton Park, NY, USA

problem #10

Apr 082009

Avalon

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that the passenger side low beam headlights would erroneously shut off. When the headlight switch was turned off and back on the passenger side headlights would function normally; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 25,000.

- Belleville, IL, USA

problem #9

Jun 062014

Avalon 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,600 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that both the driver and passenger side headlights (high beams) malfunctioned without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 36,600. Updated 9/4/14 updated 09/16/2014

- Ashford , CT, USA

problem #8

Jul 102012

Avalon

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the driver's side headlight failed. The contact mentioned that the driver's side headlight would fail intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was advised that the entire headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 85,000. The VIN was not available.

- Pennington, NJ, USA

problem #7

Jun 142012

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 93,600 miles
My 2008 Toyota Avalon has a light problem where one or the other or both headlights go out randomly. We have asked the dealership where we have the car serviced to look into it and on every occasion have been told they can't get the car to recreate the issue. We have actually been pulled over not once but twice for having a headlight out but when we turn them off and back on they work again. It was bad when it was just one or the other but recently both will go out. We feel like this is a huge safety issue..

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA

problem #6

Dec 162011

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 73,448 miles
The high beams both blew out in December of 2011. One low beam also goes out occasionally, either the right or left. I can usually turn the lights on and off and get the low beams working. The Toyota garage said I needed new high beam bulbs. I replaced the bulbs, but still had issues with the low beams going on and off. On June 12, 2012 the high beams blew again. The Toyota garage said I needed new headlight assemblies for a total cost of $2500. I have a 5 year 100,000 mile extended warranty but have been told the headlight assemblies are not covered. I am going to take this decision to arbitration with Toyota.

- Buckhannon, WV, USA

problem #5

Dec 052011

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 52,000 miles
The low beam headlights (hid bulbs) go out intermittently while driving. We have replaced the hid bulbs and the problem has continued. The vehicle has been taken to a local Toyota dealer for evaluation. They have been unable to say definitively what the issue is. They want to change the bulbs (total cost of $800) in order to make a determination of whether the problem is with the bulbs or not. Since the problem has continued the vehicle can't be safely driven at night for long distances for fear the lights will go out. This is a major safety issue that Toyota does not seem to want to acknowledge nor resolve.

- Fishers, IN, USA

problem #4

Jul 262011

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 51,000 miles
High beam headlights failed- are totally inoperative. Fuses checked ok. This is a known problem with Toyota Avalon models using hid headlights. In many cases, low beams will also fail soon. Repair is expensive, and does not correct the design problem.

- Lake Wylie, SC, USA

problem #3

Jun 012011

Avalon 6-cyl

  • 66,000 miles
Several headlight failures. First about 2 months ago, the driver's side headlight would go off intermittently, and come back on again. Then about a month later the high beams quit working. Then 2 nights ago, on a dark 2 lane road, with heavy rain falling, the headlights went out altogether. I immediately turned on the flashers and continued driving slowly as I was almost home. When I got home, I found I could turn the lights off and back on, and the low beams worked fine. The high beams still do not work. Have not taken car to dealer. In my 5 years of driving various makes of cars, I have never had this problem. May be my last Toyota. I found this website and found many people with the same problem. Probably for each problem reported here, there are maybe 20-30 not reported. Seems to be a safety recall issue to me.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #2

Jan 012011

Avalon

  • miles
2008 Toyota Avalon. Consumer states problem with high beam lights the consumer stated as he was driving down the road using the high beam lights, they all of a sudden stopped working. An inspection revealed the high beam lights had burned out. The dealer informed the consumer the replacement cost was $1300 per high beam light.

- Gastonia, NC, USA

problem #1

Jan 132008

Avalon

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Avalon limited edition. The contact stated that the high intensity headlights did not provide adequate long-range illumination. The high beam lights also provided poor illumination. The dealer replaced the head light modules but to no avail. The contact stated that the newly installed modules illumination was worse than the original ones. The current and failure mileages were 30,000.

- Amarillo, TX, USA